I haven't listened to Mike's debut solo effort Shadows Of The Past, dating back in 1998, but was always curious 'bout what kind of an album it would be. You know, a (mostly, if not always) session drummer to release a solo album... I remember Cozy Powell's solo releases in the 80's - Octopus (1983) rules! - along with any Carmine Appice release (can't come up with a title)... I even hooked my mind into Destruction (1989) from Loudness skinsman Munetaka Higuchi. So? What does that have to do with Mike Terrana?
Mike Terrana has participated in 30+ studio albums in his 20-year career, with a horrifying CV enough to grab any job behind the kit. Eat this: Zillion, Artension, Axel Rudi Pell, Squealer, Driven, Yngwie Malmsteen, Metalium, Tony Mc Alpine, Beau Nasty, Kuni, Hanover are some of the bands/artists happy to deal with Mr. Terrana in the past. Currently in Rage, Mike found the time to record his sophomore solo effort. Accompanied by guitarists Cyril Achard and Victor Smolski (Rage), bass virtuoso Kevin Chown plus Mr. Ferdy Doernberg himself, Mike grabs his sticks and the frenzy begins! Or not???
It would be ridiculous to chat over the man's technique (he just rules...), still this instrumental album is not drum-orientated. The compositions mix different styles of music (not Metal at all, I would say), all of the participants seek to have a good time (jammin' status, with lots of fusion-jazzy-funky-chunky stuff) and the overall feeling I gain at the end of the listening session is that the album's title depicts clearly the inner part. An American drummer, now living in Germany (I guess, since being employed at Peavey's camp) that has nothing to prove to noone - meaning, this album is not only for the drummers. There's lots of melody, the production is groovy yet multi-dimensional and even piano and horns give a different approach from a guy whose double (or triple or x-ple) bass drumming used to tear our guts apart at first sting.
Note: the fact that Mike is a well respected drummer - and Man Of The World could (generally speaking) not easily be identified as a drummer's solo album - doesn't mean that he's standing cool. Thus, you Terrana-wanna-be mister, listen to the whole album before coming to the obvious I Can Play That! conclusion. Track No.11 is called Drum Solo and I'd gladly like to see your face after the torment is over.
- Album Highlight: Mike_Frank-Terrana_Sinatra in action (check Drum Solo)