Attention Deficit is another progressive supergroup that records for the Magna Carta label (i.e.,
Liquid Tension Experiment, Explorers Club, etc.). Comprised of new age bassist
Michael Manring, ex-
Primus drummer Tim Alexander, and ex-Testament guitarist (and one-time student of
Joe Satriani)
Alex Skolnick,
Attention Deficit is more about atmospheric songwriting than technical shredding. For those who have lost track of Skolnick since his days with thrash metallists Testament, his playing with
Attention Deficit is more akin to
King Crimson's Fripp and Belew than
Metallica's Hetfield and Hammett. He is also quite an accomplished acoustic guitar player -- most of the rhythm guitar tracks on
Attention Deficit are acoustic-based. Highlights include the bouncy "Scapula," the vast sound of album opener "ATM," and the hard rocker "Febrile." Although the combination of these three instrumentalists may sound peculiar on paper, they somehow make it all work extremely well. ~ Greg Prato