Full Album Stream: Guitarist Martin Gonzalez Channels Unlikely Sources for Suspiro
Some people are just too fuckin’ good at guitar, man. The insane level of precision they have in their fingertips, rapping across the fretboard at breakneck speeds is just wild when it’s done at a high level. After listening to Colombian prog metal guitarist Martin Gonzalez’ debut solo album Suspiro, I have yet another person to be awed by.
If that name sounds familiar, then you either recognize Gonzalez’s work on the anime RWBY or as the guitarist of Atomic Guava. Both endeavors have led to some exciting collaborations and even landed him praise from ex-Guns N’ Roses axeman Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal.
Set for release this Friday, March 22, Suspiro is seven tracks of impeccable guitar mastery. Featuring collaborations from Haken’s RIchard “Hen” Henshall, lauded pianist Cenk Esen, and more, the album’s got an eclectic style that manages to surprise. From soaring guitar leads to crunchy djent riffage, Suspiro runs the gamut of what you’d expect from a guitarist like Gonzalez.
Speaking of his debut album, Gonzalez said Suspiro is a direct extension of himself as an artist.
“Suspiro is a very personal album where I blend elements of RnB, Jazz, Celtic and anime style music in a prog-metal context. It means ‘Sigh’, and the idea behind it was to take a deep breath, write some music and overcome some obstacles that were present in my life. The topics go from self-destruction to waking up and being happy or adventurous, so I hope that people can get to know me better and relate to these different themes!
“The record features my wife Elizabeth Hull (Atomic Guava), Richard Henshall (Haken), Zac Zinger (Street Fighter V / League of Legends) and Cenk Esen. All incredible artists that helped me elevate the songs and concepts behind them.”
You can check out the full album for yourself through the YouTube video below. If you like what you hear, be sure to preorder your copy today before it releases this Friday.
Suspiro track list
- Clueless
- Ouroboros (feat. Elizabeth Hull)
- Finding Home (feat. Cenk Esen)
- Purpose (feat. Richard Henshall)
- Hydrilla (feat. Elizabeth Hull)
- Reality Check (feat. Zac Zinger)
- Suspiro
