André Viegas - New Horizons
(Indie 2008)

by Rafael Nery

              André Viegas is a brazilian guitar player who already played with the well known Trio Âmbar and now is releasing his new album named New Horizons which features his brothers: Gustavo Viegas (Bass) and João Viegas (Drums). The album was sponsored
by the city of Caxias do Sul, which is something very hard to happen and must be stood out. The production is also highlighted due to the sound quality and its artwork.

  It just takes few auditions to notice that André is a high skilled guitar player, but due to the shred guitar fever ,it's not very seldom to be found. What it grabs your attention on the album are the effect,vibes, songwriting and tones which the guitar player has reached, giving it a very unique sound.

            Insomnia starts the album with some clock, voices and breathing, a very brilliant way of starting. Whenthe guitars show up we can see very clear an influence of Jason Becker in the tone and fast arpeggios. Warp Zonestarts with some electronic music elements and "clusters" on the low register, soonafter a dissonant melody is perfomed by the guitar which gave to it a very "different" colour.
            The tracks Once Upon a Time, a Gipsy Fairy Tale and with a Tragic Closure were inserted on the in the album as
a Suite (like in the Barroque period).

On the first one we can see all the influence from the shred 80's guitar, on the second one how gifted André is with the acoustic guitar which was inserted brilliant after some dissonant chords and the third one a very nice strings arrangement followed by a explosion which takes the piece to a melodic metal full of double kicks and guitars in the speed of light.

            The beginning of New Horizons reminds me a lot of Dream Theater, but the song takes other course, full of acoustic guitars whichshow once again the classical side of Viegas. The album still has good moments with Bodhi (by far, my favourtie), Artificial Intelligence and Sharing my tears with you.

            Viegas really shows us what a composer should  be like, not only  focused on his own instrument and always looking for new textures, something that all guitar players wannabe should do.

More information:
www.myspace.com/andreviegas