Even after centuries of pairing voices to music, the presence of the quintessential human instrument is something that often goes underappreciated. A vocal performance lifts passages of music, keys emotional cues, narrates stories, and escorts soundscapes in a way that would be extremely unsettling to do without for most. Unperturbed, Ryno Theron steps up with an instrumental journey that shamelessly does away with reliance on voice with a proggy atmospheric offering titled Howling Rush. Theron's second full-length album offers ten tracks covering the gamut of Theron's stylistic musings and influences but focuses on his skills as a virtuoso of both the electric and acoustic guitar.

Howling Rush is not a bombardment of raging animalistic fury as its name may suggest. Instead, there is space, freedom, lightness and air that sit both in and around the busiest flourishes of the lead guitar performances as well as the more tame chords and their progressions. With the acres of aural adventure, however, comes just a bit of stagnation. Some passages, as heard in the middle section of album opener 'Burden', tend to linger a little longer. At times the stagnation works to let the feel of a passage marinate as to pull the listener in, and other times it stalls momentum. This ten-track collection is not without its gems. In the Groove is a quaint number that has some spunk contrasting with a beautiful acoustic number in the subsequent 'Different Everytime'.

As is the nature for most instrumental albums, this will not be for everyone; but Howling Rush knows what it is and what it is not. On offer is a skilful display of admiration for creating pure art around, on, and with the guitar. Aside from a few blemishes, the spirit of the album is consistent throughout. Each track paints a picture with brilliance and depth in enough places to keep listeners engaged from start to finish. There is no hiding the fact that Ryno Theron hit all the marks he intended with this release, and a dedicated fandom will reward him handsomely for it.

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