MIKE CAMPESE
Album Preview: Electric City (2010)
For fans of: Instrumental Hard Rock
Mike Campese is known as a guitar virtuoso, he is an all-around music performer, session artist competent in many musical styles, electric and acoustic.
Mike has been featured and is a lesson writer for many national guitar magazines such as Guitar World, Guitar One and Guitar Player, he has done several full page lessons for these magazines. Mike also writes lessons for several online sites such as Guitar9.com, ibreathemusic, Chops From Hell, Shred Academy, Premier Guitar and many more.
Mike teaches over 60 students a week and is one of the top teachers in the NY area. He has released 3 instructional DVDs for Chops From Hell, "Virtuoso Rock Fusion Concepts", "Creative Speed-Building Picking Techniques" and "Melodic Shred".
He attended one of the worlds top guitar school Musicians institute (GIT) in Hollywood, California and graduated with Honors.
He studied with many great players such as Paul Gilbert, Scott Henderson, Norman Brown, Stanley Jordan, Keith Wyatt and many more.
Mike was a member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and received a Gold record for his work and has appeared on the Jason Becker tribute Cd "Warmth In The Wilderness" on the Lion Music label in Finland, which was a international release. He performed and opened for many national acts such as Yngwie Malmsteen on 2 tours, Michael Schenker, The B-52's, Lou Reed, The members of Yes and Asia, KC and the Sunshine band, Spin Doctors, Little Steven, Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls, Sebastian Bach on 2 tours, Dokken, Kip Winger, Rik Emmett Of Triumph, Lizzy Borden, Vinnie Moore and many many more.
Mike also performed at the Cruefest 2 show which featured Motley Crue, Godsmack, Drowning Pool, Theory of a Deadman, Rev Theory and more.
He has released 7 solo CDs to date and performs locally and nationally. January 2007-2010 Mike played at the NAMM show in Anaheim California. Mike's fan base is growing internationally and has appeared on national radio and TV and his music has been used for a Lions Gate movie. He is endorsed by several national companies, be sure to visit http://www.mikecampese.com/ for more info and shows...and have a look here whilst you're at it.
Electric City:
Electric City is the 7th solo release from guitar virtuoso Mike Campese. The 14 song, over 76 minute CD is filled with some of the most blistering guitar work Mike has ever recorded.
The CD kicks off with a bang with the tune "Eleventh Degree" featuring some intense melodic shredding and jazzy harmonies. Just when you thought you heard some crazy guitar playing, Campese takes it up another notch with "Shred Machine", which is pure non stop shredding done very tastefully. This is defiantly Mike Campese's most heaviest CD to date, with the down tuned song "Heavy Thing" and the in your face progressive vocal tune "LandShark". Mike Campese really shows off his versatility with the indian inspired tunes like "Cruisin Across the Mojave" and "Camelryde".
Like each Mike Campese CD before there is something for everyone. Campese does some pretty intense over the top guitar work, especially on the demonic arpeggio blistering tune "Over The Top", which Paganini fans would love and the face melting tune "Napali Coast". Mike does sing on a few tracks on this disc like on the epic tune "Kauai Blue", which is loaded with lush harmonies. Mike can really shred but he has a strong sense of melody that he is known for which can be heard on his catchy ballad "Closer To The Sun" that has some beautiful haunting melodies.
Campese even gets a little funky on the tunes "Butterfingers" and "Punk Ass", featuring some hip sassy melodies.
The Mike Campese fans are going to love this CD and it should bring him over the top.
Review:
Mike Campese's NEW Album "Electric City" has enough power behind it to light up all of Upstate New York and then some. Another masterpiece of neo classical shred extravaganzas to progressive hard rock metal ecstasy...
Mike Campese is an American guitarist and composer best known for being a member of the multi-platinum group Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Campese was picked over several guitarists in 2004 during the band's fourth CD "The Lost Christmas Eve" and received a gold record for his work. If you haven't seen Trans-Siberian Orchestra, then please check 'em out... You won't be sorry. In 2008, Mike released his own rock Christmas CD, "The Meaning of Christmas" and it has been well received all over the world. Campese is an honors graduate from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Ca.
The 3rd tune "Heavy Thing" is definitely a keeper and one for the skool of rock books... I totally dig the vibe on this ambitious track... I like the parallel universe space ride vertigo feeling along w/ the analogous jungle of drumz and the Zakk Wylde heavily crunchin' percussive filled riffs. Mike is a master guitar player who can shred one second and be as tastefully fluid as warm honey pouring over hot buttered pancakes the next...
Maestro Campese has appeared on the Jason Becker tribute CD "Warmth in the Wilderness", which was released internationally on the Lion Music record label and his music was featured in a Lions Gate movie called, "Vampire Assassins". Mike has been featured in national magazines such as Guitar One, Guitar World and Guitar Player and is a Columnist for these publications. Mike also writes many online guitar columns on sites such as Guitar Nine, Premier Guitar and Shred Academy. Mike has released 7 solo CD's under his name, his second album "Full Circle" was featured on National Public Radio (NPR) stations across the country and was on regular rotation.
The indigenous auditory tune "Cruisin' Across the Mohave' " has a really neat acoustic drive to it w/ the acoustic sounding drums, shakers, wood blocks, and other stringed instruments dancing in the background all the while weaving in and out of the tight marching rhythm section. This is the first song Mike displays to us that he can sing and also to let me know this isn't an all Instrumental CD. Another tune Mike also sings on is the happy-go-lucky tune "Kauai Blue". The song "Closer to the Sun" is a nice little jewel in the style of Steve Vai's infamous albums "Flex-Able" and "Passion and Warfare". Same goes for "Napali Coast" ... These two tunes back to back really give you a good idea of what Mr. Campese can really do with an Electric Guitar. Mike's guitar tones on this production are second to none. His guitar tone at time is reminiscent of another very talent guitar player and that's Nuno Bettecourt.
The rest of the Album follows up very well with all of the tunes flamboyantly written and methodically produced by Mike himself. The last adventurous tune "Camelryde" and it's harem of musical notes will have your head spinnin' like an over indulgent wine-soaked drunken conqueror in a foreign land.
Without a doubt, Mike Campese is on the forefront of today's Electrified Guitar Players and is out to show the world there are no substitutions & Betcha Can't Play This !!! Scott Thomas 5 out 5 starz
Track List (If MP3 samples don't play, try right-clicking links and opening in new tab):
01. Eleventh Degree ♫
02. Shred Machine ♫
03. Heavy Thing ♫
04. Cruisin Across the Mojave ♫
05. Over The Top ♫
06. Kauai Blue ♫
07. Closer To the Sun ♫
08. Napali Coast ♫
09. Punk Ass ♫
10. LandShark ♫
11. Shred ♫
12. The Bitch Upstairs ♫
13. Butterfingers ♫
14. Camelryde ♫
Purchase link: CDBaby | Mike Campese Shop
Artist's website(s): Mike Campese | MySpace
