No More Obscurity

Does the world really need another guitar hero? Rulf Munkes seems to think the answer to that question is "yes." However, when he tries to be the next Satriani or Malmsteen, the result is boring, overblown, and just plain not fun. What he really does well, though, are more straightforward rock cuts that focus more on melody and less on the fast and furious "see how many notes I can play" guitar approach. The songs that show that melodic style are truly enjoyable, and there are a few of them. In fact, Munkes even covers the Police's "Message in a Bottle," putting in a very interesting performance on that one. The final track on the disc is a guitar solo that works. It is in an acoustic guitar style and feels a lot like something Steve Howe would do.