Artist collaborations tend to be exciting adventures for fans, especially when two different genres collide. So, when legendary metal guitarist Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden paired up with rock guitarist Richie Kotzen, we were in for a treat. Now, for those who are of the belief that metal, and rock are not that far apart, guess again. There is a cornucopia of differences, but the two styles have a way of blending so beautifully together you can be forgiven for thinking they are cut from the same cloth.

“Taking My Chances” is a stunning piece, offering us a rough, bluesy tracks which perfectly showcases the best of Smith and Kotzen’s skills. The track feels raw and full of emotion, yet still somehow manage to create the impression of two great artists having fun. They are both revelling in this opportunity to work together and neither seem shy about throwing some healthy experimentation into the mix.

Kotzen’s vocals are incredible on this one, mastering the art of that mid-range, sounding both growling and soaring all at once. Smith’s guitar skills are on point as always, the overall feel of the track feeling like a seamless blend of hard rock and blues, with even a slight R&B edge. It truly must be heard to be believed.

Speaking on the collaboration, which is officially called Smith/Kotzen, Smith said:

“Richie and I started working together a couple of years ago. We’d been jamming as we’d been friends for a few years before that. We both share a love for classic rock and bluesy rock so we decided to get together and start writing some songs and it went from there. Pretty much everything on the album is handled between Richie and myself including the production. We had developed a really strong idea of how we wanted it to sound and I’m very pleased with how it turned out. There’s a lot of cool songs on there that we are really happy with.”

So far, this little teaser of “Taking My Chances” is all we get and we will need to wait until March 26 for the full album, but if this first track is anything to go by, it will be well worth the wait.

Author: Harley Houghton

Harley Houghton is a writer and blogger, based in Melbourne, Australia. Her passions include music, especially metal, gaming and comics. Check out her blog www.harleysmadhouse.com and follow her on Twitter.