The 2nd solo release from ex-Ill Nino & current Soulfly guitarist Marc Rizzo, The Ultimate Devotion (Shrapnel Records) picks up from where his debut disc leaves off, but Rizzo makes this CD much more metallic. Rizzo delivers 10 tracks (even 2 with vocals) of guitar shredding with more of his flamenco flavoring and some cool jazz undertones. Marc Rizzo continues to mix his Latin roots with his shred metal heart to come up with an interesting disc that should interest shred fans.
While Rizzo continues to provide the Latin/Flamenco flavoring, this release is much more metal than his previous one. The CD opens with the scorcher, "Skankin' to the Shred", complete with its surprise beginning and then total all out balls to the wall finish. There are much heavier tracks on this CD than the 1st, but Rizzo also keeps the salsa beats together with tracks like "Mamasita" and "Angelina's Song". The flamenco side of Rizzo's playing is really a cool listen. It's a road that isn't traveled very much these days. But the shred is what this record is about and Rizzo puts up some memorable moments while trying his best to keep the shred melodic and metallic. Check out "The Riddle of Steel" for some afore mentioned guitar fireworks.
The one thing that this CD has is a couple of LONG instrumentals. There are 2 songs that clock in at over 10 minutes and 2 that come in at over 8 minutes! Kind of long times for shred instrumentals. Rizzo is a talented player for sure, but is he able to keep our attention for that long? The title track does show his combo of metallic styling's with a dash of smooth jazz-fusion to create some nice guitar passages, but at over 10 minutes I got a bit bored.
New to Marc Rizzo's 2nd CD are 2 tracks with vocals. The last 2 songs on the CD, "All For Nothing" and "Lived And Learned" are both with Rizzo delivered vocals. Both songs are pretty good and Rizzo's vocals aren't bad either. A surprise from his first all instrumental record. Not bad.
I kind of felt that the songs on The Ultimate Devotion were a bit on the long and dragged out side and wished that they were just a little more to the point, but overall Marc Rizzo is a modern day shredder and that is what this CD is about. Sometimes melodic and thoughtful and sometimes all out masturbatory, The Ultimate Devotion is a showcase in Marc Rizzo's guitar chops with his heritage and his metal roots. While this is most likely to find a home with the shred guitar fan, the flamenco and salsa flavors infused with the shred metal guitar might open this CD up to some other fans. All and all Marc Rizzo displays some nice talent and some diversity within the confines of a metal guitar record. Check it out, you might just be surprised.
Track Listing
1. Skankin' To The Shred
2. Sinceramente
3. Angelina's Song
4. The Riddle Of Steel
5. Ascension
6. Mamasita
7. The Ultimate Devotion
8. Trentinara
9. All For Nothing
10. Lived And Learned
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