Planet X

Planet X is an instrumental rock/progressive metal supergroup, which began as an evolution of keyboardist Derek Sherinian's 1999 debut solo album, Planet X. Since 2000, they have released three studio albums and one live album, each with a variety of guest musicians and oft-changing lineups.

Background

After his four-year tenure with progressive metal band Dream Theater, Sherinian released his first solo album entitled Planet X in 1999. This concept was later expanded, in collaboration with drummer Virgil Donati, to form a group of the same name. Universe subsequently became Planet X's first studio album upon its release on June 6, 2000. For this recording, renowned guitarist Tony MacAlpine was brought in to replace Brett Garsed, who had played on Sherinian's original Planet X album.

On April 3, 2002, Live from Oz was released, which was recorded during their Australian tour earlier that year. Their second studio album, MoonBabies, was released shortly after on July 29. It would be another five years until their third album, Quantum, would be released on May 18, 2007. This lineup featured two guest appearances from highly acclaimed jazz fusion guitarist Allan Holdsworth, with Brett Garsed returning for overall guitar duties.

On April 18, 2009, an announcement was made on Tony MacAlpine's MySpace profile that he had rejoined the group, with a new album set to be recorded later in the year.^[1] A European tour for the latter half of 2009 was also announced, but this was abruptly cancelled.^[2]

Compositions and style

Sherinian has said that his intention upon founding Planet X was "to find musicians that played their instruments so fiercely, it would strike fear in the hearts of other musicians when they played".^[3] The band's sound is predominantly instrumental, save for the occasional spoken word by guest vocalists (such as a tongue-in-cheek monologue featuring pornographic actor Dick Smothers, Jr. on the fifth track of Universe). Each composition typically comprises numerous and frenetic changes in time signature, with very heavy guitar work (including the use of seven-string guitars^[4]) and dense layering of all instruments.

Keyboards usually serve to provide an introduction and establish some form of background melody (often using dissonant intervals and chord progressions to create an ominous, space-like atmosphere), whilst the rhythm and lead guitars tend to build up and progress independently from thereon (usually involving shredding and other advanced soloing techniques, although keyboard solos are also highly prominent on many tracks). Other times, the keyboards and guitars work together in counterpoint and trade-offs, in addition to bass solos. All the while, drum work is dynamic and makes frequent use of breakdowns, fills and shifting tempos in the style of jazz and progressive rock.

Discography

• 2000: Universe
• 2002: Live from Oz (live album)
• 2002: MoonBabies
• 2007: Quantum
• 2010: Upcoming fourth album

Band lineup

Current members

• Derek Sherinian – keyboard
• Tony MacAlpine – guitar
• Virgil Donati – drums
• Doug Shreeve^[5] – bass guitar

Former members and guests

• Brett Garsed – guitar
• Alex Machacek – guitar
• T. J. Helmerich – guitar
• Allan Holdsworth – guitar
• Tom Kennedy – bass guitar
• Dave LaRue – bass guitar
• Jimmy Johnson – bass guitar
• Billy Sheehan – bass guitar
• Ric Fierabracci – bass guitar
• Philip Bynoe – bass guitar
• Rufus Philpot – bass guitar

References

External links

• Official website
• Official MySpace profile
• Allmusic: Planet X
• Derek Sherinian official website
• Tony MacAlpine official website
• Tony MacAlpine official MySpace profile
• Virgil Donati official website
• Virgil Donati official MySpace profile
• Rufus Philpot official website
• Rufus Philpot official MySpace profile