"WATER OF LIFE" - SLAV SIMANIC

SLAV SIMANIC - Water Of Life/ Latter Rain, 1998
On a strict listening level, this is pleasant and well played instrumental rock and Slav gives people like Satriani and Morse a good run for their money. Essentially this is excellent mood and background music.

The man can play, there is no doubt and he has great melodic composition chops as well. Tracks like "The Lamb Of God" or "Hero" have that certain quality that tracks like Johnson's "Cliffs Of Dover" or Satch's "Summer Song" had...very hummable, very catchy and very likable. Also, the Vinnie Vincent Invasion like "Days Of Ease" sports a great vocal track courtesy of Phil Naro and almost in itself makes this album's purchase worthy.

Overall, this is one of the better instrumental albums I've heard in quite a while. Be on the lookout for Slav because he could find himself quite the hero in the making.

(Kurt Torster)