Greg Minier (The Crucified, Minier) has resurrected his solo/side project Applehead to release the first new record in 31 years. I find it inspiring to see musicians resurrecting projects to give us a another look into their creative process. Greg is best known for his work in the thrash/cross-over band The Crucified, but Applehead doesn’t play by the same rules. Applehead’s debut “Meaning” is a heavy grunge album that lived mostly in a mid-tempo universe. I was not a huge fan of the debut. The press on “The Light Side of the Apple” alludes to a metal onslaught hearkening back to the original days of hard rock. If the title of the record is any indication, I expect a Pink Floyd reference.

Now when I say solo act, Greg does almost all of his own stunts: drums, guitars, synthesizers, singing, but not bass. I am not entirely sure why not bass because of similar tuning to guitar, but there might be a good reason. In any event, Greg brought in Jaymi “Pinkbassman” Millard (Mark Slaughter Band, Slaughter) to fill in the basement.

Applehead has left behind much of the grunge of their debut and embraced a heavier metal focus. There is a layer of 90s hard rock zeitgeist to the record as it takes a fresh take on a wide range of genres that play to Greg and Jaymi’s strengths. Greg’s guitar work is wide ranging and blends technical lead playing and melodic sensitivity. The solos are great musical statements throughout the album. Jaymi’s bass work complements the compositions well and shines on its own. You can hear how much fun they had making this album!

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