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Dinner Music For The Gods: Beautiful and Treacherous

(Instrumental) Metal Fusion

5.0/5.0

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Radioactive Camel Records
by Craig Hartranft,  19.02.2014

Hidden in the midst of the lights and glitter of Sin City is Dinner Music For The Gods, a four piece instrumental band. More than a few of those Las Vegas lights deserve to be shined upon this talented band, and their second album, Beautiful and Treacherous.

Dinner Music For The Gods: let's eat.

For some, hearing 'instrumental' in the description is an immediate game changer; they're not interested, likely preferring songs with vocals and lyrics. Or others simply find an instrumental album merely a platform for the artist or band to show that they're quite talented, a prodigy since birth. You don't really get that with Dinner Music For The Gods.

Yeah, these four fellows are kick-ass talented, particularly with the mind-blowing chops of guitarists Darrin Pappa and Andy Heilman. Their riffs, twists, and leads are gourmet, guitars to die for. Equally so is the rhythm section. Though not having a kit the size of a Neil Peart, by example, drummer Matt Muntean plays like Mike Portnoy's doppelganger. And bassist Jimmy Pappa plays like a guy who could channel a legend like Jaco Pastorius or give a peer like Robert Trujillo a run for his life.

And yes, the compositions are technical, showcasing all this talent and influences that range from rock to metal, but also jazz to world music. But here's the thing: DMFTG disguises the talent, ingenuity, and complexity in songs that simply sound great: clever and dangerously catchy.

Some songs are a flourish of guitar giddiness like the hyper-metal of The Tower or Queenshead, both moved by the thunder of Muntean's drums and graceful backbone of Pappa's bass. Sofia goes directly to the metal fusion thing, offering, also, fiendishly dangerous drumming and a slight Eastern European tone. Winterfell reminds of something out of the Transiberian Orchestra playbook, only at warp speed, but just as grand.

As in the past, Dinner Music For The Gods offers their interpretation of a cover song. This time it's Led Zeppelin's Kashmir. They don't mess with the fundamental legendary bass/drum/guitar sound as much as they improvise around it. It's quite nice. Finally, there's Ghost Troopers in the Sky, an homage to the immensely popular Stan Jones penned tune, (Ghost) Riders in the Sky, made famous by people from Burl Ives to Johnny Cash to The Outlaws. Again, you'll catch some of the important musical themes of the song and it's country flair, but DMFTG whips it into the power metal fusion thing that is quite surprising, and entertaining.

With more talent in their collective little fingers then most bands have as a whole, and more musical tricks up their sleeves than David Copperfield has illusions, Dinner Music For The Gods' Beautiful and Treacherous breathes new life and air into the sometimes stodgy realm of instrumental metal. Quite recommended.

Dinner Music For The Gods - Winterfell (Live)

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

With more talent in their collective little fingers then most bands have as a whole, and more musical tricks up their sleeves than David Copperfield has rabbits, Dinner Music For The Gods' Beautiful and Treacherous breathes new life and air into the sometimes stodgy realm of instrumental metal. Quite recommended.

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Six years after the success of their self-titled debut album, Multi-national trio Six By Six returns with their second album, Beyond Shadowland. The band, once again, feature guitarist Ian Crichton (Saga), drummer ... [ Read More ]