"WATER OF LIFE" - SLAV SIMANIC

SLAV SIMANIC - Water Of Life
Slav Simanic is a European guitarist currently based in Canada. There is a lot of variety on this CD. The CD opens with a straight ahead rocker, Water of Life not unlike Gary Hoey's more rocking songs. The next song is a ballad with little bit of a Satriani feel with its smooth melody over acoustic chords. Passover is one my favorite songs on this CD with its stately opening that transitions through heavier interludes and back and builds upon a driving metal feel that continually changes. The Holy City is a great rock instrumental with some of the best soloing on the CD.

The songwriting throughout combines the precision and crisp style usually evident in European players with very nice rock solos that don't overwhelm the songs themselves. A very musical effort that stands out from the pure shred CDs.

(John Nicholas)