The EssenEss Project - The EssenEss Project (2007)Two Louder Music

I love listening to music played by dream teams like aforementioned project. Its initiator and main composer is Steve Smyth (6- and 7-string electric guitars, 6- and 12-string acoustic guitars, drum machine programming, percussion, keys; Testament, Nevermore, Vicious Rumors, Dragonlord and Ariah). Aside from this American guitar wizard, here are other two virtuosos: a jazz musician and teacher - Steve Hoffman (4-, 5- and 8-string electric bass guitars, keys) and a British born graduate of Manhattan School of Music and Berklee College of Music - Atma 'The Master of Polyphony' Anur (acoustic drums; Cacophony, Jason Becker, Greg Howe, Ritchie Kotzen, Tony MacAlpine, Doug Doppler and many others).

You should be prepared for melodic solos, aggressive, massive and progressive riffs, some sonic distortions and little weird sounds here and there. In my humble opinion, Mr. Smyth's guitar style is a mixture of Marty Friedman, Jason Becker, Allan Holdsworth and Scott Henderson additionally backed by jazz/fusion rhythm section. At some moments their music can be described as fusioned and improvised shredding metal, however playing weird is an unquestionable domain of the trio. Moreover, the core of the album are a wonderful melodies and their flawless execution. They are proficient at every tempo, so they don't get lost while speeding up or slowing down. Their music is very smart, perfectly arranged and excellently performed.

I am not a kind of yes-man sucking up to virtuosos, but the man who doesn't dismiss fringes and bunch of freaks offering us some innovation. Even though their music can seem to be very geeky at present, and they themselves to be weirdos, they do reinvent the music showing that a melody can love experiments and vice versa. Yes, they are mavericks who deviate from the mainstream, and it is a great reason to respect them as extremely talented artists. The stuff includes the highest level of instrumental virtuosity baptized by three geniuses. The EssenEss Project is a combo driven by the instrumental stars indeed!