You’ll probably know Italian guitarist Francesco Marras as the six string presence behind Screaming Shadows, or more latterly as Rob Weir‘s guitar foil in NWoBHM stalwarts Tygers of Pan Tang. He’s also a seasoned veteran of the Frontiers Music factory, contributing as part of Alessandro Del Vecchio‘s team for artists such as Resurrection Kings and Revolution Road; He brings all that experience to bear on new solo album, the appropriately-titled It’s Me!, which is a pleasing collection of energetic hard rock in the classic mould.

Backed by the ever-present grandeur of Marco ‘Lord’ Cossu‘s Hammond Organ, Marras takes flight over the course of ten stately rockers that could best be described as pulchritudinous mix of Deep Purple and pre-hair metal Whitesnake; Marras, singing on one of his own albums for the first time, has a capable voice that’s probably more suited to the woozy psyche-rock of Embrace the Silence than it is to any of the balls-out rockers in the set; however whatever style of music he’s singing he acquits himself well, proving himself to be a fine all-round musician.

Stylistically this is pretty undemanding stuff; Marras is here for a good time, not a groundbreaking one, but it’s hard to argue with music of the quality of superb single You Set My Heart on Fire or the Southern-rock styled closer Closer To The Edge, which features a spine tingling solo from our hero. Elsewhere German drummer Bodo Schopf lends a hand (or two, probably) on the funky, wah-wah led blues rocker Take My Hand, whilst the acoustic Lady of Ice, with it’s superb orchestration and hints of prime time Uriah Heep, proves that Marras is just as effective when he takes his foot off the gas for a while. A slow building power ballad par excellence, this song just oozes quality from every pore.

Great stuff then, for fans of the old school; Marras is a good singer, a great player, and, on the evidence of this classy set of songs, a superb songwriter – what’s not to like?

It’s Me! releases on September 15th.