PROJECT ALCAZAR

Artist's Website
Contact Artist
Ohio, USA

Warranties and Disclaimers

"Project: Alcazar consists of two men with the ability to sound like an entire band. Chris Steberl (guitars, bass, keyboards) and John Homan (drums, percussion) have it all under control on Reasons For A Decade. Their recent release on the quickly rising Lion Music is an instrumental nod to rock and roll and the music that got us to this point, classical. Multi-instrumentalists are a wonder. It amazes me when an individual can master one instrument, but when several are played with professional exactitude, I am in absolute awe. Steberl is a genuine whiz of the six-string.

The neo-classical sound that they achieve has a progressive edge and it's a slice of instrumental heaven. Homan handles the percussion duties to suit Steberl's talents absolutely. It doesn't seem to matter how fast Steberl plays, Homan matches his timely licks like it was a walk in the park. Magic happens when musicians on the same wavelength come together, this is picture perfect example of that kind instance.

If you have any doubt that rock and progressive rock have been influenced by classical music, sit back and listen to this CD. "Vivaldi's Summer Concerto (3rd mov.)" and "Mozart's 25th Symphony In Gm" will leave your jaw dropped to the floor. This is just amazing music, there is no other way to explain it; you just have to hear this. You will be asking yourself why you haven't listened to more classical music to understand where these musicians are coming from. "Silk n Honey" closes out the album and takes an entirely different road. It comes as a surprise, but a pleasant one. It's as smooth as silk and sweet as honey. It sounds like a tasteful Eric Johnson number with a hint of Chet Atkins sitting in the middle of jazz-rock.

As I move further into uncovering the realm of instrumental rock and progressive rock, the more educated and enamored I become with the genres. For me this further cements my conviction that music without words says so much more than music with lyrics. Those of you that are deeply immersed in this kind of music will understand exactly were I am coming from, those of you that don't will want to." - Keith Hannaleck, ProgressiveWorld.net

"Reasons For A Decade features a bounty of neo-classicisms from the guitar of Chris Steberl, who is joined on this release by powerhouse drummer John Homan. Steberl draws on the riffs of huge composers such as Moussorgsky, Vivaldi and Mozart, adding variations, improvisations and, of course, modern day metallic power. Songs such as "TranceMission" feature high-speed fretwork, rapid double-bass licks (courtesy of Homan) and dazzling soloing, while "Silk N Honey" breaks from the metal/neo-classical framework to offer a standard rock arrangement rich in melodicism and impressive string work. The hard rock, Satriani-esqe "Neptune Island" is also a crowd pleaser, adding another layer of variety to this fine CD. Reasons For A Decade satisfies a guitar lover's lust for playing -- Steberl is on top of his game here." - Guitar Nine Records Review June July 2000

"CHRIS STEBERL plays guitar since the age of 8 years. "Reasons for a decade" is his new instrumental guitar album. It's quite easy to realize, that Chris is influenced by Tony McAlpine and Yngwie Malmsteen. His guitar-playing is fresh, skillful and varied. Nightmare on bald moubtain is an evil Opener with some asian touch. Trance mission reminds me of Tony McAlpine on "Edge of sanity" ... a varied guitar-fireworks loaded with melodies and an astonishing guitar/keyboard race. Neptune Island is driftng soft and melancholic into your ears. Vivaldi's Summer Concerto is simply furious ! Malmsteen would have played this concerto to death ... Chris Steberl stays close to the original .... and wins ! Sahara skies shows another great attribute of this guitar-maniac: he is sensitive enough to use clean guitar sounds as well as powering sound ... contributing to the variety of this instrumental album. Mozart's 25th symphony in Gm is a bit too hectic for me, but overall: a very recommendable album ... not only for fans of instrumental metal guitar music. We should keep the name CHRIS STEBERL in mind. 7 points" - Markus Weis, DURP.com

"As it originally was in Fantasia, 'Nightmare on Bald Mountain' is an exciting classical piece of music, which was perfect for Mickey Mouse fighting the massive demon.  Guitarist Chris Steberl has completely electrified this tune into pure guitar madness.  'Trancemission' is shredding guitar handed to us on a silver platter.  John Homan does an impressive job on the drums, adding his power to the already lethal mix.  'Neptune Island' isn't a place to kick back.  Instead, Steberl is in a six-string frenzy, attacking the fret board like his life depends on it.  'Vivaldi's Summer Concerto (3rd. Mov.) is how Vivaldi's music should be played on guitar, not like that crap a certain female guitarist plays.  'Sahara Skies' has a tropical feel, somewhat Latin tinge and the most diverse song on the CD.  'Mozart's 25th Symphony in Gm (Amadeus)' is a revitalized take on the famous composer's track.  As you might expect, it's supercharged burner, which Steberl flies through.  'Silk-N-Honey' is a cool down song, even though Steberl still is hi-energy exercising the strings of his guitar, it's just done in a soft Eric Johnson like tone.  Impressive.  I want more." - Terry Wickham, Guitar 2001

"This was my first exposure to the multi-instrumentalist, Chris Steberl. This guitar master as it were started seriously playing guitar while only 8 years old. He studied guitar basics until age 15, where he broke out and firmly grabbed his own style of riffing much like Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert of Racer X fame, and Tony Macalpine. At 24, he first formed “Alcazar”, an instrumental band that not only played covers by the above named artist, but also his own brand of guitar mayhem.

Alcazar gigged regularly in the mid to later 80’s, even opened for the likes of Dream Theater, Foghat(?), Greg Howe, Tony Macalpine and many others. He has worked with Christian Rocker Robert Sweet, formerly of Stryper, where he wrote most of Tammy Winters and Robert Sweet’s latest CD.

So what is “Reasons For A Decade”, and why should any of you really care?

This CD is a positive example of what a GREAT guitarist can do with his axe, while not boring us all with the musical masturbation so common among wankers such as the before mentioned Malmsteen. Chris’s riffing is full of honest guitar without the ego that such ability to PLAY regularly brings to the “Guitar God” scene.

One only has to listen to Chris’s rendition of Vivaldi’s Summer Concerto (3rd Movement) to truly understand this dudes guitar-playing ability. His runs are precise, his pick work is flawless, and his “over the top” quotient is just not there. He can play the classics as if on piano, yet on guitar.

But then he goes and plays a song like “Sahara Skies” which has a fluid and lofty feel much like early Brand X, yes, kind of jazzy too!

So what you have here is an excellent rock guitar CD. It is rarely, if at all, annoyingly full of riffs with “just too many damn notes” and is often as not filled with concise precise guitar magic that makes one want to have more!

You really get a sense of this dudes ability when he clips into Mozart’s 25th Symphony in G minor. The guy is awesome! And to really tease us all, he follows this Mozart piece with a wonderfully light piece that reminds me much of Eric Johnson.

So, you like guitars but are bored to tears with over indulgent riff mongers? Is that what’s bugging you bunky? Well my friends, this is a music lovers CD who would normally never buy a guitar dudes solo, vocalist CD. A must have in my book!

My only complaint. This CD is WAY TOO SHORT. At just over 30 minutes, all it really does is wet ones appetite. More, More, MORE!" - Stephen Ellis, Prog4You.com