Dean Cascione | Neoclassical Fire
by Nikiforos Skoumas
Staff Writer
Neoclassical Fire is the second brand new instrumental album by American guitarist Dean Cascione. Coached by Joe Stump, arguably the U.S. authority in neoclassical guitar shred, Dean Cascione definitely lives up to the expectations of a hot shot axeman.
The first thing that comes to the listener’s attention, aside from Cascione’s painfully obvious technical proficiency, is that Neoclassical Fire is not based on obscenely fast tempos; that is a huge plus for both the guitarist and the audience, as it provides the listener with the necessary time to intercept and process all notes (or most of them anyway) and melodies.
Truth be told, one has to be a fan of instrumental rock/metal or at least neo-classical metal to make the most of Neoclassical Fire and if you are not a fan of guitar driven music you will be hard pressed to fully appreciate this collection. In addition, fans of the neo-classical genre might raise the academic question of how much is there to be explored in the neo-classical musical field, and far more importantly can Dean possibly establish his guitar playing as an instantly recognizable trademark much like Stump, Impellitteri or Mattsson.
Yet, the devil is indeed in the details and the attentive listener will probably find that Cascione is very meticulous in note succession. He places emphasis on the time length of each sound and is very particular about the gap separating each note from the next. This suggests that the guitarist is able to manipulate a melody in sounding unrecognizable compared to its original form, depending on the time gap between the notes and how strictly he mutes the output of his guitar. Regarding the compositions, one feels that the pieces supported by orchestral arrangements are by far the most intriguing on the album and, on that count, one can imagine how well a full-blown symphonic neo-classical album would work for the guitarist (provided the budget of course).
It has been expressed that neoclassical scales are strictly defined, though true a statement it might be, Cascione verifies that the ways one can deliver these structures are indeed endless when it comes to the guitar. Hence it is not ‘What’ you play, it is ‘how’ you play it.
Genre: Instrumental Neo-classical Metal / Guitar Shred
Track List:
- NEOCLASSICAL FIRE
- EMOZIONE
- MORTAL SIN
- SOSPESO
- PALADINS FURY – Featuring Paul Wandtke
- KNIGHTS OF TEMPLAR – Special Guest Joe Stump
- TRISKELION
- HAILS TO THE SHREDLORD
- SERENADE OF SOULS
Web site: http://www.deancascione.com/Neoclassical_Fire/index.htm
Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10
Dean Cascione has been a Rising Star on the move in the neoclassic rock genre due to his own unique style. More evident that ever, he re-defines it in a special way that makes him stand out among his peers. All of the songs on Neoclassical Fire are at a much higher calibre than anything he has done to date. They are full of burning passion, emotional feeling, high energy, unrestrained power, and pure awesomeness. Having followed him for some time, I’m floored by his marked improvement in all areas. No one else in my opinion plays neoclassic rock trademark techniques like pedal tones and arpeggios any better on the planet. Dean has composed a brilliant work of consistent quality and no filler tracks, confirming he is a leading force in today’s neoclassical music scene. Simply put Neoclassical Fire is outstanding!
I am with you Dean is really good at his craft … let’s not forget his mentor – Joe Stump – whose last CD, Virtuostic Vendetta, is amazing …