The Guitar Player's Resource
Chops-heavy metal can never be a bad thing, and the CD-R version of Matt Moliti and Dark Empire's album,Distant Tides, doesn't disappoint, as the New York based guitarist lets his fleet fingers offset the throat of vocalist Jens Carlsson. Moliti blends influences such as Michael Romeo, Yngwie Malmsteen, Victor Smolski and Jason Becker to create his brand of metal mayhem, which some have compared to Iced Earth, Symphony X and Blind Guardian. Vocalist Carlsson is quite effective; less so are some of the death metal growls, but some like that kind of thing, so it will probably work for them. The main point is that the guitar rips from start to finish - no complaints there - so Moliti is ready to join the legions of quality players out there and make his own name for himself. The best tune on the CD-R, "The Final Vision", is the only instrumental track, but Moliti specifically requested that we not include it as a featured track. Dark Empire also features Noah Martin on bass and Teemu Tahkanen on drums, while Jeremy Krull adds some remarkable keyboard programming to the solo sections.
Matt is a 22 year-old guitarist from Long Island, NY, who began playing guitar at the age of 13, influenced by progressive rock bands such as Pink Floyd and Rush. He also cites influences from prog and power metal groups, thrash and extreme metal bands and classical and fusion music. Matt studied for two semesters at the Berklee College of Music, working with Joe Stump, leaving so he could actually spend more time with his guitar (and less time studying). Matt currently teaches guitar in Hampton Bays, NY, and contributes columns and articles on guitar technique to the Chops From Hell web site. The track "Northern Sky" is going to be featured on the next Brave Words Knuckletracks CD, so check that out when it happens.
Moliti is currently shopping his album to record labels, looking for distribution, or to perhaps be signed. He would love to work again with the lineup that recorded Distant Tides, on future albums, and would love to tour as well.
Matt Moliti
United States
Web site: www.mattmoliti.com