Stéphan Forté – This is an instrumental album from guitar virtuoso Stéphan Forté. A seasoned musician who is highly respected within the guitar world of the world-famous and novice alike, Stéphan will have his new album, The Shadows Compendium, released on February 28th, 2012, via Listenable Records.
Stéphan Forté is exceptionally known for being the founder and guitarist for the French Progressive Metal band – Adagio. This album features the meat and potatoes of a rhythm section, while the keyboards play an extensive and exciting role within these songs. Symphonic, melodic and built on delectable speed, while guitar is the star, The Shadows Compendium is not an album to miss in 2012.
If you’ve never heard the guitar playing of Stéphan, Neoclassical is the key word here. In the event you are a casual fan or die-hard loyalist to Yngwie Malmsteen, then the guitar brilliance of Stéphan will ignite your senses into six and seven-string overdrive and send you into axe shredding bliss. As with his legendary peers, (to name a select few) the likes of Michael Schenker, Vinnie Moore and (of course) Yngwie Malmsteen, Stéphan plays his guitar with such unique emotion that it comes across as vocals.
The technical playing that is showcased by Stéphan is pure art that accentuates his aptitude for speed and melodies, while the never-ending illusion that something magical is happening will always drift into my senses as I listen to The Shadows Compendium. Not an imitator and original as one could wish for from a guitarist of Metal, there is no denying, that Stéphan has his very own alluring tonal identity with his Lag signature guitar.
Stéphan is within a world-class tier of Metal guitarists or guitarists of any genre for that matter. All 8 songs are rich with all the flamboyance of Stéphan’s fret mastery, while never caving in to any dull interludes, (the) ones that usually hinder any sense of musical elevation that’s already been established. Musically sound and stimulating on all grounds, The Shadows Compendium not only showcases a guitarist that has arrived to legendary status, this album reflects Stéphan’s respect for a song’s texture and most importantly its purpose.
___________________________________________________
The Shadows Compendium – Track Listing & Guest Musicians:
I – The Shadows Compendium (Guests: Jeff Loomis / Nevermore & Franck Hermanny/ Adagio)
II – De Praestigiis Daemonum (Guest Mattias IA Eklundh / Freak Kitchen)
III – Spiritual Bliss
IV – Duat (Guest: Glen Drover/ ex Megadeth)
V – Sorrowful Centruroides (Guest: Derek Taylor /Solo artist)
VI – Prophecies Of Loki XXI
VII – I think there’s someone in the kitchen (Guest: Daniele Gottardo/Solo Artist)
VIII – Improvisation on Sonata no. 14, c # minor – Op. 27 no 2
_____________________________________
* For more info on Stéphan Forté, click on the links below:
http://www.stephanforte.org/
http://www.facebook.com/stephanforte
Long Live Stéphan Forté.
Stone.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.