Eric, thanks for the copy of your new CD! - Sounds good! - Eric Johnson - Favored Nations Recording Artist

Eric, I played your cd yesterday. Great stuff, keep it coming - Stephen Barber - Eric Johnson/Eletromagnets pianist

I did listen to your CD, I enjoyed it. Nice job man. I don't give quotes usually because I get asked a lot. I'll make an exception with you. Here it is: Eric Mantel has a great melodic sense. He's holding the torch high for killer guitar playing - Gary Hoey - Recording Artist

Eric has great control over the guitar while also creating a rich tapestry of colour in the sounds that he uses - Dave Martone - Lion Music Recording Artist

Eric Mantel is a solid shredder, with a sweet tone and tasteful approach (I enjoyed listening to your CD, good work, sir) - Fareed Haque - Magna Carta Recording Artist

Yo - Dude I finally listened to your CD. You really are a very, very good guitar player! ...it's obviously a diverse disc from a capable guy. I was very impressed, I think Steve (Vai) would be too. Bravo, blondie - Rich Pike - NoneRadio.com

Chops? Of course, but such is the case with many. What really impressed me was Eric's very mature sense of composition, which at times was reminiscent of Steely Dan and Eric Johnson, yet still very original. His playing is first class; his tone, outstanding (something many players lack), and his songs are even better! - Michael Fath - Recording Artist

I did listen to your CD and I have always known that you are a fine player, but what I appreciated the most was your variety of styles and composition - Andy Timmons - Favored Nations Recording Artist

Your CD was very impressive - Greg Koch - Favored Nations Recording Artist

Great CD. The production is very tight. Where did you record it? I can hear the Eric Johnson influence. You are a diverse and chops filled guitarist; smooth jazzy Wes Montgomery style octaves on "Tai-Chi", beautiful finger picking on the classical "Affectionately Yours", Satriani sounding (Summer Song) licks on the Mixolydian based "Tribute", and my favorite the rockin' "Wings of Fire". You have so much material between the vocal and instrumental tracks. I'd like to here an all instrumental CD from you. Good luck! - Dave Celentano - Guitarist

Eric Mantel is a rare breed of guitar player as he is a guitarist's guitar player. You can just hear it in his melodic passages and lead playing. It is that thing that you just can't place but that only an experienced and dedicated guitarist with a love of the instrument can deliver. Eric Mantel does just that on his CD which is definitely worth checking out! - Denis Taaffe / Guitarist - Guitarist

I really enjoyed your CD! I especially like Affectionately Yours, the harmonics at the end of it are really impressive. You are a very talented musician and your album flows together very nicely! - Nick Sterling - Guitarist

Hey Eric Johnson.......I mean.....Mantel. Great stuff, man. Love it - Joe Becker - Guitarist

I think of songs as a home that a musician builds for their guitar playing. With "The Unstruck Melody", Eric has managed to build a mansion for his licks! A tasteful blend of chops, melody and songwriting. And great vocal tunes as well. Overall, an extremely enjoyable listening experience - Tom Kopyto - Guitarist

I did listen to your CD and thought it sounded real good - Andy Aledort - Guitar World Magazine

Eric...you play real well, controlled, slinky and melodic - good show!...good stuff! - John Stix - Guitar For The Practicing Musician Magazine

No senseless flash, just solid, melodic lead guitar playing over polished memorable tunes in a wide variety of great musical styles - Dave Benziger - Guitarist

He whips through some raunchy acoustic slide blues, unleashes clean, melodic Metheny-Esque runs and incorporates ethnic strains like Irish gigues and Japanese Koto phrases. Eric achieves this diversity by employing a wide range of techniques, including finger picking, artificial harmonics, tapping and 15 different tunings - Willie Marr - Guitar World Magazine

I have always thought you were a talented guitar player...Continued Success! - Anthony Gomes - Guitarist

On first listening your CD sounds great! Well done... you're a fine player with the right idea. I want to hear it again... and that's a good sign. I like your "pop sense" best... you have your own thing and I can hear all the influences, but it is an original voice shining through - Carl Verheyen - Guitarist

Eric's new CD is a joy to listen to. The sounds are nice, his playing rocks, and the songs are engaging. I expect we will be hearing a lot about Eric Mantel in the very near future! - Jon Finn - Berklee School of Music professor

I think the CD sounds great on all levels. The performances, compositions and production are all very well done & it comes off as more than just a guitar album. You've made a great record that you can be proud of, I wish you on going success! - Jesse Gress - Guitarist

Eric Mantel has great detail and versatility! No matter what kind of music you like, his new CD takes you through all venues and styles. Eric is a guitar player's, player! - Doug Seven - Guitarist

You made a great record and are a great guitarist - Michael Angelo - M.A.C.E. Recording Artist

I've always thought that your music and guitar playing were exceptional! - George Bellas - Shrapnel Recording Artist

Got your CD sounds great man I can hear a little Eric Johnson and Jeff Beck in there. I also think your vocals and tone fit perfect with what you are doing, it all blends great! - Rusty Cooley - Guitarist

I listened to "The Unstruck Melody" and really enjoyed it. The first track, "Tribute" reminds me a bit of "I Would Love To!" So I felt at home right off the bat. My personal favorites on the album are "Tai-Chi" and "Affectionately Yours." Both are just so expressive and beautiful! - Ruta Sepetys / Steve Vai's manager

Crafty songwriting mixed with a tight rhythm section, propels Eric's playing. I hear influences from Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth, and conceptually from Eric Johnson. Eric has no doubt studied other players and plays with feeling - Tucker Rountree - Guitarist

Eric is one of the most versatile guitarists on the planet! Great tones, nice songwriting, excellent production! If you enjoy the guitar, you'll love Eric's music!!! This CD will definitely make a home in my player! - Marc Seal - Guitarist

I listened to your CD! Great stuff man! Cool tunes...great playing! - Joel Hoekstra - Guitarist

I finally got a chance to listen to your CD. It is pretty cool! You had some really cool phrasing, good song writing, great melodies, and some good chops. Some of your licks remind me a lot of Eric Johnson (a very good thing!) - Joel Wanasek - Guitarist

Wow, thanks so much for sending me your CD! It's awesome, great mix of all kinds of styles, and your playing is great, melodic, catchy & technical! What I enjoyed most is the fact that you focus a lot on the song. I thuink that's the most important thing. I think people will enjoy your disc for sure - Rob Johnson - Guitarist

Wow you have a lot of songs and could easily release 2 albums, one instrumental and one with vocals! Anyways your playing is exceptional! You have a lot of experience and the recording is very professional and clear! A really cool production! The songs are great and you are a great singer too! Anyways the songs that I like are the instrumental ones! The rock/ jazz/ fusion ones are the best with great playing and searching for the right note everytime! I wish you all the best! You are really an amazing player and I hope one day to record some rock/ jazz/ fusion like you have done! - Francesco Fareri - Guitarist

I think Eric Mantel is a guitar player of definite quality with something significant to say in his songwriting, it was a pleasure to have him on the Guitars at an Exhibition volumes 1 & 2 compilation CDs! - Tom Hess - Guitarist

I was impressed by your technique and multitude of styles. The band sounds very professional and the recording was well done. Keep following your spirit. I also like your chord voicings, it is good to hear a guitar player that can use different fingerings then the standard bar, open and power chords. Great pentatonics chops too - Kevin M. Buck - Guitarist

I think you play well and cover a wide range stylistically - Johnny Monaco - Enuff Z'nuff Guitarist

Wow, Eric...I've been listening to your CD...You're a truly great player. I look forward to hearing from you for a long time. Your CD contains a lot of material...it's probably too overwhelming for some, hence the blow-off...Oh yeah....one of the problems you face is you're too good at too much... Hell of a problem - Ed Supple - Guitarist

Got the CD...I think you have a jem on your hands! There isn't a musical style that hasn't been touched on this CD. Lots to swallow. Every thing from chicken' pickin' to slide, etc. This album is like a wave of fresh air. Very pleasing to the ear & refreshing to hear! Something we all definitely need & you came to bring. First off, the packaging is phenom. As a music fan, I really appreciate a nice CD package filled with colorful inserts, design, & info. Nothing worse than getting a CD with a 1 page booklet & no other info. 2nd, your tone is killer. Both clean tones & dirty are very pleasing to the ear. Your guitar playing is obviously top notch. You have great command of the instrument and your phrasing is dead nuts on. It's obvious your knowledge is top notch too. Dude, you can sing! Very nice vocal control. Great job with the background harmonies. Great overall production too - Jeff Urso - Guitarist

Mantel is a meticulous recording artist, a talented songwriter and a true guitar virtuoso in the broadest sense of the word. Unlike most guitar heroes who are masterful in one specific style, Mantel's playing runs the gamut from delicate finger picking to slide running blues to jazzy improvisation to shredding a la Yngwie Malmsteen - Tom Lounges - TheTimes

The guitar work of Eric Mantel reaches new heights of creativity. It's soft, gentle and kind. It will push you forth into somewhere-land; the place where dreams come from - Brenda Mullen - U.S. Rocker Magazine / East Coast Monthly

Eric Mantel has it all: Excellent Tone! - Awesome Technique! - Versatility! - Great Songwriting and composing abilities plus he can sing on top if it all, is there such a thing as being over talented? - Tamara Kinch - The Times

Like those players (Eric Johnson and Joe Satriani), he's an accomplished guitarist - Nick Flandry / Illinois Entertainer

Versatility is the word that comes to mind when you're talking about Eric Mantel - Mark Perry / The Star

It's obvious from the variety of styles, that you are accomplished and have a lot to offer the music industry - R. Clay Spivey - Peavey Artist Relations

We are proud to have people with impressive credentials such as yours playing our instruments - Peter Bowers - Washburn Artist Relations

Listen to his "eclectic original music and you can hear anything from acoustic blues, to Pat Metheny-esque jazz runs, to harder Eddie Van Halen-ish speedy metal guitar - Scott B. Hersey - The Southtown Economist

For awhile now you might have walked into a few music stores or clubs and seen the name Eric Mantel. You might have wondered who is this guy? Eric Mantel is one of Chicago's best kept secrets and and a Guitar Virtuoso - Dave Davies - Street Rock Magazine

Eric Mantel is a positive person. He is a talented person. He is a person that takes the value of music very seriously - not only as a career, but as a positive life force - Jeanena Spencer - CAMM Magazine

Eric Mantel is one of the most talented guitar player / songwriters I have seen in many, many years. His music is very exciting with something for everyone - Teri Olling - Chicago Music Magazine

If musical success was based purely on talent alone, Chicago guitar virtuoso Eric Mantel would have been perched on top years ago. He is the kind of musician most players aspire to be, in command of a dizzying array of styles and techniques. An eclectic composer, Mantel ties together influences as diverse as the blues, Baroque music, and Frank Zappa into a sound that few others could create - Mike O'Cull - In The Mix Magazine