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Michael “Mike” Orlando released in 2006 his own first guitar solo album creating his path and gaining his space in the crowded guitar shredder world. We checked out Guitar Nine Records and ordered both Mike’s Sonic Stomp and Sonic Stomp II. Here is our our Sonic Stomp “Song-By-Song” review.
Mike Orlando Sonic Stomp
There is nothing better than listening to truly inspired guitarist like Mike Orlando. There are just few guitar players capable to step above others offering something new not heard before. Something that sounds more cool than what other great guitarist did. We talked about John 5, about Tommy Ermolli, the magical Mr. Fastfinger and the explosive Constantine all great. Mike blasted out his Sonic Stop in 2006 and everything changed. The Sonic Stomp II went out 1 year ago and span above again. Mike sounds more inspired and cool than many-many other great guitarist out there. Probably you do not know but Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater drummer) decided to join Mike Orlando and create the new Adrenalin Mob band: this should say something that rises above our opinion as it is a fact!
Mike Orlando’s Sonic Stomp comes with a standard jewel case. The front cover shows white logo and artist name above purple/violet sonic wave that suggests something in motion but nothing about the fact that this album fits something that changed forever the guitar shred world.
Mike Orlando - Sonic Stomp Jewel Case Front Cover (click to enlarge)
On the back you’ll see Mike face. He is sitted on his sofa in a relaxed state of mind. He is surrounded by candles and embraces his white electric guitar.
Mike Orlando - Sonic Stomp Jewel Case Back (click to enlarge)
So how is the music? Is Sonic Stomp so cool? Discover the Sonic Stomp with our “Song-By-Song” review and check out couple of songs exactly as Mike plays them! Infact Wheels in Motion and Horizons have been covered by Mike in his studio and released over Mike’s YouTube! Channel legally!
- Wheels in Motion: Starts with a sonic-stop and rock’a-riff. The guitar is singing it turns your day into a brilliant sate and let your body move. About 2’10′ starts the shred with a great mixture of techniques. That is the song you will replay the most. Well here it is from Mike’s official YouTube Channel:
- Sonic Stomp: Crazy sweaps and drums mix. This song is capable to recall the crazyness that ages ago Paul Gilbert delivered in his own way. Over here is the great new-axe master Mike Orlando rules. About 2’50″ there is a guitar escalation to something that sounds at the same time bluesy-jazzy-proggy. It sounds so special and invites the player to add more and more… well that’s exactly what Mike did! Awesome!
- Game Over: What? Please not yet! eheh. This album is great. Game Over is a vibrant song with loads of slides over the neck. Mike guitar is talking to you. What you will love the most is the joy that this song is capable to spread over 6 minutes. Game over switches theme several times each minute or minute and half. about the 2′ there is the calm. 3′ new screams 4′ main theme reprise but in a smoother way than before. Moving to minute 5 Mike comes out with heavy notes and suddenly strikes out with foolish shred!
- Jam on It: This song has the mood. Even if your have never seen Mike Orlando playing this song you can see him in front of you playing that riff. This is a great track reaching the limit between pure funk and blues. Several colours you can feel about the 3rd minute, than the shred start and grows up the way built before with riffs you heard for 3 minutes with a perfect… jam! There is also a spectacular speedy jam starting from the 4th minute and capable to demonstrate how cool Mike’s shred is. 2 minutes of absolute guitar madness. Than, let us say… the stop and song goes back to sanity for less than 30 second and back to cool shred shot… “That’s it!”
- Horizons: Calm. Melody. A great mixture of emotions exactly as when you are watching the horizon from the top of a mountain. This song describes feelings. Mike’s guitar describes feelings.
- Changes: Screaming song with tension. The lick about 1’15″ shocks and then the new wave of sonic stomp starts againg ending more or less about 1 minute later offering something new even more stretched. Well it changes over and over again. The space between the end of the 3rd and 5th minute blast Mike’s shred a span over several guitar freaks and innovators. Mike is the game changer. This song proves it in our modest opinion.
- Movement: Wow. This is the slap-up track.
- Flex: During the very first listening we wrote on Twitter: “Flex starts with an impressive drum shock and keeps on with heavy-groovy riffs. Innovative Flex!”. That still describes this song as it is: a perfect flexible guitar track that probably Satriani would have been proud of. This is track offers a new and innovative kind of shred over a wall of harmonised riffs and licks. Awesome!
- Slam: If what was shred before was not enough, well that’s the closing slam! There is a fantastic solo all over the way and the stop you hear between each minute transition are just there to prove that what comes next is designed to be even more incredible. Awesome inspired seconds.
- Velvet Sky: This track begins like several Vai’s calm songs but there is more here, more that come’s out from the fresh and original Mike sound. Vai has the 7th songs way, could be that Mike’s has the 10th?
- A Moment in Time: This track will remind you something: Malmsteen. But again there is more than pure shred there’s something epic. Something that sounds less raw than Malmsteen and even faster with more melody and much more inspiration out of classical boundaries.
- Old School Boogie: Oh-oh-oh here comes the icy on the cake.
Mike Orlando - Sonic Stomp Jewel Case opened
Mike Orlando - Sonic Stomp internal folder with Signed Guitar Products (click to enlarge)
For more information visit: Mike Orlando Official website – Follow Mike Orlando on Twitter – Mike Orland Shred Neck – Mike Orlando YouTube! – Mike Orlando Rocktron – Mike Orlando Sonic Stomp at Guitar Nine Records
