siLLy puPPy PIKE 151 - FOG GARDENS is the 50th album released by BUCKETHEAD in 2015. All instruments by BUCKETHEAD, all tracks are instrumentals and this one clocks in just over the half hour mark at 30:54.

“Ice Eclipse” at 3:28 starts out with a crunchy metal guitar riff that chucks along and has a creepy kind of lead guitar that slides around alternating with the grunge. This is a mid-tempo grungy rocker with some dissonant chords. Kinda like this one.

The title track is the longest track at 19:10 and immediately starts out as a metal rocker and an energetic guitar solo, thrashy guitar chords and accompanying bass and drums. This also has kind of strange guitar effects at times that sound like something in pain. Gives a creepy feel to the whole thing. Has some weird electronic percussion once in a while. I really like some of the guitars on this one. Very unorthodox styles of playing at times. Nice variations here and there but ultimately a long drawn out jam that wears out its welcome.

“The Bottle House” at 4:21 and sounds like an AC/DC song. It’s a ballsy bluesy rocker that has that “Back In Black” kinda bounce. It really doesn’t do much else and is quite boring.

“Track” at 3:55 is another bluesy rocker in the AC/DC vein. This is nothing to get excited about either. Nice guitar solos but basically, yawn.

Overall, this one has decent moments but they don’t last long enough and is swarmed by mediocrity. The first two tracks have a unique feel in the sea of PIKES and are actually appealing to listen to but the overall impression is that this is nothing really special save a few moments that are enough to keep this from being interesting.