Project: Alcazar - Reasons For A Decade

Year of Release: 2001
Label: Lion Music
Catalog Number: LMC 2107-2
Format: CD
Total Time: 32:08:00

Project: Alcazar consists of two men with the ability to sound like an entire band. Chris Steberl (guitars, bass, keyboards) and John Homan (drums, percussion) have it all under control on Reasons For A Decade. Their recent release on the quickly rising Lion Music is an instrumental nod to rock and roll and the music that got us to this point, classical. Multi-instrumentalists are a wonder. It amazes me when an individual can master one instrument, but when several are played with professional exactitude, I am in absolute awe. Steberl is a genuine whiz of the six-string.

The neo-classical sound that they achieve has a progressive edge and it's a slice of instrumental heaven. Homan handles the percussion duties to suit Steberl's talents absolutely. It doesn't seem to matter how fast Steberl plays, Homan matches his timely licks like it was a walk in the park. Magic happens when musicians on the same wavelength come together, this is picture perfect example of that kind instance.

If you have any doubt that rock and progressive rock have been influenced by classical music, sit back and listen to this CD. "Vivaldi's Summer Concerto (3rd mov.)" and "Mozart's 25th Symphony In Gm" will leave your jaw dropped to the floor. This is just amazing music, there is no other way to explain it; you just have to hear this. You will be asking yourself why you haven't listened to more classical music to understand where these musicians are coming from. "Silk n Honey" closes out the album and takes an entirely different road. It comes as a surprise, but a pleasant one. It's as smooth as silk and sweet as honey. It sounds like a tasteful Eric Johnson number with a hint of Chet Atkins sitting in the middle of jazz-rock.

As I move further into uncovering the realm of instrumental rock and progressive rock, the more educated and enamored I become with the genres. For me this further cements my conviction that music without words says so much more than music with lyrics. Those of you that are deeply immersed in this kind of music will understand exactly were I am coming from, those of you that don't will want to.

Tracklisting:
Nightmare On Bald Mountain (5:07) / TranceMission (4:44) / Neptune Island (4:23) / Vivaldi's Summer Concerto (3rd Mov.) (4:00) / Sahara Skies (3:56) / Mozart's 25th Symphony In Gm (5:43) / Silk 'n Honey (4:13)

Musicians:
Chris Steberl - guitars, bass, keyboards
John Homan - drums, percussion

Discography:
Reason For A Decade (2001)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin US

Added: October 13th 2001
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck

Artist website:
Hits: 2004
Language: english