JAMES MURPHY

Feeding the machine is his second solo effort so far and a damn good album all the way. On this album every piece shines and James Murphy proves once again that he is among the best in his field and an inovative guitarist, Some pieces are here real treasures with some very fine and intristing solos and riffs combined with intelligent key arrangements made from this seconfd album a real awesome release in metal zone and progressive metal in particular. Again the list of musicians from Feeding the machine is top notch like:Chuck Billy ( vocals from Testament), John West ( voice of Artension on some albums and now in Royal Hunt), Steve DiGiorgio( he is the god of bass and member in Sadus and colaborations with many bands like Death for ex or Artension), Jeremy Coulson and Stuart Hamm (both from prog metal band Dali's Dilemma), Trent Gardner (Magellan), etc - so, a line-up hard to beat. Feeding the machine released in february 1999 is better than the predecesor, because the album is more polished and more inventice in same time. His fingers on guitar shows that he is s big name in last 20 years. The album is now more towards progressive metal with some metal leanings here and there. Some outstandig key passages are here on some pieces. Aswell here is a cover of Al DiMeola - Race With Devil on Spanish Highway from Elegant gypsy 1977, in Murphy's interpretation here this version kick ass all the way, even better than the original and from Dixie Dregs - Odyssey. All the pieces shines here and James Murphy shines aswell on every second and note he mange to create. Feeding the machine is an album who is in my collection since he was relesed 10 years ago and has a special place and a constant movement in my CD player. Recommended one of the best album from the '90's and among the best albums ever in my opinion. 5 star to me ears for sure. A masterpiece of modern prog metal.

James Murphy - "magic fingers" as many like to call him, is an american famous guitarist who beggins his career or colaboration with bands sometimes around 1987 with Agent Steel - first attemp to destroy everything around him with his guitar. With many colaborations over the years on one or more albums in bands like Obituary, Testament, Death, Cancer or Disincarnate (his first band , death of the highest calibre) Mr. Murphy proves he is one of the best musician in his field and among the top notch guitarist in last 20 years. His sherding sound and inovative solos and damn catchy riffs , intelligent manner of aproaching the instrument James Murphy release his solo album only in 1996 named simply - Convergence. With some top notch guest musicians on this album like Castronovo on drums (from Ozzy fame), Chuck Billy (vocals of Testament), Devin Townsend or Matt Guillory (Dali's Dilemma) among others, James Murphy composed all the pieces and release a solid album full of catchy pieces with a toutch of progressive metal but melted very well with his shreding guitar sound who interplays with the rest of the musicians in a great unison. So, to this first album I will give 3.5 rounded to 4 stars, that means a solid album, not as good as the next one who is a real treasurte, but worth investigate for sure.Recommended