Search - Mattias IA Eklundh :: Freak Guitar

Get yer freak on.

Lord Chimp | Monkey World | 10/28/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Freak Kitchen - the band that is a genre of metal unto itself. My guess is that you have never heard of them, and likely never heard of their guitarist Mattias Eklundh. Well, here's your chance to check him out and all his wild genius. From the get-go, Eklundh's technique evokes Steve Vai and Zappa, and I believe fans of either will enjoy this. (In fact, this album was released by Vai's own label.) His sense of humor is also evident - "Apparatus" wails at strident pitches with a funky rhythm, all the while producing indistinct effects by placing a small vibrator (the song's namesake) near the pick-ups. Like my favorite guitar players, Eklundh will make you laugh and rock out and lull you to a meditative state. After the sizzling opener "Apparatus", the 21 tracks that follow encapsulate an insanely wide spectrum of style and inventive technique. The heavy metal side is present, naturally. "Lisa's Passion for Heavy Metal" is a groovy riff monster, and "God - The Mechanic" is an intensive shredding piece with an infectious rhythm. The more playful and/or experimental side is more interesting to me though. "When Sam Played It Again" is fabulously unique and catchy, sweeping double-bass flutters, elevator musak, and danceable melodies all together in under a minute. "Evil Shower" is a schizophrenic and herky-jerky piece that is full of tempo changes that remain surprising after listening to the song many times. "Faith in Chaos" is a cold frenzy of chomping guitar riffing and furious solos. "Midsummer Night in Hell" is festive with moments of nightmarish sound. "La Bamba" is an elating electric guitar spin on a blissful classic. And you've never heard KISS' "Detroit Rock City" like this before - the nylon-string guitar and rhythm makes it sound like Romani jazz or something. And, thoughtfully, there is the beautiful "Time to Breathe", 10-minutes of looping serenity and nylon-string guitar heaven. The great ballad "The Grey Hat of Compromise" evokes Satriani with the careful, emotional bends and the "singing" of the guitar. "Our Man in Beijing" is the slow, groove-laden final song. I won't go through every song, because I'm lazy and somewhat stupid, but suffice to say there's a lot of diversity here. And it's all good too.Is it an mega-indulgent bunch of songs? Well, sure...but all albums like this are. And just like anything else, it's good or bad depending on the individual listener. I think this album is fun through and through, with inventive technique that makes the shredding fresh and interesting. After all, there's at least nine million guitarists who can bust out 16 measures of 128th notes at freakout speeds, but most of them are incredible boring. While Eklundh plays incredibly fast, he also performs with absorbing depth and imaginative style that makes his record (and work with Freak Kitchen) interesting and gives it longevity.The album's liner notes shed light on the songwriting process, techniques, and inspiration of each song. I'd be very happy if all instrumental albums featured such commentary. A nice touch to what is, in summation, an outstanding guitar album."