Bernd Steidl - Psycho Acoustic Overture (1991)

The great irony with this release is that it was perhaps the most innovative and interesting on the Shrapnel label, yet received little attention until years later. Yngwie Malmsteen's influence on young guitarists produced an endless supply of technically competent, but largely uninspired, effigies. Mark Varney signed the German guitarist/composer Bernd Steidl, who had been studying at the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) in California, after hearing a demo tape. Released without much press or fanfare, the recording was only mildly successful within the guitar-shred community. Perhaps the reason for this was that the core American audience, primarily young, heavy metal-influenced guitar students, were not ready for the level of sophistication presented in this acoustic format. In fact, the music on this recording bears little to no resemblance to the guitar shredders that Steidl was unfairly being compared to (i.e.Tony Macalpine, Vinnie Moore, Greg Howe). Formally trained on classical music in Germany, but also influenced by the likes of Al Di Meola and Django Reinhardt, Steidl amassed a prodigious combination of guitar technique and compositional skills. The listener is thus treated not only to staggering displays of guitar gymnastics, but also to distinctive, diverse, and memorable compositions that add up to a cohesive musical listening experience. As the years went by and the spread of MP3s became the dominant form of music acquisition, word quickly spread about this recording, and a cult classic was firmly established. There are a number of standout tracks here, with the jaw-dropping "Irrlichter" and haunting "Cobra Negra" being the most memorable. The supporting musicians are careful not to overplay and make a valuable contribution, especially the eerie choral vocals of Dioni Michelle Collins. With Psycho Acoustic Overture, Bernd Steidl managed to outplay and outclass his contemporaries, and although it took nearly a decade, the musical community finally realized this player's special talent.

Although Swedish heavy metal guitar shredder Yngwie Malmsteen was the first to adapt Niccolo Paganini's violin compositions to guitar, German guitarist Bernd Steidl prefers to play Paganini on the acoustic guitar. Shortly after attending Los Angeles' Musician's Institute of Technology, Steidl signed to Shrapnel Records in the early '90s, issuing his debut, Psycho Acoustic Overture, in 1991. He didn't follow it up until ten years later when his sophomore release, Paganiniana, saw the light of day. In addition to his recording career, Steidl also scores music for German motion pictures.