You'll find little here that you haven't really heard umpteen times before.
These days it never ceases to amaze me how many hardly known musicians manage to put together projects and albums packed with big name metal and rock stars, which is exactly what Sylvain Rouviere has managed to achieve on his bizarrely named Kaktus Project album ‘Superstition’. Now I have to admit that I’ve never heard of Rouviere before and even trawling through the internet has revealed very little about the guitar shredder and vocalist whose vision this album is. However a cast list which includes members of or contributors to Avanatasia, Masterplan, Riot, At Vance and Kamelot has to be taken notice of, even if discovering who exactly performs on what track is a decidedly difficult task. Coming across like a mix of Avanatasia, Judas Priest and Yngwie J Malmsteen, it has to be said that the Kaktus Project promises more than it actually delivers, and even with vocal talent of the calibre of Amanda Somerville and Mike Dimeo onboard, it is hard to see songs like ‘Tonight’ or ‘Farewell’ as anything other than pretty standard stuff.
There’s no doubt that Rouviere is a fine guitarist, especially if shredding is your thing, however you’ll find little here that you haven’t really heard umpteen times before, although that I suppose is an accusation that could be levelled at many albums. What makes this release a little more confusing is that on occasion Rouviere himself also decides to take on the vocal duties and while he isn’t the worst singer you’ll ever hear, up against the vocal talent he has amassed on this album he doesn’t fare quite so well.
So not a fantastic album, but also not a stinker, but be warned ‘Superstition’ manages to leave a bitter taste in the mouth as it closes with a pretty awful speed metal cover of Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, which let’s just say doesn’t quite live up to the original!
Steven Reid
Subscribe to this comment's feed
