Album Review — Soto

Soto — Origami

At a time where many bands take forever to release a record and some have just stopped making new music altogether, Jeff Scott Soto is among the contingent of the most busy rockers around. Soto’s wikipedia page reads like an encyclopedia of rock. You can tell what the industry thinks of him when you realize he has been tabbed to replace Steve Perry (Journey) and Sammy Hagar (Soul SirkUS) in bands.

This is the band Soto’s third album and first since 2016’s DIVAK. One of the reasons Soto has worked with so many different artists is that he can sing anything. He was in Journey for a short stint, he’s currently in progressive metal All-Star band Sons of Apollo and melodic rock supergroup W.E.T. We see a little bit of all of these styles in “Origami”.

The first band I thought of my first time through the record was Extreme. There’s that touch of Queen influence with the big harmonies, the big guitar and voice and even some horns here and there.

But make no mistake, this is a hard rock record. “HyperMania” starts the album off with a little electronica but is followed by a heavy guitar riff. No matter how heavy the songs get, Soto’s melodic voice grabs you and won’t let go. The album takes many musical turns but Soto’s voice is the glue that keeps you listening.

The title track also starts off quite heavy and is a little more on the progressive side of things. Fans of the Sons of Apollo record should enjoy this one.

“BeLie” is a little more melodic from the start and features those Queen-type vocals in the chorus. One of the better songs on the record.

“World Gone Colder” is more of a straight ahead rocker that is something you might hear off one of the W.E.T. records.

Other album highlights include “Torn”, which takes things down a notch and shows off Soto’s ability to spin an emotional tune. “AfterGlow” features those horns which are a nice addition to this slightly more funky tune. And “Give In To Me” which is actually a Michael Jackson cover, albeit a heavier version. The bonus track, “KMAG”, is a nice addition to close out the record.

I liked the previous two Soto records but I think the band has found their stride with Origami. This band is an opportunity for JSS to show off all that he can do and that’s what we get with this record.

85 out of 100

Track Listing

1.HyperMania *
2.Origami
3.BeLie *
4.World Gone Colder *
5.Detonate
6.Torn *
7.Dance With The Devil
8.AfterGlow *
9.Vanity Lane
10.Give In To Me
11.KMAG * (Bonus Track)

*Best Songs