In Search Of is a father and daughter collaboration between Michael Raitzin and Michelle Ray, who share a love of music and books, and are based in Los Angeles.

Michael was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and made his way to Los Angeles via Denmark where he spent seven years in Copenhagen. He started his career in Denmark in the early 90’s and has continued to play, write, tour and produce and manage bands such as Danger Danger, Royal Hunt and many more.

Michelle was born in Manhasset, NY and, as a finalist on NBC’s The Voice/Blake Sheldon team she has amassed over 3.5 million streams on Spotify. She also features on numerous national commercials and major feature films and television shows and has stage performances in productions such as Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill and Green day’s American Idiot to her name too.

Alice And The Wonderland, the duo’s debut album is based on the classic Alice In Wonderful novel and as soon as it starts, the listener is transported away into a whimsical world of imagination and magical adventures.

Michelle’s vocals take the role of Alice and the album is a reflection of dreams and insecurities that any child, teenager or adult can relate to. It was released on 23/06/2023, and I must say, it is one of the most beautiful, well-produced and captivating albums I have heard for a long time.

With a foundation in classic rock, this concept album, reaches out to many other genres to create a sound quite unique to this pairing. The progressiveness of the music behind Michelle’s vocals is perfect for the storyline of the album, the constant change in pace, tempo and intensity ideally portraying the hurriedness of the White Rabbit, the craziness of the March Hare, the madness of the Mad Hatter and the slothfulness of the Caterpillar!

With energetic guitars and drumming for some of the tracks, this is also replaced by slower, more laid back playing on others and the contrast is absolutely phenomenal to hear. Guest musicians on this album include Mark Boals (Yngwei Malmsteen / Ring Of Fire) on vocals and Andre Andersen (Royal Hunt) on keys and piano, among others, and this just makes the musicianship of this album absolutely top notch.

The contrast between Michelle and Mark’s vocals really helps to tell the story and the lyrics of the tracks are packed full of imagery that the listener is captivated and whisked off to Alice’s Wonderland, a land I didn’t want to return from.

This is an absolutely fantastic album and one that I would love to see on stage! The songs are powerful, catchy and just have you hooked from start to finish.

Phenomenal!

Track Listing:
1) Intro
2) Engagement Party
3) Ambush
4) Alice
5) Tea Party
6) Jabberwocky
7) The Red Queen
8) Vorpal Sword
9) Revolt
10) Embattled
11) Frabjous Day
12) Futterwacken Dance
13) Farewell

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum