Project X – Images of a Fallen World

Project X
Images of a Fallen World
1994 Signature Records
Denver, Colorado, USA

Dwayne A. Woodbury – All Instruments
Greg Ryan – Vocals

Side 1:

1. On Trial
2. Three Dimensional
3. Autumn
4. Urban Eclipse

Side 2:

1. Images
2. A Fallen World
3. Bar Code
4. The Vanishing Forest

If you remember Shrapnel Records, and the beginnings of many big name shred guitarists, then this tape will feel like a long lost album from that roster. Project X is kind of a one-person band, with Woodbury providing all of the instruments, but joined by Ryan on vocals. But it seems Woodbury also wrote everything. Which is pretty impressive. One of the main criticisms of shred albums is that they sacrifice songwriting for extreme guitar show-off-ing-ness. I think that some of that criticism is valid, but some comes from misunderstandings of the goals of those albums (if you listen to the shredding, there was usually purpose to why they did what they did). But Project X seems to find a good balance, even making sure the non-electric guitar instruments shine as well as the vocals. It’s neoclassical metal, and if you like that genre, it’s a great example of what this style can be.