This came out in 2000 — or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Guitar guru Joe Satriani’s dexterous digits have been his bread and butter for years. But now, for the first time, he’s taking his digits into the digital revolution.
On his 10th album, the former guitar teacher to the stars — whose ex-students include Steve Vai and Metallica’s Kirk Hammett — has taught himself a thing or two about electronic music. Plugging in his keyboard and mouse next to his guitar amp and jacking into cyberspace, Satriani downloads 11 hard-driving tracks constructed from complex drum ’n’ bass beatboxes and futuristic techno instrumentation. Naturally, there’s still plenty of his trademark, piercing guitar shredding. What there isn’t enough of, however, is innovation — most of these tracks cover the same ground John Paul Jones and Vai have been surveying for years. Satriani’s Engines could use an upgrade.
