RAPHAEL WEINROTH-BROWNE is a cellist that you can have heard of in conjunction with bands like KAMANCELLO and MUSK OX. As for me, I hadn't heard of any of these artists before I even tired to listen to "Lifeblood", the most current solo album by this man. But it was advertised as Progressive Metal, and I do like a bit of Progressive. You can probably picture my surprise when I was confronted with a cellist playing Classical Music with Rock and Folk as an undertone, helped by computers and such. Not exactly what I was expecting, especially if you know that I am one of those that just can't abide a band like APOCALYPTICA. I cringe when I hear them. Even more so when they play their renditions of METALLICA classics. Uuurrrrrghhhh.

"Lifeblood" isn't the first solo album by RAPHAEL WEINROTH-BROWNE. That is "Worlds Within" from 2020. Musically this isn't anything I have encountered before. What becomes very clear throughout the album is that he is quite the cello player. He does know how to make it sing, to make it resonate into your ears. And even though there isn't any voice heard, what you get to hear for 59:40 minutes does sound interesting. especially for those who love their instrumental albums, or are interested in a bit of guitar masturbation, or in this case by a cello. But I have to warn you, he doesn't go all YNGWIE MALMSTEEN on us as listeners. Nope, it is obvious that as far as "Lifeblood" is concerned, he has been more interested in writing good songs than cramming as many notes into every second of his playing. And even though he has succeeded in that respect, it is too much of the same for me. It feels like too many repetitions. And as for this being Metal, forget it. There is nigh on no distortion to be found during the whole of the album. it is as if RAPHAEL WEINROTH-BROWNE is trying to tell us that such is not needed to be heavy.

This album is definitely not for the faint of heart, or for those who love traditional Heavy Music. You have to be a lot more open and, in this case, very adventurous. Not only that but you need to be partial to a bit of Classical Music, whilst also loving your AOR and/or Melodic/Heavy Rock. If that is you, you might want to check out what RAPHAEL WEINROTH-BROWNE has to offer on his second solo album "Lifeblood". You might find out that replacing the guitar with a cello is working. On the other hand, this might not be for you, but we all know there is only one way to find out.