Chimp Spanner - At The Dreams' Edge Album Review

Chimp Spanner; the one man metal army that is Paul Antonio Ortiz. Written, performed and produced entirely by Paul, At The Dream’s Edge is a remarkably non indulgent display of an incredible talent. Playing a guitar that has extra strings and by the sound of it playing with extra fingers too, the album has a vibe of Satriani / Vai (high accolade? Try it for yourself if you don’t believe me) jamming with Meshuggah polished with the grandeur of Dream Theatre. Epic stuff for sure.

Clocking in at around the hour mark the album is filled with down tuned riffage, precision drumming and all sorts of fretboard gymnastics. For example, listen to ‘Bad Code’ with it’s intricate, nay, mind-melting tapping that weaves it’s way throughout. ‘Harvey Wall Banger’ is like an explosion in a riff factory, muscular guitars jostling with fierce drumming, aggressive yet refined. It’s difficult to pinpoint exceptional tracks as there is a purity of vision throughout in terms of riff / rhythm that provides the backbone to the album. That said, there is a plenty of light and shade with it’s cinematic feel and plenty for the listener to absorb.

Sonically the album packs a punch, it is both faultlessly produced and carefully constructed. To be honest there is little I can really fault with an album of this standard and vision. How I could criticise somebody with such talent and obvious passion for music, a gifted musician and incredible composer, it would be crass of me to do so. With a tour planned and the Chimp Spanner fold being expanded to a live band it looks like 2010 could well be a busy year for this cheeky monkey.