When you're an ex (very "ex") rock and classical guitarist, you can recognize enormous talent with the frustrating ease of one who surrendered the youthful dream of a life in music in favor of family and career.
Based in Colorado, Charles Brown is a one-man recording artist who specializes in various formats of guitar. Charles admits to influence of the big-five era of progressive bands, and on the harder rock pieces he acknowledges Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwie Malmstein, Robin Trower, Dio and Judas Priest. When viewed against that diverse background it is no surprise that the styles of his all-instrumental pieces encompass classical, acoustic new age, country, hard rock and metal.
Thru The Flames comprises 12 purely instrumental 2- to 4-minute tracks, many of which feature the guitar synthesizer – a system that allows the artist to emulate a variety of instruments via the guitar. This is not easily achieved, and has been done – in varying formats – by past luminaries such as Al Dimeola ("Soaring Thru A Dream" era), Pat Metheny, Alan Holdsworth, Robert Fripp, Roye Allbrighton's "Rupert Treacle", and Steve Hackett.
Brown's pieces are well composed with themes and structures that recur and develop through the course of the 43 minutes. They are multi-layered, multi-styled bodies of work with complexities and textures that will reward repeated listens. Most tracks feature long passages of Charles's guitar work, masterfully played, with a variety of tones overdubbed to sound like an orchestra of acoustic, distorted and clean guitar voices. The biggest strength of Thru The Flames lies in the song structures, and it is here that Brown's classical training is very apparent.
In private communications with Charles, we have had the pleasure of viewing a home-made DVD which will hopefully be the basis of a future release. Part of that DVD was a classical guitar recital of a Bach piece. Damn, what a talent!
Track Listing:
1. Eye Of The Storm (4:42)
2. A Journey In Time (4:38)
3. The Journey Begins (3:34)
4. The Gate Of The Mists (4:00)
5. Vertical Ascension (3:28)
6. Winds Of Eolus (3:28)
7. Altar of Sacrifice (2:39)
8. Absolute Zero (3:37)
9. Radiation Zone (2:51)
10.Thru The Flames (3:44)
11.The Sunlight Never Dies (2:01)
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