IOANNIS ANASTASSAKIS „Orbital Attempt”

Genre: Instrumental Rock/Shred
Website: www.ioannis.org
Country: Greece
Duration Time: 73:50
Best Tunes: Orbital Attempt, Progresive Minds, A Mi Madre

If You think of Greece, what in terms of music gets to your minds? I bet it would be something black metal, especially Rotting Christ. Nobody here heard about greek metal or rock, not to mention shred. But, fortunately some time ago… some more time ago in my hands jumped album of greek guitar virtuoso – Ioannis Anastassakis, and only my lazyness (read – lot of work) is to be blamed for that You couldnt read about it till now.

Who is Ioannis? This guy graudated from GIT and immidiately got there a teacher job, got lessons from best guitarists in the world, both shredders and jazzmans and is gigantic if we talk about flamenco.

But this is not sponsored advert, but review of Orbital Attempt. Latest child of him. This CD is most fresh look at shred genre, if I wanted to compare – my first connection would be late Joey Tafolla – most of the time compositions are fast, happy, densely strewed with notes, sometimes getting into latin music. Best are these transitions from power metal backgrounds to flamenco and vice versa – you can hear that for example in Weird Thing. One long passage, which leads us through track and background is changing, like behind window of a fast running car. But the real honey you can taste something about 15 minute, from fourth track – A Mi Madre (Soleares), which I will postpone till end cause it is specific, but next is title track – Orbital Attempt, in which guitarist shows us, that arpeggios aren't anything new for him, that if he had to play anything neoclassical he would do it with one hand, or… without hands 😉 . Best moment in this tune was for me in 4:10 when second lead guitar got in. It play only little accents, but impression is astonishing. I am not surprised why whole CD is titled after this tune. What we have next? Progressive Minds made in spirit of progressive metal, which is spiced up by good, space toned keyboards. Track consisting of many slow and fast parts braided one with another, but there is no point in guessing – whole track is more than 11 minutes long. Once again I have to compliment whole concept – clean guitar getting in around 2 minute of track is terryfic. But there is another surprise – later we have elements of… bluegrass, unfortunately not banjo, but either way it sounds great. Similar impression had when listening to Abort Horizon. I abovementioned that A Mi Madre is specific. Indeed, like another track – Veridiana is acoustic flamenco composition, which I bet will be liked by every guitarwork fan. And for the end we have some bonus tracks, Jam of Greek Guitar Power – collective of past and current Ioannis students, various guest solos from session musician work (about which Ioannis tells more in interview) and a backing track to Greek Guitar Power Jam, just to grab a guitar and try to think something own out.

When listening to “Orbital Attempt” you can ask yourself a question, that album with so many inspirations included could be incoherent and be such musical frankenstein. Not at all. I dont know, how they managed to do it, but cd is perfectly balanced between diversity and consistency, once launched – it get through whole 74 minutes without stop. For me it is one of the top shred albums of 2009.

note: 10/10

Tracklist

1. The Promised Land
2. Astrochicken's Victorious Attack
3. Weird Thing
4. A mi Madre (Soleares)
5. Orbital Attempt
6. Progressive Minds
7. Veridiana (Rumba Flamenca)
8. Abort Horizon
9. The Greek Guitar Power Jam
Bonus tracks:
10. Guest Solos 2008
11. The Greek Guitar Power Jam (Backing Track)

Line-up

Ioannis Anastassakis – guitars, bass
Bob Katsionis – bass, keyboards, drum programming