There seems to be this big wave of sophisticated hard rock albums hitting the racks lately. Albums by artists such as Russell Allen's Atomic Soul, the Ben Jackson Group, Seventh Key, just about anything on Italy's Frontiers record label, even long players such as Tesla and mainstream darlings Velvet Revolver are all helping to bring a heavier rock sound to the forefront.

In the heavy metal world, where the spectrum of all things heavy is mostly defined these days by either extreme metal or symphonic metal, two sub-genres that are at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from each other, there really seems to be no middle ground until recently. This new form of straight-ahead, balls-to-the-wall hard rock/metal or melodic rock is catching on. More song-oriented, with technical guitar work and catchy hooks that providing the occasional anthem; bands are proving that edgy rock and roll is here to stay.

Take for instance Presto Ballet, the latest project from Metal Church axeman Kurdt Vanderhoof, who created a record that, by all means, invokes the spirit of album oriented rock, creating music that means something to us and songs that are catchy and commanding as anything you will hear.

So how did this project come together? Vanderhoof explains that it's all about the labor of love for real music. "It was just kind of a collection of songs that I had been writing over the past couple years and had been working on the album in between," explains Vanderhoof, "when I had been doing stuff with Metal Church. Basically a labor of love and an extension of the Vanderhoof project, which was a very '70s-oriented, just "rock" thing, very Uriah Heep, Deep Purple. But within that, I always have been a big progressive rock fan and the reason behind it was that I would start challenging myself as a writer and start to expand into that kind of [progressive] stuff that I have never written before, so this was kind of the end result of that, as well as finding like-minded musicians that were into the same thing."

Not only is Vanderhoof's six-string prowess at the forefront of this recording, the palette of vintage analog synths (played by Brian Cokeley) is fairly amazing, and as he will tell you, no sample tank, vintage pro, or any other digital simulations were used. "I have real Mellotrons, a real Hammond, real Rhodes, Wurlitzers, Mini Moogs, yeah, all the stuff on the record is real, no digital re-creations."

Besides using a mass amount of analog synths, the album was recorded using analog tape, no Pro-tools or any digital medium used, making the album a true-to-life rock record. "Oh, it went great," says Vanderhoof, explaining the recording process, "it was really good, especially in the world of cut-and-paste editing and Pro-tools, to not take the easy way out in the playing thing and make sure we all played our parts rather than doing midi and all those kinds of things. The challenge is really fun."

Vanderhoof also extends his opinions on digital recording, explaining that when it comes to making records, it really boils down to the musicianship and warm sound. "Oh yeah, it's cheating, especially for rock oriented music. Pro-tools and that stuff almost sounds like crap. The bottom line is that guitars and drums sound better on tape," elaborates Vanderhoof, who now discusses the situation on the scarce amount of analog tape available. "I had purchased some tape a couple years back when it was still regularly available. Fortunately, there are enough of us out there that will keep analog tape alive, but it's just going to be harder to find. Its not going away, at least until they get the digital stuff (worked out) better."

The equipment he uses is no exception to the rule, with no use for The Pod or any other simulated recreation, it's just the right guitar and the right amp, as well as the chops, of course, that give Vanderhoof his sound. As he explains, "I'm a Marshall guy; I'm a Les Paul/Marshall guy. I use a Roland Jazz chorus 120 for the clean sounds, but other than that it is just a Marshall."

With this new form of rock and metal coming to the forefront, there is hope for this type of music to enter the mainstream. The record industry still has its "quantity over quality" manifesto implanted in its brain, and a lot of schlock is placed into mainstream music fan's heads. Nu-metal and other pop trash groups come and go, but Vanderhoof holds out hope that someday the real musicianship will come back to the forefront of popular music. "Well, I hope that is happening," elaborates Vanderhoof, "I mean, I really do hope that that is happening, especially since the current (mainstream) metal scene, or what they call metal, the drop tuning; you're tuning down so low your strings are rubber and the "no singing" and stuff. I think it was eventually it has to happen. I think that music listeners even in the consumer sense are going 'something's missing, I'm not getting uplifted,' and (for those people) listening to those records, at the risk of sounding clichéd, it all sounds the same because it is the same. Everybody has the same guitar sound, everybody has the non-vocal style, the guitarists can't really play that well, there's no solos, or melodic solos, there's no songwriting skills that have developed."

Continuing, Vanderhoof says, "it seems like the kids now that are really into music, that are twenty years old, they started listening to music in the '90s, and that was probably the worst time for popular music. I mean, with the whole alternative rock scene, it was like it was 'uncool' to be able to play. So I think naturally, (the movement towards more melodic rock) it has to happen and again, for myself, stumbling across the progressive rock scene, it was like opening the door and hearing a choir. 'Oh my God, there are other people out there who are just as frustrated with the state of music as I am now' (laughing). I think it is a natural progression, and as people get bored with the 'same old, same old,' people are going to start looking for other things. If they are given a way to find it and seek it out. If it passes across them in one way or another, they will be digging it even more, so to speak. They will hopefully think that 'this is great, this is what I have been looking for' and hopefully the larger labels will pick up on it, the fact that quality music does have a market; and I think that that is crucial to saving the art form."

Vanderhoof now speaks about a time when music did matter in the lives of people and how it wasn't just about one type of music that everyone listened to. "That is why I lean so hard on the '70s style of stuff," states Vanderhoof, "Because [the '70s] were a period of time where, in pop music, in what kids were listening to, was everything from Mott the Hoople to Genesis and everybody sounded different. You had Black Sabbath and then you had Yes and then you had all this stuff that was swinging back and forth across the spectrum and nobody questioned it. Now it's so divisive in the sense that if you are into this kind of music here, is this station to listen to. You won't hear anything different on your regular rock station; the musical palette is so limited. I think to myself, why is there not such a backlash against the whole rap music thing, and it dawns on me that people that like rock and roll don't have to hear (rap music) if they don't want to. Kind of like where we had the disco backlash because it was shoved down our throats and you would listen to the radio and there would be a rock song played and then a disco song, and the disco song would be quite offensive (laughing)."

Even Vanderhoof can find positive aspects in disco music and you have to admit, he's right. "Now when I hear a disco song, I am relieved because I think that that music sounds a lot better now (then it did then) because at least they were using a real drummer," laughs Vanderhoof. "It's not my music of choice, but at least the aspect of real musicianship was there, it's certainly a lot better than what they call disco now. Listening to stuff that is either computerized or produced on a drum machine gives me a backache. It's because (music) is not supposed to be perfect, it's supposed to have a groove and a feel."

Speaking about the record industry, the gap between the majors and the indies is getting more narrow, with labels like Century Media, Epitaph and Presto Ballet's label Inside Out releasing critically acclaimed albums that are selling more than just your handful, gaining clout within the underground industry, if not the record industry as a whole. "I'm absolutely thrilled by it," speaks Vanderhoof on Inside Out, "because everything that I have been buying for the past five or six years has all been on Inside Out. I'm like (these are) 'my people' and they are great folks and they all are into it for the right reasons like (the way) record companies used to be, they are all into it for music, and that is what Peace Among The Ruins is all about, the music. I am, however, all for musicians making money, that's why I'm not a fan of downloading, but at the same time, the dollar or money thing certainly affects the quality of the product."

Other things to expect from Vanderhoof in the future, besides more material from Metal Church, is that he will be working with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, not to mention he is perpetually in the writing process for another Presto Ballet record. "As a matter of fact we are writing new stuff (for Presto Ballet) right now," he explains. "Pretty much, if I have time to myself, I write. I write music, that's what I do, even if it is not band specific; constantly doing that and writing and writing, (eventually) you get tons of things of things to pick from. I mean it's all good, but I always like to keep a catalog of music that's available for whatever project."

Besides that, he is stoked about the idea of bringing this project on the road and anticipates a possible tour. "Well everybody has asked that and since this thing is going to happen," explains Vanderhoof. "Everybody in Presto Ballet is very excited, it seems like the enthusiasm from people that have already heard the record has sort of made this thing take off faster than we had hoped. If there is any opportunity for Presto to hit the road anywhere, were going to take it. I don't foresee an actual major tour in America, but it's hard to say, the record isn't even out yet, it will be out the first of June, but again, if there is any opportunity, we are absolutely going to take it." When asked if he will be playing any of the cuts from Peace Among The Ruins on his upcoming tour with Metal church, he immediately busts out laughing and says, "Oh no, there would be a riot. This is my alter ego."

It's easy to hear different hard rock influences on the record, and Vanderhoof has morphed those influences into a heavier sound that has shaped his guitar playing over the year, so when I asked who it was that influenced him to become a musician he starts out by jokingly saying "my whole reason to be completely unemployable," laughs Vanderhoof. "Well, definitely the Beatles when I was a kid. One of my first memories was the Ed Sullivan Show and that was where it all started. But when I really started getting into it, I would have to say the Who, (Pete) Townsend is one of my idols, definitely one of my biggest influences. Albums, I would have to say Live At Leeds is one of the best ever, just insanely at the top of their game thing, a magic moment; Quadrophenia, pretty much all the Rush albums up to Moving Pictures, Zeppelin of course. I love Yes, Close To The Edge is an amazing record; the early Genesis stuff. I'm also a huge, huge, old Kansas fan, like Song For America, that was a big huge influence on the Presto Ballet album, and early Styx as well, it's fantastic."

Peace Among the Ruins is a good sign for more sophisticated hard rock to return to the musical forefront, and Vanderhoof's stance as a musician, songwriter, and producer will help lead the way for many bands that keep the emphasis on musicianship to follow. His final words prove true to the way music should be played as he says, "keep the music real, and not in the street sense, and listen to music where musicians can actually play," and his words are an example to follow. So we will wait patiently until the next Presto Ballet or Metal Church record for Vanderhoof to provide us with more ear candy.

Interview by mondogordo.com