What Happens Next

Satriani can shred like nobody's business, but here he latches onto simplicity as a powerful tool. In an all-star power trio with erstwhile Deep Purple bassist Glenn Hughes and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, the guitar hero largely eschews overt complexity in favor of a visceral, sometimes downright primal hard-rocking roar. He seems to channel Jeff Beck on muscular blues-rocker "Looper," unfurls monumental, metal-infused power chords on "Thunder High on the Mountain," and shows his reflective side on "Smooth Soul," unleashing electrifyingly expressive solos all the while.