Prog Magazine #95

The closing epic “Where Dreams Have Died” from Paradigms is on the covermount CD of the latest PROG Magazine (Issue 95).
PROG also published a review of the album in the same issue.

Just for Kicks & MetalGlory.de

Paradigms is now available through Just for Kicks Music, featured in the latest catalog with a short and sweet review by MetalGlory.de

Hagopian unearthed a phenomenal mix of Metal, Prog and Fusion

Translated with Google:
Canada import: Shant Hagopian, mastermind behind Semantic Saturation, has made it again and gathered around dedicated musicians who follow his vision and put into action. The most well-known comrades are probably Craig Blundell (Frost / Steven Wilson) and Kristoffer Gildenlöw (Ex-Pain Of Salvation). If you remember the first work of the Canadian
jack of all trades, remember that Hagopian already unearthed a phenomenal mix of Metal, Prog and Fusion, which in a few moments reminds King Crimson of his interaction with Joe Satriani. He continues this line on Paradigms, but adds a much more metallic stamp to the whole thing, but jazz is also not missing, since cross-references can be found in almost every one of the 10 songs, making Paradigms a journey in the train of thought of Hagopian and at the same time a discovery of a special kind, because even if you think you already know everything, you can go on a great journey of discovery here. The reason is that in spite of all the crazy structures the songs have a common thread and are also hyper-melodic which of course makes discovering a lot easier and thereby is not just an album for musicians.
Conclusion: Ingenious prog / fusion / jazz metal with depth and soul and an indie tip.
-CS / Metalglory.de

Paradigms Review in iO-Pages magazine

The review by Geert Ryssen is in Dutch, translated poorly by Google below.

“Semantic Saturation is the brainchild of Canadian guitarist Shant Hagopian, who with his second album Paradigms consolidates his fusion between metal, progressive rock and jazz. He does not want to be stuck with the same musician, and besides guest contributions from Derek Sherinian, Alex Argento (keyboards) and Squiggy McFlannel (trumpet) – each with a song – he opted for a rhythm section consisting of Kristoffer Gildenlów (ex-Pain Of Salvation) on bass / double bass Crain Blundell (Frost*/Steven Wilson) on drums. Particularly original is the choice of jazz singer Houry Dora Apartian in Empty Whiskey Jar, the only vocal number on the record. Hagopian does not want to fall into the trap of virtuosity because of the virtuosity and plays in the compositions, that offers enough space to display his guitar skills. Hagopian is not dictated by a certain sound but chooses variation in the sound spectrum and has a nice, full tone. He can fiercely and energetically rage, but also lyrical and thoughtful and that never goes away because the focus always remains on the composition. The interplay of the three protagonists is communicative and does not sound mechanical at all, here are clearly three musicians who are listening to each other. With the ten-minute closing song Where Dreams Have Died, Shant puts the crown on an enjoyable album.”

Source: https://www.iopages.nl/editie/id/153/io-pages-152

Prog Magazine Reveiws Solipsistic

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.

SolipsisticSEMANTIC 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 an extract from the magazine.

Prog Magazine #36 - Semantic Saturation Review
Prog Magazine #36 – Semantic Saturation Review

Art, Not a Competition

Greatest Guitaris of All Time

I always face-palm when I see people arguing with a friend or some random dude online about who the best player is, or who can play faster. This “My-dad-is-bigger-than-your-dad” mentality has to stop. Funny thing is the media also likes that, every once in a while you see a magazine asking people to vote for their favorite guitar player, and then they present it with big letters “Best guitarist of all time” “Greatest guitar solo of all time”.

Greatest Guitarist of All Time

Just because some people voted for a drummer, a singer, a guitar solo or a guitar player from a record that was sold thousands or millions, it doesn’t really make them the “best”. There IS NO best. this is music, and like everything else, everyone has their own opinion, you can’t just go to a person and force them to listen to music and make them love it. Voting for the “best” is pretty much doing the same, after all we see how elections go anywhere in the world.

I hate it even more when they compare, say a Cobain guitar “solo” to Gilmour. WHAT?!
That’s like comparing a paralyzed person to a world champion. I understand that magazines do this kind of thing because it will bring them more sales, but I’m guessing as an individual you have to be bright enough to know the difference.

Now here’s the other face of this “competition.” Shredding and artists who believe that playing faster will make their compositions more enjoyable.
I started writing this post in early January, it was only a draft when Rocio Flores Bedoya published her review of Solipsistic on Lady Obscure, and when I read the paragraph where she discusses the same idea in the review, and the fact that she actually received the message through my music alone, it totally blew me away! I was relieved that there are actually other people who realize what’s really going on, and it motivated me even more to continue writing this piece.

Everyone can shred.

I can play two gazillion bajillion notes in a minute and make you bleed from your eyes until you quit playing, but that’s not music to my ears. I think in a different way, why kill yourself to write and play highly technical lines to impress the listener by your chops, where you can play a single note at the right place and the right time and give them the chills. Isn’t that actually the point of listening to music? for enjoyment?
And especially when your shredding isn’t 100% clean, if you are a guitarist I’m sure you totally understand what I mean.

Ignore your weaknesses and only cultivate your strengths. -Steve Vai

Yes; shredding is fun and enjoyable but overdoing it will not make you “the greatest guitarist of all time.” wink wink.