It’s really a great honor to be reviewed in the classic Prog Magazine (issue #36) which is out today.
Special thanks to Grant Moon for all the help and amazing support.
Solipsistic – SEMANTIC SATURATION
All-star calling-card from talented Canadian fret-wrangler.
Enterprising Canadian/Syrian guitarist Shant Hagopian brings us a work of mind-blowing complexity and technical proficiency.Solipsistic features prog-metal keyboard maestro Derek Sherinian (ex-Dream Theater) and monster drummer Virgil Donati (Planet X). That title is perfect for this work – a convincing stall-setter like this comes only from relentless self-belief and focus. Hagopian takes his thick-toned, solo metal guitar on a dizzying lap of the musical labyrinth on nine intense tracks with titles such as Ambivalence, Make Believe and Lost And Found: Insanity. There’s something earnest and affable in his
expression throughout, even in the knottiest moments of workouts. Stardust and Point Of
Singularity, while in parts there are shades of Joe Satriani, our My Prog Hero guest this month. Ballad Blessing in Disguise and feelgood jam Armchair Activist in particular evince a lyrical ear, elevating his fretwork above the many wannabes launching themselves daily over the Prog ramparts. Vanden Plas’ Andy Kuntz gives an impassioned performance
on What If We All Stop, the sole vocal number on this pleasingly nerdy, dazzlingy proficient record. -GRM
Here’s a quick review of Solipsistic by the Dutch Progressive Rock Page (DPRP.net)
Semantic Saturation – Solipsistic
Solipsistic Album Cover
Tracklist: Ambivalence (6:33), Make Believe (5:06) Lost And Found: Insanity (5:26), Stardust (6:49), Blessing In Disguise (4:48), Armchair Activist (4:10), Point Of Singularity (3:50), Time Is An Illusion (5:43), What If We All Stop (8:44)
Shant Hagopian is a songwriter and guitarist best known until now for founding the prog rock/metal band Nu.clear.dawn. Hailing from the currently war-torn city of Aleppo they raised attention for having the first officially released metal album from Syria. Their 2003 disc Poem of a Knight won positive reviews and got the band slots on several big Middle Eastern festivals.
Shant moved to Canada in 2005 and began work on his first solo project. Featuring progressive musical gurus drummer Virgil Donati (Steve Vai), bassist Rick Fierabracci (PlanetX) and ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian, Semantic Saturation is a highly polished debut album.
It consists of nine tracks; the first eight are instrumental with a heavy influence of Dream Theater, Vai, Rush and SymphonyX while the final track features the signature vocals of Andy Kuntz. The involvement of the Vanden Plas singer will further widen interest in this disc.
I’m no musician myself but Shant is clearly a highly talented composer and guitarist. Most of the songs here rock, but unlike many “guitarist” albums this is no shred-fest. Hagopian knows the meaning of restraint. His music has colour, textures and great variations in pace, with a melody central to every composition. These are real songs.
Considering the abilities of the musicians he has assembled, that alone is no mean achievement. His early career as a jazz guitarist comes out clearly in several tracks especially the sparkling Stardust and Point Of Singularity.
Two tracks (Ambivalence and Stardust) are currently available free from Shant’s website. They give a good flavour of the album and I’d heartily recommend this to anyone who enjoys instrumental progressive rock. An album you will come back to again and again with relish.
Ruard Veltmaat from the Dutch web’zine “Prog Wereld” posted a review of Solipsistic yesterday. Here’s the original review in Dutch, and Google’s translation attempt below.
Solipsistic Album Cover
Een uitgedacht marketingplan, een gelikte cover, strakke uitstraling en een uitgebreide promosheet van maar liefst vier full color pagina’s. Daar maak je absoluut indruk mee. Voor je ook maar één noot gehoord hebt, ben je al min of meer onder de indruk. Zo zie je maar weer, de eerste indruk is belangrijk.
Mastermind achter het project “Semantic Saturation” is Shant Hagopian, die zelfs op de promosheet de uitspraak achter de naam in lettergrepen en spreektaal heeft geformuleerd om enige verwarring dan ook helemaal uit te sluiten. Hij heeft passie voor dit project en dat is goed te merken. Hagopian is van Syrische afkomst en was eerder gitarist in de band “Nu.Clear.Dawn”, waarmee hij in 2003 de eerste Syrische metalplaat ooit mee uitbracht. Nadat hij in 2005 naar Canada is verhuisd, heeft hij een eigen handeltje opgezet met als resultaat dit album, waar hij hulp krijgt van beunhazen als Virgil Donati, Derek Sherinian en Ric Fierabracci. Niet de minste artiesten dus.
De muziek die Hagopian en zijn collega’s maakt, is op de laatste song van het album na volledig instrumentaal en zit werkelijk waar volgepropt met gitaarelementen. Niet helemaal onlogisch natuurlijk. De progrock en metal die de gelegenheidsformatie ons biedt, wordt gecombineerd met elementen uit de jazz maar laat bijvoorbeeld ook gelikte toetsenriedels horen van Derek Sherinian. Zo is Lost And Found – Insanity door een op het oor eenvoudig toetsendeuntje ontzettend lekker te beluisteren en krijgt de op Dream Theater geïnspireerde muziek een moderne toets mee. Vigil Donati heeft zoals gewend een directe manier van drummen en kan ook op dit album diverse maatsoorten op weergaloze wijze combineren, hoewel zijn aandeel mij persoonlijk iets te ver naar voren is gemixt. Zoals gezegd is de plaat toegespitst op de gitaarkunsten van Hagopian, maar hij weet zijn kunsten op intelligente wijze te etaleren op de cd. Ik krijg nergens het gevoel van: “kijk ik eens wat ik allemaal kan met gitaar”, wat voor gitaarvirtuozen een beheersing betekent. Nee, Hagopian gaat voor onderhoudende riffs, verfijnde melodie, gecontroleerde tempowisselingen en complexiteit. De toevoeging van Vanden Plas zangerAndy Kuntz in What If We All Stop is daarom een extraatje, maar was uiteindelijk geen noodzaak om de boel ”˜op te leuken’.
Uiteindelijk is niet alleen de eerste indruk sterk, maar ook het hele pakket dat Hagopian laat zien en horen. De productie is meer dan in orde, de muziek is zeker voor liefhebbers van instrumentale muziek met voorkeur voor de gitaar een aanrader. Persoonlijk had ik zelf graag wat meer vocale inbreng gehoord en dan met voorkeur ook nog een andere zanger, maar ook hier geldt de gouden regel: ieder zijn eigen smaak.
Devised a marketing plan, a slick cover, sleek appearance and an extensive promo sheet of less than four full color pages. There you will definitely impress. Before you even heard a note, you are more or less impressed. So there you have it, the first impression is important.
Mastermind behind the project “Semantic Saturation” was Shant Hagopian, even the promo called the verdict after the name into syllables and colloquialisms has formulated some confusion therefore be ruled out entirely. He has passion for this project and that is very noticeable. Hagopian is of Syrian descent and was previously guitarist in the band “Nu.Clear.Dawn”, which in 2003 the first Syrian metal album ever being released. After he moved to Canada in 2005, he has set up own business and as a result this album, he gets help from bunglers as Virgil Donati, Derek Sherinian and Ric Fierabracci. Not the least so artists.
The music Hagopian and his colleagues make is the last song of the album after completely instrumental and is really true crammed with guitar elements. Not quite illogical course. The prog rock and metal that gives us the opportunity formation, combined with elements of jazz but also allows such slick toetsenriedels hear from Derek Sherinian. So Lost And Found – Insanity by a simple button on the ear tune very nice to listen and get on the Dream Theater inspired music with a modern touch. Vigil Donati has used such a direct way of drumming and is also on this album several signatures on combining unparalleled manner, although its share me personally a little too far forward is mixed. As mentioned, the album focuses on the arts of guitar Hagopian, but he knows his art intelligently to showcase on the CD. I never get the feeling of: “I look at what I can do with guitar”, what guitar virtuosos a control means. No, Hagopian goes for entertaining riffs, exquisite melody, controlled tempo and complexity. The addition of Vanden Plas vocalist Andy Kuntz in What If We All Stop is therefore a perk, but was ultimately no need to get things “to spice”.
Ultimately, not only the first impression strong, but also the whole package that Hagopian shows and hear. The production is more than okay, the music is definitely for lovers of instrumental music with preference for the guitar a must. Personally I would have liked a little more vocal contribution heard and then preferably also another singer, but here is the golden rule: to each his own taste.
