Armando Petrini
Good Mood
7
My winning streak for submissions continues on. Lately it seems that every time I dig into the vault for a self-submitted album, I pull out something worthwhile. While completely different in nature than the last demo I covered (Myotonia), this album from Italy’s Armando Petrini is just as satisfying to the ear. Good Mood is an instrumental album, barely a half hour in length, that pays obvious tribute to the master, Joe Satriani, but does so in a more modest manner. That laid-back, flowing atmosphere is ever-present, which makes this hardly metal at all.
As you’d expect from anyone who’s meticulous enough to create a one-man instrumental project, the production does not disappoint. Besides a little fuzz on the backing guitar, the mix is very clean. Petrini really only expresses himself on the guitar; the bass and drums are straight from the textbook. His guitarwork, the crux of the album, is generally in the vein of mid-paced Satriani material. He never really shreds too hard or too fast. Instead, he uses his axe to play songs, not to display over-the-top virtuosity. These 8 songs flow either like actual songs (sans vocals, of course), or like the instrumental interludes that harder bands use to break up the flow of an album…and not like one giant solo.
“Relax” is one track that I feel merits a mention. As befits the name, this is the lightest tune on the disc, and is simply a soothing ride, accentuated by what might be a Spanish guitar, or possibly just a plain ol’ acoustic. This is very reminiscent of Pink Floyd instrumentals, particularly “Marooned” (from The Division Bell). “Lethal Weapon” contains harder riffage that sounds influenced from John Petrucci’s (Dream Theater) style of play, and if my memory serves me, a little bit like Petrucci’s work in Liquid Tension Experiment. “Out From the Darkness” plays out like the big brother to “Relax” – same general sound, just a wee bit more intensity.
Petrini has released yet another talent-laden, well-executed instrumental album into the world. Quite a few people already have their opinions formed about the merits of instrumental albums, but for those that enjoy this style; this is a short, but worthwhile release.
