Artist: Chris Poland 
   Title: Return To Metropolis Live
   Label: Lion Music

When former Megadeth guitarist release his much acclaimed debut solo release 'Return to Metalopolis' back in 1991 it instantly won an army of devoted fans.

'Return to Metalopolis Live' give the fans a chance to relive that album once more only this time in the live arena with six tracks recorded at Mason Jar in Phoenix Arizona.  The Mason Jar may no longer be there, but the spirit still lives on through this live performance.

Also included on this disc are a couple of added bonus’s in the form of a unreleased studio demo of the track ‘Pandora’, the B-side of the first OHM single, and a rare video of OHM covering the Metalopolis classic ‘Alexandria’.

The album is a must for all fans of Poland’s fret burning guitar style.  As things get underway with Chris asking for some water “as its mighty hot in Phoenix”,  things are about to get hotter with the opener ‘Return to Metalopolis’ itself, instantly the guitars rule the airwaves as Poland just rips things up as only a true metal guitarist can.

Things continue with the only vocal track on the record courtesy of Dave Randi on the metal fest that is ‘Wake Up Dead’, with brother Mark thumping out the back beat on drums, this is one of the stand out tracks for me.

Another favourite of mine is the smouldering bass infused thumper ‘Khazad Dum’, this time with Poland showing he can make the guitar soar as well as shred, but not in a relentless bombardment of solos, but also with spellbinding riffs, all intertwined with a pounding rhythm section on this more mellower affair.

Brother Mark’s drum roll lead us into another more refined lick strewn effort this time on ‘Psycho Boy’, with Poland himself taking somewhat of a back seat on this one as brother Mark and Dave Randi lays way with a stunning back beat interwoven with Chris’s guitar work which comes into its own at the end of the track, great stuff!

We pick up the tempo a touch with ‘Nightmare Hall’, a song that reeks of Megadeth, the only thing missing is Mustane’s vocals.

The last of the live tracks is ‘Theatre Of The Damned’, another fantastic piece of metal affluent guitar work by Poland which rounds off the live portion of the album well.

The first of the what I would like to call bonus tracks is the studio demo ‘Pandora’, a more laid back track than what has gone before, with a more melodic hard rock feel to them.  Still the same excellent guitar work but this time at a more relaxed pace.

Next up is the almost futuristic tones of ‘Tin Man’, another soaring guitar effort that sweeps the listener away with its humble yet majestic air and shows well the diversity of Poland’s guitar and song writing.

If you quickly take the CD out of the player and put it into you computer you can capture the great man in action, well if you can pick him out of the darkness of the Baked Potato where this footage was shot as OHM that’s Poland, Dave Eagle and Robby Pagliari performing their version of ‘Alexandria’.

This is a must for all those fans of Poland who bought 'Return to Metalopolis' first time round and for those you haven’t bought it check out this new album and then go out and buy 'Return to Metalopolis', you won't be disappointed.  

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