Alex Masi CD's
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Masi return with a vengeance! Neoclassical and melodic hard rock. Like Yngwie but with much better songs. Featuring a powerful cover of "Blue Morning, Blue Day" (Foreigner) |
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The grammy nominated guitarist performing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach on various guitars. An outstanding achiement very few musicians of today can compete with. |
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Alex Masi's new 2010 solo album proves that he is still a true master that never ceases to grow. Amazing stuff! |
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ALEX MASI - IN THE NAME OF BEETHOVEN (B+) Lion Music, 2005
6 tracks, RT: 42:20
[ http://www.alexmasi.net/ ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/ ]
Alex Masi delivers the final album in his trilogy of tributes,
following the successful Bach and Mozart releases with one dedicated
to the works of the great German composer Ludwig Van Beethoven. Most
shred aficionados are well acquainted with the skills of Alex Masi,
who has clearly demonstrated his talents for playing hard rock, heavy
metal, jazz-fusion and classical guitar on numerous projects since the
mid '80s. If you've heard the last two albums in this series then you
are probably pretty much aware of what to expect here, although there
are a few notable differences. Starting with the (very) familiar theme
of Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5 (First Movement)," Masi tears through
the composition with confidence and near-flawless technique, only some
string noise detracting from the flurry of cleanly picked melodic
statements. "Sonata no. 01 (Waldstein Sonata)" follows and is a
definite highlight, Masi again turning in an exceptional performance
as he navigates the intricacies of Beethoven's tricky passages.
Purists may recoil at hearing Masi's interpretation of "Romance For
Violin No. 5," as he takes an approach similar to what Yngwie did on
his CONCERTO SUITE FOR GUITAR AND ORCHESTRA album, using electric
guitar to recreate the sound of the violin; there is some great
playing here, however, that even rivals that of Mr. Malmsteen. My only
real complaint is the inclusion of parts of "Sonata No. 14 (Moonlight
Sonata)": "Adagio Sostenuto," a nice piece but one that is a little
too subdued, and "Allegretto," which is a bit on the "dainty" side for
my tastes. Alex closes things in awesome form though, as he nails
"Rondo Agitato" beautifully, leaving no doubt that he is an amazing
guitarist. Initially I wasn't sure Beethoven would translate to
classical guitar as well as Bach and Mozart but I have to say Masi has
once again given us an exemplary demonstration reflecting the
brilliance of a classical master. - Neal Woodall (MysticX10@msn.com)
Detritus Rock/Metal e-zine
"Rock Hard With A Purpose"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Detritus/
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ALEX MASI - LATE NIGHT AT DESERT RIMROCK (A-) Lion Music, 2006
Added: November 6th 2006
Alex Masi
'Late Nights at Desert's Rimrock'
© 2006 Lion Music
Reviewed by Dave Palmer www.heavymetalresource.com
Here is a musician that doesn't really need an introduction. Alex Masi has been releasing music now for a very long time in solo and group format. Obviously this latest release is going to be a guitar instrumental release. Along for the ride is one of the busiest drummers of this day, John Macaluso. Between the two, they handle everything you hear coming from your two speakers which is quite impressive. The album contains 12 tracks of technically proficient rock based music. There are some very interesting titles on this album such as the opener 'Vagina Denata' or 'Asparagus Piss' with the latter sounding as odd as the song title. Kind of a frenzy of guitar riffs and solos. Most of the music on this album has an atmospheric feel to it. While we understand that Alex Masi can really shred, I found it interesting that he went more for the disciplined approach. Letting the guitar act just above what I would consider an equal to the other instruments being used. There seems to be a bit more equal drive from the bass and drums as well which creates nice balance to the overall feel of the album. As Alex Masi does have a loyal fanbase which is evident by his tenure in the business, it is also going to be clear that due to this being an instrumental, this is gonna appeal more to a base that appreciates this type of thing. I think that if you go into something such as this with an open mind, you will enjoy the musical journey. Let the guitar handle what would be areas of the track that vocals would normally handle, and let everything balance out. A definite guitar legend in our time.
Overall
Alex Masi delivers another sophisticated instrumental release that showcases a bit more then just guitar playing. Masi handles all duties on this album with the exception of drums which are handled by John Macaluso. There is a nice balanced feel to the album that makes it flow well overall. If you like instrumental guitar work, you know Alex Masi will deliver and are probably interested in this before you read the review. Nonetheless, technically proficient stuff here.
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Masi, Alex: In the Name of Beethoven
Added: August 4th 2005 |
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In the Name of Beethoven Alex Masi (Lion Music)
The final part of an Alex Masi trilogy of guitar interpretations of classic
composers (other two are Bach and Mozart) this is a rather good collection
of well-known tunes. It is however nothing to do with hard-rock or prog, but
merely Beethoven played on guitar competently. Masi is an excellent
guitarist and manages to pull it off without the boredom factor found on
most guitar albums. This is definitely a CD for fans of uber-guitarists and
precise playing. Not quite sure if this will have any sort of mass appeal or
appeal to most hard rock fans; but if you like a bit of classical mixed with
your guitar then look no further.
****
Marty Dodge
Get Ready To Rock!
www.getreadytorock.com
Tracklist:
Allegro From Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K. 525
Romanza From Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K. 525
Allegro C K. 525
Guitar (Piano) Concerto #24 C Min K. 491
Rondo’ A La Turca K. 331
Andante K. 545
Thema With 12 Variations D K. 284
The best thing about being a worker here is that challenges and surprises are an everyday procedure, maybe not to everybody in the staff but that’s how I perceive things at the moment. I’ve written some reviews so far and covered many bands, some traditional while others have been more twisting experiences. This is the first time I get a taste of how it’s like to review something completely different.
I don’t know his past works, I don’t know much about this guy at all, but Alex Masi is a musical genius on this inspiring album. Masi has an artsy background. He was born in Venice Italy. Early on in his life his father urged him to follow his own creative path, which he certainly has done so far. After graduating from Verona Conservatory of Music, he started to forge his own music. He has played in various Metal/Rock bands (the most prominent being DARK LORD), released a couple of solo albums, toured with the likes of SLAYER, HURRICANE and Joe Satriani. He’s also been nominated for a Grammy for “Best Rock Instrumentalist” and studied ethnical music, jazz music and classical music, Masi is no guitar rookie I assure you.
The CD is called “In The Name Of Mozart”, a cover CD played by this genuine Italian artist. I’m not going to pretend like I know Classical Music, no way. I know some artists like Mozart, Tchaikowsky, Vivaldi and Bach, which MASI HAS covered in another CD called “In The Name Of Bach”. Classical Music is historical and untouched art, it’s ancient, flexible, it can be adapted into so many arrangements from different genres. Various Metal bands are constantly using classical music but on this recording there’s only one man and his acoustic guitar playing some of the finest classical pieces written by the glorious German composer.
On the fourth track the Stuttgart Symphony Orchestra joins Masi to add even more class to the sophistication of the arrangements; if you need to unwind or relax this is the perfect track to settle down and collect your thoughts back together.
Not for every occasion but if you’re searching for some acoustical classical music or just want to distant yourself from all the Metal madness (now why would you wanna do that? haha), “In The Name Of Mozart” should be helpful. No Metal but still there’s only quality in here; the playing is virtuous, the intricacies in every composition are played with honourable passion and greatness... I’m a Metalhead but goddamn how I love this shit!!! (Online April 25, 2004) www.metal-observer.com
ALEX MASI "In The Name Of Mozart" Lion Music 2004
- by Bruce Campbell
of (Heavy Metal's) The Campbell Brothers
Regardless of what style of "modern music" a person is "in to" one thing holds true and clear among music fans and musicians alike: The bigger the music lover, the bigger his appreciation for "music" in its
purist and most "timeless" form.
I've heard it said "the bigger the rocker, the bigger the classical music fan." Sadly, it rarely works the other way around. OK, there are those common enough, I guess, instances where a traditional classical music fan will catch a flattering earful of Yngwie and go "wow, isn't that cute." I once heard some old symphony guys on a classical station raving about Yngwie and how cool Bach sounded through that distorted amplification of his. They could hardly contain themselves as they gushed about what energy Malmsteen's playing had and how exciting it was to be standing in front of the stage, and to be hearing such wonderful classical sweeping arpeggios; how thrilling it was to hear high speed Paganini pour out of the young, longhaired guitar player's hands in that powerful way, and before a crowd of equally energetic, screaming "rockers." One of them said to the other: Oh, if classical music fans today were only half that excited and passionate about the music at our live concerts." The other answered saying "Mozart was a rocker, he had loud crowds, he got the place roaring" etc. etc. I was so excited to hear these old classical guys talking like that that I stumbled, fumbled, trip and fell, dropped the phone and could hardly dial the number to call them up and give them some major Heavy Metal kudos!!
The sad thing though is that those guys - like most traditional classical music fans - get intrigued, enjoy it as a novelty, get their kick, then eventually, go on ahead and turn down the Metal and go back
to listening to the music they are truly "in to," the traditional classical music that's free of distortion and free of drums.Why? Beats me. I suppose it's a matter of taste. I personally hear drums and distorted electric guitar as perfectly "timeless" when played right, but not everybody agrees.
So then, how does Italian shred virtuoso Alex Masi - one of the more ambitious "rock" guitarists of our day - win both "sides" (if you want to call it that) of the "high end guitar music" fan base (speaking of
both rock/metal and classical music fans) with one album? Don't know. I can though speak for myself and tell you that as a lifelong student and fan of guitar, Alex Masi's new acoustic album "In The Name Of Mozart" won me over.
For the record, this is, from a non-traditionalist's standpoint, a "traditional" Classical album. It's traditional in just about every sense other than the fact that it contains some "electric bass" which by
the way, blends in so well it's hardly noticable.
The CD kicks off with the celebratory big standard opening track of Allegro from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K.525 then right into a much slower (how do we say, McCartney-esque or is it the other way around...) Romanza from EKN, then into a really cool little Allegro C maj. (which really takes off) and finally into my favorite piece on the album: Guitar (otherwise piano) Concerto no.24 C min K.491 (a cool, transporting track which features The Stuttgart Symphony Orchestra). Masi rules on that one. It's a great piece of music and the orchestra adds so much to it. Really beautiful stuff. I've replayed
that one again and again. Finally, track 5 is "the sound of God laughing" - which would be - the legendary Rondo A La Turca A maj. K331 (another old favorite of mine which I wish I could also one day hear Masi do on electric!!) followed by Andante K.545 and closed out with a really nicely done Theme with 12 Variations D maj. K.284 (another piece that is nothing short of beautiful). Great stuff!!
Musically, of course the record is "Mozart" although there is a clear and obvious difference in playing style between this record and what you'd get from your "traditional" classical guitarists (Segovia, Bream
and Williams etc.) but what do you expect? I think Masi is, at heart, as much a Classical guitarist as he is a Rock guitarist but ultimately, he is very much his own guitarist. He is what he is. His sound and
every shade of it is a piece of where he's been (musically). There's no denying that Alex Masi leans into his notes like a rocker. There are a few mean parts on this CD where I swear I think I hear the strings being pulled two inches off the body and snapped hard into place!! Sounds good and hey, it works!! Yes for Mozart, perfectly; but it's a unique and
personal style; something I haven't heard before on classical guitar music like this. I like it. It's a good and engaging listen; and again, I'm addicted to the freakin Guitar (piano) concerto!!
No "Dio hand sign" this time 'cuz there aint no manic drums or screaming electrics. However, two enthusiastic rather hoity-toity classical thumbs in the air for: "In The Name Of Mozart" by Alex Masi cuz it does kick some major, timeless, musical ass!!
Masi, Alex: In The Name Of Mozart
Alex Masi of MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball fame. Alex Masi, whose album Downtown Dreamers – and its single and video "God Promised A Paradise", was on MTV’s rotation. Alex Masi, the up and coming metal act. And now – Alex Masi, the classical guitarist?
As an ex (very “ex”) classical guitarist, this purely classical piece from Lion Records was a pleasant surprise. But you won’t need that background to recognize the talent here. Masi was classically trained at the Verona Conservatory of Music, then traveled the world establishing himself as a master metal guitarist. But the prodigal musician has returned home and to his roots, and In The Name Of Mozart is the second release in what will be a triptych of classical albums. (The first was In the Name of Bach, and the third will be Beethoven.) And listen up, folks, this is not progressive classical interpretations a la Yngvie Malmsteen - this is pure classical guitar, a la Julian Bream.
The album contains seven Mozart compositions transferred from piano to classical guitar – which is easier said than done. Try playing a piece of classical piano music on guitar. It is almost impossible, and you’ll never achieve the speed and the complexity and the emotion intended by the composer. The piano-to-guitar translations and arrangements were done by Masi himself, and he overdubs several guitars tracks – all played by himself – on 6 of the 7 tracks. On track 4, "Guitar (Piano) Concerto #24 In C Minor", he is accompanied by the Stuttgart Symphony Orchestra.
Besides metal and classical music, Masi has focused on various aspects of ethnic, jazz, and baroque music, he has played with artists from Allan Holdsworth and Robert Fripp through to Slayer, BOC, Triumph, Hurricane and Joe Satriani. If you have any interest in the real art of guitar playing, you’ll want this album. Masi must surely be ranked among the world’s top ten guitarists.
Track Listing
1. Allegro from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
2. Romanza from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
3. Allegro Cmaj
4. Guitar (piano) Concerto #24 Cmin
5. Rondo'a la Turca Amaj
6. Anadante
7. Thema with 12 variations Dmaj
Total playing time: 44:09
Added: February 17th 2004
Reviewer: Duncan Glenday
Score: 
www.seaoftranquility.com Alex Masi - "In The Name of Mozart"
Released on Lion Music on February 18, 2004
TRACK LISTING:
1.) Allegro from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
2.) Romanza from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
3.) Allegro Cmaj
4.) Guitar (piano) Concerto #24 Cmin
5.) Rondo'a la Turca Amaj
6.) Anadante
7.) Thema with 12 variations Dmaj
Like most American hard rock fans. I first heard of Alex Masi watching 'Headbanger's Ball' on Mtv and seeing the video for the first single off of 'Downtown Dreamers' which was "God Promised a Paradise". That following Monday morning I contacted a friend of mine who specialized in imports and had him order it for me. That was in 1988 and still to this day I am completely blown away by Alex's playing ability.
"In the Name of Mozart" is the second part of what will be a three part series. The first CD of this series was titled "In the Name of Bach" and was released in 1999. The third yet to be released title will be called "In the Name of Beethoven".
"In the Name of Mozart" consist of seven Mozart compositions transferred from piano to classical guitar. Even though this has been transferred by many classical musicians over the years and you can buy the sheet music on guitar. It still is a very difficult task to learn at the speed it was written on piano. Like with most classical music you probably will not recognize the title of the songs, but when Alex begins playing them you will find they are very familiar. Alex performs all instruments on all seven tracks. Which in Alex's case it probably is a lot easier that way. I've always thought if there was one guitarist out there in the hard rock genre who could perform this it would be Alex Masi. Alex not only performs the songs note for note but with the same dexterity and emotion that Mozart originally composed them in.
Through the eighties and still even today when hard rock fans are specking of great guitarist from that era, you will hear names like; Slash, George Lynch, and Edward Van Halen. And not that those three guitarist can't play, because, they can. But the thing is just on Masi's musical training alone he is in a class all by himself. Beyond most if not all guitarist of that era. And it really burns me sometimes to know that especially here in the states Alex is not given nearly as much credit has a guitarist has he should He is very underrated and probably always will be. But non-the-less this is a must have for any guitarist out there who wants to the one of the top five guitarist of the world.
Blast Magazine (www.blastmagazine.net)
Darrell
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Alex Masi - In The Name Of Mozart 2004 Lion Music The second album is as many weeks to feature interpretations of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's music. Whilst Uli Jon Roth's Metamorphosis saw electric guitar take place over the violin on an orchestrated backing, In The Name Of Mozart sees the Italian Guitar whiz tackle Mozart's music armed with just a classical acoustic. Masi is joined by The Stuttgart Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Emil Kahn) on Guitar (piano) Concerto #24 C Min K.491; otherwise Masi uses his acoustic to build the various counterpoints. In The Name Of Mozart is testament to the fact that Mozart composed some of the most enduring pieces of music ever and you realise just how many of these melodies have been used in the metal format throughout the years. Masi's performances are (as with 'In The Name Of Bach') exemplary throughout. The production is stellar with real depth coming from the acoustic guitars and the mix of the aforementioned Guitar (piano) Concerto #24 C Min K.491 is superb, much clearer and better balanced than Yngwie Malmsteen's mega dollar Concerto for Guitar & Orchestra epic. In The Name Of Mozart is not for everyone, and an appreciation of classical guitar is needed to enjoy this release to its full, remember there are no metal arrangements here. But anyone that is looking for a relaxing musical experience or just want to hear some well played classical guitar would be well advised to check out In The Name Of Mozart. Hot Spots: Guitar (piano) Concerto #24 C min K.491, Rondo' a la Turca A maj K.331. |
ALEX MASI - VERTICAL INVADER
LION MUSIC (reissue 2002)
Alex Masi has come a long way since his 1987 debut "Fire In The Rain" (also reissued here through Lion Music) - Masi has developed into one of the world's leading exponents of what I can only describe as "Jazz Metal". "Verical Invader" is one his finest releases, an exztension of the stunning potential showcased on his previous album "Attack Oof The Neon Shark" album. Alex Masi is a unique guitarist and composer. He knows no limits and freely combines metal, jazz, funk, fusion, neo-classical and full scale atonal mayhem to create an instrumental album of refreshing experimental madness and great depth.
Opener "Instant Army" presents a barrage of nep-classical melodies and cutting arpeggios which soon start to twist and turn out of control. Masi's vaguely oriental and dissonant frantic guitar leads dive straight into the unknown, before plunging back into the original opening theme - and that's just the first track!
From the catchy riff of 'Rock Of Changes' to the Zappa-like funky jazz fusion of 'Rhythm Workers', Masi's complex music slowly unwinds. The Allan Holdsworth - inspired 'Silver Memories' journeys further into this enchanted musical landscape with it's artistic and pcturesque melody. 'Quick Escape' which on the original vinyl copy began side two, this song pulls out the punches with it's jolting riff and odd but ear catching theme. The album continues with the exotic eastern groove of 'Dance Of Floda', which is followed by 'A Tribute To T.B', - an unusual song which wanders around like a schizophrenic mystic lost in the Sahara Desert.
The classicalacoustic into to 'Trapped In A Warm Feeling' leads into more familiar sounding neo-classical metal territory. However, with Masi you must expect the unexpected, and 'Xperimental' plunges straight back into the depths of wierdness - venturing into uncharted waters. This is, in my opinion, the highlight of the album, with it's bizarre, off-beat hypnotic rhythm, eerie, swirling keyboard atmospheres, and completely atonal and evil-sounding guitar playing unleashed from the depths of hell!!! Masi's incredible shredding on this track is totally inconceivable! Some of the wild, high-speed, dissonant arpeggios sound absolutley impossible - now here's a guitarist I'd love to see live!
These past years as with most of the genre, Alex Masi has been totally ignored by the music press, I can only hope that these reissues thanks to those cool people at Lion Music will finally bring him the recognition and publicity he deserves,"Vertical Invader" still stands up today as one of the guitar classics of the genre.
90/100
Phi Yaan-Zek
Masi - Eternal Struggle
[Lion Music, 2001]
It's been long since Masi as a group released an album. Of course there was Alex Masi's album with guitar versions of classical compositions, but for a fully electric rock album we need to go back a few years. With not too much great neo-classical stuff coming out recently it must be a pleasure for the fans to have Masi back as Eternal Struggle turns out to be a very good album.
Of course it's not all brand-new what we hear here (actually Alex even lends a few things here and there as the verses of "All I Want" resemble that of "I'm Leaving You" by the Scorpions (From their "Love At First Sting" album) a bit too much to be coincidental), but it's the performance that deserves respect.
Despite the prominent role for guitars in this genre, it's often the vocals that ruin the whole thing. Not in the least because most of the neo-classical shredders are
complete ego trippers. "As long as the guitar sounds good, the album's good.", they seem to think.
Not Alex Masi. The man deserves credit in more than one way, as next to laying down some fabulous riffs and solos, he is also the producer of this little masterpiece. And he's been clever enough to give vocalist Kyle Michaels the room he deserves. Kyle's dark, hoarse voice is exactly what this album needs to avoid it from getting the dispassionate sound lots of other albums in the genre suffer from. Something Alex Masi understood completely.
Just like he understands that the songs are what it's all about. Each song on the album can be classified as such and not only as a vehicle for Masi's technical skills
on the six-string. He even covers Foreigner's "Blue Morning Blue Day", and he does it well. Now, how much more proof that this is a song based album do you
need? I wish more of his colleagues would get this, as it gives the music a lot more value.
Only on one composition Alex shows his skills no holds barred. But even the instrumental "Excerpts From A Random Horizon" isn't the kind of guitar frenzy you
might expect. It's not even very classical sounding. Often the feel gets somewhat jazzy during which the keys play an important role as well.
Hopefully Masi has set the future standard for the neo-classical genre with "Eternal Struggle", as it all started to sound a bit boring to these ears. The man from Venice has single-handedly put an end to that.
MMMM ½
Masi - Downtown Dreamers
Released: 1988 (Metal Blade) Re-Released: 2002 (Lion Music)
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Rick
Alex Masi. Guitarist Extraordinaire. I have here before me the re released versions of some of Alex Masi¹s work. Instead of putting them all in one big review I am going to give them each their own separate review. A couple of them are so unalike that I figure it¹s the least I can do. As I have already dealt with the history of this guitar wizard I won¹t go into detail again. If you want to read more about him you can search for my review of ETERNAL STRUGGLE which I did only a few months ago. In that review I delve into the past of Alex Masi.
The disc that I am going to start with is DOWNTOWN DREAMERS. This is the second disc that Masi recorded for Metal Blade Records with the first being FIRE IN THE RAIN. The CD¹s opening track "God Promised a Paradise" helped the band get on MTV as the video for this track went into rotation. "Thunder and Lightning" follows with a dirty bluesy feel that fits the guitar playing of Masi to a T. David Felolt has the kind of rough edged bluesy type voice that it seems Masi has as the vison for his vocalist as Kyle Michaels, who sings on ETERNAL STRUGGLE fits the same mould. "Hangin¹ On" slows the tempo down with a great ballad that should have been a big hit on the radio at the time of this albums release. "Foggy Day in Hollywood" is about the only place on the Cd where Masi actually lets his guitar rip. he plays the rest of the Cd pretty straight, preferring to let the songs speak for themselves. On this instrumental track, however, he shows why he is considered a six string god. Not only can he play with emotion but he can shred with the best of em. "Hellraiser" opens with a short acoustic intro but then kicks into a ripsnorter of a track that is the fastest and heaviest on the disc. A highlight for sure and again some great guitar from the man.
Being a big fan of 80s hard rock and metal I am a bit surprised that this CD didn¹t make a bigger splash back at its time of release. Seeing as how much of the material stands the test of time its not surprising. Though there were lots of great bands in the late 80s and the early 90s the labels were starting to become obsessed with style over substance. I guess that is where Masi missed the boat. Maybe he didn¹t have enough style but this Cd should be remembered for substance alone.
Alex Masi - Attack of the Neon Shark
Released: 1989 (Metal Blade) Re-Released: 2002 (Lion Music)
Rating: 3.0/5
Reviewer: Rick
Alex Masi. Guitarist Extraordinaire. I have here before me the re released versions of some of Alex Masi¹s work. Instead of putting them all in one big review I am going to give them each their own separate review. A couple of them are so unalike that I figure it¹s the least I can do. As I have already dealt with the history of this guitar wizard I won¹t go into detail again. If you want to read more about him you can search for my review of ETERNAL STRUGGLE which I did only a few months ago. In that review I delve into the past of Alex Masi.
Unlike Masi¹s previous release DOWNTOWN DREAMERS (1988), ATTACK OF THE NEON SHARK is a total instrumental album except for the opening track "Under Fire". This track features Jeff Scott Soto (Yngwie Malmsteen) on vocals. This is no throw in track. This is one killer tune. makes me wonder why Masi went the route of instrumentals. He obviously has what it takes to write some killer songs. Kicking off the instrumentals is the title track. Masi shreds the fretboard to pieces then follows it up with some tasteful bluesy playing on "Average Green Band". For the ultimate in shredding check out "DFWM". Just Masi and his guitar. Masi goes off the beaten path on the track Toccato.. This track sounds very jazzy and unstructured.
Listening to an Alex Masi solo album is a different experience. His band work with Masi is pretty much straight ahead melodic metal. His instrumental compositions are far from that. They are sometimes almost straight ahead songs with guitar taking the place of lead vocals and sometimes they seem to take you to another world. A world where Alex Masi makes the rules about his music.
Alex Masi - Vertical Invaders
Released: 1990 (Metal Blade) Re-Released: 2002 (Lion Music)
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Rick
Alex Masi. Guitarist Extraordinaire. I have here before me the re released versions of some of Alex Masi¹s work. Instead of putting them all in one big review I am going to give them each their own separate review. A couple of them are so unalike that I figure it¹s the least I can do. As I have already dealt with the history of this guitar wizard I won¹t go into detail again. If you want to read more about him you can search for my review of ETERNAL STRUGGLE which I did only a few months ago. In that review I delve into the past of Alex Masi.
After the success of ATTACK OF THE NEON SHARK Alex Masi released a second instrumental CD entitled VERTICAL INVADERS. This release saw Masi joined by TNT and Malmsteen drummer John Macaluso. Masi played all guitars, bass and keyboards. Masi hauls out the big guns right away with the opening track "Instant Army". With this track he establishes that this disc is going to be quite different than ATTACK OF THE NEON SHARK. "Rock of Changes" seals the deal. VERTICAL INVADERS is going to rock hard with very little of the experimental edge that was found on SHARK. Masi opens the emotional well with "Silver Memories". A great track that has some very tasteful and atmospheric playing. Macaluso adds a great deal to this CD as he can pound skins with the best of them. He shines on "Quick Escape" which a pretty up tempo track as the title indicates. Alex Masi goes acoustic with "Trapped in a Warm Feeling" Electric leads blend with the acoustic chords to set the soundscape then Masi kicks in with some sad bluesy playing. This is one of the best tracks on the CD. The disc closes with the aptly titled "Xperimental". The most diverse song on the disc and most definitely the most experimental!
The sound on this Cd is totally different than Masi¹s previous release ATTACK OF THE NEON SHARK. Where SHARK was more experimental VERTICAL is more straight ahead. The addition of Macaluso has worked out nicely as he gives the songs some added kick with his superb drumming. Though I am not a huge fan of instrumental CDs Masi has succeeded where many other instrumentalists fail. He has created songs that are interesting and engaging instead of overindulgent, useless exercises in guitar wankery.
MASI - Eternal Struggle (4out of 5)
(Lion Music)
ALEX MASI continues in the Yngwie Malmsteen vein he has championed during his career.
However, this release sees him back into the groove of writing original classical metal pieces,
complete with vocals. His last release, In the Name of Bach, was a showcase for his interpretive
talents as well as his flat out ripping skill. That was all good and fine, but it is nice to have the
guy playing around again. We wouldn't want him growing up too fast now would we?!
Vocalist Kyle Michael adds much more than most vocalists, as charismatic as he is capable.
His smokey throat is a quality Yin to the Yang of Masi's clean yet energetic playing. This is
particularly the case with such standout tracks like "All I Want" and "Caught in the Middle", both
rooted equally in AOR and classical metal guitar. Conjure up the vibe of a mid 80s commercial
hard rock album, yet more sophisticated and engaging and you'd be on the same plane as
MASI. The kind of record that plays well on stormy nighttime drives that exhilarate as much as
they make you think. Alex Masi is smart enough to show off enough to maintain his feel, but he
lets the core of the songs stand up on their own. Few tracks disappoint. Even the Foreigner
cover, "Blue Morning, Blue Day", is strong. A nix comes with the production, which isn't too bad,
but could use some beefing up. Remember the difference between Dio's "Holy Diver" and "Last In
Line" albums? Still, I can't honestly complain about much else. A top release on ALEX MASI's
veteran shelf. - Brian Coles www.electricbasement.com
MASI: "Eternal Struggle" 9
Lion Music 2001
Oh Yeah!! This is without a doubt a contender for the "album of the year" award! I must admit that I never really cared that much about Alex Masi in the past... but this... this is simply breathtaking. Forget about his endless guitar solos or instrumental albums such as "Attack Of The Neon Shark" or "In The Name Of Bach" as they are pretty much... for instrumental guitar fans only. "Eternal Struggle" on the other hand is an album for all fans of classic hardrock a-la Rainbow, Deep Purple mixed with the catchy 80´s and neo-classical hardrock a-la Yngwie Malmsteen.
Masi, who has always been inspired by the great masters like Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart etc. may have done a couple of pretty good albums in the past. But this is for sure his "Magnum Opus" or if you like to continue with this... his "Odyssey" album. [the album Malmsteen recorded with vocalist Joe Lynn Turner] Indeed, Masi´s fingers run up and down the neck of his guitar, like a possessed demon. Still, it´s the song material who impressed the most upon me this time! Have we not all known Masi to be a superb guitarist anyway?
All songs are done by Masi and the very underrated vocalist Kyle Michaels and you can find all sorts of them here. Opener "Crow Haven´s Corner" feels like a kick to the head, with its heavy, neo-classical vibe that smells both Rainbow, Malmsteen, Masi and most of all... success. "All I Want" is a lovely little song with a verse that reminded me a lot of Scorpions "Noone Like You" some galloping bass and a really catchy chorus. "Lost In The City" could have been on any of the latest Joe Lynn Turner albums and "Wheels Rolls On" is actually dedicated to the Gods "Plant, Gillan, Coverdale & Dio" you can hear influences from them all, even if the Purple shadow is all over it. "Caught In The Middle" brings out the best of vocalist Michaels while "On And On" is just a marvelous catchy tune. Add that the production done by Alex Masi is way better than most of the albums out there, and that you can find a splendid cover of Foreigner´s "Blue Morning, Blue Day" here and you got yourself a early Christmas gift!! Recommended indeed and make sure to check out our interview with Alex Masi, right here at the site.
Review by Urban "Wally" Wallstrom 01-10-10 www.aor-europe.com
www.lionmusic.com
www.alexmasi.net
MASI - ETERNAL STRUGGLE
LION MUSIC
Yeeee harrrrrrr, Masi the band are BACK!! This album rocks and is possibly Masi the bands best recording since "Vertical Invader" and "Attack Of The Neon Shark". The album spits open with the insanely heavy ''Crow Haven's Corner' surly this is the metal song of the year? Singer Kyle Michael's is just a god and his unmistakable venomous character drives the song and every song into the first divison, such as on the galloping 'All I Want', this builds into a catchy song, I loved the Billy Sheehan like bass tapping from Greg Young, the whole song just rocks and Masi's non-stop guitar frenzies are in full stream.. This album is Masi's "Odyssey" if you like, check out the sparkling and melodic 'On And On' and the Queensryche/Dio inspired 'Black Flames Allure' which breaks into a mid paced neo-classical piece before the commercial grooves give way to 'Blue Morning Blue Dog' which actually sounds like the Harem Scarem classic 'Blue'. Masi's piece-de-resistance is the ear catching 'Caught In The Middle' which is huge, huge, huge, imagine Joe Lynn Turner and Rainbow performing this song, totally orgasmic jolting neo-classical riffs from Masi, this track is totally wild and pulls out the punches, whilst the progressive 'Highway To Nowhere' delivers powerful technical riffs galore laced with Geoff Tate/Mike Vescera inspired vocals from Kyle. 'Wheel Roll On' is a catchy commercial melodic rocker whilst the neo-classical virtuosity and racy keyboards are prominent on 'Lost In The City'. The album then drops in pace for the magnificent 'Excerpts From A Random Horizon'. This is a jaw dropping ballad that leads into the albums finale 'Writing On The Walls'. Here we get fast neo-classical finger ripping virtuosity and racing keyboard wizardry from Alex, the result is a vintage brew that could very well turn you into an alcoholic. Let's hope that "Eternal Struggle" brings Alex Masi the recognition he deserves and if you don't like this album you don't like rock, pure and simple, beg, steal do whatever it takes to own this classic technically perfect album.
Nicky Baldrian
MASI - ETERNAL STRUGGLE
LION MUSIC
With 1999's 'In the name of Bach' Alex Masi produced one of the great guitar albums of recent years, and thus one's curiousity was piqued to see what he'd do next, and it was further piqued when the news came through that a Masi band album was planned through Lion Music. Thus 'Eternal Struggle'...First track proper, the swepping 'Crow Haven's Corner, is a statement of intent, balancing neo classical technique with the demands of the songs, which features a vocal melody that the execellent Kyle Michaels, who crosses Soto-ish gravel & phrasing with the drama of Michael James Flatters from James Byrd's band, can really sink his vocal teeth into, and Masi himself, within context, offering runs, harmonies and arrangements that some others would do well to learn from. 'All I want' is an almost Scorpions gallop with an insinuating melody that, in the chorus, demonstrates a finely observed balance between voice and guitar, whilst 'Lost in the City' is best described as a towering melodic rocker in the besty traditions of Rainbow, benefiting from Masi's own production work that allows the musicians and songs room, and brings out the best out of Michaels, a singer who has stood in the shadows for too long, his performance on the Purplesque 'Wheel Rolls on' deleting the likes of the highly touted John West with ease. Apleasant surprise is the crunch filled version of Foreigner's 'Blue Morning, Blue Day', where both Masi and Michaels pull out the stops to make the song their own. Throughout the album is becomes apparent that the '..Bach' album has given a new focus, a direction, maybe extra confidence to Masi's already considerable playing skills. He knows he has the licks, but knows the song is paramount, an attitude that is clear even on the neo-classical romp that is 'Highway to Nowhere', which quite frankly features some of the best playing I've heard all year, whilst the truly poignant 'Writing on the wall' is probably the finest ballad a rock band has done in years.
One of the albums of the year!
9/10 Andrew Paul
ETERNAL STRUGGLE-MASI (LION MUSIC)
Guitarist Alex Masi and vocalist Kyle Michaels return with a new MASI band record and I must admit that 'Eternal struggle' is maybe the best MASI album put out so far. The Italian born guitarhero Alex Masi has already done a lot of releases in his career so far, starting with DARK LORD in the 80s and besides the MASI albums, he also released a few solo-CDs, including the critically acclaimed 'In the name of Bach' CD from a few years ago on which he transcribed keyboard/violin pieces written by J.S. Bach. Anyway, his latest effort is the CD 'Eternal struggle', definitely one of his best band releases so far. This CD is filled with high quality classical Melodic Hard Rock that leans a lot towards the old YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and JOHN NORUM. There are 12 tracks on this very well produced MASI album. My favourite tracks are "Crow haven's corner" (faster uptempo melodic heavy rocker a la MALMSTEEN, LION'S SHARE, STORMWIND), "All I want" (fantastic uptempo melodic rocker with a lovely catchy 80s typed melodic chorus and a nice organ), "Blue morning, blue day" (a surprisingly very well done FOREIGNER cover), "Caught in the middle" (nice uptempo melodic hard rock) and "On and on" (another great uptempo melodic rocker). This is a high quality melodic hard rock release, get it as soon as possible!
(Points: 8.5 out of 10) Strutter Magazine
MASI-Eternal Struggle CD (Lion Music)
The virtuoso from Venice strikes back with a new CD featuring Kyle Michaels, the vocalist that appeared also in the band's line-up in the "Tales From The North" and "The Watcher" CD's. Alex returned to his "roots" and that means that a lot of high-class shredding is featured in this album! After the masterpiece "In the name of Bach", the maestro decided that is time once again for Neo-classical Hard'n'Heavy tracks that carry his trademark, such as the dark opener "Crow Haven's Corner" and other tracks, like "All I want", "Lost In The City" "Black Flames Allure" etc. If the Cd had a slight Heavier orientation, then we might be talking abut a fantastic release, but it is still a noticeable work! A cover on FOREIGNER's classic "Blue Morning, Blue Day" is featured here and it's really interesting to listen to Alex's way of performing this cover! MASI fans will surely get it, there is no doubt about this and for the others, I suggest that it's not too late to enter the wonderful world of Neo-classical Metal music, by obtaining this CD! Label's web-site: www.lionmusic.com
Review from Dimitris Starakis
Masi ‘Eternal struggle’
(Lion Music/Frontiers)
Ritorna a far parlare di sé il chitarrista veneziano Alex Masi, attivo sin dagli anni ottanta e segnalatosi qualche tempo fa con l’interamente strumentale e un po’ presuntuoso ‘In the name of Bach’, sorta di riproposizione in chiave chitarristica di alcuni tra i più celebri estratti composti dal grande Johann Sebastian. Questa volta Masi si presenta accompagnato da una vera e propria band, e la scelta si rivela azzeccata: ‘Eternal struggle’ è infatti costituito da una serie di brani di frizzante hard-rock molto ottantiano, con diversi richiami neoclassici tipicamente in chiave Malmsteen dell’era ‘Marching out’ e ‘Trilogy’, per intenderci. Non mancano di certo i virtuosismi di Alex, questa volta però mai fuori luogo e comunque al servizio dei vari brani, risultando dunque ben distribuiti e incastonati nella struttura dei pezzi, senza rischiare di risultare fredde dimostrazioni di tecnica individuale. Ad accompagnare Alex Masi (impegnato in tutte le parti di tastiere, oltre che di chitarra, naturalmente) troviamo l’emergente vocalist Kyle Michaels, dotato di una timbrica calda ed espressiva nonché di un’estensione di tutto rispetto, e una sezione ritmica costituita dall’ottimo Greg Young al basso e da Paul Marangoni dietro alle pelli. L’album scorre in modo piacevole, ben rappresentato da episodi riusciti come ‘All I want’, ‘Lost in the city’ e ‘Wheel rolls on’, che riescono nell’intento di mescolare un elevato tasso tecnico con melodie orecchiabili, mix che porta a sonorità hard rock magari un po’ datate e retrò ma di sicuro effetto per gli amanti del genere, finendo per risultare a mio avviso il miglior lavoro mai inciso da Masi. Da segnalare inoltre un gradito omaggio ai Foreigner attraverso la riproposizione di ‘Blue morning blue day’, e la presenza di un’altra manciata di brani come ‘On and on’, ‘Highway to nowhere’ e ‘Writing on the wall’, che confermano la formula vincente raggiunta da questo disco, enfatizzando l’abilità dell’ispirato mattatore Alex Masi tanto in veste elettrica che acustica.
VOTO: 80
Michele Monterosso
MASI - Eternal Struggle
Lion Music
This Italian guitar hero released numerous albums since the eighties. To record this new disk he surrounded himself with Paul Marangoni on drums, Greg Young on bass and Kyle Michaels on vocals. Fans of neo classical melodic metal can already start drooling. “Eternal Struggle” holds beside an intro also eleven perfect executed and produced melodic hard rock songs. The first thing that people will say when hearing this disk is Yngwie Malmsteen. Only Masi has its own style which you will discover after listening a few times to this album. Also “Eternal Struggle” is simply a much better album than the last Yngwie album. Alex virtuosity on guitar is out of this world. Combine this with a solid rhythm section and a singer with a pair of golden vocal chords and you have a must have melodic metal album. The band delivers with “Blue Morning Blue Day” also a kick ass Foreigner cover. Anyway fans of guitar heroes who beside their guitar antics are also capable to write strong tunes will adore this album. (8)
members.tripodnet.nl/spincity Bruno Van de Velde
Alex Masi- In The Name of Bach
From the titles of the songs on this album it's absolutely clear this is something different from what you usually find here. Now this album is not for everyone. I can tell you it took me sometime to get used to the very classical feel on the album. I'd expected songs like Rainbow's Difficult To Cure or Stuart Smith's Dreams of Desire. Classical songs played with full rock instrumentation.
Instead - and I don't know much about classical music, so if I'm writing something stupid here, please forgive my ignorance - Alex Masi's wish must have been to play the musical pieces the way they were meant to be, only on guitars.
You won't find any crunchy riffs on the album, nor thundering drums or some bouncy basslicks. Just the master and his guitars. The times he plugs into an amplifier can be counted on the fingers of one hand and if he does the six-string sounds very modest.
If you love guitars there is a chance you'll love this album but a precondition is that you love (or at least like) the classical repertoire as well or have a very open mind.
I am very impressed with the way Alex has done this album and although playing the album each and every day would be too much for me, I give it a spin at least three or four times a week, just to let the guy surprise me with his awesome skills.
MMMM (Out of 5)
Alex Masi- In The Name of Bach
Lion Music
Italian guitarist Alex Masi should be no stranger to fans of instrumental guitar albums. But this time, just looking at the title and the songs listed on this release should let you know that this is not the standard fair, by his standards or anybody else's.
Using very little of the electric guitar you're used to hearing Masi shred on his previous efforts, Masi pulls out the classical guitar and pays homage to one of the greatest composers our history will ever know, Johann Sebastian Bach.
Yes, there are a couple electric moments on this release, but for the most part, you'll want to set the lights low, climb into a reclining chair, close your eyes, and then simply marvel and enjoy. Masin transcribed all the pieces for guitar from the original keys and violin compositions.
There's not much else to say about this release, as the concept is straight–forward. But Masi does prove that he is one of the greatest guitarists of our time. This is for any instrumental music fan.
— by Wes Royer, Editor ,OUAS
ALEX MASI-In the name of Bach CD (Lion Music)
There are many times that every one of us has witnessed a harmonic combination of Heavy Metal with Classical Music. Lately, there are some releases such us RAGE's "Lingua Mortis", YNGWIE J. MALMSTEEN's "Concerto suite for electric guitar and orchestra" that show the close relations of these two genres. Alex Masi, the well-known Italian guitarist that released great albums such as "The Watcher" and "Tales from the North", is fulfilling in this CD his childish dream: 15 covers of Johann Sebastian Bach's classic themes, fluently executed by Alex on various guitars (both electric and acoustic ones). The result is pure magical and too emotional and that proves how careful Alex was on each track he selected to put on this CD. It is really a pity to pick up a particular song as a favorite one from this release, since all of them compile a monumental album! The European pressing of this CD contains two bonus tracks, so send quick 17$ to Lion Music (check the address from Lars Eric Mattsson's review)and order immediately this state-of-the-art !!
TEMPLES OF ETERNITY 'ZINE/METAL INVADER MAGAZINE - DIMITRIS STARAKIS
Alex Masi- In The Name of Bach
Lion Music
Quick history lesson. Alex Masi began to study piano at the age of eight. Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven were his inspirations as a young musician. Alex, with the band, Dark Lord toured with Saxon, Motorhead, Gary Moore, and more. Heavy metal press and fans loved Dark Lord, but with changing trends, Alex felt he needed to try a new direction. Thus, In The Name of Bach.
Rock has produced many a virtuoso. Alex Masi is an excellent guitarist with an innovative ability to transpose the modern acoustic and electric guitar, to Bach compositions. His choice in Bach and the baroque period, with their eire mysticism lend themselves well to metal guitar interpretations. One may not be an afficionado on Bach nor appreciate the technicalities of transposition, but one may comment on the emotion elicited from a piece of music. Some of the pieces chosen are much like exercises in point and counterpoint but most of the tracks are heavy with emotion. Good music to read vampire music by. The cover art runs along these same lines, which blends the dark mysticism of the baroche and metal mystic.
For those who love Bach, and are not nay sayers, this CD is a go. For the young die hard heavy metalists who may not be aware of the powerful classical music that has been written in the dim past ages, they might educate themselves to the blending of two powerful art forms. Give it a try. You might like it. As Masi would say, "The only limitations in music are given by ones own imagination."
Alex Masi is to be applauded for the courage and ability to go where many would say nay. There is no confusion here as to what Alex Masi wanted to accomplish, and he did an admirable job. Bach n' roll
baby. -Evelyne Capilouto 2/17/00
4 out of 5 www.electricbasement.com
Alex Masi -"In The Name Of Bach"
Lion Music 2000
Alex Masi grew up in Venice, where he cut his classical music teeth on its historical art and music. This is where he attended Frai, a fifteenth century Venetian gothic church housing the tomb of Montevendi (a musician who began polyphonic tradition in Venice.). It was here where Alex would sit for hours listening to the great composer's like Bach, Vivaldi, and Montevendi be played on the twin organs of the gothic church. At the tender age of four Alex began playing piano. He began to expand his musical talent at thirteen by taking private classical guitar training under D'amato. Alex became a student at Verona Conservatory of Music, where he received a degree in music theory and harmony. After years of lessons, teaching and recording music himself. Alex pays homage to the classical music he loves and one of its greatest composers John Sebastian Bach. Alex covers Bach's musical career with fifteen blistering covers. Masi has and will probably always be overlooked for his guitar playing. Especially in a field with such guitarist as Malmsteen and Via floating around. But one thing will stand true Alex can play along side the best of them. One song proves this "God Promised A Paradise" from Masi's release 'Downtown Dreamers'. I subject any aspiring guitarist out there to check this release out. You will be utterly amazed by Alex performing Bach!
Darrell Finley Editor / Blast Magazine
Alex Masi is an important guitar virtuoso hailing from Italy. Born and raised in Venice, the city's historical background in art has also deeply inspired his musical vision. He began playing the piano at an early age, becoming interested in the likes of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. Also interested in guitar-driven heavy metal, after graduating from the Verona Conservatory of Music, Masi moved to London to form a band called Dark Lord, with whom he released two EPs and toured with a good many bands including Saxon, Motorhead, and Gary Moore before his band disbanded. He then concentrated on solo albums titled Fire in the Rain and Downtown Dreamers. His 1989 work Neon Sharks (which also featured Allan Holdsworth as a guest) even received a Grammy nomination for best rock instrumental proving Masi's incredible talents. 
