SMITH/KOTZEN

Connoisseurs of fine riff craft will need no introduction to Adrian Smith, Richie Kotzen or their remarkable individual careers. Their 2021 debut was nothing short of a hard-hitting masterclass in modern rock which saw the guitar-slinging legends conjuring a heady dose of 70s-loving blues, rock and R&B that brings those classic sounds straight into the 21st century. Its follow-up, Black Light / White Noise sees the pair delving even deeper into their musical vocabulary, and establishes Smith/Kotzen as true masters of their craft. Deliciously varied, exquisitely composed and rounded out by a breadth of flavours that can only come with years of experience, Black Light / White Noise is being hailed as one of the greatest hard-rock albums of 2025.