The song opens with a rapid drum fill, leading into a frenetic bass line and gorgeous, soaring melodies married with crystalline keyboard work. "Never Forever" is unbelievably airy, evoking images of wispy clouds rushing by as the wind gently blows back your hair on an open-air flight. Subdued vocals guide the track's calming sense, with the rhythm section comparable to King Crimson. Vai's guitar work eventually assumes a vocal type role, imitating the soft croon from the first verse later on in "Never Forever."
Acknowledging the staggering difference between his debut and Passion and Warfare, and where this new release fits, Vai said, "The music on Flex-Able is so vastly different from Passion and Warfare, one could wonder if the same guy actually made both records. Modern Primitive is the missing link between these two records. It's sort of Cro-Magnon Vai."
The two CD set of Modern Primitive / Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition is slated for a June 24 release through Legacy Recordings. Passion and Warfare has been remastered from the original analog tapes and will also include four bonus tracks originally recorded during the album sessions. Pre-orders can be placed through Amazon.
Fans can catch Steve Vai on tour throughout Europe this summer and witness Passion and Warfare played in its entirety for the first time. "Performing this record from top to bottom (with some very special surprises in the works) is something I've always dreamed of doing," said Vai. "There are songs here I've never performed before, and I'm delighted that 25 years after its release, I feel as though my guitar chops are as much up to the task as ever before." All tour dates can be found at Vai's website.