SERAI

Arz begun in 2005 as the music vehicle of Portlan-based American guitarist Steve Adams.Adams was a dedicated fan of Rock music as a youngster, before his interests turned into Classical technique and Jazz, which he studied at the Lewis & Clark College.However as time went by he felt the need to get back to his early roots, now as an accomplished musician.Thus he formed Arz and recorded the debut ''Serai'', where he performs all instruments by himself.

The studies of Adams had made him a really diverse rock musician, as listened to ''Serai'', where he manages to blend the attacking and powerful riffs of his electric guitar with the virtuosic performance on his classical one, while the keyboard parts are rather discreet and secure.His music resembles to the albums of LOW BUDGET ORCHESTRA, TIME TRAVELLER or even VISUAL CLIFF with evident hints coming from the music of RUSH and KING CRIMSON, if you also add a fair dose of AL DI MEOLA guitar workouts.Adams sets series of dynamic grooves and impressive solos among his ideas, which range from complex instrumental Guitar Rock to atmospheric Psych/Space Rock, especially when keyboards play a larger role.His interplays between electric and classical guitar textures are quite original and propably the main reason to get the album, which at moments shifts towards Heavy Prog fields.The drum programming has a questionable result, not lowering the quality of the album but lacking the strength of physical drums.

Impressive first album, considering this is a one man's effort.There is still some need for more natural instrumental sections or a bit more diverse compositions, but Adams' idea of blending the powerful side of Progressive Rock with the ethereal sound of a Classical guitar is welcome to say the least.Recommended.