“THIS album represents a journey through my life,” observes Rik Emmett and what a life it has been, a fact borne out by the calibre of the guest musicians found on the album.

As well as the regular RES9 players, Dave Dunlop, Steve Skingley and Paul DeLong you will find contributions from Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson, Dream Theatre vocalist James LeBrie and one-time Triump band mates Gil Moore and Mike Levine. Quite a musical cast to be able to call on.

And just as the players on the album are drawn from different stages of Rik’s life, the music also represents a scattergun delivery of the various styles and sonic pathways he has travelled.

From the blues of When You Where My Baby and whispering soulfulness of The Ghost of Shadow Town to songs such as Heads Up where the anthemic sound offered has hints of the band that first put him on the map.

It is safe to say that all boxes are ticked.

This is definitely a rock album anyway you measure it but as the sound is blended with jazz, blues, soul and more progressive threads, you will be reminded that Triumph may have been what brought him to the worlds attention but that is only a small part of the story.

And if this is the perfect showcase of the various musical strings to Rik’s bow, once you have played this to death… and you will, all you have to do is buy up his extensive but wonderfully rewarding back catalogue. Better get saving.