Metal Fatigue
Metal Fatigue combines a hard rock attack with guitar playing that moves far beyond familiar blues patterns. Allan Holdsworth's lines are fast and fluid, but the harmony is just as distinctive as the speed. Chords shift in unexpected directions, and the cleaner guitar often has the soft, sustained character of a keyboard. The album remains inviting because strong rhythmic playing gives those unusual sounds a clear foundation.
The title track makes an immediate impression through its sharp, distorted riff. The harder opening gives way to more open chords and flowing lead parts, creating a useful contrast between weight and movement.
Home takes a gentler route, with nylon-string guitar providing another kind of texture. It is an important change after the opener, showing that the record's range comes from tone and phrasing as well as technical difficulty. The softer setting also makes the care of the performance easier to follow. Elsewhere, fuller guitar textures have an almost orchestral character, adding another dimension beyond the harder attack.
Devil Take the Hindmost is the strongest demonstration of the electric playing. Its shifting chords establish an engaging setting before the extended lead becomes the main focus. Holdsworth moves through long, connected phrases with remarkable control.
The rhythm section deserves attention too. Chad Wackerman's drums handle the changing patterns with energy. The end of Panic Station gives the bass a particularly effective moment in the foreground.
The vocal songs are more uneven. The singing fits the broader progressive rock character, but some lines sound awkward, especially on In the Mystery. Those passages are less convincing than the instrumental writing around them.
Metal Fatigue offers much more than a display of speed. Its combination of unusual chords, clear rhythmic support and contrasting guitar sounds gives Holdsworth's technique a purpose. The vocals limit the complete record, but the strongest instrumental passages are both demanding and memorable.
