Various Artists | Guitar Addiction – A Tribute to Modern Guitar

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by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer —

Over 60 up-and-coming (and mostly European) guitarists eager to prove their shred cred have contributed to this release, aided by such luminaries as Guthrie Govan, Christophe Godin, Stuart Hamm, Ron Thal “Bumblefoot, Michael Angelo Batio and drummer Atma Anur. The latter, of course, is the renowned percussionist whose propulsive grooves have in the past floated the ground-breaking extrapolations of such guitar heroes as Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, and Richie Kotzen.

The album presents 11 tracks of electric guitar extravaganza where players take turns blasting out ambitious and often deliberately over-the-top solos in the format of conventional – if not tiresome – compositions. This is, perhaps, the major downside of this record – the technical skill of many players is exceptional, while the songs themselves often merely serve as a rudimentary platform to support the almost jam-session-like exchanges of licks and solos.

Varying in skill, approach, and style, the younger players on this album at once illustrate the aspirations of today’s junior European guitar scene and at the same time all of its shortcomings and complications. Often tipping their hat to the legendary shredders of the 80s – such as Becker, Friedman, Kotzen, and Greg Howe – many also show how the golden years of high-tech guitar remain unsurpassed to this day.

It could be the lack on truly great songs that prevents the often fabulous instrumentalists from really shining, or partly the demo quality of production. But if anything is made clear by this release it’s that through good times and bad times shredders have always been there, while great songs are more scarce in this genre now than ever before.

For a committed guitar fan, however, this is an interesting summary of how some of the new players are developing and where they are heading. Technically all of them – without exception – are very competent, but when you hear some of them solo next to such veterans as Guthrie Govan, or next to such an impeccable musician as Stuart Hamm, it becomes achingly clear that nuanced finesse of timbre, deliberate precision of each phrase, an ability to think unconventionally and to truly surprise your listener will always remain a one-in-a-million skill.

It would, however, be unfair not to mention up-and-coming players who may not be household names just yet, but who truly stand out in their inspired phrasing and their willingness to think outside the box: Yann Armellino, Richard Hallebeek, Kermheat, Tommy Ermolli, Marcel Coenen, Franck Karmattitue, bassist Michael Manringon, and drummer Vincent Fabre.

Those names are to be watched. High-tech guitar these days is not completely confined to the well-known vets who have forged their careers 20 or so years ago. And truly great guitar solos cannot exist without great songs. Those three points – if anything – is what, perhaps, this release illustrates better than anything else.

Genre: Instrumental Shred

Contributing Artists:
Alberto Rigoni (Twinspirits, solo), Alex Ehrsam, Alfonso Roca, Atma Anur (drums on 5 tracks), Ayman, Aymeric Silvert, Benoit Pol, Brett Garsed, Charly Sahona (Venturia, solo), Christophe Godin, Cyril Achard, Daniele Gottardo, Dave Martone, David Valdes, Enrico Galetta, Eric Bricout, Fabrizio Leo, Franck Karmattitude, Gowy, Guitarsnake, Guthrie Govan, Jean Fontanille, Jeff Kollman (Cosmoquad, solo), Joe Stump, Joop Wolters, Karl KB, Kenny Serane, Kermheat, Lars Eric Mattson, Loran Saulus (Alive Inc), Manu Livertout, Marcel Coenen, Marco Sfogli, Martin Motnik, Mattias Eklundh (Freak Kitchen, olo), Michael Angelo Batio, Michael Manring, Mika “Mr. Fastfinger” Tyyskä, Milan Polak, Mistheria, Pat O’May, Patrick Amar (contest winner), Paul-Alain Fontaine (keyboards), Pierrejean Gaucher, Richard Hallebeek, Rob Balducci, Roland Gassin, Ron Thal “Bumblefoot” (Guns’n Roses, solo), Roo, Roland Grapow (Masterplan, Helloween), Sebastien Lanceau (Alive Inc), Stuart Hamm (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Frank Gambale..), Theodore Ziras, Thomas Bressel, Tommy Ermolli (Twinspirits, solo), Tristan Klein, Victor Lafuente, Vincent Fabre (drums on 3 tracks), Yann Armellino, Yannick Robert

Track listing:
1. Crossroads of Time (feat. Vincent Fabre, Alfonso Roca, Ayman, Christophe Godin, Daniele Gottardo & Joe Stump) 6:22
2. Junkie Foot (feat. Mika “Mr. Fastfinger” Tyyskä, Karl KB, Loran Saulus (Alive Inc), Paul-Alain Fontaine, Rob Balducci, Roo, Roland Grapow (Masterplan, Helloween) & Tyler (Alive Inc)) 7:01
3. Adrenaline Jam (feat. Enrico Galetta, Fabrizio Leo, Jean Fontanille, Kenny Serane, Paul-Alain Fontaine & Richard Hallebeek) 4:25
4. The End of the World (feat. Mika “Mr. Fastfinger” Tyyskä, Dave Martone & Milan Polak) 3:49
5. Mr Groove (feat. Jeff Kollman (Cosmoquad, solo), Lars Eric Mattson & Victor Lafuente) 4:37
6. Mind’s Labyrinth (feat. Alberto Rigoni (Twinspirits, solo), David Valdes, Guitarsnake, Marco Sfogli, Thomas Bressel & Tommy Ermolli (Twinspirits, solo)) 6:31
7. FRP a Tribute To Mark (feat. Brett Garsed, Eric Bricout, Guthrie Govan, Patrick Amar & Paul-Alain Fontaine) 6:18
8. Mandarine (feat. Alex Ehrsam, Benoit Pol, Pierrejean Gaucher, Roland Gassin & Yannick Robert) 7:32
9. Frankly Speaking (feat. Christophe Godin, Cyril Achard, Gowy, Joop Wolters, Martin Motnik & Mattias Eklundh (Freak Kitchen, solo)) 9:20
10. Cacophusion (feat. Charly Sahona (Venturia, solo), Eric Bricout, Manu Livertout, Marcel Coenen, Ron Thal “Bumblefoot” (Guns’n Roses, solo) & Theodore Ziras) 6:14
11. Heavy Funky Party (feat. Stuart Hamm, Milan Polak, Michael Angelo Batio, Pat O’May, Yann Armellino, Tristan Klein & Kermheat)

Label: GuitarEuroMedia

Hardrock Haven rating: n/a