KHYMERA – Khymera

Steve Walsh, you are not in Kansas anymore. Well, you are, but you are also in Khymera.

The self-titled release by Khymera boasts one of rocks greatest singers in Walsh and Daniele Liverani, a multi-faceted musician and writer. Liverani is the mind behind the egocentrically named rock opera “Genius.” The songs on Khymera were penned by people like Kip Winger and Reb Beach, Russ Ballard, Neal Schon and Johnny Gioeli, to name a few.

There’s a lot of love to give on this CD. With titles like “How You Gonna Live Without Love,” “Love Leads The Way,” “Who’s Gonna Love You Tonight” and “Say It With Love,” you may stop thinking about how all we are is dust in the wind.

The CD starts off with an instrumental intro, 1:20 long, called “Khymera.” Why? Intros on CDs are spreading faster than SARS, and there is no end in sight. Here’s some advice for other bands out there creating music and thinking about using an intro: don’t!!!!

“Strike Like Lightning,” the second track, is the hardest song on this release. The guitars rip on this song, and Walsh belts out some huge vocals, especially towards the end of the song. It’s probably the best song on the CD as well, because from this point on, it’s a bit of a love-in.

Actually, the song “Shadows” is a cool rock tune as well. Walsh doesn’t really sound like his work in Kansas on this song, but he still sounds good. And the chorus, which yells, “Do what you can, this time!” is a frantic and catchy effort. Good stuff.

But most of the CD is AOR, melodic rock. “Who’s Gonna Love You Tonight” does have a strong Kansas feel to it, and it’s haunting emotion, mixed with the lyrics of “Who’s gonna love you tonight, who’s gonna watch you turn out the light, every women here can see, every man would kill to be, who’s gonna love you tonight,” makes for a great lament. This is the kind of song Khymera shines on.

Song number six, “Bless A Brand New Angel,” is another example of a slow, somber well-written song, and it’s amazing hearing Walsh hit the high notes and knowing he hasn’t lost a step over the years. This is the best ballad on the CD, and that’s saying a lot, because they have quite a few.

“Without Warning,” and “Living With A Memory,” are two upbeat songs that lean more towards rock. But then, you hit the “love triumvirate,” songs 9-11 which all have the word “love” in the title. “How You Gonna Live Without Love” isn’t a ballad, but it is a bit boring, except for a couple screams. “Say It With Love,” is a melodic mid-tempo track, that by now, you’ve heard a couple other times on this CD. “Love Leads The Way,” has a nice melody and a good chorus, and like the rest of the CD, you can’t ever find fault with the musicianship.

Fans of Walsh will give Khymera a few chances, and this is the rare CD where it doesn’t grow on you the more you listen to it. The first time you hear it is the best time, and that isn’t an insult by any means. It’s just that in this case, if the songs will be playing over and over, until you do it all over again, repetition doesn’t necessarily breed fondness. Luckily, it only takes one listen to appreciate what Khymera is all about.