If you like Vai’s old style, remember you had to re-check your premises with Fire Garden and learn to like Ultra Zone. “Real Illusions – Reflections” is the natural sequel to Ultra Zone because it’s even more experimented.

Even with the new style, the album “borrows” moods and melodies from different points in Vai’s discography:
- Flex-Able meets Alien Love Secrets and “Boston Rain Melody” in “K’m-Pee-Du-Wee” (track 4)
- “Little Aligator” up tempo in “Firewall” (track 5)
- “Fire Garden Suite” reinvented on “Freak Show Excess” (track 6)
- “The Riddle” revisited with synths in “Midway Creatures” (track 9)
- Sex and Religion melodies in “I’m your Secrets” (track 10)

So here’s the album overview:
- GREAT instrumentals on tracks 1, 4, 6, 9
- the usual Vai (but remember he can play) on tracks 3, 5, 7, 10, 11
- funny Vai on track 8
- no point when track 2 passes by

A worthy mention to Billy Sheehan, who plays very precise and cool bass. Check “Freak Show Excess” all over, mainly the duet between 03:45 and 05:20.

Conclusions:
- If you like Vai no matter what he does, BUY the album – it’s great.
- If you didn’t like Ultra Zone, hey, have a full listening session before buying “Real Illusions – Reflections” and decide by yourself.