New Michael Romeo War of the Worlds pt.2
- Thread starter lurè
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Marked Man
Well-Known Member
This reminds me....I need to spend some time practicing today. That reminds me of early Jason Becker, but with better backing music and production.
Jeez.....
Jesus this guy can shred
Marked Man
Well-Known Member
Wow, this is like a better version of Dream Theater with no keyboard wankery!
Time for this guy to get some of my money, he deserves it!
gunshow86de
Beef Jerky Time
MJR is one of the most underrated guitarists out there.
Any idea why every site seems to have a different release date for the album?
Any idea why every site seems to have a different release date for the album?
25 February if I'm not mistaken.
And better guitar solos.
Michael Romeo is a far more complete musician than Petrucci, I dare to contend. When I listen to a Michael Romeo solo I am usually like "wtf did he do right there?", but with Petrucci I usually figure out what he is doing. I like him and DT, but Michael Romeo and his work in Symphony X is on a whole another level.
He is underrated and rather obscure outside of the guitar community for a single reason: he probably likes it like that.
MFB
Banned
Underrated? No no, anyone who knows him is in agreement he's one of the best lead guitarists on the scene both in terms of chops and musicality.
Overlooked? Abso-fucking-lutely.
I never understood the comparisons to Petrucci. Romeo is a very different player, and far more musical to my ears. I got off the DT bandwagon years ago as it all started to sound the same and too much chromaticism in his solos, or at least the way he incorporates it in his solos. He is an amazing player and songwriter with few equals, but Romeo is much more appealing to me as a guitar player into this type of music. More grandiose in composition.
Heavy metal shredder heavily influenced by Yngwie starts a 5 piece progressive metal band that does tons of odd-time and odd-feel instrumental sections, heavy groove-laden headbanging riffs, and keyboard-vs-guitar solo battles, got traction in the 1990's, and whose original lead singer was replaced by a much better singer. Releases solo albums, a signature guitar, a phenomenal RKI instruction video, and develops a strong cult following for both their band and themself.
Now, if you can tell whether I'm talking about JP or MJR, or if you can tell me that I just described also some third person who's not one of those two, then I'll consider that the comparisons are maybe unwarranted. Otherwise, I think it's obvious that there happen to be a lot of similarities between their careers.
I think I mentioned this in the SX appreciation thread already, but, to me, DT songs are a lot easier to play piece-by-piece, but difficult to follow along with. SX songs are easier to follow along with, but are more difficult to play piece-by-piece. DT lays the cheese on heavier, and SX is clearly more classically influenced, both in themes and composition (even instrumentation). They are 100% different bands, but they definitely fill the same niche.
I agree the bands get lumped together for progressive metal.
I agree they share the same influences to a degree, but MJR is much more classically influenced and thematically influenced by cinematic scoring.
I would say Petrucci's greatest influence is Steve Morse in how he approaches the physical aspect of playing guitar. Romeo has the YJM influence, but he has also added quite a bit of technique I don't find Petrucci using, especially the two-handed approach. It's more like Reb Beach but with string skipping.
I understand your point about comparing them but for me they don't really play alike. Romeo's riffs are more metal to me.
I agree they share the same influences to a degree, but MJR is much more classically influenced and thematically influenced by cinematic scoring.
I would say Petrucci's greatest influence is Steve Morse in how he approaches the physical aspect of playing guitar. Romeo has the YJM influence, but he has also added quite a bit of technique I don't find Petrucci using, especially the two-handed approach. It's more like Reb Beach but with string skipping.
I understand your point about comparing them but for me they don't really play alike. Romeo's riffs are more metal to me.
I wholeheartedly agree. One thing I love about early SX is how dark and heavy their music is. Very dense and atmospheric. No DT song played on a seven-string was as heavy as the stuff on The Divine Wings of Tragedy. And Russell Allen is leagues above LaBrie, needless to say.
Lorcan Ward
7slinger
Let’s not forget Michael writes some of the best riffs in metal. The verse riff in Inferno and Underworld are peak metal guitar. Groovy and technical but just enough to not overshadow Russel’s vocals instead complimenting them.
Spaced Out Ace
Well-Known Member
Is Romeo influenced by Gary Moore at all?
The Eyes of Medusa, Sea of Lies, the Odyssey, In the Dragon's Den. That man is a riff machine.
I agree with the idea that JP's solos are easier to breakdown and understand. He's been using the same style of licks for 20 years now, oddly enough it overlaps with his venture with Music Man. I think it got more "chromatic" and 16th shredding ala Steve Morse, whereas his solos during early DT were some of the most inventive and exotic out there.
MJR on the other hand seems to keep getting better and better, and he makes the perfect combination of YJM classical influence with that heavy, almost "playful", Dimebag pentatonic shredding (of course I'm not even getting into the 2 hand tapping stuff and his use of effects like wah, whammy and other techniques like his fucking ridiculous glissando on the fretboard like in the guitar solo of Eve of Seduction)
MJR on the other hand seems to keep getting better and better, and he makes the perfect combination of YJM classical influence with that heavy, almost "playful", Dimebag pentatonic shredding (of course I'm not even getting into the 2 hand tapping stuff and his use of effects like wah, whammy and other techniques like his fucking ridiculous glissando on the fretboard like in the guitar solo of Eve of Seduction)
Marked Man
Well-Known Member
I remember when Metallica were underground heroes. I was just a kid, and kept thinking "they deserve so much more!".
And then they got more popular. And more popular. And more popular. And then changed their entire identity to stay popular (Load and 15 years of.....????
) and I regretted having ever wished they were more popular. I'm good with Romeo where he is, and I have no doubt he is to. He's got his thing going. 
