Adrian Weiss - Easy Game (2014)

Adrian Weiss is the recent hot guitar hero hailed from Germany. He was gaining fame from his hometown in Duesseldorf, playing guitar in many local progressive metal bands. "Easy Game" is actually his second solo instrumental guitar album. The first one released in 2011 which titled "Big Time" . Both albums surfs in the world of progressive metal vocabulary. Highly interesting for those who looking for quality guitar playing as in Marco Sfogli, Daniele Liverani, Andy James and Christian Muenzner. Those are new generation guitar shredder that shared the same fate in rising their fame. Their similarity not only in the music genre, but also in how they rise as independent solo artist, first associated with major bands, then released their music via  the digital form and promote using online social media power.

This album stretch the genre quite wide. We got "Awkward Silence" with interesting muted string lick in the intro. Song is laid down in progressive feel but yet strong melodic line enable us to follow it. "Instant Relief" is rather standard "minor" progressive scale we used to listen in Dream Theater or Symphony X solo. The next interesting point is "Hacienda" which is play as a duet with Christian Muenzner, the song interestingly highlighted the wild west / movie chasing like soundtrack with big chorus steel string voice. "Camel's Dance" is oriental / desert theme with nice wah-wah voice. "Second Sunrise" is a thick groovy composition, relaxing theme and playful. The album close with offbeat minor scale composition in duet with Manuel Franken, so understandably titled as "Offbeat Frankenstine".

Overall, Easy Game is truly easy listening instrumental album yet comes with interesting progressive and many other musical ideas. Song are straightforward but yet display creative guitar playing. You can drained lots of inspiration from each song, which is the main point in listening instrumental  ... to listen for fresh ideas. In term of production this is a big leap from Adrian's first album. You also can tell that from the number of guest contributors also, which throws in contrasting licks in many tracks. We welcome Adrian as the latest hero in the jungle of guitar shredder around the world.

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


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Adrian Weiss - Easy Game (2014)

01. Awkward Silence
02. Instant Relief
03. Aim to Please
04. Immediate Measures
05. The Last Days
06. Hacienda (feat. Christian Muenzner)
07. Camel's Dance
08. Second Sunrise
09. The Offering
10. Easy Game
11. Night Owl
12. Offbeat Frankenstine (feat. Manuel Franken)

Adrian Weiss - Electric guitars
Lars Zehner - Drums
Marcel Willnat - Bass

Guests:
Demian Heuke (These Are The Days)
Manuel Franken (Korsakow)
Christian Muenzner (Obscura, Spawn Of Possession)
Thorsten Praest (GUT)
Jens Basten (Gloryful)
Vito Papotto (Exotoxis, Gloryful)
Jens Schaefer (Thought Sphere, Moment Of Detonation)
Mischa Lenz (Kinski´s Eyes, Forces At Work)
Mf-C (Kinski´s Eyes)
Tim Schulte (Stigma)