Project Driver

Project: Driver is a studio album by the heavy metal supergroup M.A.R.S., released in 1986 through Shrapnel Records (United States)[1] and Roadrunner Records (Europe).[2] The band's name is made up of the initial of each musician's last name: guitarist Tony MacAlpine, drummer Tommy Aldridge, singer Rob Rock, and bassist Rudy Sarzo. Craig Goldy was their original guitarist, but he left after joining Dio.[3]

Project: Driver
Cover art by Guy Aitchison
Studio album by
M.A.R.S.
Released1986 (1986)
StudioPrairie Sun Recording Studios in Cotati, California
GenreHeavy metal
Length35:17
LabelShrapnel
ProducerMike Varney

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal4/10[5]
Rock Hard9.0/10[6]

In a very positive contemporary review, Rock Hard called the album "exemplary" and associated the music to Yngwie Malmsteen's 1984 album Rising Force, "not only because of the breathtaking solos of Tony MacAlpine, but also because of some songwriting parallels", offering "a colorful bouquet of musical diversity" with "something for everyone."[6]

Modern reviews are less positive. Andy Hinds at AllMusic wrote that "while it masquerades as a Whitesnake-styled group effort, Project: Driver seems like another MacAlpine album with vocals added." Rob Rock was criticized as embodying "all the big-hair clichés of '80s heavy metal", while songs such as "Slave to My Touch", "Stand Up and Fight" and "Fantasy" were labeled "cringe-inducing." Praise was given to MacAlpine's guitar playing, which Hinds described as "dizzying" and interesting.[4] Canadian journalist Martin Popoff defined the project as "one of those doomed and hasty assemblages of rock journeymen utterly without synergy" and called the music "unbranded ear-splitting speed metal".[5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Tony MacAlpine, Tommy Aldridge, Rob Rock and Rudy Sarzo.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Nations on Fire"2:52
2."Writings on the Wall"3:03
3."Stand Up and Fight"3:52
4."Nostradamus"6:14
Side two
No.TitleLength
5."Unknown Survivor"3:41
6."Fantasy"3:30
7."Slave to My Touch"3:35
8."I Can See It in Your Eyes"4:34
9."You and I"3:56
Total length:35:17

Personnel
M.A.R.S.
Additional musicians
  • Mike Mani – keyboard programming
  • Bret Douglas, Tommy Cosgrove, Mark Tate, Dino Alden, Mike Varney – background vocals
Production
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References
  1. "Groups/Non-Solo Discography". Tony MacAlpine Official Website. Archived from the original on 10 April 2010. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  2. "MacAlpine-Aldridge-Rock-Sarzo – Project: Driver". Discogs. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  3. MacAlpine, Tony. "Session Notes: M.A.R.S. - "Project: Driver". Tony MacAlpine Official Website. Archived from the original on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  4. Hinds, Andy. "Session Notes: M.A.R.S. - Project: Driver review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
  5. Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 205. ISBN 978-1894959315.
  6. Trojan, Frank (1986). "Review Album: MARS - Driver-Project". Rock Hard (in German). No. 20. Retrieved 2017-08-15.
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