by John Kindred
– Publisher —
Shredguy Records’ latest studio release arrives from known shredders Toby Knapp and Markus Johansson. Using the moniker, Knapp/Johansson, the duo has joined efforts to deliver an eight-track shredfeast titled Unborn Spirits Immortal. The album is a metallic, progressive monster that offers shredding instrumentals built to melt off your face.
Both guitarists hail from the United States and offer fans a stellar resume of accomplishments. Johansson is the lead guitarist for the Australian Thrash Metal band, 4ARM, as well as lead vocalist and guitarist for Sylencer. Knapp, whose confident skills within many genres of metal and hard rock, has released several instrumental records under his own name and has been a key member of Darken, Onward and the Black Metal project Waxen.
Shredding can be described as a blitzkrieg, a German word that is derived from Blitz (lightning) and Krieg (war). From a musical perspective, the assault is a combined attack on your auditory senses, as thundering double-bass percussion aligns with powerfully distorted guitars and searing lead-guitar solos that assail the listener.
Unborn Spirits Immortal is a tour de force of shredding, aka blitzkrieg. The album, which features eight songs, is broken into halves; four songs were written by Knapp, and four songs were written by Johansson. With both guitarists collaborating together, they share the spotlight, performing solos and lead runs on all the music.
Knapp’s side offers fans instrumental music that maintains his use of dynamic changes; the music strictly is metal, with touches of progressive elements. Johansson’s side offers similar compositional arrangements, certainly leaning to the heavier side of metal. Only the album’s title track “Unborn Spirits Immortal” shifts away from the metal barrage and presents itself as a thematic opus.
Wow! The technical virtuosity of Knapp and Johansson, both, are on full display. There are plenty of harmony runs, melodic passages and blistering solos that standout over the sound bed of the rhythm guitars, bass and drums. This style of instrumental release would rest comfortably among the shelves of Shrapnel Records guitar shred studio releases in the ‘80s. Even though the album is geared toward instrumental guitar fans, the music is not so aggressive that it is unlistenable. In fact, it would be a great accompaniment to a workout or a long road trip.
Genre: Instrumental Shred, Heavy Metal
Lineup:
Toby Knapp
Markus Johansson
Track Listing:
Side Knapp
1. The Chasm At The Southern Corner
2. Chronic Bionic
3. Magma Chamber
4. Pyrogenic Effect
Side Johansson
5. Patient Zero
6. Rotten Hell
7. Nocebo
8. Unborn Spirits Immortal
Label: Shredguy Records
Web: http://www.shredguyrecords.bigcartel.com/product/knapp-johansson-unborn-spirits-immortal
Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10
