MICHAEL HARRIS GROUP – Ego Decimation Profile

Michael Harris is one of the most renowned instrumental guitarists with his career spanning over 15 years. His decision to release his 1996 work of Ego Decimation Profile was due to the rousing reviews that his band Thought Chamber received worldwide. This album is just mind blowing! The combination of Prog, Rock, Jazz, Neo-Classical, Funk, and Groove is no less than astounding. If anyone could pull off this melding of different types and styles of music and sound Michael Harris can.

The album starts off with “Forewarning,” a blend of beautiful acoustic guitar works that blasts into a bevy of spine tingling experiences! Almost an Operatic feel to it with its Neo-Classical verve, it leaves you wondering what could be around the next corner. That’s the wondrous beauty to Michael’s work is that nothing on the album ever sounds like the song before it. It’s always something new and fresh!

“Vicious Uppercut” doesn’t even give you a chance to breath! It’s grinding Metal riffs just offer so much you wonder if you can handle any more. Enter “Grandscape” for a lovely change of pace with its slow and melodic guitar work, which just goes to show you that this album is just enough, but never too flashy or over-the-top with intricate solos. Just a great song to get you primed and ready for more of what these wonderful musicians have to offer. “Freudian Trip” starts off with great drums and a good solid bass riff, then you kind of get that Jazz/Funk/Groove thing going on; but wait there’s more! It breaks into Prog-ish riffs and just when you think that’s it, there’s that ever so famous Neo-Classical guitar riff. “Brainwarp” has just got that wonderful Metal guitar riff that you love in a lot of your favorite songs, but with that MH touch; once again his songs are written to not only showcase his various talents, but that of the other musicians working with him. And last but not least, the album is rounded out and ends with “Terminus Epic,” which is just a beautiful blend of Rock guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums.

Ego Decimation Profile is definitely worth a listen and something that you would want in your personal collection. It is a collage of every kind of style of guitar you could want and need. Again Michael Harris is an outstanding musician, and it comes through in his works. This new version makes it more appealing for today’s music fans.