By: Stephanie Sollow
f you are looking for a new dose of classically influenced (and perhaps
even Spanish guitar influenced) instrumental metal then look no further than
Hess's second opus, Opus 2. This is a fabulous album, demonstrating some
beautiful guitar playing, whether in speed mode ("Nexuses," "Kingdoms") or
in a more lyrical and light mode ("What Could Have Been...And What Is Not,"
"Beyond The Brink"), where in both I hear a hint of a Steve Howe influence
(especially in the first) in some of the fluid lines Mike Walsh, or a track
with a little of both (the monster highlight track "The Cynic, The Sad, and
The Fallen"). Hess are comprised of the twin lead guitars of Tom Hess and
Mike Walsh, bass of Mark Carozza, and drums and percussion of Scott Hess.
Proof that this was intended to be a guitar centric album and it is
comes in the liner notes, where who's playing when is carefully documented.
Of course, since neither Mark nor Scott are trading off parts with another
(though with one another as the composition demands), there isn't a need to
point out that it's Mark playing in this section, Scott in another. What
ranks this among the better guitar-centric instrumental album is that Hess
compose songs music with texture, shadings, balance, a direction rather
just 5 minutes or so of guitar flash though both guitarists can run up and
down the fretboard with amazing speed and agility, and fluidity. All the
marks of a guitar hero, and Hess has two of 'em. "What Could Have Been..."
features a bit of a country twang at times midway through, but it isn't
"cheaply" done and seems a natural direction for the piece. It's one of
those that should be a classic. In fact, most... all... of the album fits in
that category. It's the kind of album that lends itself nicely to studied
listening, as there is something telling in each note, and actually far more
so than if there were a vocalist expressing the emotions and ideas. Here
they paint a more precise picture, with much detail.
What holds it all together, giving these guitar flights of fancy some
grounding are Carozza and Scott Hess. They may not be out front, playing the
lead, but their foundation is solid. And Carozza isn't merely vibrating
strings, as a close listen reveals that he's playing some very interesting
progressions that help shade and texturize what Tom Hess and Walsh are
playing over. Each do get their moments out front, most noticeably on the
album's closing track, the thundering "Waves Of Far Reaching" (live, I'd
imagine this what'd they play to lead into extended solos). And, it is they
that kick this album into gear with the heavy "Nexuses," a track that brings
to mind Dream Theater, Planet X, Symphony X, and host of others and yet not
something I can pin down precisely. The addition of rather, the return of
-- Scott Hess on drums, replacing Chris Dowgun from the last album, gives
Hess the band a much tighter feel, and with a separate bassist in Carozza
(it was Tom Hess on Opus 1), it gives band a more interactive feel, allowing
Tom to focus more on his guitar parts.
Walsh's keening guitar leads during "The Cynic..." really underscore the "...The
Sad..." part of the piece's title, sounding not so much like sad cries by
anguished cries, and yet done in a very subtle manner. It's the mellowness
that surrounds this moment (and the acoustic guitar textures that bring in
added warmth) that draws out the sadness. There's a point just out of the
mellower middle section where Tom Hess' guitar tone reminded me the darker
tones of David Gilmour during the latter period Pink Floyd (Momentary Lapse
of Reason-period). The only thing that doesn't work for me are the
intertwining leads that close out "The Cynic...." While the "top layer" lead
guitar sounds wonderful, I find the "bottom layer" lead guitar just a little
whiney in contrast. But it is otherwise a beautifully constructed track.
Wow. That's all I thought each time I played this. Great, great stuff. And
work has already begun on Opus 3!
Rating: 5/5
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