The latest release from Ramses 13. Rockwell brings on one hell of a fierce guitar tone and some heavy-handed riffs along with driving drums that crush to bring this instrumental album to life and back up the shredding that happens all over this record.
The Guitar Gangster album is a pretty much perfect title for this album as the guitars are crazy from start to finish. Performed with gracefulness, passion, heart, skill, and attitude, the record calls back to virtuosos like Satriani or Vai but also brings in heavier metal styles and outrageous break downs and time changes that leave you saying "woah wait...what the hell just happened".
Some tracks make you think of old-school Megadeth riff and hook wise, and others bring softer settings and showcase other sides of the technical stylings and performances from a master guitarist.
What's really cool about this record is that it's not all what you might think. There is pop, rock, metal, contemporary undertones, and tons more. The release puts forth an array of guitar-based genres that bleed into each other and flow together like water somehow.
Yes, you'll get your face melted with the tearing up of the fretboard on certain tracks but then others have this groove and fall into different categories while still remaining true to his instrument.
Plenty of surprises and no let downs whatsoever. This record is packed with enough real deal guitar playing to get your fill for a year.
With the release of such a masterful album, we wanted to have a talk with Ramses 13. Rockwell about the release and find out how it all happened exactly.
Here's what happened.
RAG: Okay so let's start with the Guitar Gangster album. This record absolutely had some great guitar work on it as one would expect! Where did this record come from?
First of all thank you very much for this interview and thank you for your compliment. I'm really a fan of instrumental guitar music,and all kinds of different styles of music, but in my case it came out of the fact, that I couldn't find a suitable band. I currently live in Germany and the music scene is quite limited over here.(And mind you without a management even harder to find some musical gems.)
And I actually didn't think I was capable of writing an instrumental guitar album and wI'm really a fan of instrumental guitar music, and all kinds of different styles of music, but in my case it came out of the fact, that I couldn't find a suitable band. I currently live in Germany and the music scene is quite limited over here.(And mind you without a management even harder to find some musical gems.)ly music in our house. Flamenco, Gipsy music, Bach and Beethoven.
I started to play guitar at the age of 5...well noodling around. By the time I was 11, I really wanted to play guitar seriously. I begged for an electric guitar and I got it finally with 14. I grew up with The Beatles, Elvis, Kiss, AC/DC and Van Halen. RAG: Who is in your headphones right now?
Right now DAVID LEE ROTH with the album "A little ain't enough" Fierce guitar work from one of the greatest, Jason Becker. RAG: What inspires you to write a song?
Either it's a feeling which sometimes is created by a certain chord (it can be one chord) or a riff. I fool around with it till it sounds decent, catchy and moving to me. And if other people like it, great. RAG: I'm hearing some great styles on this record. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
Well, I'm a great Steve Vai fan. Not only of his music, but also because of his perspective on life and all that esoteric stuff. And of course, Eddie Van Halen. He is being dearly missed. I remember hearing him the first time in my life after being a great fan of Angus Young. I was shocked. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying one is better than the other. I like to quote Elvis:" I think there is enough room for all of us musicians."
I like Joe Satriani of course, Jeff Beck is on of my gods and Hendrix. I'm also a fan of Zakk Wylde, George Lynch and Malmsteen. And...well I could go on forever..... And I really like funk music and music with a groove. It can also be metal with a groove, like Pantera or my german fellows from Rammstein. RAG: What are you doing when you're NOT working on music?
Working out at the gym. I like to be in shape and after pumping iron I always feel better. It's some kind of a stress relief.
Luckily I live next to a park and like to take a walk, if time allows me to. RAG: Would you say live performances are a big part of what you do?
Well, after corona the whole live performance scene collapsed. And as I mentioned it's rather difficult to get gigs.
Of course I'm open to be hired and luckily I like all kinds of music, including pop music. RAG: This album feels like a big undertaking, is there any advice you'd give to other up and coming artists out there?
Well, it wasn't that easy. Luckily, I got to know Christoph Kemper, he lives in my hometown and delivered the profiler directly to my door. So, I was able to track all guitars in my studio, without cranking up Mesas and Marshalls.
The next step was to find the right fellow musicians. Paul Gilbert had a show in my home town and I had contacted Pete Griffin, the bass player, in advance. So I went to their show and saw an awesome drummer too, Thomas Lang, one of the best drummers in the world. We had a chat and the rest followed nice and smoothly. I also had another bass player perform, Fabio Trentini, a face melting bass player (check him out on "Fonkatize") and a real good producer. After I had recorded all tracks, and the rest of the band sent my their files, I contacted Siggi Bemm, a famous german producer to mix my album and voilà. The only advice I can give to other musicians, do what you love and don't listen to the naysayers. RAG: What can your fans expect from you in the near future?
Well, I'm always in the process of evolving and trying to get better and searching for new inspirations and of course gigs. So, if you got some, lemmy know. RAG: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
Be open to all kinds of styles and don't limit yourself, just because you think something isn't hip or cool.