Dom Minasi’s latest release, The Vampire’s Revenge, is a courageous and volatile musical achievement. It’s not for the jazz squeamish by any means, nor is it for all purists either. It takes some listening to become familiar with it, and the listener should assume an understanding of it as well. Think background music, a stage presentation, or a musical score for an avant-garde thriller and you may get the gist. On that note, the double CD set was inspired by Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles, and is a dedication for many hours of reading pleasure. One can sense suggestions of fear, chaos, bloodlust (flowing liquid), and frenzied movement within the tracks. Minasi’s frantic finger movement upon his fretted instrument does the latter superbly.

This release is quite innovative in scheme, with sound more so than actual melody, a picturesque and descriptive approach. Try to imagine Zappa or Belew falling into a jazz-fusion well and never coming out. With that in mind, ‘The Vampire’s Revenge’ is quite humorous as well. The arrangement within ‘Where You Gonna Go? Where You Gonna Hide?’ as well as track titles like ‘Who’s Your Dentist?’ and ‘Just One Bite’ remind the listener that it’s all in good fun.

Minasi’s guitar playing is amazing on both CDs. As a whole, it’s much different in its approach than his previous works. His 2004 release, ‘Quick Response’, was more melodic and easier on the ears. The Vampire’s Revenge dwells somewhere on the outskirts of musical boundaries. Meddling on the thin line separating audio sensation from the visual, it induces the stimulation that’s mutual between the two.

The Vampire’s Revenge Track Listing
Disc One
1. The Seduction
2. Who’s Your Dentist?
3. Just One More Bite
4. The Transformation
5. The Dark Side
6. The First Day

Disc Two
1. Blood Lust
2. The Hunt
3. Where You Gonna Go? Where You Gonna Hide
4. The Vampire’s Revenge

Dom Minasi: guitar
Ken Filiano: bass
Jackson Krall: drums
Many other contributors

Label: CDM Records 2006
Released: March, 2006

Links
Dom Minasi
The Vampire's Revenge on Amazon.com
Jazz Promo Services