George Bellas - Astral Projection 2013

Sorcerer George Bellas give us a new wizardry craft this month with an creation called Astral Projection. Once again he put in some celestial finger flying musical transformation into this creation. In our Earthling terms, George Bellas played a six string instrument, electrical powered, which is known as a guitar (well, Fender-fraction one). In his more than twenty years in living on planet Earth, George already given us about six similar creation, which we called music album, so this Astral Projection should be his seventh. This unsure cataloging is because George Bellas is a heavily session guitar player, involved in many bands and music projects. In short, this new album is his latest compilation of own work with guitar instrumental as main menu. On this project, he only need to summon one more wizard partner, an ultra smiling drummer named Marco Minnemann.

Astral Projection is mostly progressive music in majority. It is also has a neo classical licks in its. So there is a thing like Yngwie Malmsteen + Dream Theater combo, or if you prefer, Impellitteri + Symphony X call. The song titled is very conceptual, so we got the intro called Into The Unknown, which is a good description on the music itself, giving you real 'what going on next...' feel. Dimensional Portal also same. With all the flying harmonic minor licks, here come the first progressive moment. We can also hear the 'dimensional portal' choir and synth. The only weird situation is , in this song there is a lot 'waiting time' where we listen Marco's lead cymbal as foreground in a lengthy time. We then Out of Body, follow where the lick leading us next. This is heavily harmonic minor scale neo classical tune. The destination is none other than Fabric of Space and Time, right in the Hyperspace. Both compositions give us a feel of space and time travel. A light lydian sweep. Things complicated again in RIP In The Continuum. A bit of power metal feel can heard in the intro to Apparition. More diminished licks in progressive feel composition of Magnetic Anomaly. The last part of album concept in Visiting An Alien World with Interdimensional Travel, landed On The Other Side and got Transcendental. These are a string of outer space feel composition, lots of synth going on, flute accentuation (in Visiting An Alien World). The lengthiest part is in Interdimensional Travel where we deep through an eleven minutes long composition.

Compare to George Bellas previous album, The Dawn of Time, this is comes heavier in progressive, not many variation of style we can get as in The Dawn of Time. But actually it is a linear upgrade from The Dawn of Time to Astral Projection. We need to appreciated how creative George Bellas handling all other melodic instruments, the orchestration etc, and still come with interesting playing. Marco Minnemann is also perfect partner to give the song a decent drum playing. Taking Marco's busy schedule, we can salute Marco for his versatility. Marco just finished with other two guitarists, Julia Kosterova, Joe Satriani (as live drummer in June 2013) and still waiting for next Guthrie Govan collaboration project. Astral Projection is a decent instrumental work from guitar wizard George Bellas, played in astral time and space concept.

Metal Harem class: ******** eight stars out of ten

George Bellas - Astral Projection (2013)
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01. Into The Unknown
02. Dimensional Portal
03. Out of Body
04. Fabric of Space and Time
05. Hyperspace
06. Rip In The Continuum
07. Curiosity
08. Apparition
09. Magnetic Anomaly
10. Tipler’s Cylinder
11. Visiting An Alien World
12. Interdimensional Travel
13. Heightened Awareness
14. On The Other Side
15. Transcendental

George Bellas - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards
Marco Minnemann - Drums

George Bellas Astral Projection album review