Tehnica nu e musai rea

Sunt tare multi chitaristi tehnici si destul de multi dintre ei nu spun mare lucru. Printre cei exotici care canta "altceva" este nenea Tosin Abasi, din trupa Animals as Leaders. Acest baiet, care dupa look ar putea canta orice altceva decat metal progresiv, e absolut fenomenal. E drept, pe album are un pic prea multa tehnica introdusa uneori, dar cateva piese sunt geniale. Si nu e musai usor sa canti pe o chitara cu 8 corzi. Iata-l intr-o prezentare pt dozele EMG (ca ce ai putea pune altceva pe o chitara cu 8 corzi...)

Leaked Dream Theater songs

Cannot say it's a good thing, but I managed to find 5 songs from the new Dream Theater album, "Black clouds and silver linings". I had those streaming here, but I felt too guilty and removed them. As usual, mixed impressions after the first audition:D
A Nightmare to Remember - heaviest song of the album (or all albums maybe...), from the dark keyboards to the hell-ish riffs. But most of the heaviness comes from the drums and Portnoy's growl voice, you get double-bass drums speed close to death-metal?! There's a great melodic passage, of course. I love it.
A Rite of Passage - still heavy, cleaner than the previous song, the guys made a video on it, using a shorter version, see below



Wither - very melodic, almost pop-ish, not my favorite, I like the sad intro though
The Shattered Fortress - a strange piece, is made out of previous DT songs, quite cleverly combined, with some adjacent heavy riffs
The Count of Tuscany - more on the progressive side, a large passage with guitar swells, got to listen it more to make a honest opinion.

Overall, a great album, love the two first songs, not so much into the following. "Scenes from a memory" is still my favourite DT album, it's flawless. Also, "Images and words", I believe it's their most "revolutionary" album. It got me into prog music and this lead to jazz music and so on...

New OSI album - Blood

Kevin Moore (Dream Theater's ex-keyboard player, Chroma Key) did it again. This is the third OSI (Office of Strategic Influence) album and it sounds great. A little simpler than the previous two albums, a little heavier. Mike Portnoy is not joining the project this time, but the drums are well done by Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree). Jim Matheos (Fates Warning) is doing the guitar and bass parts, as usual. Mikael Åkerfeldt from Opeth does vocals on one song, "Stockholm", he's one of my favorite vocals, but it doesn't fit that great in OSI, just a personal opinion. As expected from people like Moore and Matheos, the prog style is on its best here. Have a listen:


OSI - The escape artist

Refreshing progressive rock - sau trupa Frost

Sunt foarte incantat, atat de incantat de trupa Frost*. Ca fan Dream Theater, trebuie sa spun ca majoritatea trupelor actuale de prog sunt copii Dream Theater, Genesis, Pink Floyd. Majoritatea se bazeaza pe proficienta tehnica, dragut, dar totul devine monoton si plicticos fara idei noi. Cand am auzit trupa Ark (a lu Jorn Lande si Randy Coven, nu asta noua de tinerei), m-am bucurat din plin de soundul nou. Din pacate, trupa nu mai exista. Iata ca exista Frost* (cu steluta). Au doua albume, Milliontown (2006) si Experiments in Mass Appeal (2008). Ambele albume cu personalitate proprie, fiecare piesa refreshing. Teme melodice, teme heavy, tehnica (in special clapele), voci, nebunie. Miezul formatiei este claparul Jem Godfrey, un individ simpatic care a facut bani lucrand pe piese gen "The tide is high" - Atomic Kitten sau "Kiss kiss" - Holly Valance. Intre timp a renuntat la produs hituri si compune exclusiv prog-rock (sa zic oare prog-metal? hai sa nu). In mintea mea a facut destui bani sa poata trai linistit facand lucruri serioase. Bravos. Momentan ascult cu placere maxima Toys si Dear Dead Days de pe albumul nou. Ia sa ii verificam pe oameni aici si aici (unde claparul mai sus se prosteste in jurul muzicii serioase).
De pus in CV: anul asta o sa deschida 2 concerte Dream Theater in UK, se pare ca Jordan Rudess e mare amator :)