Erstes Review ist fertich:
METAL TO INFINITY
Toby Knapp is the name of a guitar virtuoso, actually one of my all time favourite shredders that touched my attention back in 1993. ''Guitar Distortion'' was the title of his debut, full length album. In the vein of Marty Friedman, Joe Stump, Tony MacAlpine,... still remember it very well, it were the days all the best guitar wielders popped up one by one - many of them were discovered by Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records which is one of the greatest labels brought awesome US Metal to the masses. Fans definitely know the US Metal compilation albums - AWESOME to the bone!!
Also Toby's first album appeared by Shrapnel Records, another American label named Wild Rags released a following EP ''Infinite Opposition'' three years later on followed by a second full length effort entitled ''Polarizing Lines'' in 2005 - three years later on, it was time for another one called ''Misanthropy Divine'' released through Rock It Up Records, a label where US Metal reigns supreme!
I can't go further writing this review without the mentioning that Toby was also a member of Onward, for sure one of my favourite US Power Metal acts. If you never heard of this band before, shame on you!! Better watch out for extremely fantastic outputs like ''Evermoving'', ''Reawaken'', ''The Neverending Sun''. better believe these efforts are on top of my all time, favourite list of US Metal bands! Onward singer Michael Grant and axe grinder Toby Knapp together as one - be sure there is magic is in the air! If I have learned my lesson very well, Toby should be currently active in a band called Godless Rising - I will surely find out more about them later on.
Okay, time to say something about TK's new album ''Misanthropy Divine''. First of all, if you like to hear 'awesome to the core' guitar tactics - you better start looking out to order this CD right away. Without one single problem, this guitar wizard takes you on a journey straight through the world of art shredding. From Fusion to Jazzy and from pure Power to Speed / Thrash Metal - one man will serve it all with a lot of elegance, his name is the 'one and only' Toby Knapp - spread the word that I have said that!
All music written and performed by Toby, all lyrics and vocal melodies written and performed by Deen Sternberg (Into Eternity, Within Another). Dean is a real great vocalist, he has a typical US Metal voice - better watch out for brilliant US Power Metal songs like 'Flies', 'Entity Unseen' and 'Rhinecliff Bridge'. Fans of Apocrypha, Cacophony, early New Eden, Destiny's End, Helstar or Onward - you are warned! All instruments played by the master himself, Toby Knapp and I'm still a great fan of all these magnificent moves he deliver. He sings on the last song of the album, it's actually a bonus track entitled 'Misanthropy's Reprise' lasts almost 9 minutes and sounds bombastic / furious by moments / this one is a killer track with nothing but peaks all over the entire running time.
This CD is a caress for the ear - recommendable to all those into guitar driven, US Metal in general. I simply can't get enough of this type of music. I'm a long time fanatic of very technical guitar players and of course my everlasting passion for US Metal plays a very huge role spreading the word that an effort like ''Misanthropy Divine'' means the world to me. Satisfied all over!! More information can be found back at: <a href='http://tobyknapp.ryasrealm.com/' target='_blank'>http://tobyknapp.ryasrealm.com/</a> or <a href='http://www.myspace.com/knapptoby' target='_blank'>http://www.myspace.com/knapptoby</a>
MY POINTS: 97 / 100
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