Mike Orlando: Adrenaline Mob kick ass at Glasgow's King Tut's

Adrenaline Mob/Voodoo Six at Glasgow's King Tut's - 29th

We all know that one-time Dream Theater fulcrum Mike Portnoy is a drummer par excellence and that Symphony X frontman Russell Allen possesses one of the strongest, most authoritative voices in music. However it has to be said that the real Adrenaline Mob revelation is the pairing of blurring guitarist Mike Orlando (whose two solo albums I now need to hear) and Disturbed bassist John Moyer, who is as much a second guitarist in this band as he is standard bass player. In fact during one of Orlando's many dazzling guitar showcases, singer Allen could, unaware that while off-stage he was still in full view of many in the room, be seen simply staring and smiling at what he was witnessing. Remember this is from a man who, in Symphony X, usually fronts one of the most musically dextrous bands out there! Airing every one of the eleven tracks from Omerta, the dense riffs came thick and fast with the simmering stomp of "Freight Train", the don't fuck with me attitude of "Indifferent" and the fist of fury that makes for "Hit The Wall" hammering home with even more terror than they do on record. Much talk pre-gig had been as to whether Portnoy would bring his entire gargantuan drum-kit to the compact King Tut's stage, but not a man, or indeed a band to compromise, every roto-tom and splash cymbal was in place and thrashed to within an inch of its life, although his classy backing vocals were equally, if somewhat more surprisingly effective contributions.

Full review http://www.seaoftranquility.org/article.php?sid=2236