Racer X
Superheroes

THE REVIEW

Do you know the four superheroes of heavy metal? Yes, it's them: The Electric Bat, Motorman, The X-tinguisher, and the great Cowboy Axe. Now, if you don't know the band, you might be thinking of turning the page, but what if I said Gilbert, Martin, Alderete, and Travis?
When I found out that Paul Gilbert and the drummer from Judas Priest were playing in the same band, I couldn't resist and immediately bought this "Superheroes" album. I have absolutely no regrets. The four in question have gifted us a stunning record, where the overwhelming personality of Mr. Paul Brandon Gilbert stands out, yet the other three madmen (Jeff Martin was supposed to be a drummer, theoretically not a singer!!) also make their mark.

The riffs are really awesome, the style is somewhat glam (if you see the CD booklet...) and the metal offered is exquisitely crafted.
Listen to the guitar riff in "Superheroes" and you'll realize that the former guitarist of Mr. Big is indeed not entirely human. One thing that struck me is Scott Travis's performance: used to hearing him trapped in the rigid patterns of Judas Priest, I didn't expect to find such a diverse artist, who as usual makes use and abuse of double bass but finds a way to express himself more in this band. Were we talking about double bass (or double kick, as you prefer)? The instrumental "King Of The Monsters" is full of it, yet it doesn't suffer from it, and its charm is immense. In the composition of the pieces, the four did not want to invent anything new, creating a mix of heavy metal and hard rock. The one that leans more towards this second genre is the splendid "Mad At The World". But this formula, far from innovative, is reinvigorated by the singer's personality and the eclecticism of the fantastic Paul, who enriches every piece with his truly majestic guitar interventions.

The album also includes the highly successful cover of "Godzilla" by Blue Oyster Cult, which is yet another gem in this wonderful record along with the second instrumental "Viking Kong", in which "The Electric Bat" proves to be a true Guitar Hero.
Every good Metalhead should own it, unfortunately, as in many other cases, these bands do not enjoy the fame they deserve. But perhaps that's also why we like them so much.
Unmissable.