Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Readers of magazines as diverse as HM and Guitar World might recognise the name Rob Carlton who has previously played with bands such as Sevenfold and Corban. Now he turns up with an instrumental set which with titles like "Justified", "Watchman" and "Predestined" clearly shows where his heart is. And I'm pleased to report that 'A Time Such As This' clearly shows where his chops are too, with excellent playing ranging in styles from the crunching heavy stuff of "Anxious For Nothing" to the down-in-the-alley blues of "Justified". There's a generous 16 tracks though a few of the cuts are a tad short but throughout the fluid solos exploding from his custom Conklin Fox guitar show him to be a gifted rock axe virtuoso. He's only let down by a sterile drum sound that sounds decidedly programmed to my ears. However, if you're attracted to the Jeff Sheetz end of rock guitarists, check this release out.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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