DinnerDinner Music for the Gods. The very name conjures up images of Dionysian excess on Mount Olympus. Zeus and Poseidon hand out the olives whilst Apollo snogs a satyr behind the laurel wreath rack. Never mind what the fox would say. What would they listen to?

Well apparently they would listen to this instrumental quartet from Las Vegas who fuse metal, jazz and world music together. OK I can go with that.

I have to get something out of the way before I take you on a trip through this release. Much like reading the last page of a book first (a habit I have continued for decades) I initially listened to the last track of this album. Entitled “Ghost Troopers in the Sky” the idea of a mash up between the country classic and a Maiden fave was too tempting and juicy to resist. Especially as I had a radio show to do that day and wanted to play it. At this point I did not realise that the album was instrumental. Disappointment tapped me on the shoulder when I realised there would be blending of “Yippee yi ohhhh “ and “The smell of acrid smoke and horses breath”. I consoled myself with the fine job the band did with this cut and shut job.  Of course there is a whiff of cheese about it (look at the title for gawds sake) but there is a nice metalisation of the main riff from Ghost Riders and some nice flamenco acoustic passages before that familiar riff from Piece of Mind kicks in. These guys can certainly play and my mind was now receptive enough for the rest of the album.

The title track kicks the album off and starts like summat you might have heard in 80’s Costa del Sitcom Duty Free. Before I look for a pair of white espadrilles and a glass of Sangria a riff kicks in and we are away.  This track is 80’s in sound but is more Satriani or Savatage than Gypsy Kings.  Matt Muntean on Drums and Jimmy Pappa on bass give the rhythm a jazzy air whilst guitarists Andy Hellman and Jimmy Pappa pepper the track with soaring leads and staccato Spanish passages.  This is the first time I have seen album credits mention which channel each guitarist is playing in!

Next up “Sofi” is a little Santana for me complete with calypso style percussion. A little too end of the pier. You can tell these guys are from Vegas. I expect Siegfried and Roy to chase a snow leopard round my studio while this is blaring,  (with Barry Manilow playing air bass behind them) Ugh!

Another cover follows a rendition of Zep’s Kashmir with a lot of extras thrown in. It seems a little pointless to try and make your mark on such an iconic song. Live ? Perhaps but it doesn’t add anything to this record.

Winterfell follows but Game of Thrones guts and glory this is not. Just some 80’s style riff and fret board high jinks which would be more at home on Guitar Hero than accompanying the Starks riding into battle.

Wind Through the Trees is pleasant enough with some chunky riffs amongst the melody but like the rest of the album I felt that I was being short changed and that this really was music to have a genteel dinner party to rather than immerse oneself in.

The remainder of the album the tunes (there are no songs remember) remain the same before the Ghost riders/ Trooper mash up .

If this is dinner music for the gods I think it is only leftovers.

(4/10 Matt Mason)

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