CD Review: Jack Frost - Out in the Cold

Recently, I was introduced to the pure metal guitar work of Jack Frost, as well as his amiable personality and his obvious love for what he does. That introduction was also my introduction to one of his bands, Seven Witches. That was when I reviewed the recent Seven Witches DVD release, Year of the Witch. Now, I have been formally introduced to what Jack sounds like on CD with his latest solo project, Out in the Cold.

I have listened to the CD a few times now and I am very impressed. Jack Frost is a very accomplished guitarist, and one that is a pure joy to listen to. He's not as flashy as some players out there, and this is not an instrumental album. Out in the Cold is a collection of originals and covers that plays more as a tribute to his influences and loves. There is something infectious about this disk.

Jack Frost hasn't come alone to the party, he has brought a collection of vocalists with him. Among them are Ted Poley (Danger Danger), Neil Turbin (Anthrax), Jeff Martin (Racer X), Terry Ilous (XYZ), and Alan Tecchio (Seven Witches), among others. All of them bringing a different flavor to the mix.

The disk opens with the rocker "Wasting Your Luv," with Ted Poley on vocals. Poley does a fine job on vocals, but what really drew me in were the tight riffs from Frost. The metal kicks up the old school scale with "Crucifixation" which features some of Frost's best shredding while Neil Turbin puts on a show with some vocal gymnastics. Bring the metal back down, and increase the groove with "Peter and Me," a song that features a great groove that is accentuated with some acoustic guitar. The album is more than a collection of varied originals, there are some metalized covers including .38 Special's "Hold on Loosely," Foreigner's "Cold as Ice," and April Wine's "Sign of the Gipsy Queen."

Jack Frost's work here is pure rock and metal. There is something that is just a lot of fun about this. The music has an upbeat nature and there is this undercurrent that those involved are having a blast recording it. It may be the infectious personality that I saw on the Seven Witches DVD bleeding over into my take on this recording. It is undeniable, the shredding is great, the instrumental performances are as tight as can be, and the guest vocals are great.

Bottomline. This is definitely an album for you old school rock and metal fans. Want to revisit the days of straight up metal? This delivers. Jack Frost may not be the flashiest player, but he does some amazing things and his skills are on full display here.

Recommended.