VA - The Alchemists II (2007)Liquid Note Records

I was very curious what my Dear Colleague, Matt Williams would prepare for the year 2007 start? I was regularly getting pieces of information concerning "The Alchemists" sequel from 2002. It has just been happened and its compilation's sequel landed on my desk.

This time, the concept of second part consists in two solo guitarists playing in each of fifteen tracks. At the very beginning, we get "Unruly Elements" by Australian-American duo Chris Brooks and Joe Chawki. I was most admired with sound purity and melody clarity, however progressive accents make me think of John Petrucci's solo activity. Frenchmen, Pascal Vigné and Christophe Godin, in their "One Legged Chicken", present southern rock from a bit crazy perspective indeed. But Terry Syrek and Bumblefoot are pedigree freaks, haha. Just the title "Threehundredpointtwentyone" says for itself and can be regarded as abnormal one, haha. For Ron Thal, it is a calm and slightly twisted cut, but one more madman would enough (Todd Duane for instance) to go up my loudpeakers in smoke, haha. Richard Hallebeek (The Netherlands) and Antii Kotikoski (Finland) ensure us coming back to a normality in their "Under The Influence". I was particularly intrigued by the former one's unconventional guitar sound. Spaniards, Carlos Creator and Robert Rodrigo (Airless) start up a party anew. They administer us a dose of funk in "Space Antz". I have been very happy to be able to hear Brett Garsed in this venture. I was thinking that an Australian could have played together with T.J. Helmerich with whom recognized CDs ("Quid Pro Quo" and "Exempt") were recorded. It would be too simple, that's why he performs "Startosphere" next to William Stravato. The track is played in a little cosmic convention, but also characterized by a mildness and melodiousness with a note of emotional improvisation in the first part, and more technical with a greater load of sonic aggression in the second one. A Swedish duo, Stefan Rosqvist and Bo Eriksson lead us in more secluded and romantic areas of the musical world. Phi-Yaan-Zek and Chanan Hanspal have created something that can be described as cartoon guitar fusion! In other words, it is less extreme version of excellent Electrocution 250. Who said that all was done in music? Marco Sfogli and Milan Polak present us their melodic jamming. Milan is deservedly believed to be one of the best European guitarist of the younger generation. The next one is experimental "Fumble Fingers" in which we listen to a Canadian-American duo - Dave Martone and Chris Buono. Their musical offer is instrumental metal, progression, stylistic variations, sonic diversity and driving force by a demon for rhythm like Gene Hoglan (Strapping Young Lad, Death) surely is! Si Hayden and Michael Berk attack our ears with an acoustic, but very energetically performed composition titled "Tango Schizophrenia". Another dose of groove is descended from Gianluca Ferro's and Scott McGill's "Warp Drive". They have based its main idea on a persistent (monotoriously recurrent), but subordinate and interesting motif (so-called obligato). There isn't a lack of my neighbours west of Poland, that are Sven Stichter and excellent shredder Thorsten Koehne of Code Of Perfection. A combination of guitar mastery and loops' use prove that rejecting technological novelties is detrimental to the music. Germans show how to create the track that will be appreciated by guitar-oriented audience and discos' frequent visitors as well. They did a great work and my reverence goes to them. Last but one track - "Butterfly/ Free Love/ Fruit Frenzy" has been previously meant for a horror movie, but Geoff Tyson decided to improve it and play together with Doug Doppler. Obviously, there has left a film-oriented atmosphere and it should appeal to Spock's Beard's fanbase. A British-Georgian duo Dr Ika and Temut Kvitelashvili close the field with their "Georgia In My Heart". They perfectly blend jazz/fusion with Georgian folk music. Thus, there are references to Caucasus folklore on one hand, and jazz elements on the other one. They use such instruments like maracas (it is a kind of rattle, and precisely a percussion instrument comprising of a hollow gourd full of pebbles or beans) and vibraphone (a.k.a. vibes, that is another percussion instrument alike a xylophone, but made up of metal bars and rotating discs in the resonators that utter a vibrato sound).

To tell the truth, I don't consider "The Alchemists II" a typical compilation, but rather as a great, international project. There weren't any guys from a major label who would point at "most proper" tracklist order, but only a true enthusiastics who recorded the balanced compositions and put their hearts and souls into them. Aforesaid musicians didn't "manufacture" fifteen tracks to execute Matt Williams' "order", but decided to participate in this project following their plain motives - for music's and art's good. And the compilation's subtitle - "15 Tracks of Total Guitar Wizardry" is a pure truth!