CRISTI GRAM

Cristi Gram is one of the best and most acomplished guitar players my country ever had and maybe will have. He is the member for a decade now of famous progressive folk band Phoenix. In 2009 he released under his name his first solo album named State of mind. Cristi Gram is helped by some well known and respected musicians from Romania, like the bassist from Holograf - Iulian Vrabete, the drumer Ionut Micu from ex Interistus Dei, Krypton, Talisman and ocasinaly tured with Phoenix as live drumer and aswell two female musicians apear here Andreea Retegan on viola and Iulia Gheorghe on cello. Now enough with line up description, and what about the music. Well, this album kick ass from first to last tune, it really smokes. Instrumental progressive metal/rock of the highest calibre, is what to be found here with leanings towards some jazz fusion moments. I was impressed by Gram's guitar skills and above all by his compostions. Amazing guitar moments here, one of the best I've heared in last years , definetly better then most of so called guitar players who invaded the market. Each musician shines here with tight, complex arrangements that will please any fan of the genre. The album is very variated with slow , mid tempo parts to more furious but always Gram managing to create something really special, the melodic lines of his guitar are fantastic melted with more edgy ones. The bass, and drums works as a unit and the cello and violin elements added in this prog context are top notch. All pieces are strong, no weak moments and the listner is conected full time from first to last note. Impressive debute album from this little known guitar player from my country who desearves a far more recognition, because he worth it big time. The title track, Clean turbulence or Spring tale are simply killer pieces who show how talented and versatile this guitar player is. I love this album, even I've dicovered him quite recently, he never made big publicity around him or of his music, most of the listners know him as the guitar player of Phoenix and I can count on one hand peoples who know that he has a solo album. This is almost a masterpiece of instrumental prog metal of the highest level who goes recommended big time.4.5 stars Similar let's say with LTE (Liquid Tension Experiment, even with Planet X, etc) but little less fusion then those two bands, but the aproach sometimes is quite similar both in complexity and in ideas. also with Petrucci or Vai in places.