Psycho ii

The great irony with this release is that it was perhaps the most innovative and interesting on the Shrapnel label, yet received little attention until years later. Yngwie Malmsteen's influence on young guitarists produced an endless supply of technically competent, but largely uninspired, effigies. Mark Varney signed the German guitarist/composer Bernd Steidl, who had been studying at the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) in California, after hearing a demo tape. Released without much press or fanfare, the recording was only mildly successful within the guitar-shred community. Perhaps the reason for this was that the core American audience, primarily young, heavy metal-influenced guitar students, were not ready for the level of sophistication presented in this acoustic format.

Bernd Steidl - Psycho Acoustic Overture (1991) (Limited Edition)
EAC - APE (IMG + CUE + LOG) | 210MB Rar (1 CD) | RS.com | Hi Res. Cover Scans
Catalog No.: 1054 | Release Date: 1991 | Label: Shrapnel
Genres: Instrumental Rock

The great irony with this release is that it was perhaps the most innovative and interesting on the Shrapnel label, yet received little attention until years later. Yngwie Malmsteen's influence on young guitarists produced an endless supply of technically competent, but largely uninspired, effigies. Mark Varney signed the German guitarist/composer Bernd Steidl, who had been studying at the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) in California, after hearing a demo tape. Released without much press or fanfare, the recording was only mildly successful within the guitar-shred community. Perhaps the reason for this was that the core American audience, primarily young, heavy metal-influenced guitar students, were not ready for the level of sophistication presented in this acoustic format. In fact, the music on this recording bears little to no resemblance to the guitar shredders that Steidl was unfairly being compared to (i.e.Tony Macalpine, Vinnie Moore, Greg Howe). Formally trained on classical music in Germany, but also influenced by the likes of Al Di Meola and Django Reinhardt, Steidl amassed a prodigious combination of guitar technique and compositional skills. The listener is thus treated not only to staggering displays of guitar gymnastics, but also to distinctive, diverse, and memorable compositions that add up to a cohesive musical listening experience. As the years went by and the spread of MP3s became the dominant form of music acquisition, word quickly spread about this recording, and a cult classic was firmly established. There are a number of standout tracks here, with the jaw-dropping "Irrlichter" and haunting "Cobra Negra" being the most memorable. The supporting musicians are careful not to overplay and make a valuable contribution, especially the eerie choral vocals of Dioni Michelle Collins. With Psycho Acoustic Overture, Bernd Steidl managed to outplay and outclass his contemporaries, and although it took nearly a decade, the musical community finally realized this player's special talent. ~ Robert Taylor, All Music Guide

"Utopia" is a studio project by Olaf Kübler and Lothar Meid. Because it featured several regular members of AMON DÜÜL II (including Chris Karrer and John Weinzierl), it has usually been regarded as part of the DÜÜL discography, and, indeed, the CD reissue credits the album to AMON DÜÜL II…

This ambitious video and musical project was co-ordinated by Tom Galley (brother of former Whitesnake guitarist Mel Galley) - the albums are concept affairs, centred on the theme of supernatural phenomena. However, utilizing an impressive list of guest musicians has not always guaranteed a good result, and Phenomena went some way towards proving this truism. With Neil Murray (bass), Cozy Powell (drums), Mel Galley (guitar) and Glenn Hughes (vocals) among the initial line-up, great things were evidently expected for Phenomena. However, the songs were often overtly complex and lacked a central melody line. Dream Runner, released two years later, suffered from similar problems, but the music was less of a disappointment.