Interesting stuff coming from the Dream Theater camp as of lately! Not only have they finished recording the new album, set for release around May/June but the long-awaited debut solo album from guitarist extraordinaire John Petrucci, aptly titled Suspended Animation has also finally seen the light of day. And what a debut this is! Words can't really describe it and I'm simply in awe. This is top-notch guitar-driven instrumental stuff and you better hear it for yourself then make your own judgement. For me, this is already one of this year's strongest releases, hands down.

Vocalist James LaBrie also has a new solo project album out, titled Elements of Persuasion. I haven't yet listened to it but that's something bound to change within the next couple of hours. I'm particularly keen on listening to it as I have some kind of love-hate relationship with LaBrie. To be honest about it, these days I can't stand his shrieks and over-the-top pitch with DT but I absolutely love his style in Ayreon's The Human Equation, for instance. So let's see how this one turns out.

Last but definitely not least, and this comes with a bittersweet taste, Jordan Rudess is doing a few shows with one of my favourite 2004 acts, Blackfield. This is great because, as far as I'm concerned, both Jordan and Steven Wilson rock my world but it sucks at the same time because it's US-only and travelling overseas is probably the last thing on my book right now. Perhaps some bootlegs will surface, here's hope!

On a more personal note, if there's anyone out there regularly following this blog, I'm not sick or anything. The absence of posts lately is concerned with physical matters like different wave lengths which this post is unfortunately too small to contain. Stay tuned though! History is (probably) in the making! ;)