George Bellas - Planetary Alignment (2008)Lion Music

The year 2008 saw George Bellas' fourth solo album, on which he played all the guitars, bass guitar and keys and was helped by a drum luminary, Marco Minneman.

There is no doubt that aforesaid release is the calmest (mean not slowest) and most progressive solo stuff to George's credit. Moreover, it includes much more bizarre fragments, broken rhythms and jazzy drumming in comparison to his previous solo works. Because of all these outlandish gambits, "Planetary Alignment" can be rated among improvised and even experimental albums. As always, George treats us to many instrumental pieces of combination with numerous frills and fancies.

Mr. Bellas' fantastic guitar-work decorated with orchestral parts and tight musicianship is proved in all his compositions being superbly played and thoroughly thought-out. Believe me, it is not my adulation to him, but an open respect to the man who plays so unpopular and difficult-to-receive music at present times. Its greatest proof is his recognizable guitar style that can't be mixed up with anyone's playing. George's crying guitar manner is unmistakable and easily identifiable. With "Planetary Alignment", as a progressive soundtrack with an absorbing instrumental plot, he established his own identity forever! All that's left for us to do is looking forward to his next solo album of a working title "Step Into The Future".