Saturday, September 30, 2006

Album review

MARCO FERRIGNO - HANGING GARDENS
Lion Music
LMC182 / Out Now




Three years after his last release under the "Ferrigno, Leal, Kuprij" banner Marco is back with more neo-classical firepower and this, his debut solo album is a very intricately detailed release with a lot of fretwork but also a lot of melody. One of the most immediate comparisons to Marco's very fluid style of play is similar to that of George Bellas and its not real surprise to discover that Marco has taught under George. That said you the two are quite easily seperable as you find out on the track Bellas guests on.

The album opens with the progressive "Temple Of Time" which sees a nice mix of slower melodic lead lines and faster licks and runs. Musically Marco has a very tight backing band in the guise of bass legend Tony Franklin (Blue Murder / The Firm) and drummer Marco Minnemann. As mentioned we get a guest appearance from George Bellas on the second track “Night In Babylon” and this is another more progressive offering and again a nice mix of fast and slower passages. What really put the progressive slant into this release in the Marco’s use of odd tempos, poly-rhythmic lines and time modulations based on a 16th and 8th note pulse, so there is no real Malmsteen style harmonic minor burners here with the final track “Closer To The Wind” getting the nearest to that territory of neo-classical.

Overall Marco has produced an enjoyable album which has a lot of guitar flash backed up by sound backing tracks and that hold the interest. My only criticism would be that the tracks all seem to be around the same sort of tempo but this minor flaw doesn’t devalue the end product and the album comes recommended.

New online video clips

A couple of great new clips posted online.... check them out!

CHRIS IMPELLITTERI



The official Chris Impellitteri website have just posted a great new video of Chris running through some practise excercises on his new Engl amps. To download the wmv click here

CEM KOKSAL w/ JOE LYNN TURNER



Ex Yngwie/Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner recently joined Turkish neo-classical guitarist Cem Koksal for a string of live dates playing to crowds of over 10,000 on the Coca Cola Soundwave tour. Footage for a possible DVD release was filmed and Cem has been working on the editing. To view some of the click here (your popup blocker may hide this).
As soon as we get more information on this "possible" DVD we will let you know.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Neo-Classical Chart - August 2006

A little late on posting the monthly top 10 bestselllers on the neo-classical chart at www.guitar9.com this month but here we go...

#1 Matthew Mills / Neo Classical Rock Guitar
The album is for strong and healthy guitar fanatics - NeoClassical Rock Guitar is not recommended for the malnourished, faint-of-heart, or anyone taking the thousands of drugs advertised on prime time television.

#2 Hess / Opus 1
The CD features a new breed of high caliber instrumental guitar compositions combining the neo-classical styles of Yngwie Malmsteen and Jason Becker with the progressive rock styles of Dream Theater and George Bellas, along with the emotion of 19th century Romanticism.
[check out our exclusive interview with Tom Hess]

#3 Michael Romeo / The Dark Chapter
Romeo is an incredibly accomplished player drawing on a neo-classical style reminiscent of Yngwie Malmsteen while retaining his own identifiable signature that sets him apart from other players in this genre. He has received major coverage in many of the guitar magazines around the world and is best known for his role as lead guitarist in Symphony X.

#4 Matt Mills Project / Matt Mills Project
The twelve all instrumental tracks feature a smorgasbord of large, swept arpeggiated sequences, diminished patterns and pedaled passages (ala Malmsteen and Moore) - with Mills' guitaristic prowess comes through strikingly on every track.

#5 Timo Tolkki / Classical Variations & Themes
Classical Variations And Themes is the re-release of Stratovarius guitarist Timo Tolkki's 1994, neo-classically flavored, melodic metal solo outing.

#6 German Schauss / The Lightspeeder
Mind-blowingly fast sweeps. Complex, classically influenced progressions. Odd, even and fractional meters. Shredded, corpse-chopping, speed picking. A head-splittingly large number of notes! All this and more can be heard on German Schauss' CD The Lightspeeder, a collection of seven neo-classical progressive instrumentals designed to shock, awe and make you soil your drawers.

#7 Theodore Ziras / Virtual Virtuosity
Classic sweep arpeggios, searing extended solo sections, memorable themes, and overall extraordinary playing mark this CD, Ziras' second, and cement his place in the roster of notable neo-classical shredders.

#8 Tony MacAlpine / Edge Of Insanity
Edge Of Insanity is the incredible neo-classical fusion album recorded with renowned bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Steve Smith who combined with MacAlpine for one of the hottest power trios of all time.

#9 George Bellas / Mind Over Matter
Mind Over Matter is George Bellas' second Shrapnel release, and finds the guitarist perfecting his neo-classical approach, while evoking shades of Jason Becker in places.
[check out our exclusive interview with George Bellas]

#10 Bob Katsionis - Imaginery Force
An instrumental virtuoso progressive/neoclassical/metal album with amazing keyboards and guitars, entitled Imaginary Force. The tempos are fast and furious as Katsionis' mega rhythms and blazing guitar work are almost upstaged by his ultra-frightening keyboard solos,

Friday, September 15, 2006

News Update

Neo-Classical News Round Up

My apologies for the lack of updates over the last couple of months. Throw in a hectic schedule at work, moving house and much more and the weeks quickly pass by. In the meantime here's some news....

Chris Impellitteri

Chris has posted the following update on his official website.

The new music for "Good and Evil" is officially written, and it is time to start the recording. I am very excited about this material because I challenged myself to push the envelope and grow artistically. The writing process was definitely time consuming because I wanted these songs to inspire people and excite them. So I knew that this CD had to be better than anything I have done to date. Fortunately, I have all this positive energy and motivation which led to some really amazing riffs and crazy soloing. This music is definitely Metal with lots of fast shredding guitar solos and screaming vocals. The Rhythms are heavy and addictive and the vibe is positive with lots of energy....

As many of you know, I don't like to interact with the media very often, but if this recording turns out well, I will promote this release heavily and tour extensively. But, first thing is first, so I am headed into the studio with my boys and hope to see all of you soon !!
Thanks for all of your support !!!!!!!!

Kindest Regards,
Chris Impellitteri


Chris has also just become a new endorser of Engl amps.

Naturally we will try and get another interview with Chris once the album is out to get a deeper look into it. In the meantime check our older interview with Chris here.

Marco Ferrigno
Hanging Gardens is a great new instrumental opus fron neo-classical guitarist Marco Ferrigno. The album is out now on Lion Music and features George Bellas on one track in addition to bass work from the mighty Tony Franklin. Check it out at http://www.lionmusic.com/ferrigno_gardens.htm

Yngwie Malmsteen
The Maestro contines his assault on the worlds live stages with a string of new dates announced for Asia/Australia. Yngwie is currently working on a new studio album as well.

2006 Asia/Australia Tour
NOVEMBER 4: BANGKOK, THAILAND - THUNDERDOME

NOVEMBER 6: HONG KONG - HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL TRADE & EXHIBITION CENTER (HITEC)

NOVEMBER 9: SINGAPORE - FORT CANNING PARK (OUT DOOR VENUE)

NOVEMBER 11: TAIWAN - FAMILY THEATER, TAIPEI

NOVEMBER 14: BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – THE ARENA COMPLEX

NOVEMBER 15: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – ENMORE THEATER

NOVEMBER 16: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – PALACE ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX

NOVEMBER 17: ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – THEBARTON THEATER

NOVEMBER 19: PERTH, AUSTRALIA – METRO CITY


Joe Stump
It looks like the new Joe Stump instructional DVD entitled "Neo-Classical Guitar 3" is available on September 20th from www.shredacademy.com, more details as I get them.
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