BMG/Universal 2025
RATING: 79%
Adrian Smith, the legendary Iron Maiden guitarist, and Richie Kotzen, the versatile virtuoso known from The Winery Dogs, Mr. Big, and Poison, joined forces in the Smith/Kotzen project, born from friendship and a shared love for blues and classic rock. Their paths crossed in Los Angeles, where they’re neighbors, and after a jam session sparked by Smith’s wife, Natalie, they released their self-titled debut album in 2021. It stunned fans with catchy melodies and the organic chemistry of two distinct musical worlds. Their second album, Black Light / White Noise (released April 4, 2025), takes their collaboration further—bolder, heavier, and more polished, yet retaining the spontaneity and passion of their debut.
Black Light / White Noise is a robust blend of hard rock, blues, and R&B with hints of jazz fusion, inspired by giants like Jimi Hendrix, Thin Lizzy, Cream, and Deep Purple. Recorded at Kotzen’s “The House” studio in Los Angeles, the album is the result of spontaneous creation, with Smith providing riffs and song structures while Kotzen enriched melodies and vocal lines. Production was handled by both, with Kotzen as the main producer and Jay Ruston on mixing, giving the album a modern yet organic sound. Guest musicians included Julia Lage (Kotzen’s wife, bass on five tracks), Bruno Valverde, and Kyle Hughes (drums), maintaining the project’s intimate vibe. The creative process was swift, emphasizing jamming and natural chemistry, with both musicians trading the lead.
Key tracks include:
- Muddy Water: An energetic blues-rock opener with a Maiden-esque riff blending into a boogie rhythm. Smith’s robust tone and Kotzen’s soulful vocals create a catchy, high-energy start.
- White Noise: An anthemic single with a ZZ Top-like riff, critiquing social media’s impact. The chorus is infectious, Smith’s gritty vocals add edge, and the guitar solo is a masterful dialogue of styles.
- Black Light: A darker track with a Hendrix groove and lyrics about uncovering truth. Kotzen’s expressive vocals and Smith’s melodic guitar craft a dramatic atmosphere, backed by a powerful chorus.
- Beyond the Pale: An epic, nearly eight-minute finale combining soulful vocals, harmonious guitar duets, and a climactic structure. It showcases their ability to craft complex songs without losing emotion.
- Heavy Weather: A bluesy ballad with intense vocals, where Smith and Kotzen trade leads. It stands out for its emotional depth and sophisticated guitar work.
The album’s lyrics touch on modern themes—social media (White Noise), lies and truth (Black Light), personal struggles (Wraith)—offering a fresh perspective, though occasionally slipping into rock clichés (e.g., rebellious motifs in Life Unchained). About 70% of the tracks approach themes originally, while the rest lean on familiar rock archetypes.
The Smith/Kotzen partnership delivers something neither’s solo work nor prior bands achieved. Unlike Iron Maiden, where Smith’s playing serves the epic heavy metal sound and Steve Harris’s collective vision, here he has freedom to experiment with blues and rock structures. His riffs are simpler, groovier, and less aggressive, and his gritty yet emotive vocals add an intimate dimension absent in Maiden. Kotzen, unlike his solo work or The Winery Dogs, where his virtuosity and soulful voice dominate, steps into an equal partnership, his technical prowess complementing Smith’s melodic directness. The result is a synergy where Smith’s heavy metal foundation and Kotzen’s bluesy virtuosity merge into an organic whole, greater than the sum of its parts.
The album is steeped in classic rock references, drawing inspiration from Jimi Hendrix, Thin Lizzy, Cream, Deep Purple, Guns N’ Roses, Bon Jovi, The Who, and Creedence Clearwater Revival in melodic, sonic, or arrangement details. These influences are clear but never lapse into direct quotation—more a tribute filtered through Smith and Kotzen’s personalities. What feels familiar on first listen integrates into a fresh whole after repeated plays. Sampling, in any form, is part of the creative process, and the result hinges more on context than the extent of “borrowing.” Kotzen’s production gives the album a modern sheen while preserving the raw feel of 1970s classic rock.Vocals are expressive, often on the edge of a scream, with Smith and Kotzen trading off seamlessly. Harmonies, as in Beyond the Pale or White Noise, amplify key moments and add power. The album could benefit from more subdued moments—aside from Darkside and parts of Beyond the Pale, the tempo is relentlessly high, which can feel monotonous.
The album excels in performance—Smith and Kotzen are at their peak, their guitar interplay and vocals flawless, with dynamic, driving rhythms (listen closely to the bass for extra delight). However, some tracks (Outlaw) feel like standard rock fare, lacking bold experimentation. A greater push to stretch genre boundaries could add a new dimension. Still, the album maintains a high rock standard, fueled by passion and professionalism.
Black Light / White Noise is a dynamic, guitar-charged album that proves Smith/Kotzen is no mere side project but a fully realized musical entity. It blends Smith’s melodic strength with Kotzen’s soulful virtuosity, appealing to fans of classic and modern hard rock. While it lacks a major experimental leap, it’s an honest work brimming with energy, catchy choruses, and musical joy. High-quality guitar albums like this are rare today, making it a cause for celebration, especially for fans of classic rock, Iron Maiden, and The Winery Dogs.
red.