Russell Allen
Atomic Soul

October 2005
Released: 2005, Inside Out
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Anders Sandvall

This is the first solo album from the Symphony X singer Russell Allen. He finds his musical inspiration in Rainbow, DIO, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath but also from Badlands, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. He has tried to combine all these influenced into one album and I can tell you that he has managed to do a brilliant album. The whole idea with this album was to make a pure rock album that shows off his roots and where he comes from but also to make music he haven’t heard for a while.



I’ve only heard a few songs with Russell’s main band but I can tell you that if you expect this to sound as Symphony X you’re deadly wrong because this is heavy 70’s hardrock and nothing else. The music is based on really heavy guitar riffs along with numerous of tempo changing in all of the songs.



Russell has recorded this album in the Dungeon Studio where Symphony X have recorded most of their albums. Russell is responsible for the production and he has created a perfect production that really fits the music perfect. He’s put the main focus on the heavy guitars and his excellent lead vocals, and if he decides to stop singing he can easily earn his way of living as a producer.



Russell is a multitalented artist, besides signing and producing he also plays guitar, bass and keyboards as well as written and arranged all of the 11 tracks on the album.



He’s a terrific song writer and all of the songs are each and everyone little masterpieces on 3 to 8 minutes. I’ve listened to this album for a while and it’s only getting better, it’s absolutely an album that’s going to last for a really long time.



There’s nothing remotely negative regarding this album, it feels like Russell have worked really hard with this album and it sure have paid off because this is altogether, eventhough I’m not so into 70’s retro hardrock, an outstanding album.