Adrian Smith and Project (ASaP) - Silver and Gold
This is one of those records, where either you love or, you just don't know what to think of it, but you can't deny there was something about Silver and Gold that just grabbed you, even if this was a shock to many. I mean it was a departure from what Smith had been doing in Maiden, but yet there was something about it that not only distanced him from his past, but yet it showed that he could do just about anything, literarily go solo, writing his own material, and still retain his stance as yet one of metal's great guitarists, bringing the singer/songwriter element to a heavier level.

Along with Smith are additional guitarists Dave Colwell (Samson, FM) and Andy Barret (FM) adding the triple threat to the axework as well as collaborating on the compositional material; the "FM" connection makes it more understandably song oriented.

Opening up with "Lion," where Smith's gravely voice leads the harmonies within its catchy chorus, complete with synth intro and leads a-plenty, at this point, anyone will realize that this isn't going to be a Maiden clone by any means. It's the strengths of the harmonies in "Down the Wire," where an acoustic solo is present, the ballad "Misunderstood," and the anthem vibe within "Fallen Heroes" and "Blood on the Ocean" that makes the material stand out with all the riffs and hooks involved. It does have somewhat of an 80's production quality to it, with lots of reverb adding depth to the layered guitars and vocal harmonies (just the way we like it), but yet the overall musicianship was more complex than anything that might have been popular at the time.

For a record that was released in the post and pre-return-to-Maiden days, Smith showed us all what he could do. He would rejoin Bruce Dickinson for the Accident of Birth album in the late nineties, making that record as ballsy as it is, and, inevitably, re-join Maiden with Dickinson, sort of leaving this record in his past, but still Silver and Gold still offers some captivating melodic hard rock that was unfortunately overlooked at the time, which was sort of a blueprint for some of the harder edged AOR these days, another "lost classic."

Written by Hashman
Wednesday, April 6, 2005
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Ratings

Hashman: 7.5/10

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RevelationZ Comments


Comment by Ashish (Anonymous) - Tuesday, April 12, 2005
This album is kick ass. Adrian is my fav guitarist and he shows what might have been


Comment by Stephen (Anonymous) - Saturday, April 30, 2005
Adrian is the greatest metal guitarist period. This album is different but so good.


Comment by Lisa (Anonymous) - Monday, May 23, 2005
I had the chance to not only meet Adrain but get very close to him and he is with out a doubt the best gutair player ever.Im looking to contact him If anyone knows who or where too write plese e-mail me at topcat4466@yahoo.com.


Comment by rh (Anonymous) - Saturday, June 4, 2005
smith sucks, he failed as a soloist and ran crawling back to maiden
he learned a valuable lesson
as did dickinson


Comment by Maz (Anonymous) - Sunday, June 26, 2005
Thanks - a real motivator to go and find this rarity. There was definitely an unconsummated scene back there in the late eighties - technical, melodic hard rock. The Fields of the Nephilim offshoot, Rubicon, did it quite well - find the track 'On your side' for an absolute classic of the genre.


Comment by rm (Anonymous) - Monday, March 6, 2006
rh talking through your buttocks' maiden were nothing without smith and dickinson, on smiths solo album it has to be said that it kicks ass


Comment by iron will (Anonymous) - Sunday, March 26, 2006
smith owns but dickinson is a bell if adrain had played with blaze and janick and davey in maiden that wud hav bin the dogs conkers. brilliant wot a brilliant album silver and glod is though. album


Comment by LEETCH (Anonymous) - Tuesday, March 28, 2006
adrians cool but slash from GNR is better


Comment by Leetch Axe Shredder (Anonymous) - Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Adrian could kick the crap out of any other guitarist including Slash. Maiden kicks


Comment by LEETCH (Anonymous) - Tuesday, March 28, 2006
THE best band ever is my band "LEETCH" we have a sweet guitarest. hes better than adrian. PS i nads itch


Comment by LEETCH (Anonymous) - Tuesday, March 28, 2006
MY DADS ITCH REALY BAD DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A CACA , damit i need a spachula


Comment by Leetch Axe Shredder (Anonymous) - Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Ace of Bass sucks


Comment by LEETCH (Anonymous) - Tuesday, March 28, 2006
damit i ment nads ..... ahh.. SPACHULA


Comment by monkey humper 2000 (Anonymous) - Tuesday, March 28, 2006
YOUR band leetch prabably blows cox out my gay homo ass.


Comment by monkey humper 2000 (Anonymous) - Tuesday, March 28, 2006
i am stupid and my butt itches butt i dont cry about it


ps beavis and butt head sucks


Comment by zbych1001 (Anonymous) - Wednesday, April 26, 2006
very nice... it has so sentimental climate and great 80` sound.

anyway - i like to listen it :) - feels like back to 80` and being there...

Adrian has something in himself that i admire.


Comment by coolai (Anonymous) - Tuesday, May 9, 2006
adrian smith is an amazing gutarist and writes great songs with bruce


Comment by fish n chips (Anonymous) - Tuesday, May 9, 2006
nobody beats adrian



Comment by Brian (Anonymous) - Thursday, May 25, 2006
Adrian OWNS,crazingly underrated in rhe world of guitar!


Comment by vanesa (Anonymous) - Saturday, June 17, 2006
yeah Adrian smith is great adrian is a betaufli


Comment by vanesa (Anonymous) - Saturday, June 17, 2006
i love adrian smith is a geat!!
my msn is vanesa_raposo@hotmail.com


Comment by Molly Hatchet (Member) - Wednesday, November 21, 2007
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Comments: 4
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Don't look for Maiden here, the more I listen this record likes me more and more... in some ways it reminds me Steve Jones' Fire and Gasoline... good work Mr Smith.

Posted by Molly Hatchet
Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Comment by Craig (Member) - Wednesday, April 22, 2009
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Comments: 134
Ratings: 29
Weirdest thing about this album is that it's got Zak Starkey on drums.

The first Psycho Motel album was pretty cool.

Posted by Craig
Wednesday, April 22, 2009










Review by Hashman
None

Released by
Enigma Records (US)/EMI Records (UK) - 1989

Tracklisting
1- The Lion
2- Silver and Gold
3- Down the Wire
4- You Could Be a King
5- After the Storm
6- Misunderstood
7- Kid Gone Astray
8- Fallen Heroes
9- Wishing Your Life Away
10- Blood on the Ocean


Style
Melodic Hard Rock/AOR

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