Well fans have been waiting two year since the last Caffery solo release and it’s finally here. Who doesn’t know Chris and who wouldn’t want to work with him on their CD? This guy’s credits are huge, SAVATAGE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, DOCTOR BUTCHER, METALIUM, guests of CIRCLE II CIRCLE, DORO, THE RAY WEST BAND, I can keep going but we to get to his new album “Pins and Needles”.

When I met Chris on the recent Ray West (SPREAD EAGLE) solo tour, I wasn’t sure what to make of him off stage. Kind of an attitude “ego” playing the rockstar roll, so you never know who you’re going to meet that will write about you. I talked to both Ray and Andrew Freeman about Chris and they just tell me he’s a rockstar on the road. On stage Chris give’s some whoop ass of a performance and I can attest to that.

I know shut up and tell us about the “Pins and Needles”. First off great cover, I guess it’s Chris on fire with needles on his arms and back, the music is on fire as well, opening with the title track “Pins and Needles” which is aggressive and screaming solo are in abundance. I mean Caffery rips with clean streaming guitar work, just amazing and why shouldn’t be, reminded me a bit of “Holy Wars” by MEGADETH.

I loved the way Caffery captures the wave of great missing hard-edged metal in 2007. Many greats are coming back but can’t bring their sound to the modern day; Chris does that on this CD, and it doesn’t hurt having some of the musicians like our friend John Macaluso (TNT & Yngwie) & Paul LaPlaca (OCTOBER THORNS) giving a helping hand.

I was really surprised by the direction and range vocally by Caffery. It was. simply put… amazing. Check the song “It’s SAD” the man is an illusionist, going from Alice Cooper to Mustaine and you talk about hooks and melodic, you got it all, hey let’s not forget about a class guitarist.

One of my favorite tracks is “Chained” it’s a slight change from the rest of the CD, but mixing arrangements is a good thing and Chris did an excellent job keeping you off guard with the twists and turns in direct from track to track.

Caffery even takes on a “Monster Mash” meets MEGADETH/ Satriani theme with “Worms,” funny shit here. Don’t think Mr. Caffery is a hard ass through and through, check out “Once Upon A Time” did I tell you the man is an Illusionist. Chris this is a killer melodic track, I almost shed a tear, but kept my chin up. If you’re looking for a killer metal CD to listen to with shredding guitar and some outstanding tracks you gotta pick up “Pins and Needles” on Locomotive Records.