After learning from legendary musicians like Megadeth’s Chris Broderick for several years, guitarist Jake Dreyer figured it was time to release his debut solo EP, In The Shadows Of Madness, in April. Having won numerous awards over the past few years, the young man from Panama City, FL, opened up for Lou Gramm of Foreigner at the age of 13. He then dedicated most of his time to the guitar and this is what he has come up with.
“Beyond The Tranquil Descent” is the first of the three instrumental songs. While it is the softest track out of the three, you can tell at first glance that Dreyer plays an incredibly smooth guitar. He seems to hit each note flawlessly and you would think that this teenager has been doing it for a lifetime. The percussion from ex-Into Eternity drummer Adam Sagan and bass from Arsis’ Noah Martin make their appearance felt on “Harmony Of The Spheres.” It’s much heavier and angrier than the first one and Jake does a great job of making you guess what is about to happen next because as soon as you think the song is about to end, explosive riffs pull you right back in.
My favorite track, the nearly seven-minute “Drawing Of The Three,” rounds out the disc. It’s a roller coaster of a tune, hard-hitting and sounding like Metallica’s “One” at first, then it switches to an almost Latin-themed section before Dreyer ultimately gets back to shredding.
This kid really showed he’s gifted and I strongly believe he will evolve into an exceptional guitarist. This prodigy is going to turn into a beast in the metal world.
In A Word: Brilliant
