Excellent. The 1st disc is the typical, instrumental, cut throat, power guitar we've all fallen in love with. Disc 2 sounds more like the greatest artist of all-tme: Frank Zappa. You can hear the Zappa influence on this disc like when he played stunt guitar for Zappa in the early '80s. A must have for any Zappa or Vai nut. If Passion & Warfare is what you're looking for then don't pick this up.

This just might be my favorite release of Steve Vai's many great ones. It's endlessly fun, adventurous, and the band is just so good! Not to mention the fact that Steve Vai's guitar tone is like sexual audio syrup.

_Alive in an Ultra World_ is a live album, but these aren't familiar Vai songs. These songs are all new, and all of them are based on a different country. Vai covers everything from Germany ("The Black Forest") to Slovenia (the title track). Expectedly, songs like "Blood and Glory" (Britain's song) and "Principessa" (for Italy) rely on common motifs ascribed to the appropriate nations. However, other songs are quite inventive. Portugal's song, "Brandos Costumes", is a beautiful little piece, amiable, sparkly, with a quiet, free-flowing energy. The song for Bulgaria, "Incantation", is an aggressively groovy rock piece with the requisite gypsy flavor -- not to mention a mad drum solo and guitar playing! "The Black Forest" is quaking and darkly celestial. The pop-flavored guitar rock with vocals (the title track and "Light of the Moon") are excellent, simple but loaded with hooks and more tasty musicianship. Japan's song, "Burning Rain", is intense at first, then renascent after a hazy slowdown.

"Devil's Food" is a delight, electrified with Vai's presence as a frontman and the band's spontaneous coolness. During a duet with acoustic guitar and piano, Vai breaks a string. While his assistant replaces it, Vai has the band perform all sorts of crazy things to pass the time. It has to be heard to be believed. The bass player's demonstration is just eerie! "Babushka" has a similar spirit. While trying to kick off into an energetic gypsy song, Vai finds that he is out of tune. As he corrects the problem, his band gets anxious and moves into a jazzy jam.

The variety is also amazing. Since Vai draws on so many different cultural influences (sometimes even ideas that don't seem to have much to do with the country), there's a great assortment of styles here. It's an album that will never get boring. It's like Amazing Guitar Songs World Tour.

Mike Mangini is a monster drummer. Of course, I knew this already but now I have an entirely new respect for the man, especially with his interplay with bassist Philip Bynoe. The rhythm section here is mighty!

The little things are nice too, like where Vai candidly points out all the edits to the live cuts in the liner notes, and his introduction to the album: "This is an indulgent compilation of music with many little guitar notes!" I like that kind of attitude.

Any fan of amazing musicianship with a good dose of plain ol' fun needs this disc.

Vai's compositions keep on getting better and better, and really give substance to his always stunning technique. Several albums ago, he seemed to have a "breakthrough" in his composing abilities, where he was able to really breathe life into his songs and create epic, almost life-changing masterpieces. "Whispering a Prayer" (Ireland) is definitely an example of this. I travel a lot, and often listen to both discs end to end while flying or walking through airports, and also while bike riding...this album is all about experiencing the world!! I was riding the commuter train in Los Angeles, and when "Being With You (in Paris)" came through the earphones, I was suddenly riding the Metropolitan in Paris!! Along with these songs, "Principessa" (Italy), "Brandos Costumes" (Portugal), "Blood and Glory" (England), and "Iberian Jewel" (Spain) are my favorites...I think he has the Western European styles mastered the best! This is my favorite Vai album thus far, and I have them all.

hi everybody.i'd like to share some thoughts about the new album of steve vai.come on steve!!! i have been always waiting for ur 7th song of each album.but this time the 7th song was very bad.where r ur feelinsg on guitar?we need another "for the love of god" othrise i m asking for the "for the love of god" of the new century.still ur groundbreaking album is passion andwarfare.

we need u to come back again and strong.

This collection of live songs features a mode of songwriting that's a bit different to what we've known from Vai in the past. I find that to be very positive, because the other musicians' contributions are more prominent than in the past, so you get to hear a great BAND featuring Steve Vai. The compositions themselves are interesting as usual. Some of the shred-fans or metalheads out there might think the whole thing is too soft, and so on. But SV has never been Heavy Metal, really. Nonetheless, this album does not lack the usual Vai fretboard wizardry. Blazingly fast soloing is dead boring when it's not in an interesting musical context, and Vai does deliver that interesting context. Which is why I find this album to be a great achievement. And it is truly alive, even if there are a number of overdubs. If you want to listen to ten thousand notes per seconds over a crappy composition which states nothing, listen to some of the Yngwie-disciples. If you want to hear a great live album by a MATURE player/composer, listen to this.

Alive? More like comatose!
I suppose it was out bourne out of a long-time respect and enjoyment of those early hard'n'smoking' Steve Vai albums that I pursuaded myself into spending an indecent amount of money on this live CD set.
Oh gosh, why did I bother. Hadn't the last two mediocre albums been evidence enough to paint the obvious: that one of rock's leading guitar gods had now degenerated into a pretentious old noodler?
Yes...unfortunately.
Whatever happened to good old honest rock'n'roll, the eclectic type that Mr Vai used to be so good at?
Presented here is a set of disparate musical vignettes that sound like bad mid-70s jazz-rock. In other words, endless build-up but no real music.
And no soul.
C'mon Steve. If this is what a meglamaniac belief in your own finger-power does, then I suggest you give it a long rest and listen to some real rock'n'roll. I mean this music ain't heavy, honest or even head-banging. (The new 'Richard Clayderman' of rock guitar, I suppose.)
I promise myself that this is the last SV album I will ever buy, and will stick to the live and very heavy Satriani: :Live in San Fransisco. Now that's what I call "alive"!
Why two stars? One for the extensive sleeve notes, and, er, one for old times' sake.

Mr. Vai set out to capture the feelings of cities/countries throughout the world with these songs, and that is exactly what he has done. I've been to a few of the places and those songs are wonderful representations; and most of the songs for the places I haven't been are exactly what I think about when I try to imagine them.

With the exception of 'The Power of Bombos,' I thoroughly enjoy every track on here. I think this is the best thing Steve has done since "Passion and Warfare."

The thing about new Steve Vai material is that you can't attempt to make comparisons to previous material. For example, you couldn't attempt to take 'Fire Garden' and compare it to 'Sex and Religion' any more than you could trying to compare 'Passion and Warfare' to 'Flex-Able Leftovers'. The point is, if you're trying to compare this live album to any studio recording (especially when taking into account the context in which it was recorded both in locality as well as the inspiration for each song), you're likely going to be disappointed. However, if you take this album and just enjoy it for what it is (new material that was emotionally charged when it was written and recorded), then you're likely to be in for a treat. Admittedly, it was in part because of Steve Vai that I took up playing the guitar as both an emotional and artistic release, and though I neither try to nor desire to emulate his style or duplicate his material, I can honestly say that when hearing songs like 'Whispering a Prayer' it makes me realize why I took up playing as an outlet to begin with.

Net bottom line: if you buy Vai's music because you're not as concerned about "where he goes with it" as you are with "what he does with it", buy it. If you only listen because you're looking for earth-shattering, ground-breaking guitar licks or continuous fast fingering, don't buy it. Either way you've made the right decision.

Steve Vai is the best!! I love his playing so much. Ever single song on this cd brings you to the country it was made for. Like going on little field trips all over the world. Vai brings you places you have not even dreamed of. I would recommend this cd to every Vai fan!!
Peace
~D

What a great idea for a live album. Travel the world, attempt to absorb some of the culture and then give it back. When I first played this CD, I thought, "Vai, this is a little simple for you". But I stuck to it. Now I've grown to love it.

Those of you that have been hammering this cd. Listen to it again, focus on the rhythm parts. Try to find the source of inspiration for the song by listening to it, close. Then, when you start hearing the complexities, remember that the songs were often written in sound checks and performed soon after. Vai shines, but more importantly his band is incredible. He knows it and gives them the proper credit.

First.... I am a DIE HARD Vai fan.... It's not easy for me to write anything bad about the man, but this record is very disappointing.

First, Steve has given us 90 minutes of music on two CDs. Maybe he coulda left off one song and made it a single CD? Steve has historically given you your money's worth (70+ minutes on one CD is not uncommon). I feel ripped off. Sorry Steve.

Second, and more importantly, these songs have the feel of being thrown together in an hour or so... They are not the compositions that you expect from him like "For the Love of God", "Frank", "Windows to the Soul", "Here I Am", "Hand on Heart", and "Fire Garden Suite".

Buy Ultra Zone or Fire Garden if you are relatively new to Steve. This live set isn't a good intro into what a genius he really is.

I feel awful writing a bad review. Steve is my favorite player, and has been since his days with DLR. I've even met him a couple times and he's the nicest, most down-to-earth guy in the world. But this record just doesn't hit.

Sorry Steve.

Such an attempt to innovate and redefine the way music is composed and performed could only be rewarded with this humble five star rating. "Alive In An Ultra World" presents 2 CD's packed with NEW, performed LIVE songs, all of which written around several countries' cultural aspects and differences. Vai takes advantage of the overwhelming amount of research done by himself to express his own ideas and feelings through every single piece of this amazing experience. If you close your eyes and try really hard, you can actually become a part of each nation's History, or even appreciate the never ending exotic flavours the world has to offer. Above all it's fun, deep, extremely interesting and distinct. Simply awesome.

(Standout Tracks: Giant Balls Of Gold, The Black Forest, Whispering A Prayer, The Power Of Bombos, Brandos Costumes)

Steve Vai comes back on our planet with a great double album consisting of 15 new live songs (plus 1 bonus track for the japanese edition). Once again Mr. Vai shows his neverending inspiration and magic! Each song reflects the cultural and musical background of a different country and the result is simply amazing! Check out the 7th song "Whispering a prayer" and don't be surprised if you'll find yourself floating in the air!!! Definetly a MUST!

Steve Vai will always be one of the greatest guitarists ever. From a music point of view, I really enjoy his arrangements. I particularly like "Blood and Glory" and "Whispering a Prayer". His songs contain a lot of texture and emotion. The area that I was a little dissapointed is in the chops. Steve Vai can completely shred. I would have liked to here more sweep and alternate picking, and a little less tapping and whammy bar. I really love Steve's bluesy playing on "Alive in the Ultra World". This CD is more like a 4 and a half. If you love the playing of Steve Vai, and you would be crazy not to, this disc will not dissappoint you. Killer disc Steve!

I hope that Steve will do the right thing, like Satriani, and he will make a dvd of this live performence. In 2001 all good live performences would be edited together with their dvd.

MR Vai is under the impression that he can conjure up images of lands far and wide with a few scales on a distorted guitar. What is it with these Berklee twits?Dream theatre a thousand notes a second without memorable melody to be found,Vai with his totally inaccurate renditions of Trad type sounds. You want to hear music that is visually discriptive,listen to ELP Pirates(1977) or KarnEvil9(1973). Vaughan Williams wrote Scott Of The Antarctic in 1947 and there is not a more vivid(cold frozen landscape)musical peice in existence. Vai is a cool guitar player but his musicality leaves much to be desired,he went to great lengths describing the inspiration for each piece,what a joke,these tracks were thrown together at soundchecks and it really shows. This is an experimental album only as is Passion & Warfare. Musical ideas taken out of text books and nothing more.

Well, let us say this IS a great CD. Of all the late Steve Cd's this is by far the one I am enjoying the most!! Fire Garden and Ultra Zone were not good in my opinion, not considering what Vai can do!! Well, let's get to it. I have seen reviews explaining this Cd pretty clearly, and in my opinion, nailing the rating, so I'll write my review from the guitar playing point of view, so all of you Vai wannabe's can get an idea on how he is playing here.

Well, first of all I'll say that Vai is right, he does have an amazing band. All the musicians in his band play an incredible role and their sounds are incredibly loud in the mix, surprisingly for Vai, given his ego. The production is also great, and so is the engineering and mixing, resulting in one of the best sounding cd's I have heard in years!!! Is kinda amazing how warm digital sounds now!

Enough said, let's get to the playing. Vai is back!!! He is wearing the crown of guitardom once again!! His playing here is not nearly as impressive as it once was, but is a lot better than in his last efforts, plus his tone is back to being one of the best in world!! That said, having attended Vai's gig in Saint Louis, MO, I must say I think he used lots of tweaking here. I don't remember his tone being even close to this! I remember I left the venue pretty deceived, thinking Vai should be regretting playing through the carvins! However, here his sound is one of the warmest, sweetest, most liquid tones I've ever heard him play with. It's kinda like when he played with the Bogner ecstasy. I think his playing is sweeter too, with good use of legatto and arpeggios. I think he might not be using the evolutions for the most part, given how sweet and warm his tone is. I think he now has the breeds in most of his guitars. According to his website, "evo", his main guitar has the evolutions mounted, but these pickups cut pretty violently, and that is not the tone he has here.

In terms of strict guitar playing, as I said Vai is not playing as many alternate picked lines as he used to, plus, when he plays them, it reveals some lack of fluidity on this department. Let's face it, Vai can't play as he did when he was with Roth. However, he has better taste now, and is pleasant to hear now that he doesn't play all the paranoia he so normally plays. I guess, I like his playing more now. Tapping is as fluid and nice as always, only it keeps revealing some lack of imagination here, as he plays almost the same lines over and over, only in different keys. Legatto is better, more fluid and warm. More of a Brett Garsed thing.

As a whole, this Cd is a great record, and as somebody here said, it could have been better if all the really good songs were compiled in just one CD. However, it is nice to hear Vai investigating some different cultures and trying to mimic their music from an instrumental rock frame. Oh, by the way, cool that he onlye sings in two songs!! Good singing, though.

...AND THE BEST WILL COME BACK TO YOU." (unknown)

Steve has done it again. ALIVE IN AN ULTRA WORLD to me, is his most impressive piece of work to date. Why? Because he put 110% of himself into it--HIS HEART, MIND AND SOUL-- and it shows! Think of all the weeks (no make that months) of research he spent to learn each country enough for it to inspire him to write a song about it! Think about that! But even if the listener didn't know all the work Steve and his awesome band put into this, listening reveals it, truly.

MYSTIQUE AND COMMAND! That is this CD in a nutshell. The songs FLOW so beautifully from the first to the next--it is amazing to me how Steve always puts the songs in perfect order! From GIANT BALLS OF GOLD to IBERIAN JEWEL (Disk 1) and BABUSHKA to BRANDOS COSTUMES/GENTLE WAYS (Disk 2) oh it is unbelievable! I love EVERY SINGLE SONG but I must say my very favorites are "The Black Forest", "Alive in an Ultra World" and "Whispering a Prayer" from Disk 1 and "Light of the Moon" and "Gentle Ways" from Disk 2. I love the improvisations as well. (Check out "Devil's Food" and "Babushka!" They are really funny and refreshing! I enjoyed these little oddities! These songs give you an idea of how fun it is to watch Steve and the band play live!) Steve is a TRUE entertainer in the purest sense--the love he has for what he does and for his fans is his motivation. As a friend of mine says "He leaves a pint of blood on the stage after every show!" (Right, Zappa Appreciative?)

I could go on and on (you must read his notes on each song inside the pamplet!) Allow me to close with a quote from Steve at the end of CD pamplet (his thanks):

"These are all good people who unconditionally put out for this record and whom I am honored to have stood beside on the stage. Though many fine moments were had, the ones I will remember most fondly were the 3 minutes before each show when as a group of guys we huddled together and said a prayer before we took to the stage. Each night a different guy would speak his heart for the encouragement of the group. If you were a fly on the wall, among other things, you would hear sincere words of thanks and gratitude for the oportunity we had to actually travel the world, perform for people who in fact showed up to the concerts even though there were many other things they could do that night, and for having the opportunity to share God's most benevolent of gifts, music."

MY HIGHEST RATING! A MUST OWN! GET IT NOW!

he's back!after the folloup cd's from 1996'fire garden,i began to hate his music,and had my doubts about him.''i was wrong''!it's finaly here this is his finest work to date.unlike most of the other cd's following fire garden,this is a (rock)cd.this in my opinion should have been passion & warfare. this is what i feel most of us bought his cd's for to begin with.on this cd steve shows his diversity in a rock,direction and display's his mastery of the guitar. once you here the 1st song giant balls of gold,which is a hordes of locusts/ice9ish kind of song with a steady pced tempo all leading up to his amazing speed and technique. youll see it's a pre -curser for all to come.if you hated the ultra zone,you will love this.''buy it''!

L'élève STEVE VAI sort un double CD live au même moment que son Maître JOE SATRIANI sort le sien .(Live in San Fransisco).Ce nouvel opus n'est pas un simple live.En effet la quasi totalité des 15 morceaux sont inédits.Et quels morceaux !! "Giant balls of gold" "The black forest" "Whispering a prayer" "Babushka" "Being with you (in Paris)"... et les autres sont autant d'hymnes à la guitare. Steve développe virtuosité talent sensibilité tout au long de ses solos, prouvant si le besoin s'en faisait sentir qu'il est un GRAND guitariste. Le Maître SATRIANI revisite ses succès sur scène. L'élève VAI lui invente de nouveaux brûlots pour les fanatiques de guitares. Une très belle réussite .

Listening to Steve Vai's solo CDs, one is struck by the layered guitar parts, the details tucked into every sonic crevasse, and one thinks: this must have taken months of time in the studio. Then you see him in concert, and, although it hardly seems possible that those five guys you see in front of you can be recreating that sound in real time -- especially when one of them is also mugging and bouncing around the stage the way Steve does -- there it is. And so you think: this must have taken months of rehearsal.

Then "Alive in an Ultra World" shows you what they can do with nothing more than a couple of soundchecks.

I can't agree with those who wish this had been a live retrospective. This band plays the old material so well and so faithfully that a traditional live album would be like listening to the original recording while standing in a crowd. It would be a shame, to me, never to get a document of this incredible live band, and these new songs, born and raised in the wild, belong to the band in a way that older material couldn't. It is unbelievable how good these guys can make a new song sound after just a couple of rehearsals, and how much of Vai's trademark sound remains without a studio-crafted reference document. Many players spend days at a time composing and perfecting solos as enjoyable as those Vai plays off the cuff in one take, two at the most. If the songs were composed in any more or less time than his previous efforts, it doesn't show: the melodies are strong, the arrangements well-formed. As for the wish that this material had been recorded in the studio, there's nothing I could say to dissuade the audiophiles, but Vai produces a better sound live than many get in the studio. The guitar tone is sweet, the instruments are audible and distinct, and I don't hear the music suffering in any way. I reserve a fifth star for the intense focus that I haven't heard in anything except "Passion and Warfare"; but this is certainly as honorable an addition to Steve's body of work as the last two releases. Out of the studio, Vai is still Vai.

Words can't explain how great this album is. As a devoted fan of Mr. Vai, I have all his albums. This one is by far, My favorite. This album has it all, from the heavy marching riffs(and there are so many of them), to the soft and tender sounds of the Carvin acoustic(#7, disc 2 "Brandos costumes{gental ways}", my personal favorite. Plus, Steve's band is, well...."World Class". They were the perfect compliment to Mr. Vai. I can go on forever about this album. You just have to get this one.

This cd is very goofy. Not much burning. Songs are weak. Pass on this one. Check out Dream Theater

I would prefer Vai recording a full length live album.I watched him in this tour and he was incredible.This album is very good and the sound is great as always.

Bueno..es dificil resumir este disco en solo unos pocos renglones.., creo que este disco es para fanaticos..para gente que realmente aprecie el trabajo de steve, es impresionante...para la gente que lo vio en vivo.., con este disco recuerda esos momentos, ya que el pone todas los pequeños detalles que ocurren durante el show.., por ejemplo..(rompe una cuerda , se va de tono..etc..).., nos sorprende con la ternura de ¨whispering a prayer¨ en vivo en Buenos Aires.., y con la furia de ¨incantantion¨ en vivo en bulgaria. El disco representa a lo largo de la gira de The Ultra Zone, la cultura de diferentes paises..lo que el hace es tocar una cancion nueva en cada pais, representado algo de ese pais.. Por eso digo que este disco es para gente que le guste mucho steve.. Lo recomiendo ampliamente,..ademas aparezco en la contratapa!!(tercera fila , al medio) ..ya que la contratapa es la foto del teatro Gran Rex en buenos Aires.. Espero que les haya servido mi comentario saludos!

Athough I haven't had the chance to listen to this c.d. as many times as I would like to, I really like this c.d. I am a big Steve Vai and Joe Satriani fan as it is, so I always buy what they put out and I am never disappointed. I especially like the concept behind this c.d. of studying the music from different countries and incorporating that "sound" into a song that is dedicated to that particular country.

The idea behind this is just as incredible as the album itself. Anyone who's seen him, knows of the Vai 'presents' at shows. Collected here are nothing but gems, equal and greater than what we may have experienced. This is just a fantastic blend of so many different facets. Cultural nods, styles aplenty, humor and heart. Tastes of tradition, history and art. Steve Vai and his band have taken the live album to a new level with "Alive..."

In case you are not aware, this is not a live CD in the typical sense. Instead, it contains all new music. This wildly self-indulgent concept has led to a less than stellar CD.

A live CD is a double-edged sword. On the one side, you get a disc that is recorded in an inferior fashion (live, instead of in the studio). However, on the other side, you get to hear the songs you love, in a different environment, and you usually get to hear the artist tweak these songs a bit, and jam out to them. However, with "Alive in an Ultra World", you get a bunch of news songs, that have been poorly recorded.

Considering that most of these songs had to be done in one take, because Steve had decided that they needed to be recorded live, in the city that inspired them, this live recording is worse than most. They didn't have 80 different recorded shows from which to pick the best verion of each song from (as most live CDs do). Additionally, on a number of songs, since they only have one take, and one night, to get it right, we get to hear Steve stauling, while his guitar tech restrings his guitar.

Why Steve didn't simply record his "Ultra Zone" tour, and put that out as a live CD, and then record this material in a studio, and release it as a new CD, is beyond me. This is truly a shame, because from what I can tell, there is some really good stuff on here.

I own, and love, everything Vai has ever recorded, but this CD is pure self-indulgence, and should be avoided.

Steve Vai's albums are full of twists and surprises and this double album is of no exception. Alive is a great live recording with top notch sound quality. Some of the compositions seem like rough drafted sketches rather than fully completed compositions. Alive was designed to be a loose live recording. Excellent muscianship shines on every track. Steve's playing is amazing and his 2 vocal performances are great too. Highlights include Whispering A Prayer, Alive In An Ultra World, Giant Balls Of Gold, Incantation & Brandos Costumes. A great album from a true virtuoso.

Whoa. Where do I begin? This is something I was totally not expecting, which isn't really a big surprise considering we're talking about Vai here. This album, recorded live all around the world is truly something special. I can honestly say there isn't a Steve Vai I've heard and did not like, and these 15 additions have kept the record going. Each song has it's own small world, it's own feeling and aura. And because it's all live, that adds a whole other dimension to it. This is a unique and inspiring collection of music from a living genius. A must for every Vai fan.

This cd..albeit brief..is Steve Vai showing that he can do whatever he chooses..and his fans will buy..only he would dare try to pull this off..each track offers insight into that contries tradition and style of old world music...recorded live during his Ultra Zone tour..this music is inspired by some of the greatest cities in the world...just check out "Black Forest" or "The Power of Bombos" your stereo will fear for it's life...!! Granted some of it is a little out there for U.S fans..but it's everything you expect from Steve Vai...

This is one heck of a CD. I'm still absorbing it's 2-disks worth of Steve and his band at their finest. Basically, according to the liner notes, Steve and company minimize the boredom of sound checks by cutting loose in a full jam improv. These jam sessions are usually recorded and submitted for our approval.

Steve doesn't hog the spotlight, either. Steve's personality really shines and he allows his band to step out as well. Sure, Steve has a severe Zappa personality complex (as exhibited with a quick musical reference to FZ's "Lumpy Gravy"), but that's what makes Steve so great - talent and humor!

This is truly so great an album, that I cannot express all of my feelings with my first listenings to this CD. The concept of this album was of composing and recording songs for the countries that Vai visited during his Ultra Zone World Tour. Each of these songs are completely different, and some of them you would never believe its Vai. But there you have it, inspired by the world's different cultures and traditions. Big standouts are Giant Balls of Gold, Whispering a Prayer, Being With You and Principessa. You should read the liner notes from Steve while listening, so that you can get the idea of what went through Steve's mind while playing those songs. This album is a great adventure to listen to, as I imagine it was to produce it. Congratulations Steve Vai for this wonderful experience, and for pushing yourself this far.

I read about the release of this record on Steve's website a week ago and thought I will have this album. So today i went out for lunch and instead of lunch i bought this cd. I gave it 5stars not because it was something totally new in the way of guitar inovation, but simply because after listening to non stop all day I still want to hear it again and again. If you are thinking "finally Steve Vai has but out a live cd of all the great stuff he's ever done" you might be suprised because none of his old stuff is here, with the exception of "Devil's Food", which is cool the way when he breaks a string he just has fun letting the band play around. This is all new stuff writen for whatever country Steve was touring in at the time. This is probably the coolest thing I've heard since Yngwie Malmsteen's Concerto Suite. Although their are some overdubs that were done in the studio it never loses its live feeling. It is very original and extremely addictive.