Intense instrumental guitar music played by a Frenchman whose name you've probably never heard? Check. Hard rock bordering on heavy metal, with elements of classical music and even jazz? Check. Virtuoso keyboard performances from the mysterious musician known as Mistheria? Check. Bloody hell! This could be a Lion Music release. After all, Bloody Karma, the solo debut from multi-instrumentalist Franck Ribiere, has all of the elements that make Finland's Lion Music one of the world's finer purveyors of instrumental progressive rock and metal. "A New World" opens this album, building quickly toward a flurry of guitar notes set against a steady and thick rhythm section. Ribiere's prime instrument is the guitar, and his melodic playing cops fluid feels from Steve Vai, Marty Friedman and Neil Zaza, and — like John Petrucci, Jason Becker and Ribiere's mentor Cyril Achard — this guy doesn't rush things. The title track may evolve into a furious flurry of notes, but it takes Ribiere and the rest of his power trio awhile to get there. Other songs, like "Lost in the Jungle" and "Deep Dream" hint at Ribiere's darker and more textured side. Throughout, Bloody Karma keeps an impressive pace, slowing things down every so often with a visual track like "This Little Thing in Everyone's Heart." If you dig this disc, consider checking out Ribiere's other instrumental outfit, Double Heart Project.
Track Listing:
1) A New World
2) ADN Discovery
3) This Little Thing In Everyone's Heart
4) Bloody Karma
5) Lost in the Jungle
6) A Better Life
7) Funky Satellite
8) Boogytoshok
9) Sphinx Attack
10) Euphoria
11) Deep Dream
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