Short Reviews [Red32 - 2023 - "Red32"]

After the release of ‘Noise Machine’ by Tony Romero’s Vortex, ideas were being sent through the internet, but it soon became apparent that what was being created was much more of a band piece instead of a Tony solo album with guests. Soon the decision was made to keep working in the same manner, but to conceive this as a totally new project and so Red32 came into being. It features Anthony Romero (keyboards, sequencer, spoken word), Steve Bonino (vocals, bass keyboards, guitar & drum programming), Robert Schindler (synth wizardry) and Eric Confer (guitars) along with drummer Mike Sherril who provides drums on “Slow Burn” and bassist Bill Allen who provides bass on “Mean”. It is a band album, but interestingly everyone recorded their parts in their own studio, and I guess only time will tell if Red32 ever gig. All songs apart from “Tribute” are co-credited with Romero and Bonino on all tracks and Confer or Schindler on some. It is described by Steve as an “amalgam of styles: rock, pop rock, progressive rock , art rock with a touch of ambient thrown into the mix.” In some ways this is crossover prog, but for the most part it is too mainstream for that tag, more melodic rock than progressive, even though there are two keyboard players. Steve does a fine job on programmed drums, but I do wish they had used a real drummer throughout as I am sure that would have provided more of an impact. That it was recorded separately does come through, as I am sure that if they had all been in a room together there would be less artificiality and more life to it, but as it is this actually comes through as a solo multi-instrumentalist effort as opposed to a true band, which is a shame. It often passes the listener by with little to attract the attention, which can make it quite a difficult album to concentrate on. The album ends with “Tribute”, with Romero talking about his brother-in-law Troy who died two years previously, whose favourite number on the roulette table was red 32, which is where the name of the band and the album comes from. I don’t know if we will hear more from Red32, but if so I do hope they record together in the same room.