When Greg Phillinganes stepped away from Toto this year to focus on his family, Californian keyboardist Dennis Atlas joined in as the band’s new second keyboardist in 2024. And now, in the blaze of this summer, Atlas is gearing up to unleash his second studio album, Principle. With guests like Marco Minnemann, Sons of Apollo’s Bumblefoot, and Toto legends Steve Lukather and David Paich lending their talents, the album already feels like a natural extension of the musical world Dennis inhabits.
I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest Toto fan. But after reading about Atlas in Prog Magazine issue 170, especially his interview with Dave Ling,I knew I had to hear this record immediately. Principle, the follow‑up to 2020’s My Magical Wonderland, shows just how far Dennis has come. On his debut, he handled guitar, bass, and drums himself. “I had a lot to learn on all of those instruments,” he tells Ling. “This time I’ve found people who can take it to a whole other level, leaving me to refine my keyboard skills.”
Listening to Principle feels like stepping straight into the mid‑to‑late ’70s, right at the height of the Arena Rock era. Think Styx, Boston, Kansas, and unsung heroes like Starcastle and Aviary. Dennis clearly knows his source material, and he knows how to channel it with a prog‑rock heart.
‘Surprises from Within’ bursts open like a battle cry, with duelling synthesisers, driving riffs, and thunderous drums that practically lift you out of your chair. ‘Violent Power’ follows with sweat‑soaked intensity, merging Arena Rock with NWOBHM energy. The track spirals upward and downward like a classical epic, guitars roaring as if pulled through the cosmic worlds Atlas creates.
‘Scare Me’ brings in a marching rhythmic force, with Lukather adding his unmistakable textures to Dennis’ arrangement. Then Bumblefoot and Joseph Williams arrive, helping shape a synth‑wave‑infused, futuristic soundscape that feels like an alternate soundtrack to Transformers: The Movie (1986), specifically the battle for Autobot City. ‘Instincts’ twists through unexpected turns and time‑bending shifts that show just how adventurous Dennis can be.
After the album’s first five high‑energy tracks, Atlas sits at the piano for ‘Different World’, a somber reflection on loss and the search for hope amid devastation. It’s a moment of quiet clarity before the album dives into the Headhunters‑era funk of ‘Candy on Mars’, complete with Herbie Hancock‑style bass slaps wrapped in orchestral‑Funkadelic flair. Then comes the Zappa‑esque ‘Save It for Tomorrow’, where all bets are truly off.
Principle makes one thing clear: Dennis Atlas is far more than Toto’s keyboardist. He has his own voice, his own vision, and a firm grip on the progressive torch he’s carrying into the future. This album isn’t just a statement, it’s a promise of what’s still to come.
