Dangerdog Music Reviews :: © 1999 - 2025 Craig S Hartranft :: All Rights Reserved
No part of this this website, including design and music reviews,
may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
the prior written permission of the publisher.
CELEBRATING 18 YEARS!
- New Music Reviews
- |
- Archives
- |
- News
- |
- Submissions
- |
- About
- |
- |
New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
Recent Reviews
May 2025
- The Flower Kings: Love
- Maestrick : Espresso Della Vita: Lunare
March 2025
- W.E.T.: Apex
- Alliance: Before Our Eyes
- Ginevra: Beyond Tomorrow
- Phil X & The Drills:
Pow! Right In The Kisser - IQ: Dominion
- Heart Line: Falling Heaven
- Gotthard: Stereo Crush
- Defender: Dying To Live
- Streetlight: Night Vision
February 2025
- Robin McAuley: Soulbound
- Perfect Plan: Heart Of A Lion
- Craig Brooks: Desolation Freeway
- Mantric Momentum: Alienized
- Pattern-Seeking Animals: Friend Of All Creatures
- Crazy Lixx: Thrill Of The Bite
- Ginger Evil: The Way It Burns
- Dream Theater: Parasomnia
- Tyran: Tyran's Oath
- Saber: Lost In Flames
January 2025
- Wildness: Avenger
- The Ferrymen: Iron Will
- Labyrinth: In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye
- Bonfire: Higher Ground
- The Big Deal: Electrified
- Landfall: Wide Open Sky
December 2024
- After Lapse: Pathways
- Illusion Force: Halfana
- Powell-Payne: Voilá
November 2024
- Sunstorm: Restless Fight
- Storace: Crossfire
- Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
- Lionville: Supernatural
- Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
- Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
- Lonerider: Down In The Dust
- Seventh Crystal: Entity
- Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
- Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
- Impellitteri: War Machine
- Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter
Achard, Cyril: Violencia
Achard, Cyril: Violencia
Instrumental Guitar
Rating: 4.75/5.0
Lion Music
www.myspace.com/cyrilachard
Review: Craig Hartranft, 03.14.2010
French guitar master Cyril Achard has been absent from the rock scene for nearly seven, but he has been busy. Much like American Alex Skolnick (Testament), Mr. Achard has been exploring his jazz guitar interests with his own internationally recognized jazz trio. Yet, his roots in rock and metal guitar, particularly the shred variety, run deep. With the aptly titled Violencia, Achard rips up the traditional, and acceptable, vision of that platform. Like his jazz band, this work is built around a trio including, from Adagio metal band, bassist Franck Hermanny and drummer Eric Lebailly. Additionally, the sound of Violencia is brash and raw, no overdubs were used with Achard's work. The tone is nearly a basement or garage ready atmosphere. However, besides the brilliant rhythm section and ballsy sound, the brilliance is in Achard's fret work. Certainly, his shred guitar mastery is evident, but his seven years of exploration into jazz guitar resounds on every song. Violencia is honest, inventive, and bold rock and metal guitar energized by Achard's jazz infested ingenuity. While the whole album burns with intrigue, my favorites included Brutalize, Saint Hetfield, and Sweet and Furious. Bottom line: don't miss this one!
Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.
In Short
Violencia is honest, inventive, and bold rock and metal guitar energized by Achard's jazz infested ingenuity. Bottom line: don't miss this one!
Find A Review
Alphabetical Index
New & Notable
Here's a fun fact about Swiss legends, Gotthard: their last 16 releases, excepting their debut album, went to number one in their home country, making them one of Switzerland's most successful acts and ... [ Read More ]