Self-released
Release date: 2008
Production: Grega Habič
Genre: Instrumental Rock / Art Rock / Metal
Rating: 8.5/10
The Slovenian alternative scene knows how to spring a surprise or two and serve up genuinely quality music, as long as you switch off the radio or TV, which keep stuffing us with pop trash that, with a chord or two, an accordion and a busty singer, more than satisfies the average Slovenian, as Mrs. Makarovič likes to label us. A pointless intro, since even Don Quixote fought windmills in vain… Anyway, thank God there are also people who don’t have a sado-masochistic relationship with their ears and know how to separate the wheat from the chaff. One of those miracle beans is definitely the guitarist Grega Habič from Jesenice, who recently released his debut record, Catharsis.
Grega really couldn’t have picked a more fitting title for his debut. After all, he poured a huge amount of work into this thing: he played or programmed every instrument, wrote all the music, and then produced and recorded it too. The guy from Jesenice is proof that this Gorenjska town is home to nothing but excellent musicians, and you could even say that, together with Negligence and Game Over, he forms the holy trinity of Gorenjska rock/metal. Grega is first and foremost a guitarist, and every guitarist or lover of guitar music who spins this record will experience a catharsis of their own. Yep, Catharsis is that good! The album is bursting with countless good and original ideas that show what an excellent and versatile guitarist Grega is, whether it’s excursions into progressive metal, hard rock, jazz, fusion, classical, and you could probably find more genres where Grega steps in boldly, confidently and uncompromisingly. Instrumental albums can sometimes be hard to listen to, but you breeze through Catharsis’s forty minutes, since the album is varied and dynamic enough that it never gets boring. The opening Through the Gates of the Unknown is already a nice example of this variety, as it starts with an almost classical acoustic guitar that quickly explodes into extreme staccato riffing and bouncing sweep solos, which at times might remind you of sweep master Jeff Loomis (Nevermore). It’s really nice to hear that Grega doesn’t just work on excessive technicality, since he often serves up a melodic passage or line that lodges itself in your head right away. In Devil Planted the Seed, Grega cynically mocks the first American piglet, Dubbya, while in Alyx he wades into fusion and jazz waters, close to guitarists like Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai or Tony MacAlpine. The backing is mostly handled by a funky, groovy bass guitar, with keyboard lines occasionally adding atmosphere. Grega creates superb ambience with the guitar, easily peppering us with epic riffs that can be replaced the next moment by dreamy, mystical lines.
Catharsis is a record that took the best from guitar giants like Petrucci, Vai, Satriani, Hendrix and the like, then piled a heaping helping of uniqueness and individuality on top of the masters’ lessons. With this release, Grega Habič has without a doubt climbed into the cream of the Slovenian guitar crowd, and we can hope he keeps going in such a daring and bold style. Sadly, the undiscerning listening public will most likely overlook Catharsis, but it’s maybe all the nicer that the connoisseurs know how to appreciate such good releases, especially on the Slovenian market! You can listen to Catharsis in full at http://www.myspace.com/gregahabic or at www.gregahabic.com.
Author: Rok Klemše
Tracklist:
1. Through the Gates of the Unknown
2. Catharsis
3. Devil Planted the Seed
4. Alyx
5. Io
6. From Point A to Point B
7. Angel
8. Crying Out Loud
9. Say What You Want
10. Sun Over the Clouds
Musicians:
Grega Habič – guitar, bass guitar, programming
