JEFF SCOTT SOTO – Complicated

May 10, 2022 Bryce Van Patten Album Reviews, Reviews 0
Jeff Scott Soto - Complicated album cover
  • 7.4/10
    JEFF SCOTT SOTO - Complicated - 7.4/10
7.4/10

Summary

Label: Frontiers Music Srl
Release date: May 6, 2022

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Complicated But Simple

Few vocalists can have a body of work as large as veteran Jeff Scott Soto, with over 60 albums under his belt while participating in Sons of Apollo, Talisman, Soto and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for starters. Not all of his work falls into the Heavy Metal category such as his W.E.T. band, and Jeff Scott Soto follows this trend being not as heavy as Soto or Sons of Apollo on his new album Complicated. Accompanying Jeff is Fabrizio Sgattoni on lead guitars, Alessandro Del Vecchio on bass, keys and backing vocals, and Edu Cominato on the drums.

Hard Rock With An Edge

Jeff Scott Soto – Complicated is technically his 9th album under that moniker, and as stated previously not as heavy as albums released under the band name “Soto”. With 11 tracks coming in at just over 45 minutes, the album has a lot to offer fans of the genre with it’s slick production and tight arrangements. Opening the album is “Last To Know” with it’s strong melody lines and upbeat tempo, kicking the album off to a good start. The next track “Disbelieving” has a groovy feel, huge choruses with many layers of Jeff’s signature vocals, and a more pop feel. The songs all have a definite hard rock feel, though the guitar solos lean more towards metal.

Final Notes

Complicated is a well produced, well arranged album of some good songs, and for this reviewer falls a little bit flat compared to other work by Jeff Scott Soto. Nothing jumps out to grab the listener, nothing stands out as being truly fresh in the melodies. While there are good songs, and as already stated very good performances, it all seems to have been done before. While this reviewer is definitely more of a fan of Jeff Scott Soto’s heavier music (Yngwie Malmsteen, Sons of Apollo and Soto), people who really enjoyed W.E.T. will find a lot to like on this record.

Lineup

Jeff Scott Soto – lead & backing vocals
Fabrizio Sgattoni – lead guitars
Alessandro Del Vecchio – bass, keys and backing vocals
Edu Cominato – drums

Complicated – Tracklist

1. Last To Know
2. Disbelieving
3. Home Again
4. Love Is The Revolution
5. Until I See You Again
6. Complicated
7. Don’t Look Back
8. New Horizon
9. Back To The Beginning
10. Thank You
11. Obsession

Author

  • Bryce Van Patten

    Bryce is an audio engineer and a graphic designer here at Metal Express Radio. From the day he purchased his first album (Machine Head by Deep Purple), he has had a passion for heavy music, which has influenced his whole life. Bryce is from the great Pacific Northwest in USA, and has played in metal bands like Babylon, Holy Terror, The Wild Dogs, Warhead and Egypt through the 80s. He had his first interview for the Portland, Oregon publication The Rock Rag with guitarist Paul Gilbert in his Racer X days. Then he was honored to get to have drinks, and talk for an hour with the legendary Dan McCafferty of Nazareth for his second interview. In 2013, he spent an amazing hour talking to Andi Deris of Helloween, which was the high point of his heavy metal journalism.   In the year 2001, he formed Man in Black Music Publishing. They released recordings by several local bands, and in the spirit of the old Metal Massacre compilations, he created a 2-album series called The Defenders of Metal. The albums featured classic styled Metal bands from all around the world, with bands from Australia to England, and from Argentina to Russia. Currently, he is the producer/creator/vocalist of the Metal band The Black Tuesdays.

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