Album Review: Alex Stephens - First full-length album entitled "The Path" // All Time Metal \\

 

Alex Stephens - First full-length album entitled "The Path" released on 

December 30, 2022

Artist: Alex Stephens

Country: USA

Album: The Path

Format: Digital CD / Streaming

Label: Independent Release

Artwork by Juan Montoya

All songs (music and lyrics/vocal melodies) by Alex Stephens 

All orchestral arrangements written and preformed by Alex Stephens on a Synthesizer

Tracklist:

01. Believe

02. The Path

03. Guiding Light

04. Break Free

05. Hidden Names

06. The Unexpected Hero

07. Ghost Of The Sky

Album Review:

Alex Stephens' first personal album consists of seven tracks with many surprises for the guests. All seven songs are overall symphonic power metal compositions with amazing vocal performances from both vocalists, great guitar riffs and solos, with a power rhythm on the drums, the piano part and the synth on the whole album gives it a subtly wonderful gothic flavor. 

But the show is stolen by the first two tracks "Believe" and "The Path" which are more than 11 and 8 minutes respectively. Two amazing multi-dimensional compositions that demonstrate the talent of their creator. 

"Believe" an orchestral composition with a wonderful combination of synth and piano, amazing guitar shooting, guitar solos and dissolis, battle drums and amazing vocal performance. 

The title track "The Path" is a power composition with tempo changes, the synth gives it an oriental element and an acoustic feast of four amazing guitar solos that each stand out in style. 

"The Path" is a symphonic power metal album that can satisfy even the most demanding metal music listeners.

Excellent! Complete! 10/10

 The album features the following great musicians:

Believe

Alex Stephens (Guitars, Synth), Mark Boals (Vox), Tim Ripper Owens (Vox), 

Mike LePond (Bass), Patrick Johansson (Drums), Adam Frank (Classical Guitar), 

Victoria Clavell (Piano)

The Path

Alex Stephens (Guitars, Synth, 1st Guitar Solo & 3rd Guitar Solo), Mark Boals (Vox), Tim Ripper Owens (Vox), Mike LePond (Bass), Kenny Rhino Earl (Drums), 

Michael Romeo (2nd Guitar Solo), Joel Hoekstra (4th Guitar Solo), 

Ron Cholfin (Piano)

Guiding Light

 Alex Stephens (Guitars, Synth), Tim Ripper Owens (Vox), Mike LePond (Bass), Patrick Johansson (Drums), Victoria Clavell (Piano)

Break Free 

 Alex Stephens (Guitars, Synth, 2nd Guitar Solo), Tim Ripper Owens (Vox), 

Mike LePond (Bass), Patrick Johansson (Drums), 

Euge Valovirta (1st Guitar Solo)

Hidden Names

Alex Stephens (Guitars, Synth), Mark Boals (Vox), Tim Ripper Owens (Vox), 

Mike LePond (Bass), Patrick Johansson (Drums), Victoria Clavell (Piano)

The Unexpected Hero

 Alex Stephens (Guitars, Synth), Mark Boals (Vox), Mike LePond (Bass), 

Patrick Johansson (Drums)

Ghost of The Sky

 Alex Stephens (Guitars, Synth), Mark Boals (Vox), Mike LePond (Bass), 

Patrick Johansson (Drums)

Alex Stephens is an American guitarist, bassist, drummer and mandolin player, with over 20 years of experience, he is a guitar teacher, session guitarist, songwriter, music producer and mix & mastering engineer. He is also the lead guitarist of the American band Angels of Babylon, which was founded by Kenny Rhino Earl (ex Manowar drummer). 

In his first album ''The Path'' he has collaborated with important figures of the rock and metal scene, something particularly honorable for him as a young artist. These are Tim Ripper Owens (ex Judas Priest and Iced Earth singer), Mark Boals (ex Yngwie Malmsteen singer), Patrick Johansson (ex WASP and Malmsteen drummer), Mike LePond (Symphony X bassist), Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake guitarist), Michael Romeo (Symphony X guitarist), Kenny Rhino Earl (ex Manowar drummer), Euge Valovirta (Cyhra guitarist) etc.

His discography work consists of "Old Friend Of Mine" (EP 2019), "Closer than you think" (Single 2020), "Go Go Go (And Rock n Roll)" (Single 2020).

Social:  Website  Facebook  Instagram  YouTube  

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All Time Metal

Anastasia Tetoula