A new name to most people I'm sure, but Philip Sayce has cut his axe-wielding teeth with a few big names - but the biggest, and here's where his style comes from, was the sadly late Jeff Healey. As a fellow resident of Toronto, Healey got to hear about the new guitar slinger and asked him to join the band. Surprisingly, given this pedigree, this album is his only solo release to date. Originally released in 2005 on the obscure JVC Victor label, it's now been picked up, re-packaged and bonus-tracked by the excellent Provogue label.

If scorching blues-rock is what dampens you up, then read on and then go buy! From the very get-go Sayce's sledgehammer guitar roars out of the speakers, and if you've ever seen that scene in 'Jaws' where Quint straps himself into the shark-hunting chair, you'll find yourself doing the same…

There are fifteen tracks here and the power is relentless. The very Robin Trower-like 'One Foot In The Grave' kicks off the album and this is followed by the almost Metallica riff of 'Save Me From Myself'. Further in, 'Angels Live Inside' lures you in with its acoustic intro, but don't undo that seatbelt - a scintillating riff rips in later to keep the power supply up. There's a great cover of Neil Young's 'Cinnamon Girl' before the album's high points (even an album this good has to have high points) - 'Alchemy' is a burning slow blues instrumental where Sayce gives his guitar a real working over, and the incendiary title track 'Peace Machine', an eleven minute fret-wanking wig-out which frankly defies belief. Not until the obligatory hidden track's acoustic reprise of the title track fades out is it safe to touch that seatbelt.

If I have a complaint, and let's face it any review has to have a complaint, it's that he slightly overuses the effects pedals, especially fuzz and overdrive, which occasionally leads to a rather muddy sound. But, hey, this is a minor blemish on what is a tremendous debut album and if he lets the music breathe a little more on his next release, surely greatness beckons.

****

Review by Alan Jones