Album Review - Various Artists - Beyond Inspiration - A Tribute to Uli Jon Roth

Here is a tribute to one of the most phenomenal and sadly most underrated guitarists out there, Uli Jon Roth. Probably known better for his work Axe Attack on the Scorpions quintessential release "Virgin Killer" as well as his band Electric Sun, Roth predated the whole neo-classical shred scene inspiring many fusion and Metal guitarists by incorporating his own style that influenced many guitarists from Malmsteen to Petrucci, keeping a style that is related to a Brian May meets Ritchie Blackmore meets Malmsteen.

Besides showing strengths as a guitarist, Roth was an established songwriter and vocalist, in fact Roth was also really the first to incorporate non-metal instrumentation in classical pieces that he wrote, using brass, woodwinds, and string orchestration turning these instruments into metal instruments in a way that only he could. Although Roth's sound with Electric Sun and certain solo projects was more AOR Hard Rock oriented than many of his contemporaries, "Beyond Inspiration" showcases his work and brings new light to his work, showcasing pure musicianship.

Tearing up the six strings on this tribute are guitarists Lars Eric Matterson, James Byrd, Alex Masi, Neal Grusky, Cyryl Archard, Eric Sands, Thorbjorn Englund, and Tony Fernando among many others, all phenomenal precision shred aficionados. When looking at the cuts themselves they are completely heavy, all done with discrete production, keeping the emphasis on guitar prowess within the right scope of the songwriting, without destroying any of Roth's work, completing this monster of an album.

The songs here are played into the style of classic Iron Maiden, Rainbow, the Rush "Working Man" Tribute, and Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, while shying away from the overproduced symphonic aesthetic. This record's metallic flare can be found in cuts like "Firewind," "Burning Wheel Turning," and the Scorpions cut "Pictured Life;" but there are ballads and slower cuts like the Rainbow-ish "I'll always be Loving You," the dark moody "I'll be There," and not to mention an eased back instrumental called "Return," being more of a fusion groove than a ballad. The album ends with the guitar classical concerto of "Paganini Paraphrase," proving that Roth again could really fuse classical with Metal.

To sum it all up, this tribute also exposes us to many guitarists who really don't receive the attention and exposure they deserve, which is sadly the same thing that happened to Roth, so this is a great way for guitar connoisseurs to get familiar with many of the axe burners on this record, while making the listener interested in Roth's work. Trust me, if you have not heard him before (shame on you if you have not), after hearing this, don't be surprised if you start looking for Roth's records.

Written by Hashman
Monday, August 11, 2003
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Hashman: 7.5/10

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