MARC RIZZO – Colossal Myopia

When guitarist Marc Rizzo is not busy touring or recording with Il Nino or Soulfly (or practicing, for that matter!), he makes his own music. The outcome of this is called Colossal Myopia, and is now available from Mascot Records (this is actually a re-issue with 4 additional songs from the 2004 release on the Phlamencore label).

The Music

Marc Rizzo spends 64 minutes introducing his perceptions about his several influences, creating an interesting hybrid of Metal and Flamenco (a limited term, but used here to describe the general feeling of all the various Latin music styles he blends together). Flamenco is not a new element in Metal, but Rizzo’s effort is by and large the most convincing one. Like a sirocco, he sweeps across the fretboard, either electric or acoustic, stirring up the listener properly.

Note, however, that he never makes Flamenco into Metal by spoiling it with loads of guitars or drums. Instead, he distinguishes quite clearly between the two, allowing the Flamenco phrasing to visit Metal and the electric guitars visit the otherwise acoustic Flamenco pieces. The only exception from this is the title track, “Colossal Myopia,” where he alternates between the two, still without making a mess.

Among the 12 tracks, there are several good picks. “Isosceles,” “Kilocycle Interval,” and “Introspection Of An Introvert” are just a few good examples of his Metal mania. “Remember The Future” is a peaceful and meditative acoustic peace, bound to take you to some island paradise, while “Infinity,” “The Pinata Hits Back,” and “Chupacabra” are loaded with that bullfighting Flamenco passion. Olè!

On the downside, both “Pantheistic Utopia” and “Milagro” offer unnecessary fadeouts, and “S. P. Q. R.” is basically a 6-minute solo on top of a less interesting chord pattern. Other than that, Rizzo taps into a mighty musical force with his warm sense of melody and harmony, driven by superb contrast between fast and slow, hard and soft, loud and quiet.

The Band

Except from a couple of guest solo appearances, all guitars are handled by Rizzo himself, and that’s quite a job, considering the complexity and yet live feeling found in the acoustic parts. Supporting him are Teddy Gibbons on drums and Ben Wright on bass, both with flawless timing and phrasing, and most of all with convincing passion. Passion is also found in the efforts of Roger Vasquez, who brilliantly adds percussion to the Flamenco tracks.

The Verdict

Colossal Myopia is a one of a kind album. Rizzo speaks the languages of both Metal and Flamenco fluently and respectfully. He takes you on a journey and shows you the passion, the energy, and the heat of both worlds in a very seducing way. Colossal Myopia is an album to grow fond of quickly, and Marc Rizzo is a man to watch and listen to inventively.