ONE

Farzad Golpayegani is a guitarist and composer from Iran, currently living in exile in Turkey. This is his first album. It is also a free album too.

As a debut goes, that either if you are a new guy in a job trying to impress your bosses or your debut is an album; there is a temptation to display a wide variety of skills. This is a very good idea. In particular if have just been employed as a nurse, office clerk, bus driver or whatever employment you have taken up.

In the case of this debut though, the result is a predictable let's cram in everything in one go. This album is therefore more a showcase than an album. A showcase that I am sure has worked well with Farzad Golpayegani's "employers"; the music industry, gigs promoters, the film industry and the music fans.

In short and to spell this out. The album starts with a lot of heavy metal riffs and licks. It then moves into a more Persian folk music phase before it ends up as a more melodic rock album. All of Farzad Golpayegani's skills has been showcased before the end of this album.

The problem is that this philosophy does not promotes the urgency to write and record coherent pieces of music which really stick to the listener's minds. All we get from this album is Farzad Golpayegani's abilities as a guitarist. Period. There is no good songs here and this is not really a music album as most of us would define a coherent music album. I don't think that was the intention with this album too.

It is though a good free download for those interested in Persian folk music and for those who want to support both Farzad Golpayegani and the Iranian underground scene. Both are worthwhile causes in my view. But as a music album...........

2 stars