Neil Rambaldi
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Review of "Perpetual Horizon"
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By: December, 2002
ith all of the instrumental guitar albums coming out these days, it's
really refreshing to hear one that's not a non-stop shred fest, and one that
actually has a good amount of melody to go along with tasty chops. This CD
by New Jersey musician Neil Rambaldi was a real surprise, as it includes
some hot playing, but more importantly eleven memorable songs. While many
young axe-heroes emulate Malmsteen, Van Halen, Satriani, Vai, or any of the
other countless guitar heroes, Rambaldi uses his influences tastefully and
creates a rich and full sound that should appeal to more than guitar
players.
There is much variety to be heard on Perpetual Horizon, like the Dream
Theater prog-metal stomp of "Edge", or the delicate flamenco jazz of "It's
Time." Rambaldi's style is very lyrical, at times like a combination of Joe
Satriani and John Petrucci, but he never shred's for shred's sake. "Against
the Grain" is a perfect example of this, where the guitarist lays down some
flashy yet memorable melody lines, but never loses sight of the song.
Considering that he basically plays all the instruments, the sound is very
full, with keyboards fleshing out the mix when needed. On "Personalities"
the guitarist lets loose possibly his best extended solo on the CD, using
wah-wah and sweep picking to a highly dramatic effect. Perhaps the strongest
cut though is the majestic anthem "Speechless", which contains a driving
rhythm, ripping lead break, and a real emotional tone.
Neil Rambaldi would be a real asset to any hard rock or metal band. His
songwriting skills and musical abilities are top-notch, and even if he
chooses to stick with the instrumental format I'm sure labels like Lion
Music or even Shrapnel will scoop him up eventually. Very promising release,
and highly recommended.
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December, 2002 / Sea of Tranquility Webzine
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