Monte Pittman / Pain, Love & Destiny (2011)

Monte Pittman is an American singer-songwriter who is well-known for his works with the rock band Prong but, also, as a guitarist for Adam Lambert's Live band, Madonna and as a solo artist. In November 2009, Monte released his debut album , "The Deeper Dark", which features 11 acoustic songs.  "Pain, Love & Destiny" is the artist's second release, is a sonic narritave that brings each listener into a world where they are each asked to confront their own fate, good or bad, and their eventual death - and rebirth.

The album, also, features recognizable musicians such as Kelle Rhoads, the brother of the late Randy Rhoads, who played piano on the album, as well as Kane Richotte on drums. This effort was produced and enginnered by Noah Shain and co-produced by Pittman at White Buffalo Studios.

The album starts with the brilliant tune of "About You". A very good 'modern' song with nice arrangements and a solid guitar work. "Lost" is a fantastic and extremely melodic track with a 'clever' hook and a catchy chorus line. "Close Your Eyes" is another winner from "Pain, Love & Destiny". It has a killer riff , nice harmony and an 80's feeling! "(I am ) The Black Rabbit" reminds me a bit of Soundgarden's earlier works. It is a bit 'dark' with a melancholic vibe and features a huge guitar soloing!! "Right Back Here Again" is a rawer Daughtry styled song while "Definitely" is another great example of Pittman's music!!

All in all, this is an extremely interesting release! The mix of variety music styles such as AOR, Alternative, Modern Rock and Pop make this album a very enjoyable ride into Monte Pittman's world!
HeavyParadise's Rating : 8 /10

Track List : 1.About You, 2.Lost, 3.Somewhere In The Middle, 4.Fortune, 5.Keep Shining, 6.The Price Of Fear, 7.Close Your Eyes, 8.(I Am) The Black Rabbit, 9.Definitely, 10. Stay With Me, 11.Right Back Here Again, 12.Outside The Box, 13.Burn Down The Garden, 14.Predendermind Destiny