Secrets in Bloomington, MN

A true masterpiece,
Secrets
is the massive culmination of
Allan Holdsworth
's years-long legato technique and SynthAxe development. Conceptually inspired by but significantly different from the electric guitar, the SynthAxe is not a guitar-controlled synthesizer; it's a completely unique instrument of its own, making the guitarist's gripping performances all the more impressive.
Holdsworth
actually plays both instruments at a world-class level, setting an almost unreachable technical standard for aspiring
rock
,
jazz
, and
fusion
players. In addition to
' technical accomplishments,
contributes some of the most inspired songwriting of his career. The instrumental choruses are subtle and fluid, and the vocal lines on
"Secrets"
(performed by
Rowanne Mark
) and
"Endomorph"
(
Craig Copeland
) surpass earlier
-penned efforts with their touching lyrics and melodies. Simply put, this 1989
Enigma
release is a triumph, the final contribution to the artist's seminal '80s collection that includes
Metal Fatigue
and
Atavachron
. Fans of
progressive
music (no matter the genre) are recommended to search out the furtive
, and unearth the sadly hidden knowledge of a musician's sublime transcendence of form, through passion and genius. ~ Vincent Jeffries