“Wrath Of Blues” is the powerhouse solo debut album coming from Connecticut guitar virtuoso Ryan “Bluwrath” Newman and released by Feverbarn Recordings. Along the recording, Newman proves the reason why he has got his fierce nickname, delivering a high-octane blend of rock energy, with a teamed horn section and a raw intensity that recalls his childhood idol, Jimi Hendrix.

The album is smartly structured, featuring thirteen masterful covers and one original track, striking a perfect balance between honoring the roots and showcasing his own heavy, intense, hard-hitting contemporary style. The opening track, “Dust My Broom” pays an electrifying tribute to Elmore James’ classic, while the only original composition, “Leaving This World Tonight” becomes a gut-wrenching, slow-burning blues lament that reveals his maturity as a songwriter.

Newman does not limit himself to traditional blues circles, he dares to reinterpret complex pieces like Hoagy Carmichael’s “Baltimore Oriole”, but he also infuses island grooves into Bob Marley’s “Get Up Stand Up” and even gives the Rolling Stones’ signature pulse to “Miss You”, all wrapped with stellar guest vocals delivered by Arlene Wow. The album reaches its climax with a fierce rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited” before drawing to an emotional close with “Good To Me As I Am To You.”

“Wrath Of Blues” is a fantastic and highly recommended business card, filled with an explosive technique and a deep, contemporary blues soul.