Kolar's The Grande Guignol !

"Equally indebted to 'Yngwie Malmsteen' The Grande Guignol hisses and haunts like The Exorcist soundtrack cranked through Marshall stacks. It's a mix of subtelty and speed, with Cleveland Guitarist 'Kolar' paying tribute to deceased 'Savatage' great 'Criss Oliva' with one screaming solo after the next. But what seperates Kolar from so many other faceless 'shredders' is that he's as much about atmosphere as 'arpeggios'. Blinding Fretwork is foremost here, but Kolar also infuses Guignol with Gregorian Chants, icy pockets of piano, and ether- eal synth. The album's centerpiece comes early, with the 10-minute 'Temples of Instinct', a sunless shuffle that inter- mingles electronics with thunderclaps of guitar. More abbreviated, but no less elaborate, are the funereal, old-world incantation 'La Viccia Religione' and the savage 'Rave New World', which rattles teeth like artillery fire."

~ Jason Bracelin ~
Music Editor at The Cleveland Scene.