Carmine Appice’s Guitar Zeus – Conquering Heroes
Fuel Records
www.fuel2000.com

Rating: C 

Carmine Appice came up with a great idea in the 1990’s.  He assembled a list of the best guitarists of the day, wrote some songs, hired vocalist Kelly Keeling, bass players Bob Daisley and Tony Franklin along with some other top talents and put out three issues of Guitar Zeus.  Now, Fuel Records has compiled the best of the best of these releases and released Conquering Heroes.   

The double-disc features Brian May, Slash, Ted Nugent, Mick Mars, Neal Schon, Dweezil Zappa, Richie Sambora, Zakk Wylde and even tennis superstar John McEnroe.  The songs feature, as one would expect, guitar solos from heaven, hell and everyplace in-between.  However, the songs are not written by the guitarist and the CDs do come across as a bit of a wankfest without any real depth to the tunes.  That said, if you love guitar solos, it does not get any better than this.  In addition to the list provided above one also gets Yngwie Malmsteen, Doug Aldridge, Ty Tabor, Elliot Easton, Leslie West, Warren DeMartini, C.C. Deville, Bruce Kulick, Paul Gilbert and Viv Campbell.  There…that should be enough to whet your appetite.  Happy jamming!  

By Jeb Wright