JULIEN DAMOTTE - review added 15th February 2010
Album Review: Trapped (2010)
For fans of: Prog Rock... and moments of death metal mixed with moments of softness
30 year old French guitarist Julien Damotte has been playing for well over half his life, and had lessons over the years with people like Bumblefoot (Guns N' Roses) and Stephan Forté (Adagio). He has also played in (or for) bands including Devilspoon, Exprim, Ze Froggiez, MadOnAGun and Void, exploring numerous genres.
His first solo release, the instrumental Deep Inside, came out back in 2003. New album Trapped heads down a different path. This album only has one instrumental song. The rest feature Julien and others - including Gus Monsanto - performing vocals. Julien performs the majority of the musicianship too. Guests including Nach, Mattias IA Eklundh, Christophe Godin and more, cut in with occasional guitar and keyboard pieces. Otherwise this is one man and a dream.
The music is really intriguing. Julien's other bands and projects have clearly had a major influence on Trapped. There's everything from soft acoustic string plucking to out-and-out death metal. He covers most areas in between too. The album as a whole is disjointed, but think of it as an incredible showcase of talent and it makes more sense. Julien really is an inspirational composer and a superb musician. Some of the progressive avenues he travels down are truly eye opening.
Moments of note include 'Opening Chapter' which in places recalls the beat structure of Metallica's 'One', 'Eternal Love', which sounds like an amalgam of Dream Theater and Jimmy Page, 'The Inner Struggle', which sounds like an amalgam of Dream Theater and, er, Testament, and the moody, serene and understated 'Death'. The twelve minute 'The Last Chapter' has its moments too.
Trapped is a very impressive platter of progressive rock and metal delicacies. This is not a collection of songs in the usual sense of the word; it's not an album to sing or dance along to. It's one to experience and reflect upon afterwards. This is music that enters your body through your soul, not through your ears. As an actual 'album', Trapped is only average. As an adventure through sound, it's off the scale.
Check out... All of it.
Track List:
01. Born Dead
02. Opening Chapter
03. The Voice Within Your Soul
04. Eternal Love
05. The Inner Struggle
06. What You've Been Through
07. Dying
08. Death
09. Ending Chapter
Artist's website(s): Julien Damotte , MySpace
