The Undiscovered: Maxi Vacherand

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.

Maxi Vacherand
Argentina