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Pappas, Tony: Intergalactic Highway
Tony Pappas Intergalactic Highway album new music review

Pappas, Tony: Intergalactic Highway

Electronic Rock
3.0/5.0

Independent/Unsigned
Website Facebook
by Craig Hartranft,  11.14.2011

Multi-instrumentalist Tony Pappas has worked hard birthing his new creation, Intergalactic Highway, and suggests that he has created a new musical genre because of it. He calls his music 'sci-fi techno-metal.' The first words are fitting since Pappas, as a young boy, was captivated by science fiction in literature, television, and movies. If anything, the instrumental Intergalactic Highway could be a sound track to any of those things.

As to the latter words, 'techno' is certainly adequate. The depth and breadth of Intergalactic Highway is mostly layers of synthesizers and sampling (including samples from mechanical sources such as an electric drill and servo motors). This work is, fundamentally, moved by digital electronica. For purists, and despite his citing influence from the seminal Metallica album Ride the Lightning, there is nothing really 'metal' about Intergalactic Highway. Heavy riffage is sparse and guitar pyrotechnics are nonexistent, at least I can't recall hearing any.

Nevertheless, Intergalactic Highway is high on creativity and inspiration; clearly this was a labor of love for Pappas: he lives and breathes this material. While electronica, synthesizer, and sample driven tunes have always been unpersuasive to these ears, the music does evoke a hypnotic curiosity. You may want to listen to Intergalactic Highway in its entirety. But, conversely, you may want to hit the skip button because, despite variations in each song, you suspect you'll hear the same.

Frankly, when I heard 'sci-fi techno-metal,' I was hoping for something akin to an Arjen Lucassen Aryeon project only with more samples and synths. But I was wrong and, ultimately, probably, disappointed. But, again, this 'techno' stuff is not my thing, especially when you have the chutzpah to say your music is heavy metal. Alternatively, with significant interest of fans of electronic rock, in the future, Tony Pappas could be a Lucassen in his field.

Honestly, I'm not sure what to conclude about Tony Pappas' Intergalactic Highway. For its style and substance, 'sci-fi techno-metal,' digital electronic synthesizer sampling, it's certainly prolific and creative. Is it heavy metal? No. Is it an adventurous and creative labor of passion and integrity from Tony Pappas? Indeed. Check it out for yourself as you may be pleased.





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In Short

Tony Pappas' Intergalactic Highway and his newly defined genre, 'sci-fi techno-metal,' is high on the artist's creativity and passion. It's long on sci-fi and techno side, with synths and sampling, and nearly absent of metal. Explore at your leisure.

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