Dream Machine

There are technical shredders and then there are technical fucking shredders and Hittar Cuesta belongs in the latter group. Hailing from Ecuador and delivering a first album, Language of the Spirits way back in 2004, it took another nine years for this baby to surface, though it was worth the wait in many ways. Blasting back into business with the stunning opening of ‘Pharaoh’, Cuesta goes on to show that he possesses more than just technical skill but also the compositional nous to fight with the best of them. Definitely learning from Yngwie Malmsteen and the new era of shredder he ushered in, the 10 instrumental pieces on Dream Machine range between audacious feats of right-brain creativity, catchy licks and a few big riffs, symphonic and orchestral influences, plus a couple of interesting titbits.

The general standard for a guitar album either demands something completely new and creative (my man Buckethead), something deeply emotional (Gary Moore was the guy until he upped sticks and moved to guitar heaven), or something catchy and memorable (maybe Neil Zaza), not merely a display of ability. Cuesta understands that and that’s why Dream Machine is filled with a host of different ventures, sometimes directly aiming for targets set by certain of the musicians just mentioned. For instance, ‘Shades of Night’ has a swing to it that descends from Gary Moore’s blues period, the title track and the cover of Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons (Summer)’ are at least as classical as anything Malmsteen ever attempted, while ‘For Hendrix, Vai and Frampton’ can’t be blamed for having a deceiving title. Most importantly though, every song has a character all its own and a vague thread winds across the album to unite everything into one. Trust me when I say there's little chance of getting bored or bemoaning Cuesta's self-indulgence.

It's a testament to the writing that I can't pick a favourite here and there is such a lot to describe. Aside from the explosive opening of 'Pharaoh' and its slew of solos, 'Decapitated' is the place to head to for those in search of flashy thrills, the ending batch of solos knocking me on my arse simply by trying to imagine how the guy can play in such an counter-intuitive manner and still make the leads sound great. The first of the set has a shot at Megadeth and leaves Dave Mustaine in the dust, but when the effects pedal comes out and the tapping starts I have been known to laugh out loud just from the sheer ridiculousness of his skill. The riffs are excellent too, particularly in 'Prisoner of Time', which starts off in a fun '80s metal manner, while 'Centurion' delivers some more straightforward classic rock and 'Decapitated' supplies darker and heavier playing that wouldn't sound out of place with a blastbeat or two. Despite the presence of two clear imitations in the shape of 'For Hendrix, Vai and Frampton' and the Vivaldi piece, those songs still represent an enjoyable part of the album, although the former represents the small mediocre part of the release along with 'Soldier of the Future'. However, I have to admit that 'Four Seasons (Summer)' is magical and almost steals my choice for favourite.

One of the finest features of this album is not only the standout moments from individual songs but also the way in which Cuesta has made everything fit so wonderfully together and thought of what sounds good rather than what he can do to impress us. Incidentally, he impresses all the more by layering in several themes and motifs to different songs, such as the absolutely gorgeous floating melodies that ascend above the gruff march of the main riff in 'Out of the Darkness'. The same can be said of his decision to keep the songs relatively short (only 'Decapitated' tops five minutes) and to structure the compositions so that they don't feel like an endless trial by lead guitar, which means that even with a high percentage of time spent soloing and crafting other lead features, each section flows naturally from the last. It takes wisdom to stick 'Pharaoh' up front too, since that is the only full-on shred song and can amaze the listener and entice them to continue, though even here breaks exist in which simpler riffs dominate and the bass and drums have a chance to make themselves heard. That last phrase signifies that the production is great as well, not giving too much precedence to any one instrument and ensuring that the album remains light and airy with just enough grit to get behind the scattering of heavy riffs. In short, even though the cover image looks like an old Alice Cooper album, Dream Machine lives up to its name and then some.