Lion Music
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Mattsson |
Dream Child | CD Lion Music |
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Progressive, Gothic, Ethnic
metal featuring singer Adrienn Antal.“Dream
Child” is the latest release to come from prolific composer and guitarist
Lars Eric Mattsson which introduces the stunning new female vocalist Adrienn
Antal. “Dream Child” represents the most solid album to date from Mattsson,
building upon the solid foundation laid by 2005’s “War” the new album sees
symphonic metal mixed with progressive and gothic elements spiced up with
world music inflections to create an album which in Mattsson’s own words is
“as complete as possible”. |
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| Another Dimension | CD Lion Music |
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A mix of progressive metal and classic hard rock. Lars Eric Mattsson is joined by singer Bjorn Lodin and guests such as Rob Johnson, Patrick Rondat, Erik Norlander, Par Lindh... | |||
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Power Games | CD Lion Music |
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Progressive metal feat. Lars Eric Mattsson and singer Lance King (Balance of Power/Empire). Artwork by Mattias Noren. Official release : Febuary 2003. | ||
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War | CD Lion Music |
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Prog Metal rock opera featuring: Vitalij Kuprij, Mark Boals, Ande Vuurboom (Sun Caged), Lance King, Irene Jansson (Star One/Ayreon) etc | ||
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Mattsson, Lars Eric |
Earthbound | CD Lion Music |
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Lars second all instrumental solo album released in Nobember 2005, 14 years after "Electric Voodoo". A must have for all fans of guitar music. | ||
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Eternity | CD Lion Music |
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Lars debut album originally released in 1988, here in a completely re-recorded version (2001) featuring singer Bjorn Lodin and some of Lars best guitar work ever. | ||
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Electric Voodoo | CD Lion Music |
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Lars first all instrumental release. Electric Voodoo was originally released in 1991. This is a remastered version with a 1993 bonus track. Progressive neoclassical instrumental metal | ||
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No Surrender + Live | CD Lion Music |
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The brand new 2009 limited edition including 5 live bonus tracks. All new guitars and vocals. | ||
| Obsession | CD Lion Music |
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Only avaliable as download at this time. from ITunes or the link here below. |
Sold out but still available from Guitar 9 and CD Baby or as download from ITunes. |
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DOWNLOADS and AUDIO SAMPLES:
Lars Eric Mattsson's albums and Mattsson albumsLars Eric Mattsson related artists:
Book of Reflections
Condition Red
Vision
Eli
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REVIEWS: |
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Mattsson: Tango
Mattsson: TangoMelodic/Progressive Rock/MetalRating: 5.0/5.0Lion Music Lion Music founder and chief may have out done himself with his fifth Mattsson recording Tango. I'll go out on a limb here and say that this work could be the best thing he has ever done. With over 70 minutes of music Tango is an epic tour de force of ingenious arrangements for some great melodic progressive rock with metal nuances. Once again, Mattsson recruits Adrienn Anal (from Mattsson's 2008 Dream Child) on vocals, and compliments her with the more assertive style of Markku Kuikka (Status Minor). The skill of Mattsson's musicianship is unparalleled especially with his clever tandem use of guitar and keyboard. His neo-classical influences remain and permeate Tango, as do his rich use of ethnic themes. However, the real brilliance here is the sheer magnitude of
the song arrangements, something Mr. Mattsson has mastered
eloquently. Never Stand Down, Tour De Force, and the exquisite
The Grand Escape are profound works filled depth and excitement.
Adding cleverness to his creativity on the title track, Mattsson
tickles our ears and treats us with a tango enhanced with a
metal theme. Indeed, Mattsson's Tango is magnificent
career defining moment for this excellent composer, and an
amazing listen. With the depth of composition, it will take you
more than a few listens to digest, but it's worth every minute.
Highly recommended. |
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 Tango
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Lars Eric Mattson
presents Tango, his 5th album. On 7 songs Adrienn
Antal sings, who was already did Dreamchild in
2008 with Mattsson and at some songs
Status Minor
singer Markku Kuikka joins in. |
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www.virtuosityone.com
MATTSSON..'TANGO'
(Lion Music) Reviewed February 12th 2010
Lars Mattsson is a highly experienced virtuoso guitarist and musician with a long history, and this is his second album with the most delectable of singers, Adrienn Antal, with her ravishing rich voice. She is joined on some songs by the rock voice of Status Minor singer Markku Kuikka. Lars plays and produces everything apart from the wonderfully named Eddie Sledgehammer on drums and the Astral Strings and Woodwinds. ‘Never Stand Down’ sets out his stall and shows the eclectic nature of Mattsson’s music - reggae verse, symphonic chorus, prog flourishes, lightning guitar solos, blues strut, in short the kitchen sink. ‘Believe’ is a very melodic groovy catchy song, which heads off in all directions, followed by ‘Tango’, which is great fun, I’d certainly like the last tango with Adrienn! Mini rock opera ‘The Great Escape’ starts with allsorts, then sitar on the verse, powerful symphonic chorus, synth and guitar solos, then groovy and balladic AOR rock, you cannot get bored listening to this! ‘I’ll Find Another Way’ is a lovely ballad, while Markku gets a good run out on the complex Dream Theatre type prog rock of ‘Shadows’. ‘The Scream of My Soul’ has a subtle jazzy flavour, ‘Fire is Burning’ is superb Toto style rock with Lars on vocals, and ‘Chain Me’ is another great ballad with a Latin feel and tasty fretless bass. The last two tunes are firstly ‘Tour De Force’, Lars has behaved himself up to now, this is his chance to show off on guitar and keys, and finally ‘Slave to the Road’ which is a fun groovy bluesy Steely Dan’ish encore, I suddenly remembered who Markku reminded me of, Colin Blunstone. Tango is a massive improvement on the last album Dream Child, which tended to get lost in prog excursions, and Eddie Sledgehammer sounded like he was demolishing a brick outhouse. This one is far more like Edenbridge, featuring great songs with prog flourishes, rather than the other way round. Tango is a fantastic record with more musical ideas in one song that most bands have in their entire careers, so if you like melodic rock, prog and symphonic rock then this will have you tangoing down to the nearest record emporium on March 19th, when it hits the shelves. Yes, I’ve been Tango’d by this one so 9/10 (Reviewed by Phil) ravenheartmusic.com
Mattsson: Tango
Our Take
Musician/composer Lars Eric Mattsson has been releasing music under his last name since the late 1980’s using his last name as a stage moniker, and his material has often straddled the line between progressive rock and metal. Some listeners found his last album Dream Child to be a little too prog oriented and found that some of the instrumentals clashed with the vocal arrangements. Mattsson seems to have taken notice of this, as his newest effort Tango attempts to balance the progressive rock/metal moments with more commercial and accessible hard rock. And despite the fact that the effort drags in places, it is still a standout effort that listeners are sure to enjoy.
Tango once again finds Mattsson collaborating with vocalist Adrienn Antal, which was a smart move as her voice has quite a bit of range and is sure to attract listeners to the songs that she is featured on. A male singer has also been added into the mix this time around, as Status Minor singer Markku Kuikka is given the spotlight at times. His voice adds some slightly darker tones to the material, and while there are a few moments where it feels out of place (mainly when he serves as backup to Antal rather than taking the lead) his performance is still noteworthy. While the emphasis is often still placed on the instrumental arrangements, having two singers helps to reinforce that Lars Eric Mattsson wants to reach out to a slightly more mainstream audience and this should give his material more exposure.The instrumentals often straddle the line between progressive metal, progressive rock, and traditional hard rock. While Tango has some of the heaviest riffs that Lars Eric Mattsson has written to date, it is worth mentioning that this is not the focus of many of the songs. Instead, Mattsson places emphasis on melodic riffs and moves between relatively simplistic songs and technically intricate ones that are constantly changing in style. Admittedly some of the more traditional songs feature some repetitive moments, but this isn’t that big of a deal considering the wealth of interesting instrumental arrangements offered on the other tracks. In addition to some impressive technical guitar work there are also some melodies that seem to be influenced by various musical styles from around the world. Everything is combined very well, and despite the slight repetition most listeners will find themselves enjoying the entire hour that the album lasts for.
Lars Eric Mattsson has been creating music for over two decades now but he certainly doesn’t seem to be running out of ideas. Tango can certainly be considered one of the better albums he has put out, and if you’re interested in progressive metal/rock that also has some hints of neoclassical and world music influences then this will be an album you will want to pick up. It is still early in the year, but Tango is currently one of my favorite prog albums of 2010 and is proof that the genre doesn’t have to be too focused on constant technical wankery and can instead just offer great songwriting.
http://www.lionmusic.com/
Chris Dahlberg www.cosmosgaming.com
February 28, 2010
| Mattsson, Lars Eric - No Surrender + Live (8/10) - Finland - 2009 |
| Genre: Neo-Classical Metal
/ Melodic Metal Label: Lion Music Playing time: 76:39 Band homepage: Mattsson, Lars Eric Tracklist:
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Lion Music has had many favorite sons, but few that have been as prolific, tenacious and well versed as Finnish guitar virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist LARS ERIC MATTSSON. Drawn from a rich tradition of consonant melodic players who meld hard edged metallic riffing and methodically structured lead work with a songwriting approach that aims for memory retention, LARS has maintained a signature style that still endures in his most recent projects, in spite of taking some leaps into other Metal sub-genres. But like many who still remain relevant as guitar shredders, his natural home was in the 80s, and that is precisely what is revisited with this recent blast from the past.
“No Surrender + Live” is an impressive visitation back into the days of mid-tempo, sleazy, metallic rocking with a few Progressive Rock sensibilities here and there. It’s loaded with plenty of Neo-classical trimmings that refer back a little earlier than MALMSTEEN to original pioneers in melding this approach to tonality with Rock in ULI ROTH and Ritchie Blackmore. It’s quite technical and loaded with classical clichés, but tends to avoid the agitation and fury of RISING FORCE for something a bit more mellow and spacey. Probably the best comparisons could be to the Joe Lynn Turner era of RAINBOW, early DOMAIN (Ger), and DOKKEN, with a slight downplaying of the keyboards in favor of a vocally rich texture.
Though when this album was originally conceived in the late 80s this style was pretty well nailed down into a limit scope of possibilities, the band makes due and successfully walks a tightrope between greater musicality and appealing to those who want plenty of fanfare. Tosse Jansson, in spite of having a really heavy accent to his singing, definitely holds his own and provides a somewhat cleaner cut version of the sleazy style of rock singing put forth in this day, sort of like a slightly deeper and huskier version of Göran Edman. The rest of the arrangement tends towards a solid yet more adequate than attention grabbing approach to playing; with bass lines, keyboard atmospheres and basic drumming that caters to MATTSSON’s solos or to the melodies carried by the vocals.
The greatest strength in this album is largely its one Achilles heel, and that is its extremely symmetric and formulaic approach. There are few real twists and turns to be dealt with here, no massive shifts in sound or occasional references to mixed meter or other rhythmic devices. When hearing extremely fun and catchy anthems to 80s excess like “Tear Down The Border”, “Lady Luck” and “Just To Survive”, it’s impossible not to smile and sing along, but after a while the predictability demands listening to something else. Other songs such as “Midnight Train” and “Since Love Died” compensate a bit with harder riffing and a heavier aesthetic, and “Chasing Shadows” actually jumps into speedy territory and definitely brings up some RISING FORCE moments, but the overt passion present on other similar albums like SCORPIONS classic “Black Out” and DOKKEN’s “Under Lock And Key” tend to eclipse what is otherwise a solid album.
If the 80s is your preferred decade and it’s not only for the pioneering aggressive works found in the Thrash and Death Metal styles, this is something that has a good amount to offer. The biggest perk here is the 5 live songs that were taken from one of this band’s tours, likely the one for their debut album “Eternity” since most of them are found on that album, and are performed so well that absent some crowd noise at the end, they may as well have been studio re-recordings. It’s almost akin to opening up a time capsule from 2 decades ago and remembering some of the not quite life changing but still fairly important events in one’s life that were all but forgotten. (Online June 13, 2009) Jonathan www.metal-observer.com |
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Led by guitarist/composer Lars Eric Mattsson, 'Tango' sees the collaboration between Mattsson and vocalist Adrienn Antal continue, after they first paired up on 2008’s 'Dreamchild'. This album sees the addition of some male lead vocals, provided by Status Minor vocalist Markku Kuikka. Of course the ever reliable and aptly named Eddie Sledgehammer occupies the drum stool.
Musically this album has it all encompassing plenty of progressive metal but adding hints of jazz, reggae and even West End musical theatrical on the album's high point, 'The Grand Escape'. Mr Sledgehammer has a bit of ball on this one and its not all power drumminmg either. Interestingly the bass gets moved high in the mix and the playing is up there with some of the best.
The title track is the most instant song and for once you agree with the press blurb which states it has an ABBA vibe. No Mattsson has not gone all disco on us but the chorus is ultra catchy and the music has a 'good time' feel to it. 'Slave To The Road' is immense blues rocker and features Markku Kukikka on lead vocals. In fact only 'Chain Me' lets the side down as it is a tad repetitive.
Mattsson has long been a reliable source of fine progressive metal music and on this latest album its about time he became much more widely known.
****
Jason Ritchie Get Ready to Rock!
The new album by Lars Eric Mattsson and this time around he has recruited Adrienn Antal on vocals. Adrienn has a rich, soaring vocal well suited to the music which features much more symphonic backing in keys/strings than previous Mattsson albums.
Interesting use of electronic effects on both the title track and 'Killing Everything', each song is an instant hit with the listener due to their hook filled choruses.
'Heaven and Hell Unite' takes in goth, prog and metal along the way with Mattsson going into solo overdrive! Eddie Sledgehammer as his name would suggest bashes seven shades of the proverbial out of the drums although in a musical way.
One other 'must listen' is 'I'm Coming Home' which beats bands like After Forever or Edenbridge at their own game - lovely vocals, intricate guitar soloing backed by some very lush arrangements.
A Mattsson album never disappoints and this is possibly his finest release to date and in vocalist Adrienn Antal he has found a real talent. Prog/symphonic metal as it should be done.
****
Review by Jason Ritchie www.getreadytorock.com
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Dream Child is the latest release from the somewhat prolific (Lars Eric) Mattsson and is, I believe, his first effort since the last Book of Reflections CD which I certainly enjoyed. This time around he has recruited Adrienn Antal on vocals and a particularly fine job she does too! Hers is a pure voice occasionally reminiscent of Floor Jansen of After Forever and suits the metallic/classical styling of Mr. Mattsson perfectly. One of the first CD’s I ever reviewed for this site was Hauteville’s Relief Data Complete where I noted that (and somewhat pretentiously I am going to quote myself) Hauteville had made an album that, “in weeks to come....it will probably seem better than it does now.” This is exactly how I feel about Dream Child, although it may well be more immediate than Hauteville. There have been some very fine releases in the female vocal/progressive genre recently, Neverland's Reversing Time springs to mind in particular and Dream Child is every bit as good, and every bit as well constructed and arranged, as that particular opus. This is clearly evidenced on This is Our Time, as ong which is lushly orchestrated yet also feels East European in places and has a widdly keyboard solo as well. Heavenly. Perhaps the most interesting song is Heaven and Hell Unite which is in turns gothic, heavy, prog-tastic and really gives Mr. Mattsson free reign to indulge himself instrumentally. The song that really grabbed my attention though was Heart Of A Clown where Ms. Antal shines on a track that is possibly more of a straight forward rocker than most of others herein, at least until the solo arrives whence it goes its own merry way. The guitar work on this one is particularly good especially the way in which it interacts with the keyboards and Eddie Sledgehammer belts the living daylights out of his kit. If this was an essay I would, at this point, wrap things up with a pithy conclusion which would say that this is one of the classiest releases thus far in 2008 and if you like your metal with a progressive touch then you should seriously contemplate investigating this CD. In fact, that is exactly what you should do!
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Track Listing Prelude to Life Line Up Adrienn Antal -
Vocals |
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Tracklist 1. Prelude To Life 2. I’m Coming Home 3. Dream Child 4. Killing Everything 5. This Is Our Time 6. See The Dreamer Behold 7. Until Our Last Goodbye 8. Moonlight Dream 9. Heart Of A Clown 10. Life In The Shadows 11. Heaven And Hell Unite 12. Goodbye Line-up Adrienn Antal (lv, bv) Björn Lodin (v) Eddie Sledgehammer (d) Lars Eric Mattsson (g, b, k, v) The Astral Orchestra (st, ww) |
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CL
MATTSSON ‘Dream Child’ Lion Music (2008)
www.lionmusic.com
The new album by Lars Eric Mattsson and this time around he has recruited Adrienn Antal on vocals. Adrienn has a rich, soaring vocal well suited to the music which features much more symphonic backing in keys/strings than previous Mattsson albums.
Interesting use of electronic effects on both the title track and ‘Killing Everything’, each song is an instant hit with the listener due to their hook filled choruses. ‘Heaven and Hell Unite’ takes in goth, prog and metal along the way with Mattsson going into solo overdrive! Eddie Sledgehammer as his name would suggest bashes seven shades of the proverbial out of the drums although in a musical way. One other ‘must listen’ is ‘I’m Coming Home’ which beats bands like After Forever or Edenbridge at their won game – lovely vocals, intricate guitar soloing backed by some very lush arrangements.
A Mattsson album never disappoints and this is possibly his finest release to date and in vocalist Adrienn Antal he has found a real talent. Prog/symphonic metal as it should be done.
****
Jason Ritchie
MATTSSON..'DREAM CHILD'
(Lion Music) Reviewed 30th March 2008
'Dream Child' is a fine blend
of interesting and deep compositions within great songs, and
features new vocalist, Hungarian lass, Adrienn Antal (pictured
elsewhere on this site). I like 'Dream Child' a lot. It features
Lars Mattsson's intelligent musicianship, while at the same time
it is melodic, in places metallic and also progressive. For the
more melodic tracks, try 'Coming Home', 'Dream Child' and 'This
Is Our Time'. For the more progressive flavoured morsels check
out 'See The Dreamer Behold' and 'Heaven And Hell Unite'. 'Moonlight
Dream' meanwhile is a nice ballad. This offering from Mattsson
is what I would call thinking person's music and is well worth
checking out. 8/10 (Reviewed by Dave).
http://www.ravenheartmusic.euro-site.co.uk
Trackliste...
01. Prelude to Life
02. I’m Coming Home 03. Dream Child 04. Killing Everything 05. This is Our Time 06. See the Dreamer Behold 07. Until Our Last Goodbye 08. Moonlight Dream 09. Heart of a Clown 10. Life in the Shadows 11. Heaven and Hell Unite 12. Goodbye |
Line Up
Vocals: Adrienn Antal
Guitars / Bass / Keys: Lars Eric Mattsson Drums: Eddie Sledgehammer Additional Vocals: Björn Lodin Strings and Woodwinds: The Astral Orchestra
Credits
Artwork: Carl Andre
Beckson
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Review...
Was
bekommt man, wenn man NIGHTWISH nimmt, ein wenig Bombast
wegnimmt dafür ein wenig Progressivität dazustreut, der
Sängerin eine gewisse Verwandtschaft zu Lana Lane
attestiert, ein Hauch von Gothic-Feeling hinzufügt und
das alles toll produziert? Wertung: 4.5 von 5.0
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MATTSSON..'DREAM CHILD'
When Lars Eric Mattsson is not working on new rosters for releases on the excellent Lion Music label, he seems to manage to find some time to squeeze a little project of his own in there on occasion, he is a great musician both as a guitarist and keyboardist, and while his forte has been along the neo-classical guitar shred style, he has also been dabbling with some progressive metal, as well as some more eclectic sounding symphonic metal as can be heard on his two Condition Red cds. This particular outing on his new Dream Child, cd, Lars is featuring the beautiful female voice of Hungarian singer - Adrienn Antal, who's voice is also complimented by Swedish vocalist - Björn Lodin.
The music on this cd can be described as progressive metal, yet with a bit of a experimental edge outside the typical progmetal settings. Many unusual modes and themes abound, almost a bit middle eastern at times, and even some acoustical moments, in each of the settings the music provides alluring backdrops for Adrienn's exotic singing. Yet for me the highlights are when Lars Eric Mattsson lets loose on some of his signature guitar and keyboard leads, he displays some very tasteful soloing all around this cd.
Mattsson carefully mixes symphonic elements to the electric sides of the music, creating some lush sound dynamics, this cd sounds a lot more polished than some of his other work in the past, it is also more cohesive from start to finish, it's clear to me that his intentions were to feature this singer and let his playing be a secondary aspect to the end product, a kind of less is more approach. It's a unique sound cd to say the least, not really sounding similar to any other female led bands that I am familiar with. The progressive quotient is perhaps the least dominant form being integrated into the music, as the symphonic and metal aspects abound, I would even go so far as to add that there is somewhat of a folk and ethno metal thing happening on certain songs, yet when the progressive movements occur, they are quite impressive.
Lars Eric Mattsson has some curious takes on his musical visions, some of the things that he tries are quite unique, on some of his past work, the results were hit and miss, yet on Dream Child, I believe he has achieved his best work as a solo artist to date. It's the kind of music that keeps surprising you with repeated and attentive listens. The touch added by the Astral Strings is very elegant, bringing a flare of true sound to this already wide array of sound.
www.proggnosis.com
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LARS ERIC MATTSSON
‘Earthbound’ Lion Music (2005)
www.lionmusic.com
Guitarists Lars Eric Mattsson returns with his first all instrumental album in over 14 years. He’s best known for fronting the excellent power metal band Mattsson and on here he plays all instruments bar drums provided by the eloquently named Eddie Sledgehammer. It is a true guitar album as well as there are minimal keyboards and SFX used which make a change and it’s not all ‘see how fast I can shred’ like many guitarists’ albums. Highlights include ‘ShredHead’ and the epic title track that really highlights the talented playing of Mattsson. Nice mix of styles as well and it is an album you can see yourself playing again in years to come.
***1/2
Jason Ritchie www.getreadytorock.com
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LARS ERIC MATTSSON -
Earthbound Release Date: 2005-11-01 by: ALEX REIS |
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The legendary Finnish Prog Rock veteran Lars Eric Mattsson has
blessed guitar fans with a brand new Instrumental Rock record,
Earthbound. After a 14-year hiatus, several side projects, and
more than a couple of releases of his main project, Mattsson, and
his latest Prog Metal opera, War, the shredder went
minimalist and took to the “Guitarist and Drummer” approach.
Earthbound has an overall Prog-ish feel, showing off all of
Mattsson’s magnificent playing. Drifting away from his neo-classical
roots, the album has a highly varied landscape, flirting with
everything form Oriental to Classical music and all things
in-between. There are plenty of heavy tracks in Earthbound,
but they are still melodic enough to keep the listener’s attention.
“From the Skies,” with its magnificent melodies and heavy riffs is
not really what you’d expect to hear in a Guitar album.
There aren’t enough words to express Mattsson’s playing. Arpeggios fly off from his fingers in lighting fast speed and stunning precision, and his sound is crisp and clear. In Earthbound, you will find way more than a shredding exercise ... it’s a stunning Instrumental experience. While not being polished or overly produced, the album maintains a nice overall production quality, with the guitars and drums upfront in the mix, but not covering anything else; making the listening experience very pleasant. Some jazzy moments can also be found on Earthbound, showing Mattsson in an eclectic mode. The title track, "Earthbound," although being mostly Neo-Classical in its essence, steps into Jazz territory for a mood switch. Latin rhythms are also present within the album’s soundscape, as can be heard in the soulful “Time Capsule.” Clean guitars shine with gracefulness, and while not falling into virtuoso territory, make for a nice melodic, charismatic feel. Your ticket to the Asian continent is guaranteed within Earthbound as well. Mattsson plays the Sitar on several tracks, and mixes nicely Oriental passages with Progressive soundscapes such as in “Delhi.” Full shredding moments you’d expect from any Guitar album are also present in Earthbound, and since it deals with Mattsson, they feature a great Neo-Classical Finnish accent. Listen to “ShreadHead” for Maestro Lars Eric Mattsson’s great virtuosity show-up. If you are looking for something different from what you usually expect in a Guitar album, or are a fan of the Prog Metal master Lars Eric Mattsson, Earthbound is definitely worth a spin. If there is such a thing as Instrumental Prog Metal Guitar Rock, this is definitely it. Visit Lars' Web site at www.LarsEricMattsson.com, or the label's Web site at www.LionMusic.com for more info. |
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Earthbound Lars Eric Mattsson Lion Music Reviewed by Adam Harrold Tracks: From the Skies; Earthbound; Time Capsule; Delhi; Shredhead; The Orchid; Free Wind; Song of the Woods; Closed Eyes; …Later.
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Debating about the merits of instrumental guitar music can be a
time-consuming exercise. The other day at RockSomething Towers
for example, a row about Ritchie Blackmore’s extended guitar
solo in Deep Purple’s “Lazy” lasted a solid forty-five minutes.
The argument had lasted so bloody long that the cows had not
only come home, but by that stage, had learnt to read, write and
defeat humans at Scrabble.
So yes, the technical ability of Lars Eric Mattsson’s first instrumental album in fourteen years could be raved about for the next week, but we’d still be talking about arpeggios and scales and still have no idea as to whether “Earthbound” is any good. And that’s the only thing that really matters. Now “Earthbound” might not be a modern representation of classical music, it might not be a gift from Ra, it might not even follow the rules that your music teacher sets you, but nonetheless you’ll be wiping the dust off of that air guitar as soon as you hear it. In fact so frantic have the air guitar sessions been, that a set of wireless headphones had to be purchased in order to riff through the night without fear of self-strangulation. Admittedly, as delicate songs such as “…Later” and “Dehli” show, this isn’t all about going mad with an axe, but the suitably-named “Shredhead” and the title track show Mattsson at his electrifying best. There’s no doubt that with Satriani, Vai, Malmsteen and even Marc Rizzo, that there’s a lot of this type of music around, but Mattsson’s “Earthbound” deserves your full attention. Besides, if you don’t get it now, there might not be a follow-up for another fourteen years! |
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RockSomething.com © 2005
| Lars Eric Mattsson - Earthbound (Lion Music) By: Joe Florez www.live4metal.com | |
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Lars has made the rounds and kept busy for at least twenty years playing guitar. After creating the War project which was very extravagant, he decided to strip things down just a bit to produce his solo instrumental album which is the first since 1991. This is a two man team along with Eddie Sledgehammer who handle absolutely everything without any outside artists. Anything string related along with the keys is handled by Mattsson. Immediately, you can tell that this is a less elaborate album than his previous works. “From The Skies” carries a rather simple 4/4 pattern with some minor drum trickery here and there, and Lars letting his fingers fly somewhat as well. There are some odd effects that come into the song |
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halfway through
that have a Steve Vai feel. The pacing moves around from mid paced to
rip roaring, but it’s definitely enjoyable and easy to swallow. The
title track is heavier, thanks to the guitars. There is more power in
there this time out and it sounds chunky, but at the same time the
soloing is filled with emotion. There are even moments of a classical
performance during the breakdown. What I like about this release is that
LEM doesn’t limit himself to just one style. He is versatile and likes
to take chances. “Delhi” is contains middle eastern influences set to
hard rock. It has a spiritual feel and is a relaxing number that is sure
to take the stress off once you get into it. “ShredHead” is exactly what
you would expect. You get a ton of notes crammed into a three plus
minute song that is fast, but performed with great efficiency and
contrary to what you might think, it doesn’t have the Yngwie flair or is
full of egoism. One song in particular that grabbed my attention was
“Closed Eyes” because it’s so strange to hear hard and 70’s era rock
blended with flamenco guitar work and funk added for good measure. To
some, it may sound like a train wreck, but to me it’s just flat out
interesting. I have to admit, I am very weary of instrumentals nowadays
unless you come from the school of Satriani, Vai or Malmsteen, but this
one kept me around for the duration. The compositions are much easier to
digest than some of his other work and I think that is the selling point.
The songs for the most part don’t drag out either. They are right to the
point and don’t contain too much filler. If you are looking for an
alternative, then this may be it. www.lionmusic.com | www.larsericmattsson.com |
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MATTSON - War - CD - Lion Music - 2005
review by: Ignacio Coluccio
www.maelstrom.nu
If Ayreon were to form a prog / power band, I'm pretty sure Mattsson would be
similar to the result. Lars Eric Mattsson is a Finnish shredder, so expect
full-blown technicality, lots of long solos and also strangely good, weird
melodies. War is his eighth album, and third under this name, so the experience
comes out in the songwriting a lot.
The center of Mattsson's music is, yes, the guitar playing. And oh, damn, can he
play. From weird rhythm patterns to ultra fast shredding, he does it all in a
unique way. Weirdly, the keyboards (also played by him) are impressive and add a
lot of professionalism to the music. Compositionally, all the songs are complex
enough without turning into wankery, so that's a definite plus. While the vocals
are mostly power-metallish, the instrumentation is mostly related to progressive
metal and rock, sometimes stepping in Ayreon's retro-progressive zone.
If there's one thing to change in War, it's its vocalwork. Just like in Arjen
Lucassen's band Ayreon, Mattsson hires guest vocalists to sing in his albums.
Most of them are amazing, but some are dull and sometimes even unnecessary.
Thankfully, they don't detract from the album all that much.
If you can get past some of the vocalists, War is an impressive record by an
impressive instrumentalist, and a must for fans of pompous, bombastic music.
(8.7/10)
Mattsson – War
2005 Lion Music
Returning to the proto-symphonic metal format that Malmsteen and Rising Force had created years ago, Mattsson and Co. have created an elaborate album of guitar shredding, neo-operatic soundscapes, and progressive metal arrangements that bring to light the musical endurance created by the forerunners of this genre.
The project of axeman Lars Eric Mattsson, ‘War' features and vocal cast of Bjorn Jansson, Mark Boals, and Irene Janssen among others, not to mention keyboardist extraordinaire Vitalij Kuprij tickling the ivories among many other musicians providing their presence on this record. Musically ‘War’ is filled with intense musicianship filled with everything from Rhapsody/Ayreon relevant cuts such as ‘Your Dream’ and the extended ‘War Concerto Suite’ where there is the high influence of various ‘rock operas’ balanced with neo-classical arrangements, where of course there is quite a bit of musical interpretations that fill the record with soloing and passionate improvisation. However there are moment of more song related approaches such as the dark ‘Deep in the Shadows’ and the balladry found in ‘A Dreamer's Lullaby,’ where Mattsson’s Strat shines out a glistering blues approach, marking a more down to earth loom towards technical metallic pop glory. All in all the melodic stance with the hard driving musical approach is fitting to the album’s concept, for which the title conveys, kind of scary when you think about it in this day and age, but, what better way to express it than through the musical mindset of Lars Eric Mattsson.
Added: October
23rd 2005
Reviewer:
Tommy Hash
www.ytsejam.com
Score:
Related Link:
Lars Eric Mattsson Link
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Added: August 6th 2005 |
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Lars
Eric Mattsson is one of
Finland's best guitar players
who has been active in the music
business since 1985 playing on
lots of albums and releasing
solo discs as well. He goes by
his full name when he puts out
solo releases, and uses just the
Mattsson handle when he combines
the services of vocalists in his
recordings. His solo albums are
more on the instrumental
spectrum utilising lots of
technically advanced guitar
solos with complex harmonies,
whereas with Mattsson he
explores a more defined and
unique style of music. His
guitar playing shows restraint,
allowing the vocalists to
deliver the lyrics effectively.
|
MATTSSON
(USA) POWER GAMES (57:44) LION MUSIC Reviewed by
Toby on May 9, 2003. |
Who knows Lars Eric Mattsson? I think a lot of us still don’t. Maybe is it useful
to write a little introduction about that man. Way back in 1985 he was discovered by Mike
Varney (Guitar Player Magazine and Shrapnel Records). From that point he joined a lot of
hardrock bands. After e few years he decided to form his own band and made several records
like ‘Eternity’(1988), ‘No Surrender’(1989) and his former one ‘Another
Dimension’(2000). After ‘Another Dimension’ his biggest success till so far
he contributed on ‘Warmth Of Wilderness’, a tribute to Jason Becker and recorded
an album with AOR band Condition Red.
In 2002 Lars started working on the new Mattson album including vocalist Lance King
(Balance Of Power/Empire). His new album is called ‘Power Games’. I guess this
album is mainly made for people who like power metal, AOR, symphonic rock and hardrock.
Power Games opens with an somehow poppy intro guided with a synthesiser like Jean Michel
Jarre use to do a long time ago. When you are listening to ‘Blind Faith’, a sort
of melodic firework. On this one you can hear Mattsson's skills perfectly. Not only the
guitars on ‘Power Games’ are played like only a master can do. The vocals on
this track are marvellous, it reminds me to Geof Tate’s ‘Operation Mindcrime’.
Fortunately Lance King got also another face, so don’t worry. It’s evident he
like to use his high pitch voice to release all his energy in his music. Back to Mattsson.
He’s a cool guitar player cause he is not always on the front in order to give his
band their useful space to be as one. His style is hard to compare with others, quit
original these days. listen for example to 'Beyond the Horizon - Guita Concerto no I', an
instrumental based on eastern melody's which you only can expect from
a man like Jason Becker. I think, his uniqueness is the reason this album is
even suitable for me even knowing I don’t like this sort of music. For the the progs
and hardrockers amongst us who like Queensrÿche, Dream Theatre and Kansas, go to the
store and listen for your self.
|
Tracklist: 1.Open the Gate |
Line-up: Lars Eric Mattsson - Guitars, bass, keyboards, |
MATTSSON – Power Games (Lion Music)
As is always the case, Lion Music presents another musical gem. Without a doubt this label is the unofficial home of shred. However, Power Games is the most widely accessible release yet from this label. Finnish guitarist Lars Eric Mattsson is the brainchild behind Power Games combining masterful guitar work with an equally compelling performance on the keyboards. The real treat here is American singer Lance King (Balance Of Power), who delivers an amazing performance. His style, phrasing and range is so much like Geoff Tate of Queensryche that it is scary. Mattsson is in fine form throughout. The guy can deliver passionate playing like Satriani, out and out shredding like Malmsteen, yet still maintains his focus on the song structure as opposed to guitar flash. Power Games consists of eight melodic progressive metal songs with neo-classical leanings. ‘Open The Gate’ starts with keys building into a majestic prog-metal classic of a track. The epic instrumental track ‘Beyond The Horizon – Guitar Concerto No. 1’ runs 17 minutes plus and, although at first glance may look like an obvious over indulgence, the track follows an Eastern theme which plays out quite well with brilliant keyboard/guitar interplay. Taking cues from Malmsteen, Symphony X and Queenryche, Power Games is an excellent listen.
Allan Grusie 8
Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles
POWER GAMES / Mattsson
Lion Music 2003
Review by The Atomic Chaser
1. Open The Gate
2. Victim Of Freedom
3. Blind Faith
4. Chained To My Pain
5. Bridge To The Past
6. Safely Through The Fight
7. Beyond The Horizon
8. Lead Me On My Way
The latest venture from guitarist Lars Eric Mattsson comes to us in the form of, 'Power
Games'. A meeting of two great minds is how I would describe it. 'Power Games',
features the explosive guitar power of Lars Eric Mattsson in perfect union with the
dynamic and powerful vocal prowess of Lance King (Balance Of Power/Empire). The end
result of this alliance is a recording that will stimulate your senses and leave your
imagination with a lasting impression. 'Power Games'' musical intensity comes at you from
all angles. From groove laden progressive movers like, "Victim Of Freedom",
"Chained To My Pain" and "Safely Through The Fight" to
instrumental variations of the third kind like, "Beyond The Horizon". The
talents of both Mattsson and King work very well together. Lance King's vocals breathe
life into Mattsson's diverse musical compositions giving each song its own charismatic
vibe. Its such a shame that of all the progressive acts that are out there a band
like Mattsson hasn't received the recognition that he truly deserves. If your
musical fix includes the likes of, Dream Theater, Symphony X or Fates Warning, you might
want to check out, 'Power Games' by Mattsson. You might just find yourself a new
progressive addiction. Thanks to Lars and Lance on a job very well done. -
The Atomic Chaser
Mattsson: Power Games
Listening to the three Balance of Power CDs that Lance King sang on (Book of Secrets, Ten More Tales Of … and Perfect Balance), I never noticed just how similar his voice sounds to Dream Theater front man James LaBrie. But listening to Power Games, the most complex release yet from veteran neoclassical guitarist, bassist and keyboard player Lars Eric Mattsson, the comparison begs to be made. Granted, Mattsson's music can be classified as progressive metal a lot easier than Balance of Power's progressive-tinged arena rock can. But Mattsson -- the guy who runs Lion Music, which released Power Games -- knew what he was doing when he signed up King.
Power Games features Mattsson playing everything except drums (deftly handled by Eddie Sledgehammer, which has gotta be a stage name). And while Mattsson has used several vocalists over the years, King is one of the best -- despite the LaBrie analogies. Many of the eight tracks here are slick progressive metal, and while King makes the transition well from Balance of Power to this kind of music, it is Mattsson's 17-minute instrumental epic "Beyond the Horizon - Guitar Concerto No. 1" that will garner the most attention. The sprawling piece is a testament to Mattsson's versatility on many instruments.
King also appeared on Hypnotica, the first album from Empire - a melodic hard rock band released by Lion Music in 2001 and featuring the likes of Don Airey and Rolf Munkes. For some reason, though, King is gone from Empire's lineup on the recently released Trading Souls. Here's hoping Mattsson keeps him around longer than just one album.
Added: April 4th 2003
Reviewer: Michael Popke
Score:
www.seaoftranquility.com
Mattsson;
Power Games
Lion
Music
After being discovered as a truly gifted guitarist in 1985, Swedish Lars Erik Mattsson has been bursting out one hard rock/heavy metal album after another, either as a solo-artist or in his bands Vision and Baltimore. We’ve dealt with Mr. Mattsson on several occasions in this webzine in the past when releases by Vision, Baltimore and even Condition Red – another of Lars Erik Mattsson’s projects - were released. And now he’s back with yet another solo-album, this time featuring Lance King of Balance Of Power fame on vocals. Needless to say for those who’ve read through the entire archive of this ezine, or even just the metal-part of it, that Lance King is one of my absolute favorite singers within the current melodic metal-scene, and his band Balance Of Power is likewise, in my opinion, perhaps the best melodic and progressive metal band to come around within the ten last years or so. Anyways, Lance King is a good match for Lars Erik’s guitar playing, and he actually lifts this album beyond just being another guitar-solo-record. This isn’t anything a la Balance Of Power, though, as it’s less progressive, less heavy and doesn’t have anywhere near as wonderfully arranged background vocals, but why shouldn’t it, this isn’t a new Balance Of Power album, but a new Mattsson album, even though I’d kind of wished it was the other way around. Overall, though, this is a good album, and Mattsson’s guitar playing is as good as ever. (JJJJJJ) Ane Erlandsen, Past and Present Music
Guitar Mania – Review
Mattson – “Power
Games”
Finnish guitar maestro Lars Eric Mattson returns with his most
prolific and powerful release to date. Power Games features Mattson teaming up with
vocalist extraordinaire Lance King, delivering an intense collaboration of highly melodic
progressive material.
Power Games kicks off with the free for all “Open the
Gates”; that mixes moodier tones with highly technical, progressive elements. This
sets the scene for the rest of the CD. All tracks except for the all instrumental
“Beyond the Horizon” showcase Lance King at the top of his game delivering
soulful vocal arrangements that are powerful yet full of emotion and feeling. King has one
of those silky smooth voices that is well suited to Mattson’s over the top guitar
heavy compositions. One can hear the intricate melodies of bands like Dream Theater or
Fates Warning throughout all the compositions. Other influences include more mainstream
bands like Queensryche. Melodic sensibilities are showcased with an intertwining of sheer
musical virtuosity from both Mattson and King.
Further highlights of this CD include the all acoustic “Chained
to My Pain” where Mattson stretches out acoustically, providing a nice respite from
the more chaotic tracks that follow. Mattson really lets loose on the all instrumental
– “Beyond The Horizon”, shredding through a wide range of textures and
styles that incorporate, neo-classical, jazz, free form fusion, power metal and straight
up rock. The final track on the CD “Lead Me on My Way” is a nice funky number
with some great use of the wah, wah – icing on the cake if you ask me!!
Power Games is intense, progressive, melodic and full of life.
Mattson and King gel like a tight woven fabric to produce intelligent, complex music that
should rival today’s best progressive offerings.
Guitar Mania
http://www.guitarmania.ca
| BAND >> | CD >> | LABEL >> | NOTE>> |
| MATTSSON | POWER GAMES | LION MUSIC (2003) | 85% |
| Lars Eric
Mattsson is back with Power Games and the title is right cause is powerfull! Lance King
(ex-Balance of Power) is the singer on that record and let me tell you that it's an
amazing good news cause this man knows how to sing and I love is voice! Again you can
clearly hear the talent of Lars, this guy is a very talented musician. Also this is a very
strong release. The production is awesome! Good sound and also the writting skills of
those guys keep on improving every day! Blending progressive, power metal, metal and
guitar metal a la Satriani, Mattsson recorded Power Games, is best album to date in my
opinion and also ading Lance was a very good idea! Love it! And by the way, the artwork
feature the Montreal olympic stadium on it and I was very suprised to see that on an
Finland CD! Cool! Patrick www.thedarkesthours.com |
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MATTSSON - POWER GAMES
Lion Music 2003
MATTSSON - POWER GAMES
Lion Music 2003
Guitarist Lars Eric Mattsson was first discovered Mike Varney (founder of
Shrapnel Records) and has been releasing albums since 1988, as well as being
a member of the band Vision. On this latest album as well as guitar
shredding he handles bass and keys, with ex-Balance of Power vocalist Lance
King and Eddie Sledgehammer (from the Manowar school of band member names!)
on drums. Opener 'Open the Gate' starts with a synth sounding guitar (shades
of Maiden circa 'Seventh Son') before heading off into a melodic metal
direction. Lance King's vocals on this sound similar to Queensryche's Geoff
Tate's, whereas on other tracks they have a more power/speed metal tone
similar to Gamma Ray. 'Blind Faith' has some tasty keyboard touches and a
catchy hook-filled chorus. 'Chained to My Pain' is a slower number with
subtle guitars (possibly mandolin?) overlaid with jazz-like percussion - not
what you'd expect! The epic instrumental 'Beyond the Horizon - Guitar
Concerto No. 1' takes centre stage with Mattsson really letting fly on his
guitar! There are keyboards interwoven into the mix as well, although this
sort of epic track won't be to everyone's liking. For those who a bit of
70's freeform form the closing track 'Lead Me On My Way' should do the
trick. Heavy riffing guitar, bits of free form guitar and a little bit of
Hammond organ all add to make this track another curve ball on this album.
Lance King's harmonised vocals nicely round off the track.
A varied and enjoyable power metal release, guitar fans and fans of Gamma
Ray/Balance of Power/Queensryche will like this album big time.
Classic Rock Newswire -
MATTSSON - POWER GAMES
Lion Music 2003
"Powergames" is the new album based around Finnish guitar player Lars Eric
Mattsson and Balance Of Power frontman Lance King. "Powergames" is a melodic
neo-classical power metal album full of delicious shredding, and catchy songs that at
times remind me of a cross between Queensryche, Dream Theater, TNT and Bad Moon Rising.
The first song 'Open The Gate' best examples this theory and has some really stunning
technical guitar work from Lars with Lance's vocals coming over like Geoff Tate from
Queensryche, a good start.This style is continued on the next song 'Victim Of Freedom'
only this track is more melodic, not too far from Yngwie Malmsteen or Mark Boals' Ring Of
Fire.
'Blind Faith' is a more mainstream melodic rocker, it is awesome and catchy and could have
come right off any TNT album, here Lance sounds pretty identical to Tony Harnell.'Chained
To My Pain' starts off with some fine Latin playing, this song is a melodic power ballad
in the Yngwie style and has some captivating lyrics. The epicness of Yngwie is taken one
step further with 'Bridge To The Past', a soaring pompus melodic piece that also reminds
me of Rainbow and Brazen Abbot.
I really loved 'Safely Through The Fire' which is perhaps my favourite track on
"Powergames". Again this is very much like TNT and has some cool orchestral work
and very hot guitar work, a totally brilliant song. Beyond The Horizon - Guitar Concerto
no 1' is an interesting concept that runs in at a breathtaking 17 minutes 11 seconds. It's
experimental, neo-classical everything really that is structured around a guitar
instrumental epic, there are even some pompy keyboards during the song.
The album ends with 'Lead Me On My Way' which has is quite funny and has a disco theme and
is something that you would perhaps find Jeff Scott Soto doing, Lance King could actually
become the next Jeff Scott Soto the way he's going these days, a very talented singer and
this song is great and catchy, again a bit TNT-ish with a disco funky edge.
So a good album that delivers what is expected, if you like TNT and Queensryche then you
will love "Powergames"
Nicky Baldrian
MATTSSON-Another Dimension
Track Listing:
1.Hell (3.54)
2.Crash and Burn (5.10) Guest Guitar- Patric Rondat
3.Don’t Chain My Mind (5.11) Guest Synth Solo- Erik Norlander
4.Angel Blue (4.17) Violin - Ella Grussner
5.Burn the Witch (5.56) Keys - Par Lindh
6.Burning My Soul (5.28) Guest Guitar- Rob Johnson
7.Don’t Lose Your Patience (4.02)
8.Another Dimension (5.52) Keys - Par Lindh
9.Road of Babylon (4.39)
10.In Both Ends (5.34) Keys - Par Lindh
11.Save Our Souls (5.14) K eys - Par Lindh
12.Memory Lane (4.48)
13.Wait for the Angels (4.42) Keys - Par Lindh
14.Cry No More (5.15) Guest Backing Vocals- Esa Pietila
Powerful, moving, melodic, progressive, and and over the wall impressive guitar playing
are just a few words to describe this stellar in your face guitar driven metal release!
That's even an understatement to the skill of this Euro guitarist! I just got this CD in
the mail from Lion Music and I was totally blown away! If your a fan of the Neo-Classical
/ Progressive Metal Genre or not you'll really love this CD. Don't get me wrong this isn't
a straight Neo release either, its just that it has lots of Neo-Classical touches to it.
"Another Dimension is also packed with shred and balls wall guitar playing.
That's the first thing you'll notice about Lars Eric Mattsson, his playing style is
massive! Whether its a million notes per second, soulful melodic solos, or down and
dirty metal riffing, this guy delivers the goods! If your a guitarist please do you
playing a favor and buy it! Even if your not, this CD was made for the true metal fan at
heart. Great lyrics and song writing and lots of catchy lyrics. Not to mention the
sound quality and mix of this CD is absolutely killer. Not many guitarists can handle the
production and mixing as well as this guy does. All instruments are clear and loud. I hope
you enjoy this CD just as much as I did reviewing. Its worth every cent! On with the
goods...
Track one "Hell" is a great name for this song because this song was written in
the utter depths of the pit of fire! Great guitar work, I love the main riff of the song,
it drives onward through out the whole track. Giving lots of power and mass. Also pay
attention to all the runs and fill in riffs through out the song. Great vocals Bjorn's
vocal have really developed though the past few releases and is stronger than ever. 1:55
begins the main lead section, and what can I say but IT SMOKES! The lead lines just flow
together so well. Lots of classical flare added in. Then the second part of the solo
chimes in at 2:24, and Lars shows how melodic he can be with a series of bends an melodic
phrases and a great climbing line at 2:41 - 2:46. I also love how the song breaks it self
up with some great clean sounding keyboards / guitars. It really helps to move the song
around to different parts.
"Crash and Burn" track two opens with a cool slow riff, with some great keyboard
backings. I really enjoyed this song, it a medium speed song. Lots of walking guitar lines
are played through out the whole song. Which really makes this song stand out from the
others. This is one thing the Mattsson does a lot, he uses lots of climbs and walking
lines. The lyrics in this song a cool too, very catchy. 2:13 marks the staring point of
the main lead of the song. This one is slower paced, focusing on great feel and soul. With
bits of shred tossed in every so often. Its very melodic and will defiantly catch your
attention, and keep it. I also like how Mattsson uses the keyboards to accent different
parts of the song. Again at 3:58 breaks another slow paced solo, with plenty of bends and
feel. This one really creeps up inside you. His lead tone is just so smooth and clean. No
bad notes, and he uses a great blend of effects to get this super sweet sounding tone.
"Don't Chain My Mind" track three is a pounding guitar driven song that will
tear down the walls with screaming leads and powerful vocals. The guitar just carries so
well in this song. Can we say start head banging right now! Great mix of instruments on
this one, the keyboards help create a massive wall of sound. Listen for Lars's cool climbs
all over the song. His guitar tone in this song is really pounding, I think I can feel
those Marshall speakers vibrating right next to my head! Nice keyboard solo at 2:41,
Mattsson's keyboard playing sounds as great as his guitar work. Its very melodic and
smooth. 3:17 unleashes the guitar onslaught from hell. Can we say shred? One off my
favorite solos on the CD period. It moves very fast and has some great licks all over the
place. My favorite is at 3:40, some slides with tons of effects that give it a spacey
sound. Bjorn Lordin's vocals are awesome on this track, very powerful. The drum work
really rock in this song as well. Eddie Sledgehammer has got some talented feet!
Track four "Angel Blue" is the first solo song on the CD. Lots of classical
elements through out the track. You even get a taste of citar in this track. This song has
a big middle Eastern vibe to it. The violin accents are a nice touch as well in this one.
2:22 begins the first solo, in Harmonic Minor. Its slower paced and very accented. He
selects some great passages for this one. Don't forget to check out the cool violin solo
at 3:48 that ends the song.
"Burn the Witch" track five begins with a nice nylon string guitar intro. Is has
a eerie almost dream like state sound to it. Then comes in the massive guitar. This song
is at a medium tempo. Cool clean guitar lines are tossed in every so often. You just gotta
love the lyrics in this track as well, to cool! This track really lays down a killer
groove, a slow banger if you will. 2:44 breaks out a cool 70' ish Hammond organ line by
Par Lindh (Guest keyboardist), something out of and old Rainbow CD, I'd say. Then Mattsson
hits you with another slower melodic solo that has some great speed breaks and impressive
licks. He really pays attention to the smallest details. I really love the part from
4:04 - 4:27 where the guitar lines are muted and doubled playing in harmony with each
other. Kind of Helloween like. 5:11 marks another great keyboard solo spot by Par Lindh ;
this one being slow, but really paying attention to the whole mood of the song.
"Burning in My Soul" track six begins with a hard hitting Metal guitar riff
accompanied by keyboards. We even get a killer guitar solo at 00:08. This song really
caries and has a power metal vibe to it. Showing that Mattsson has all realms of Heavy
Metal guitar covered! Cool lyrics in this one to, Lodin's voice really makes this track
stand out. Like said before, I think this is his best vocal display yet with Mattsson, his
voice has really evolved into a huge presence. Check out the chop fest at 2:30, gotta love
that shred. Rob Johnson (Guest Guitarists) uses the bridge pickup for this one and it
really smokes. Some super fast arpeggios at 2:56 buy our buddy Lars. Then some rocking
descending likes at 3:03. The rest of the solo is a shred fest from hell. Lars and Rob do
trade of leads in this and it is just amazing, the speed and cleanliness of the runs!
Track seven "Don't Lose Your Patience" is a nice break from the rest of the CD.
Its a slow paced track with lots of emotion and feel to it. Try out the soul packed solo
at 2:38 nothing but excellence. See if you can pick out the pentatonic lines he uses. This
song is also packed with Mattsson's signature fills, be sure to listen closely for them.
There's lots! Its also nice hear his blend of minor and pentatonic lead work
combined together, they fit so well.
Track eight "Another Dimension" is Mattsson's version of a Dream Theater epic
song packed with keyboard and guitar doubled lines. This song smokes, its a great
instrumental song. You get your repeating licks in this one as well. Lars's really
displays his technique in the song covering many modal movements. His guitar tone is great
and does slightly change depending on the line. Please check out the trade off / doubling
of keys and guitar beginning at 3:30 with the most evil guitar riff on the CD. Look out
DT, because Lars can do the progressive deal very well! I also really like Mattsson's use
of the WAH pedal to accent his playing, its not over done, and just adds a nice flavor to
the pot of leads.
"Road To Babylon" track nine starts off with a kick butt metal jam riff with a
tasteful pentatonic intro lead. Then the song gets a darker feel accenting on the Harmonic
Minor scale, take full use of the leading tones and the raised notes. Cool lyrics in this
song as well Bjorn again delivers a mass of vocals in this one. Check out the cool
descending hammer On Pull of lick at 2:26. This lead section really rocks. Lars packs so
many great sounding lines and runs into it. Also listen to the short WAH section at 2:51.
"In Both Ends" track ten starts with a slow jam riff backed by some cool backing
keyboards. This song also has those signature walking guitar lines in it. This is one
thing that really helps separate Lars Eric Mattsson from other guitarists, because not
many do this. They tend to stick with more straight ahead guitar lines. Lars isn't afraid
to stray from the guitar norms and try something different. Cool long keyboard solo at
2:10, its a slow paced one, emphasizing the notes a lots as they go. The backing drums in
this part really help the keys move, they both lock together. Lars's leads 2:45 are really
soulful, with a taste of Pentatonic thrown in. Again, the drums really help to add a solid
back beat to this song. Lots of cool lead breaks through out the song and defiantly take
some time to learn some of the backing riffs to this song, their great.
"Save Our Soul" track eleven is a atmospheric sounding song. Great vocals and
backing section really help develop the theme of this song. The keyboard adds in a very
airy sound to the song. Lars does some cool clean guitar work in this one. Also, pay
attention to the keyboards through out the track, you'll get to hear Par Lindh (Guest
keyboardist) do some arpeggios on the keyboard! I really like the last lead section
starting at 4:19 that accompanies the female vocal lines. Then Lars goes nuts with some
mega shredding. Go Lars!
Track twelve "Memory Lane" is another slow work of art. Very, very melodic. The
keys and guitars really lock together in harmony with each other, giving the song smooth
and sweet sound. This track really brings a calm mood onto the listener. Mattsson has a
great ability to suck the listener into his songs, clearing your mind from everything, but
the feeling of the song. Not many guitarists can do this successfully. They usually start
off going great, but then lose you somewhere along the way, but Lars's keeps you sucked in
dying for the next note. I really like the restating guitar line that pops in through out
the song. Also check out the outro leads there a little softer sounding than his normal
but they rock!
Track thirteen "Wait for the Angels" begins with Par Lindh's Hammond organ
playing which starts of nicely. These lines pop in many times through out the song. Also,
Bjorn Lodin's voice is varied in this song. He goes from soulful to the mild metal voice.
He really knows how to hit a nice variety of pitches. This is my favorite vocal track on
the CD. Bjorn's voice really stands out. Lars uses lots of his walking guitar lines in
this song again. This track is also packed with some great lead lines, check out this
outro section starting at 4:24, I love it! Lots of start and stop breaks.
Finally "Cry No More" song fourteen begins with a WAH infested jam riff. This
song reminds me of a Eric Clapton (electric style) meets Reggae with a bit of metal thrown
in. Its hard to explain, but after hearing the intro and the main guitar line you will
know what I am talking about. Again Bjorn Lodin, shows off some more of his vocal range on
this one. I'm really starting to like his style of singing, he has really grown on me.
2:07 marks the beginning of the coolest lead section of this song. I really get a Eric
Clapton feel from it, meaning the leads lines flow together with a great groove. What's
really cool is how Mattsson tosses in the Metal chorus lines. This song is defiantly a
great track to end with. Its a killer jam from start to finish. Surprise! There's even a
saxophone solo near the end at 4:05, bet you didn't expect that one.
Well what else is there to say, but this CD just plain rocks!!! Mattsson covers a lot of
guitar ground here. From classic rock to metal, we get it all. This CD was so well put
together its not even funny. Lars has a great song writing ability, thank god he is
sharing it with us all. The songs never get boring, they always keep your attention. If
your one of those tone monsters get ready to be blown away by this guys guitar sound. Its
simply ear pleasing. Mattsson uses a lot of bridge pickup when he does his shred lines,
more than most normal guys in his genre that's for sure. Again, the sound quality on this
CD is amazing. Its very crisp and clear, no sour sound or buried instrument tracks. I
can't wait to get my hands on another release from this shred monster. I have a feeling it
won't be that long!
So please go check out this release from the stellar guitar god Lars Eric Mattsson, he's
nothing like you've heard before! Whether its metal, rock, progressive, pentatonics, or
classical you'll simply fall in love with Mattsson's guitar playing as I have. I really
enjoyed writing the review for this album because I can really appreciate the caliber of
this guitarist, ones like him really make on going contributions to the guitar playing
world. Without them we would not grow as guitar players ourselves! Cheers...
© Shreddemon Web Solutions 2000-2001
LARS ERIC MATTSON
Eternity
Lion Music
Lars has been around since the mid-eighties and was discovered by Mike Varney and Lars
played on about ten albums throughout the years. “Eternity” was his debut album
he recorded it for Black Dragon Records back in 1988. Lars wanted to give the album a
second change but instead of re-mastering the tapes he simply recorded the album all over
again and added “Children Of The Sun” a song that wasn’t available on the
original release. The line up of this version is also different from the original. On
vocals we have Bjorn Lodin (Baltimore) and on drums Eddie Sledgehammer. Lars played all
the other instruments. Listening to this album is like being transported back into the
eighties. Twelve tracks of melodic metal with great melodies and of course Lars’
strong guitar work will fill your room when you play this disk. Bjorn’s voice reminds
me a lot of David Coverdale and contributes a lot to the high standard of this recording.
Lars is a guitar player who can shred but also can be very tasteful with his guitar
antics. It is cool to see that an album like this is available again. Especially for old
farts like myself who grew up with real hard rock / heavy metal. (8)
Bruno Van de Velde - Undertow
Lars Eric Mattsson - Eternity
(Re-recorded)
(Lion Music - 2001)
The first album returns re-recorded due to Lars not being happy with the original
Europe/Japanese release from 1988 of which he says, "The recordings were of extremely
low quality due to lack of money and knowledge. We recorded and mixed the album
ourselves without really knowing what we were doing".
So here it is - a newly completed version that features alongside Mr. Mattson (who takes
care of Guitars, Bass and Keyboards), Bjorn Lodin on vocals (of 'Baltimoore' fame) and
drummer Eddie Sledgehammer !!!! (now that's a class surname!!!) The album is jam
packed with virtuoso musicianship with Lars and the boys coming hurtling at you from the
speakers like a blizzard. Expect to be impressed with outstanding numbers like the
pacey, powered instrumental 'Mujahedrin Warrior' with it's short flamenco styled middle
section. Other superb songs on this outstanding album are 'Let it Rock' (which
you've just gotta dig for the title alone) which actually reminds me of Dio's 'Don't talk
to Strangers'. Then there's, 'Can't go on without your love' with the atmospheric
organ intro or the chuggin' rhythm assault and screaming lead solo action that swirls
around with some well beaten drums booming out as well on 'Love is the answer'. Lars has
even included three bonus tracks such as 'Children of the Sun' which didn't make it on the
original release. This comes across as being very Malmsteen and puts me in mind of
some of his numbers like 'The Queen's in Love' and 'You don't remember, I'll never
forget'.
'Eternity' is quite simply album that has enough on it to keep you interested for that
exact length of time.
8/10
by Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS
LARS ERIC MATTSSON - Eternity
(www.lionmusic.com)
Mattsson has become more impressive over time, balancing precision and killer riffage and
melody with fantastic results. Bjorn Lodin's smokey vocals are a powerful accompaniment to
this Blackmore meets modern heavy rock guitar exploration. The songs are crisp, yet bouncy
which is rare. "Let It Rock" is a beefy rumbler that quakes and shuffles like
Purple in their finest sweet spot. Yet the track, like most of the others, has a unique
nuance Mattsson can call his own. Meanwhile, "Mujahedin Warrior" gives Yngwie a
run for his money while "Devil In The Mirror" jousts about with Marshall Stack
fireballs and a propulsive
thrust of veteran craftsmanship. Some tracks could use some bigger hooks but the other
ingredients are still very strong. Recommended for fans of Yngwie and Blackmore and
powerful melodic rock.
Brian Coles www.electricbasement.com
LARS ERIC
MATTSSON
|
Lars Eric Mattsson "Eternity"
An epic release from guitar slinger Lars Eric Mattsson. Originally released in 1988, Lars has updated the material and re-recorded the nine original tracks from the 88' version. Two bonus tracks have been added to the mix along with the new masterpiece "Children of the Sun". The entire CD is a brilliant testament to Lars compositional sensibilities and virtuoso guitar chops. Melodic guitar riffing is the flavor of the day on this release showcasing Lars tight guitar driven arrangements and spectacular solos. Influences run the gamete on this release from neo-classical to straight ahead hard rock!
Along with the vocal tracks there are some very cool instrumentals, like the majestic "Mujahedin Warrior". A neo-classical storm bringer with some really well controlled playing with a nice melodic flare. Another highlight of the CD that combines some awesome keyboard playing with smoldering guitar is the tune "Can't Go On Without You". The gravelly voiced Bjorn Lodin (Baltimoore) aptly handles all vocals - the perfect match for Lars masterful song writing.
Eternity is an awesome guitar oriented release from a veteran guitar virtuoso who knows how to combine styles with a melodic slant.
Guitar Mania
LARS ERIC MATTSSON - ELECTRIC VOODOO (re-release)
LION MUSIC
Over the last few months the guitar genre's popularity has been spreading like wildfire
with new amazing players popping up from all over the world
and rare albums being finally made available or reissued on CD, like this one from Finland
based virtuoso Lars Eric Mattsson. "Electric Voodoo" originally came out in 1990
in an era that spawned the likes of Jeff Scheetz, Blues Saraceno, Michael Lee Firkins,
Eric Johnson etc. 1990 was of course the unforgettable year that Steve Vai released his
masterpiece "Passion And Warfare" which like Satriani's "Surfing With The
Alien" made a huge dent on the world charts and in doing so gave the guitar genre a
much needed boost. "Electric Voodoo" is a very melodic neo-classical inspired
record, some of the songs however show similarities to "P&W" which can be
heard on beautiful pieces such as 'The Cry Of Love' which has the same tinge to it
as Vai's own "For The Love Of God". Mattsson is a highly proficient and
respected musician, this CD is a grand gathering of excellent instrumentals that
often appear to be very complexed in structure without loosing the essence of melody, thus
the songs are all inspirational pieces that still sound very fresh and exciting eleven
years on.
From wonderful neo-classical pieces such as the title track, the impressive 'The Exciter',
'Apocalypse', the Latin/acoustic/electric based 'Adagio', the thunderous 'Little Rock' the
calmer neo classical 'Way Out' to the new bonus track 'Sacrifice Of Love' all show
that Lars was always one of the best Euopean guitar players around, his sweeping patterns
and keen ear for details without going to over the top on his songs have always been the
key to Mattsson's longevity. Lars recently recorded a track for the fourthcoming Jason
Becker tribute cd alongside Mark Boals which is due out in July.
Nicky Baldrian
Artist: Lars Eric Mattsson
Title: Eternity
Lars Eric Mattsson
originally released "Eternity" in 1988. Since then things have changed for
Mattsson. When this album was first recorded Mattson and his band were green when it came
to the recording processes. The sound was a lot to be desired and Lars knew it. Now a new
remastered version is available including the tracks that were intended for the first
release (they are listed as bonus tracks).
What I heard on this CD was an even distribution of prog-rock, metal, and rock with vocals. The vocalist Bjorn Lodin sounds very much like Rod Stewart, and for some reason the music reminded me of one of the incarnations of Rainbow in the eighties. The three tracks that got my attention were the instrumentals (no surprise there) ‘Mujahedin Warrior’, ‘Eternity’, and ‘Midsummer Nights Dream’ (which has finally seen the light of day).
The more releases that I hear from Mattsson’s catalog the more I can appreciate how he has developed as an accomplished guitar virtuoso performer. It’s apparent to me that he has always had a firm grip on his direction as a musician. Those of you that have been aware of his music since he started out will really appreciate this CD. Those of you that have yet to discover this great guitar player are in for a grand listen.
© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
October 18, 2001
Bonus Tracks: |
LARS ERIC MATTSSON - Eternity (CD - Lion Music - Finland ).
Lars is a kind of guitar hero that has a place in the hall of european cult musics, "Eternity" was recorded in 1988 with low quality but the album won the recognition of all guitar hard rock lovers. The Label Lion Music re-released now the album and all songs are recorded again and now the guitarrist count with the inpirated vocals of Bjorn Lodin, a great revelation of hard rock with a emblem voice in the line of Rod Stewart. The new version is great with beautiful guitar harmonies, double vocals, inpirated climates of sadness, love & rock'n'roll spirit , the compositions of Lars resist at the time and songs like "Where do You Go? ", "Can't Go Without Your Love" & "Tales Untold" and the bones track "Children of the Night" have a great feeling!! Contacts: www.lionmusic.com / info@lionmusic.com (EF)
MATTSSON Another Dimension Lion music
Diverse, brilliant melodic metal
RATING: 8
Lars Eric Mattsson is the mind, heart, and soul of "Another Dimension," a
70-minute set of intense melodic hard rock. The performances are outstanding,
especially on guitar; Mattsson is a tremendous guitarist, and his melodic sense and
command of tone makes every solo a treat. The compositions are even better. They're
multi-faceted, remarkably diverse, accessible enough for the masses, and intricate enough
for prog-metal fans. They range from energized, classically-influenced Euro-metal
("Don't Chain My Mind") to catchy melodic hard rock ("Road Of
Babylon"), beautiful balladry ("Don't Lose Your Patience"), and a
wonderfully diverse, reggae/funk/jazz-touched melodic rocker ("Cry No More").
And that doesn't even include the title track, a killer, melodic instrumental that
jaw-droppingly integrates guitar influences like Blackmore, Schenker, Vai, and
more... it'll blow you away. This is both a great instrumental showcase and a great
melodic metal album, and if you're a fan of either genre, you owe it to yourself to
get into "Another Dimension."
- The Big Room
Reviewed on 3.17.00
_________________________________________________________________
 |
Lars Eric Mattson - Eternity Lion Music - 2001
Lars Eric Mattsson - Guitars, Bass,
Keys |
| Re recorded from 1998, Lars felt that the original release was not up to par. Contained within Eternity is a jam packed CD full of blistering musicianship. Lars and company hurl the music at your ears at sonic speed unloading riffage such as Let It Rock, Can't Go On Without Your Love, Children Of The Sun and The Queen's in Love. Lars covers a full range of styles from Dio to say Malmsteen. Lars is a guitar virtuoso and his band is nothing less then superb. Bjorn Lodin (Baltimoore) add his unique flair and style giving a new dimension to an old record. The coolest thing about Eternity is that it has a full range of styles and influences and that is enough to hold a listener through to the very end. |
Mattsson - Another Dimension
Lion Music
Lars Eric Mattson was discovered by Mike Varney back in 1985. After several solo albums he
teamed up with singer Conny Lind (Amaze Me), drummer Tony Mattsson and bassist Michael
Ahlskog to form the band Vision. This was in 1992.
In 1994 he got in contact with another Swedish singer, called Bjorn Lodin, who had been in
the band Baltimore with guitarist Nikolo Kotsev (Brazen Abbot). Together they recorded a
self titled album called Astral Groove, but the band split up soon after that.
Since then Lars Eric Mattsson has recorded another Vision album (called Till The End Of
Time and released in 1996) and a solo album (again with Bjorn Lodin on vocals), called
Obsession which was received very well. Progression Magazine (USA) even called the album
1998's best guitar album. Impressive, to say the least.
And this album isn't bad either. People who are into the Yngwie
Malmsteen/Impellitteri/Tony MacAlpine kind of stuff, will love this one. The silver disc
is full of guitar driven heavy metal (duh!), sometimes uptempo (Hell, Burning My Soul)
sometimes more laid back (Crash And Burn, Don't Lose Your Patience) and then there's the
occasional (semi-) ballad (Angel Blue). And let's not forget the classical influenced
guitarsolos (listen to the insturmental title track!).
But what surprised me the most on this album, though is that the the album ends with two
brilliant Melodic Rock tunes. Wait For The Angels (which makes me think of some of Stuart
Smith's material) is definitely my favorite song on the album. Cry No More is another
favorite of mine. The little Down Under (Men At Work) kind of riff in the verses gives it
something very special, not to mention the sax solo towards the end.
Coming to conclusions this is a good album, that takes some time to grow on you. But if
you give it time to do so, it'll reward you with a lot of listening pleasure.
MMMM (out of 5)
Wanna Rock? http://start.at/majesticmagazine
____________________________________________
MATTSSON-Another Dimension
(Lion Music)
This is the latest CD from this virtuoso guitar player that had some releases on the
past and he was discovered by Mike Varney, the owner of Sharpnel Records.
"Another Dimension" is a neo-Classical Hard Rock CD that brings to mind
influences from DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW and Yngwie J. Malmsteen. Bjon Lodin's voice
definitely has influences from Ian Gillan but it really doesn't matter since his
"roughness" add emotion to the tracks. There are also some special guests such
as Rob Johnson (MAGNITUDE 9) and Patrick Rondat (known for his solo career and his
participation in Jean Michel Zarre's band). If someone can judge from the songs, there are
some certain parts that the listener can stick to them such as "Road of Babylon"
(great one!), "Burning my soul" (nice "melancholic" riff!),
"Crash and Burn" and others. There are also some intense commercial songs that
could have been avoided, but overall Lars has done a nice job. Fans of this demanding
genre should support artists like Lars.15$ from LION MUSIC, Stromsangarna 22 410 Godby
Aland, FINLAND (From the same address you can order Lars' previous releases and Alex
Masi's "In the name of Bach" CD which is reviewed here. For a comprehensive list
of Lion Music's releases, check
their web-site at: www.lionmusic.com
TEMPLES OF ETERNITY 'ZINE/METAL INVADER MAGAZINE - DIMITRIS
STARAKIS
Mattsson - Another Dimension
Lion Music
Lars Eric Mattsson is a busy fella on this one, handling guitars, bass and keyboards
along with sole songwriting credit for this hour long opus. Unlike many vanity
projects, this has the feeling of a band with soulful unity with execution reminiscent of
early Rainbow or Steel Prophet's better works. One thing's for sure, The impact of '70s
melodic metal is obvious throughout the recording. It comfortably draws on the
keyboard flourishes of Deep Purple, Dio-esque lyrical sensibilities and the soaring
hooks of Heep's more strident moments. And for the sake of '80s representation, tag on
an Iron Maiden gallop on a few tunes while your at it. The most stunning derivative
quality is lead throat
Bjorn Lodin. Taking all the nuances of Ian Gillan, the visceral qualities of Dickinson and
scuffing them
up with a square of sandpaper makes for quite a treat. This guy can belt with spirit.
The arrangements are varied and eclectic yet mostly falling under a Blackmore influence.
"Crash and
Burn" has one of those tight, economical, gothic riffs the Man in Black would kill
for nowadays. "Burn
the Witch" is waltzing power at its finest, culminating in a fierce chorus, burning
the cloth that protects
the face of your store brand speakers. "Waiting for Angels' recalls modern day
Savatage, meshing keys
and guitar with swooping hooks. "Don't Lose Your Patience" is a bluesy, mellow
piece with Byron-era
Heep coating it throughout. Mattsson also proves he isn't just a technical whiz, but a man
of finesse too.
"Cry No More" is a strange but impressive blend of metal and reggae that works
way better than you'd
imagine.
One drawback is that the album has a few tracks that lack that standout quality to make
this sucker 5 bolt
rating. Also, the production, though competent, is a little dulled for some reason. As a
whole, worthy of
a big nod for having good taste and mostly excellent execution. -Rock Devil 2/6/00
4 out of 5 www.electricbasement.com
MATTSON
Another Dimension
Lion Music
Lars Eric Mattson returns with the new output. The last album
"Obsession" was above-average hard rock album in veins of
Rainbow or early Yngwie Malmsteen. "Another Dimension" shows a
great improvement in respect to songwriting. To make things more
interesting, Lars invited some friends and musicians to guest on this
project, for example, Patrick Rondat, Rob Johnson, or Par Lindh.
The result is 14 compositions that move somewhere between classic
hard rock, symphonic heavy metal, and progressive music. Rough,
unique voice of Bjorn Lodin lends the album the necessary
originality. Good. (SV)
[15$, incl. postage, Lion Music, Stromsangarna, 22410 Godby, Aland, Finland]
[http://www.lionmusic.com] [info@lionmusic.com]
4 out of 5
REVIEW by Powermetal.de
Kritik: Ich muß gestehen, daß mir der Name Lars Eric Mattsson bislang
noch nichts sagte, obwohl er mit \"Another Dimension\" nun schon sein achtes
Album (zwei unter dem Namen \"Vision\", eines mit \"Astral Groove\"
und die restlichen unter seinem bürgerlichen Namen) veröffentlicht hat. Zum Glück ist
mir jetzt mit eben \"Another Dimension\" ein vielfältiges Meisterwerk in die
Hände gefallen, denn es wäre zu schade, wenn dieses Album lediglich ein Insider-Tip
bleibt. Es ist sehr schwierig, dem geneigten Leser jetzt zu beschreiben, was für Musik
einen auf dieser Scheibe erwartet. Man kann und sollte MATTSSON auch gar nicht in
irgendeine Schublade zwängen, aber eine Mischung aus Progessive Rock und Classic Rock
dürfte die Sache doch einigermaßen umschreiben, obwohl er auch viele andere Einflüsse
(auch aus Pop Musik und Klassik) verarbeitet. Auf jeden Fall erwarten den Hörer über 70
Minuten (!) abwechslungsreiche und zeitlose Musik.´ Die ehesten vergleichbar ist MATTSSON
mit DREAM THEATER, aber auch an andere Prog-Bands oder sogar Acts wie FAITH NO MORE, DEEP
PURPLE und diverse Achtziger-Jahre-Gitarrenhelden erinnert mich der eine oder andere Song.
Bei den Aufnahmen zu diesem Album gaben sich auch einige bekanntere Musiker die Klinke in
die Hand. Patrick Rondat (JEAN MICHEL JARRE), Erik Norlander (LANA LANE, ROCKET
SCIENTISTS), Rob Johnson (MAGNITUDE 9), Pär Lindh (PÄR LINDH PROJECT) und andere sorgen
für viele aufregende Momente. Besonders die Vielzahl der unterschiedlichen Instrumente
macht das Album so abwechslungsreich. So entstehen Songs, wie man sie nicht jeden Tag zu
Ohren bekommt, z.B. das mit Violinen untermalte \"Angel Blue\" oder \"Wait
For The Angels\" mit einer, auf einer Hammond-Orgel gespielten, genialen Melodie
(mein persönliches Highlight und absoluter Ohrwurm!). Ob nun ruhige, melodische Balladen,
riffbasierte Rocksongs oder progressives Gitarrengefrickel, den Hörer erwartet eine
musikalische Rundreise. Dazu kommt, daß Lars Eric Mattsson seine Gitarre wie eine Eins
beherrscht, und zudem auch kein schlechter Sänger ist. Und wenn dann die Songs mit Par
Lindh\'s Hammond-Orgel, Saxophon (\"Cry No More\"), Synthesizer, Violinen oder
herrlichen Backing-Chören (u.a. \"Don\'t Lose Your Patience\") untermalt
werden, bleibt einfach kein Auge trocken. Und erst diese grandiosen Gitarrensoli... Die
vielen unterschiedlichen Instrumente fügen sich wie selbstverständlich in das Album ein,
jedes an seinem Platz. Durch diese unglaubliche Vielzahl an fantastischen Melodien ist
jeder Song etwas Besonderes. Jeder, der sich auch gerne mal anspruchsvolle und
gleichzeitig inspirierende Musik anhört, sollte sich dieses Album zulegen und damit eine
Lücke im heimischen Plattenschrank schließen. Bleibt zu hoffen, daß die Scheibe es in
das ein oder andere Regal der hiesigen Musikgeschäfte schafft, damit Lars Eric Mattsson
auch hier ein paar Fans für sich begeistern kann. Fakt ist, daß \"Another
Dimension\" als Titel der Scheibe, ziemlich genau den Kurs des Albums beschreibt. Es
ist eben nicht mit dem ganzen Einheitsbrei, der permanent von überall auf einen
hereindröhnt, zu vergleichen. Man sollte das Album nicht mal nebenbei hören, sondern die
Musik auf sich wirken lassen, es lohnt sich auf alle Fälle! Das Wort
\"Langeweile\" wird beim Hören dieses Meisterwerkes mit Sicherheit aus dem
Wortschatz gestrichen, da jeder Song so etwas wie eine eigene Note hat. Exzellent!
Anspieltips: Don\'t Chain My Mind, Angel Blue, Don\'t Lose Your Patience, Another
Dimension, In Both Ends, Save Our Souls, Wait For The Angels, Cry No More (...ich weiß,
das ist fast das komplette Album, aber sagt das nicht eigentlich alles?!?)
Redakteur: stephan
Lars Eric Mattsson : Electric Voodoo
11 songs / 50 minutes
(Lion Music)
Finland’s first guitar maestro, Lars Eric Mattsson, was first discovered by the wellknown guitar freak Mike Varney in 1985. In 1987 Lars released a 4 track EP.After this release, Lars signed to the French label Black Dragon Records for which he recorded 3 albums.
One of these 3 albums was this one "Electric Voodoo".Leviathan Records released this album in the U.S.A., but there the title of the album was "The Exciter".In 1995 it also was released in Korea by SKC.
Originally released in 1991, Lars thought it was now the time for a re-release. In early 2001, "Electric Voodoo" was remastered by Lars in his studio the Lion’s Cage.He also added a bonus track, called "Sacrifice of Love". On this remastered version are 11 instrumental rock tracks. They showcase Lars own characteristic guitar sound. Not really comparable with other guitarists, but he surely has influenced some guys who have picked up his style. This is one of the best early instrumental guitar albums!
www.lionmusic.com
Rating : 79 %
Review by Ronny Elst
Lars Eric Mattsson-Electric Voodoo
From one of Lion Music's busiest talents, Lars Eric Mattsson, comes a great reissue. Lars
Eric Mattsson can really burn up a fretboard not to mention his composition skills.
'Electric Voodoo' was originally released in 1991. It has been remastered and includes one
bonus track. Here is the track description.
1. Reflections-Quite a bit going on here. Mid tempo track with
interesting keyboard and percussion usage. Semi-heavy. Good technical aspects.
2. Chrome Kills-Lots of scale work here. Emphasis definitely on finger
dexterity. Makes my hand tired just listening to it.
3. The Cry of Love-Laid back tempo. Good discipline. Lars doesn't overdo
it. Good emotion that flows through the song.
4. Apocalypse-This one reminds me a lot of the power metal scene thru the
last few years in Europe. A bit ahead of it's time I'd say. Like the keyboard arrangements
on this one.
5. Electric Voodoo-Very cool change ups. I like the acoustic piece
in the middle. Very good picking. Mood music.
6. The Exciter-Original title of U.S. version of the album. This tune
reminds me a bit of some of the work that Yngwie did early on. Real exercise in
discipline.
7. Adagio-Lighter track with good keyboard usage. The keys enhance the
guitar work and make this track really stand out.
8. Little Rock-This track is consistent with the other mid tempo tracks
on the disc. Guitar driven.
9. Green Cats-A bit groove oriented. Some trippy keyboards throughout.
Kind of a visual tune. Fits the title of the tune well.
10. Way Out-Good melody. On the same wavelength as the rest of the track
lineup.
11. Sacrifice of Love-The bonus track. Very good addition to the album.
Great melodic tune with good balance of instrumentation. One of my favorites. Flows well.
It is worth mentioning that this is an instrumental album in which Lars plays everything.
He is a very good guitarist as well as everything he else he plays. He has a passion for
composition. This album will appeal to those who like instrumentals as well as the
technical aspect of song writing.
Review by Dave Palmer Heavy of the Metal Resource metalmayhem
Lars Eric Mattsson - Obsession(12 Track CD) Review from Blackmail Productions www.blackmailpromos.com
|
Review by Progression Magazine (Doug Curran) Lars Eric Mattsson: Obsession CD(61:09) Lion Music LMC98012 Hoping for another Rainbow album?Look no further, my friend. It's here, courtesy of Lars Eric Mattsson, guitar hero from Finland.His fourth solo release apart from the band Vision, Obsession is filled with 12 short songs(eight of them five minutes or less), all written and produced by Mattsson. He plays guitars, electric sitar, bass, keyboards and percussion - think of him as the Trevor Rabin of Scandinavia! He is ably assisted by Bjorn Lodin on vocals from last year's Vision CD, and Christer Jansson on Drums. They are a three man version of Graham Bonnet era Rainbow, of Impellitteri (with Bonnet), or Yngwie Malmsteen with Joe Lynn Turner. We're talking the Ritchie Blackmore guitar style and tone, the wide vocal range and overdubbed harmonies, the dual guitar and organ lines. For the most part these are vigorous, uptempo songs with catchy melody lines, precise guitar solos and excellent production and songwriting in the classical/gothic guitar hard-rock tradition. Mattson's use of electric sitar on "Just a Leo", combined with Uli Jon Roth-flavored fretwork creates a captivating sound I've not heard before. Other highlights include "As the Sun Meets the Sky", with evocative acoustic guitar, shakers, gliding sitars and an electric solo, ending with more acoustic guitar. And "And the Road Goes On"- featuring a short piano run behind the vocals, a long sinewy guitar solo, several false stops and a few bars of organ at the end. This is not a progressive album
per se, but it's the best guitar-based rock release I've encountered so far in 1998. |
Review by Derek Daniel of Stormbringer Webzine:
|
Review by Roger Brosel of AOR LAND :
LARS
ERIC MATTSSON
|
|
Lars Eric Mattsson (G, B, K) Bjorn Lodin (V) Roland (D) Christer Jansson (P) LION MUSIC - 1998 |
| Seven years after his last solo album
("Electric Vodoo"), Finnish guitar player Lars Eric Mattsson comes back with
"Obsession". In the latest years we have been able to find him with his own act:
Vision. But after this parenthesis he releases this, his fourth solo record.
Lars is not the kind of virtuoso that every record means a six-string orgy with two-hundred notes each second. Of course, he can play fast and he shows his axe dexterity quite often as well, but Lars is also worried about the songs, and songwriting hasn't been missed in "Obsession". This recording will amuse fans of Malmsteen or this kind of classically trained hard ("Lay It On The Line"), thought "Obsession" is not only that. Some Purple in fine form can be heard in " "Long Way Home" or the superb "Just a Leo". The Malmsteen-esque moments come with opener "Caught In Your Web" or "Alive". I would only criticize that Swedish ace Bjorn Lodin seems strained in parts of the record, anyway, on the whole his performance is correct. There is also some more AORish moments like "Time And Again" that could remind you of what Lars did in the second Vision album. Clocking over the seven minute mark, "The Road Goes On" is also one of the best moments with a good instrumental part plus a hooky refrain. Fans of Scando melodic hard rock should check out this one. Virtuosism and some good tunes make this comeback solo album worth hearing. Some news from Lion Music inform that Vision's debut will be reissued in August and the same will hapen to Lars' first solo "Eternity" during 1999. |
| Review by Michael Mengakis Obsession (album)Well, here we have the perfect album for lovers of good technical guitar sound. Lars Eric Mattsson after eleven years in music industry is back with a great, guitar-based album. The fact is that if you are searching only for bands who play new things you better stop reading now. This means that Lars Eric Mattsson's Obsession is not a real progressive piece of work. The fact is that the song-writing and performance of this group is excellent. Bjorn Lodin, the band's voice, is the right person for this kind of stuff. Especially on the epic parts he is really good. Mattsson's performance on guitar is just perfect and the keyboard parts are also good. I repeat, it's not for the ones who seek for real Prog but an excellent album for lovers of good technical based-on-guitar hard-rock/metal.
Michael
Menegakis |
| Review by Tales from the Progressive Ocean, Germany
Lars
Eric Mattsson: Obsession |
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Review from OUAS Webzine Lars Eric Mattsson "Obsession" 1998 Lion Music (61:07) (1) Caught In Your Web (2) Alive (3) Just A Leo (4) Messenger (5) Long Way Home (6) Time And Again (7) Sense And Obsession (8) Mother Forgive (9) As The Sun Meets The Sky (10) Eyes Of A Child (11) Lay It On The Line (12) And The Road Goes On Grade/rating: B ... Joel summarized this disc pretty well. Mattsson is an excellent guitarist and all-around musician, creating solid melodic hardrock tunes. And Bjorn Lodin, while not too impressive at first listen, is quite a perfect match for Mattsson's slightly Yngwie-style licks with his strong and emotional, but raspy, vocal presence. "Obsession" doesn't offer anything too original from the European rock/metal market -- Finland, to be specific. But that actually works to Mattsson's advantage, tapping into a solid base of potential fans worldwide. And with several releases from Lion Music available from both Mattsson and former project Vision, Mattsson has an impressive catalog to match his experienced sound. Definitely worth some investigation by hardrock fans everywhere.
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Review for the SFK magazine by Tim LARS ERIC MATTSSON - OBSESSION (81%) Lion Music, 1998 [http://www.lionmusic.com] At first I thought Mr. Mattsson was an Yngwie J. Malmsteen disciple, but I later realized he's got more in common with Michael Schenker. Mattsson's melodic playing just flat-out *sings* the way Herr Schenker's best work does. Most of the music here has a commercial UFO vibe, with a dash of Deep Purple heaviness; if you've ever fantasized about how Schenker would sound playing in Purple, check out "Long Way Home." There's some exotic sitar thrown in for good measure, and vocalist Bjorn Lodin's has a weird feline quality that's oddly pleasing, too. "Caught In Your Web," "Time And Again," "Mother Forgive," and "Eyes Of A Child" are the best songs. Very cool. |
Reviewed by Greger Rönnqvist - Prog Net LARS ERIC MATTSSON - Obsession
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