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Argentinian Metalizes Paganini
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Argentinean guitar player Maxi Vacherand submitted a twelve-song demo CD-R entitled Symphonica, offering metalized, electric guitar versions of classical compositions by Bach, Paganini, Chopin, Beethoven and Albinoni. Twelve compositions are featured, and Vacherand fortunately has the mega chops to pull off convincing interpretations of the works. The production here is demo quality, with only budget drum machine and keyboard backing, which many listeners could be distracted by - obviously if Vacherand could get into a studio with a heavy duty drummer and bassist he could deliver an end product about ten times better. No examples of Vacherand's original work are included, no variations or explorations on the submission. We're left with a modern guitarist who has every classical technique at his disposal, can do massive sweeps, screaming pedal tone licks, phenomenal single line ascensions - the question, where to go from here?
Maxi started playing guitar in 1990, beginning on acoustic guitar. Inspired by the abilities of Slash in Guns 'N Roses, he bought his first electric guitar, and began listening to Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. But it was the music of Yngwie Malmsteen that led Maxi to check out composers such as Beethoven, Bach and Paganini. After listening to Paganini's "24 Caprices", he discovered that all the secrets and mysteries of classic metal could be found in the centuries old music. Maxi studied the pieces night and day, wondering how they would sound translated to the electric guitar.
Vacherand's goal is to keep evolving as a guitar player and to always play what he really loves and feels. He lists his main influences as Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Angelo, Chris Impellitteri and Ritchie Kotzen.
Contact Information
Maxi Vacherand
San Benito De Palermo 1555
Ciudad de Buenos Aires 1426
Argentina
E-mail:
Maxi Vacherand
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Master Of Bulgarian Shred
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Bulgaria's super shredder may well be Atanas Shishkov, who submitted his eight song instrumental CD-R, Flying Colours. Now ignore the cheesy drum machine sounds and sleep-inducing sequenced keyboards if you can, and you'll be left with fusion/rock/shred that features impressively fluid tapping, amazing string skipping and unusual intervals and positions. Shishkov loves to blaze, and each track from the opener ("Exotic Nights"), through the title track and the Mozart homage ("Mozart-Howe Theme"), until the final track ("The Mysterious Tower") comes rife with ultra-heavy shred and melodically based pyrotechnics. Like a lot of talented musicians, Shishkov has to break out of demo mode and hire some killer rhythm players and a dedicated, experienced producer in order to kick his original music into high gear. The talent is there, ready to be rocketed into instrumental guitar stardom.
Atanas initially took private lessons in the early '90s in classical guitar while also playing hard rock in a band. His first influences were Gary Moore and Kirk Hammett, and later Yngwie Malmsteen and Joe Satriani. Atanas decided to start recording my own instrumental music and in the middle of 1994 recorded his first demo "On the Threshold". He then recorded a series of demo albums (ten altogether), from 1995 through to 2001, the last six featuring a fusion/jazz and rock approach. One demo, "The Long Road", was an acoustic affair recorded with 12-string guitarist Boris Kadiev. Since 2003, Atanas has been featured as a guest columnist on several Internet guitar magazines - Chops From Hell, Insane Guitar, iBreathe Music, The Shred Zone and Fusion Site.
Shishkov's goal is to make something different and innovative using the guitar, to create his own style of playing and to create exciting music. He hopes to find a label that appreciates his music enough to prepare a proper CD release.
Contact Information
Atanas Shishkov
3 "Zavoja Na Cherna" Str.
4002 Plovdiv
Bulgaria
E-mail:
Atanas Shishkov
Web site:
www.atanasshishkov.cjb.net
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