Lion Music/Warner
Guitarist and band leader of INFINITY OVERTURE, is the position NIELS VEJLYT normally holds. But here he unleashes his guitar, and throws in a facts and instructional DVD. After years as an on-line guitar instructor this album may seem overdue. But to display his ability he has enlisted some of the best backing musicians available. Or what about bass players like Kris Gildenlöw (PAIN OF SALVATION) and Bernardo Fesch, drummer Jacob Vand of INFINITY OVERTURE and one piano guest spot for Mads Damgaard.
The surprisingly low key and clean sounding “Heads Up” opens the album. Niels sports a very warm and almost un-metal sounding sound, but still teasing. I expected more like “Die Today”, a heavier tracks that brings the early work of TONY MACALPINE to my mind. But as the eastern mysticism om “Rain” evolves, I realize that Niels has massive potential. I remember hearing old Shrapnel albums actually. The oddly arranged “Meteors” is so progressive that the bass almost gets lost in its own pattern. The melody has outstanding depth and there is so much atmosphere and a catching coolness. The same masterful touch goes for album closer “Winter”. Bernardo´s bass work is a pleasure, the acoustic opening soft and alluring, all-in-all a prime example of how to make the complicated accessible. IF that would have been the complete story of this album I would have marked it album of the century. There is the less inspired “Samurai” with its double guitar patterns, and “Kajsa”, which feels like a piano embellished slightly heavier version of track one, but as a whole Niels lands in well over average. Like a computer programme he and his ensemble make the complex available for all ears most of the time. This will be an instrumental album to talk about, even though it has an inch to improve.
Track List
Heads Up
Die Today
Rain
Samurai
Meteors
My Little Rascal
Kajsa
Winter
www.lionmusic.com www.nielsvejlyt.dk
