With some exceptions, nearly every metalhead of every stripe can tell you roughly the origins of their own connection to Heavy Metal music. A lot of those stories will get into the weight of a guitar slung on the shoulders, or the view from behind a drum kit, and some will tell of glistening keys on a synthesizer. It's sad how many of these tales end in an office somewhere, dreams left on the shelf.

One kid who didn't settle into the white-collar world is AVI ROSENFELD, a devout disciple of metal both Heavy and Progressive, and whose prolific catalog stands as his testimony, has released his 57th (!!!) album, "Into The Wild", featuring the vocal stylings of CRAIG CAIRNS, lately of MIDNIGHT PROPHECY. For Proggers who love extended discographies to catch up on, AVI ROSENFELD makes all of his music available for free, an artistic signature if ever there was one.

Among the titles in his history, there is included a series called "Very Heepy Very Purple", whose volumes are throwbacks to the prime days of URIAH HEEP and DEEP PURPLE, and that's the era largely present on "Into The Wild". Track one, "Uprising", makes this very clear, featuring the sort of vocals found somewhere between DIO and MICK JONES.

The next track, "Guardian Of Sun", doesn't move much from the path, but "Bringer Of Rain" gets a bit more somber before "Ragnar Lothbrok" brings the sound back in line. The title track, right in the middle, gets so intense with a Hammond organ you might mistake it for a show tune.

Then we're treated to "Bleeding Heroes Of The Sun", which begins with a lot of promise and then actually delivers a decent hit, a surprise entry for the All-2021 Playlist. "Faith" follows that up with a slow and downright Bluesy jam, followed in turn by "Knights Of The Castle" and "Shores Of The Night", which resume the formula used in the album's front end. That's how the album also comes to an end on "Lockup The Gates".

Consistency is largely achieved via AVI ROSENFELD's total songwriting credits, which is not often achieved when the backing band features a revolving door. Still, with track six being a sole standout, "Into The Wild" features about the amount of pure originality one might expect from the title. Indeed, much of that professional multitude mentioned earlier is a tribute to the bands who inspired the body of work, and the word 'retread' comes to mind more than a few times.

Nevertheless, a plethora of talented guests keeps the album from totally treading water, and the songwriting is at least a palpably updated appraisal of a very old scene. Someone who likes their Prog competent but a lot less intense than, say, ANIMALS AS LEADERS, will most definitely find what they like on "Into The Wild". Not everyone is into Prog, but Prog is still for everyone, and anyone seeking easy access to its depths should see AVI ROSENFELD as a worthy shepherd.