Lord of the Strings Pt. One – Fellowship of the String "Welcome to part one of the three part Sám Kazerooni saga starting with his debut album Vision. This Bahrain born, self-taught guitar instrumentalist has been recording his own compositions since the age of 15. In 1997 he tactically relocated to Dubai, hooked up with producer Rob Storm (Verve) and his debut Vision was born. The sixteen track, instrumental rock album took two years to complete and was released in 2000. You can’t fault Kazerooni when it comes to variation. Vision takes you through eastern influences, medieval (think King Arthur movie soundtracks with a Fender instead of a lute) themed pieces (Caught In The Crossfire, Minuet I, II and III), basic rock numbers, thriller movie/cop show themes, The Cars (!) and one particularly Eurovision worthy love song piece that I could envision Chris De Burg crooning over. A couple of acoustic numbers featured were good, although one had an extremely similar chord progression to Metallica’s The Unforgiven repeating through it. Shhh … don’t tell Lars. The production on Vision was up and down, particularly the drum tracks (a mix of programmed and organic I think) that were pretty good for the most part but the occasional hand claps and other sampled sounds cut through too much. My biggest problems were the keyboard bass track, the god awful buzzy tone on the rhythm guitar track and the way a few tracks ended with the programmed beat only which sounded like a ‘learn how to play’ backing track tape. While Sám Kazerooni is a proficient enough player, he doesn’t come across as a virtuoso by any stretch and maybe he didn’t really see himself as one at this early stage of his career either. A fair number of the tracks are more like musical soundscapes, happy to stick with harmonies than displays of six string prowess which, while refreshing on one hand, sees him looking like a Satriani-like artist without the necessary chops. I gave Kazerooni an extra half a point for the CD cover. Shirtless, muscle-bound guy with porn mo, guitar and background lightning? Priceless." Mark Lennard - TheMetalForge.com Lord of the Strings Pt. Two – Kazerooni Strikes Back "Welcome to part two of the three part Sám Kazerooni saga, continuing with 2003’s Angry Planet. This time Kazerooni teamed up with Canadian producer Paul Herspiegel and drummer Pravin Mukhi (death metal band Abhorred) working for eight months to complete his sixteen track, instrumental heavy metal ‘tour de force’ (his words) Angry Planet. Accompanied by a brief ‘making of’ video feature, this album is far more professional looking and sounding than its predecessor Vision, but still doesn’t hit the heights of his peers. The addition of a real metal drummer was Kazerooni’s first good move, Pravin brings double kicks, a bevy of fills and human feeling to the mix. Some of the rhythm guitar tracks are dogged by the same production problems that Vision had, but overall this is a better release in terms of songwriting, lead work and just being more metal. Kazerooni has brought more rock/metal and lead guitar work to Angry Planet, still sparse in lead work but more, indicating he maybe had more of a handle on his playing and even musical direction than last time round. Still keeping things varied, though thankfully no Eurovision songs this time, there’s acoustics, eastern feels, movie soundtrack/TV show theme pieces and more straight up rocking metal with plenty of core harmonies ala Joe Satriani. This seems (after two albums) where Kazerooni is most comfortable, keeping his leads basic with lots of emotion and letting loose with scale runs and tapping when in full flight. There’s nothing wrong with not being the Middle Eastern Steve Vai, but I prefer at least a certain level of ‘other world wizardry’ in my guitar hero albums over a string of ‘pretty cool card tricks’. This album does however suffer from straying into the ‘song remains the same’ category, with not much to distinguish a few of the tracks from each other. There’s also a strange tendency to end or fade out the song rather abruptly after only a minute or so, often in a spot when other more deft lead players would have torn into some fret gymnastics. Some decisive culling of a few tracks may have helped, letting others go longer and develop into something more. An overall improvement on last album Vision, but not by much." Mark Lennard - TheMetalForge.com Lord of the Strings Pt. Three – Return of the String "Welcome to the final installment of the Sám Kazerooni saga, concluding with 2007’s Delve. Now based in Vancouver Canada (minus the moustache), Kazerooni returned to Dubai to record his third album, along the way recruiting drummer/percussionist Tarun Sequeira. His third album to feature sixteen tracks, a lucky number I suppose, Delve has a much cleaner and consistent production and more lead guitar! Kazerooni has introduced a host of welcome new fret-tricks and maintained the same level of variation in styles. The emotion-charged harmonies are again a main focus of the tracks though leads are much more prevalent this time round. The rhythm guitar parts are trickier than previous outings and the production, while traditionally sterile as many guitar instrumental albums tend to be, is leaps and bounds ahead of both earlier efforts. Staying away from the awkwardly brief pieces and abrupt endings that littered past efforts, the track running times are generally longer allowing the tracks a chance to breathe and evolve. These fleshed-out pieces enable Kazerooni to let loose when the leads are the focal point and to really expand on the building, emotion based pieces. If he was to pursue a career in movie soundtracks I’m sure his pockets would thank him as he has a knack for creating some quality cinematic moments. From the vast improvement in rhythm work (The Arrival) and lead work (Junction Metropolis, Memory One, Skyward Eternal, Red Eye) to the moving pieces (Aqualude, Baby Steps), to those with a mix of everything (Bekhub), Delve is indeed a far more accomplished work. Many years have passed since the self-taught, fifteen year old guitarist from Bahrain first started recording his works and the lessons learned from each step of the way have enabled Kazerooni to reach this highest point in his recording career. A continuation of this progression in the future should see him gain the respect of fans of this genre if pushed in the right markets. If six string warriors with a flare for Satriani styled, rock-based instrumentals are your thing then Sám Kazerooni’s Delve may just be your multi-flavoured cup of tea. Shred or be shredded!" Mark Lennard - TheMetalForge.com "With "Vision," Sam Kazerooni has graced us with an outstanding instrumental recording. The name of this is so appropriate because what vision its creator has! Sam pays as much attention to rhythm guitar as he does lead and that's the reason I like his music over so many other instrumental guitarists out there today. Each track here is fun and easy to listen to and each paints a picture. And, each time I listen, I feel something different. I simply love Mr. Kazerooni’s style and I am never bored while listening to his music, unlike some of the other, perhaps more famous guitarists out there. The music is simple but at the same time also incredibly complex. Both aspects are perfectly modulated into an extremely understandable and enjoyable product." -Steve "Snidermann" Snider, RoughEdge.com "With "Delve," Sam Kazerooni proves once again that really great rock music does not need anything as droll as lyrics to be truly outstanding. Playing all the guitars (lead, rhythm and bass) and keyboards, Sam paints a musical portrait that is truly unique and identifiable. I found the music to be inspirational and complex in a way that transformed me into a state of grace without my even realizing it was happening. As I listened, I followed the way the rhythm guitar started and then the lead picked it up and then they both seemed to change places as the bass came in to complete the picture. And, as I listened, I had to keep reminding myself that this is just one guy playing all those riffs at the same time! Sam Kazerooni is a true master of instrumental rock art with a simply outstanding repertoire of great music. So, lock the door, turn off the lights, put on your headphones, turn the volume up, sit back and enjoy the musical movie of "Delve" as it develops in front of you. Not only is this the best instrumental rock album of 2007, it may be the best rock release of the year, period." -Steve "Snidermann" Snider, RoughEdge.com "Mustachioed fret-fiddler Sam Kazerooni is a local shredder, although by the sounds of ‘Angry planet’ the sun’s done little to lighten his mood. If the idea of an instrumental , virtuoso hard rock album along the lines of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai doesn’t appeal, you’re unlikely to be won over by the eardrum battering fodder on offer here. Intelligent moshers with hair to spare and a yearning for muso-credibility, however, would be well advised to seek solace in the histrionic noodling of ‘Stellar’, the sonic nastiness of ‘No Apologies’ or the tender two-minute respite that is ‘Nastaran’. What appeal Kazerooni loses through dire song names (‘Orbit of the Backwards Oblong’ anyone?) he steals back thanks to his superlative technical prowess, grunting power chords and pummeling beats courtesy of heavy-duty tub-thumper Pravin Mukhi. Rock on." –Mathew Wade, TimeOut Dubai "CD Baby.com gives an apt description of Sam Kazerooni’s ‘Angry Planet’,..”Instrumental metal with an ethnic twist. Think Joe Satriani with the guitarist from Dio on rhythm. Playing to ‘tabla’ percussion. As well as a lot of ‘80’s style rock riffs. Only heavier.” Along with Pravin ‘Thundersticks’ Mukhi on drums, Angry Planet shoots sixteen growlers, which seem to depict the deterioration of our Mother Earth. With Paul Herspiegel as the production engineer and a ‘Pro Tools whiz’, the album was created. Of course, it’s an amazing feat to create an album solely along the lines you want to and Sam never wavered from his path. Look out Satriani, cos Kazerooni’s coming to get you!" –Rahul Ahmad, Khaleej Times "I feel partially responsible for this as I remember a long time ago linking up Rob Storm (former The Verve producer and Dubai music maestro) with young Sam, who was looking for the opportunity to show his talents on a six string guitar. Roughly 12 months later ‘Vision’ is born, and very good it is too. Sam is a mean axe-man and the tunes are rocky, atmospheric and evocative. Get it for yourself and support some home-grown talent. Mark my words, young Sam will be writing film music for Hollywood blockbusters in no time. Also, maybe once he’s made his millions he’ll be able to afford a shirt for his next album cover!" –Dave Crane, What’s On magazine “It is a mixture of several different genres. You can recognize shades of rock and jazz but the overwhelming influence is certainly heavy-metal. Despite the familiar notes, the music is different from any that you have ever heard before."....."The notes die away leaving behind a sense of heightened awareness. You wait for the next song and then the next, almost expecting the strident notes of the guitar as it pierces and strikes your very consciousness. “ -Sudha Chandran, Panorama (the Gulf Today) "Vision is indeed a dense instrumental album, filled with a never ending array of sonic textures and guitar tones. Unlike most guitar heroes, Bahraini born Kazerooni treats music as a way to demonstrate his technical skill. He channels his considerable technical skills into creating soundscapes that will showcase his virtuosity as often as possible. The result is a guitar album enjoyable for guitar freaks. An impressive effort from a musician that has the potential to grow and stretch himself, Vision is a straight-ahead heavy-metal, instrumental tour de force, full of Kazerooni’s passion and guitar warfare. In this context, the guitarist is saddled down with a missionary zeal to emulate greats like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani and Yngwie Malmsteen which appears to limit his ability to stretch out. Consequently, the record is somewhat predictable after you have heard the first two or three tracks. Well produced and recorded, it’s still worth a listen. It is your rock, without vocals." –Leslie Wilson Jr., Gulf News (Entertainment) "There will always be a place in my heart for individuals who are so determined to record their music their way, they'll all but do it themselves. If it's a success, they can bask in the limelight they created. If it flops, there's no one to blame but themselves. Sam Kazerooni is one of those people. Except for the drums (which are handled by a cat named Pravin 'Thundersticks' Mukhi), everything you hear on "Angry Planet" comes from Sam. And what a performance it is. "Angry Planet" is an all instrumental CD with no vocals and no other extraneous bullshit to get in the way. It's just plan musical poetry. This is power guitar music to the extreme and this shit is so good that lyrics and vocals aren't necessary. To say that Kazerooni is a talented guitarist is like saying Pamela Anderson has big boobs or George W. is a dickhead. It's just a fact, plain and simple. According to the liner notes, this is Sam's second release. If the first one ("Vision") is anything like "Angry Planet," it must rock, too. True, some of the slower tunes tend to drag, but never long enough to spoil the overall listening experience. The musical range of emotion is wide and varied and makes this CD a treat to listen to. For my money, Sam Kazerooni can take his place as one of the best metal guitarists out there today." -Steve "Snidermann" Snider, RoughEdge.com "Guitarist SAM KAZEROONI from the USA [Note: Sam is actually from the UAE] has a CD out titled ‘Angry planet’ on the US Proglabel FOSSIL RECORDS. The CD contains 16 tracks, and is basically a very impressive instrumental guitar orientated Progressive Metal album. Sam showcases he is very good at playing the guitar and he also plays the bass, with only the drums being taken care by someone else (Pravin Mukhi). The songs have a strong Progressive Metal touch, like an instrumental DREAM THEATER. It’s also obvious that Sam is influenced by JOHN PETRUCCI of DREAM THEATER fame, because he plays his guitar in the same style as John does. The CD was actually recorded in Dubai (!), but during the multimedia part of the CD I learned that Sam really is an American guitarist [see previous note], but check it all out for yourself..." -Gabor Kleinbloesem, Strutter'zine "Kazerooni is an interesting individual and the first person I have reviewed that is actually from the Persian Gulf. He has some past releases and this one is kind of like a compilation of sorts with material from 2003 to present day. Think of Montrose, Holdsworth, Santana and "Satch" since alot of the music reflects different genres like Jazz, Reggae, Blues, Salsa, Latin, Rock to Prog/Metal. There's a whopping 16 tracks on here and I found at least more than 3/4 of this disc to be pretty damn good. The songs I didn't like is only for the simple reason I'm not a big fan of Salsa or Latin no matter what you do on the guitar..just not my thing. "Cosmic Plunder", "Orbit Of The Backwards Oblong", "XO Black Whole" (my fave and very "Satch-ish"), "No Apologies", "Bullet Proof", "Wonder Dust", "Ahura" are just a few for you to prioritize if you get this disc. The finalé, "Sometimes" is another great piece of work before I forget. With any luck, someone will reissue some of his past works. Very enjoyable and pretty amazing where this guy comes from and the different musical spectrum he portrays." -Wayne Klinger, Quintessence Magazine "Another progressive, landmark album, which focuses on all out instrumental offerings, comes way of guitarist extraordinaire Sam Kazerooni. Heavily influenced by the likes of Satch and Ronnie Montrose, Kazerooni delivers an over the top steamroller of a second CD. Angry Planet takes over where Vision left off and introduces the world to a first rate instrumental shredder with solid rock/prog roots and a predilection for hooks and melody within the frame work of emotionally drenched instrumental compositions. A true technical shredder who can let loose with precise alternate note flurries or lay back and chug on a tight rhythm. Kazarooni spreads his wings and soars with the best of today’s new breed. The music put forth on Angry Planet showcases a musician who is developing a stylistic voice that pays homage to his peers all the while spreading out in his own direction. He is a master technician who interweaves intricate musical passages with melodic backgrounds that are rife with aggression and stabilized by passion. Angry Planet is a serious mix of diversity that showcases a variety of musical styles that range from progressive, funk, fusion, and shred. Many of the songs put forth on Angry Planet are in the vain of a Satriani type composition but with more of a metal vibe. Kazerooni delves deep into his amazing bag of guitar styling and comes up with some very convincing performances throughout all 16 tracks. This is an all instrumental affair with Sam performing all instrumentation accept for drums. All tracks found on this fine release are favorable – Highlights include: “Cosmic Plunder” – a Satriani like romp that burns from start to finish and contains a smack down of a heavy rhythm. Great flowing melody that incorporates almost every guitar technique available to make this tour-de-force a strong showcase for his over all ability. “Journey to Purple Earth” - a great epic ballad like melody lays the foundation for some amazing over the top solo forays that utilize single note runs, some great cosmic bending and a nice smattering of in the pocket groove soloing. “Nastaran” – a heady melodic atmospheric number done on acoustic. The song builds in intensity while revisiting the main theme in a circular structure until it climaxes with a chimy conclusion. Kazerooni joins the legion of the “New Breed.” A legion that bring a complete package to the table. He incorporates the request palette of instrumental shred riffage combined with an emotional commitment to great song craft and melodic beauty. Anyone who enjoys melodic song craft combined with over the top guitar textures will really like Angry Planet." - Guitar Mania