Generation Ax/Osaka,Japan 2019

GENERATION AXE is a huge collaboration project of modern guitar giants who have returned to Japan for the first time in two years. The latest original recording is now available. This work was recorded on “November 26, 2019: Zepp Namba performance”. This is a 3-disc set of exquisite audience recordings that record the whole story. Their Japan tour just ended the other day, and the timing is that recordings will be coming out from various places. First, let’s check the show’s position from the schedule.・November 25th: Zepp Fukuoka ・November 26th: Zepp Namba　←★This work★ ・November 28th: ​​Zepp Nagoya ・November 29th: Toyosu PIT A total of 4 performances. Last time two years ago, it was only in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, but this time it was in Fukuoka as well. The Osaka performance of this work was the second concert. This work, which records such a show, is truly a masterpiece. This is the latest work by the modern master “West Japan’s Strongest Taper”, who is second to none when it comes to recording HR/HM, and the core with no sense of distance, the response of a soundboard, and the extremely detailed details are exquisite. It feels more vivid than the usual “strongest” Mr. recordings, but there is no doubt that it is a bad thing. Even when heroes with a terrifyingly large number of sounds try to knock them down, you can clearly hear each one. In fact, Mr. “Strongest” is not an HR/HM specialist, and although he records a wide range of genres, one thing he has in common is that he has a good guitar sound. As a result, there are many masterpieces in the HR/HM genre where the guitar appears completely, and there is no better recording artist to record GENERATION AXE. The show drawn with such sound is truly a great collaboration of heroes. The basic show structure is the same as last time, connecting the solo stages of the five guitarists with a co-starring corner. Let’s organize it with a breakdown of the 3-disc set. ●DISC 1・5-person session: Hocus Pocus・Tosin Abasi (3 songs)・Abasi & Nuno: Physical Education・Nuno Bettencourt (3 songs)・DISC 2・Nuno & Zack: Sideways・Zakk Wylde (3 songs)・Zack/Nuno/Vai: Still Got the Blues・Steve Vai (3 songs) ●DISC 3・Yngwie Malmsteen (8 songs + α)・Yngwie & Vi: Black Star・Vai/Zack/Nuno/Abbasi: Frankenstein 5 Human session: Bohemian Rhapsody/Burn…and it looks like this. Only the co-starring corner has the song title. In fact, the order of appearance is the same as two years ago, and the songs played on Nuno’s stage are completely the same. That said, the other four have made some changes, Abashi’s “CAFO,” Zack’s “Into the Void” and “War Pigs,” and Vai’s “There’s a Fire in the House” and “The Animal.” , Yngwie will perform repertoire that we could not hear on his last visit to Japan, such as “Top Down, Foot Down” and “From a Thousand Cuts.” Even more refreshing is the co-starring part, which has been completely replaced. All five members will perform FOCUS’s “Hocus Pocus” from the opening, and they will also perform “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Burn” in the encore. This is already super hot. “Bohemian Rhapsody” is particularly impressive. From the original, the guitar and vocals were dubbed endlessly, but in GENERATION AXE, although it is an instrumental, five heroes take on various parts, recreating that profound world. Simple phrases are harmonized to reproduce Brian May’s orchestration, and extremely complex chorus harmonies are also perfectly reproduced. Moreover, each note is so unique that it is so gorgeous that it makes you dizzy. At first, I thought they just picked it up because it was popular, but I never expected it to be a song that brings out the true value of Hozo GENERATION AXE… Also worth noting is the performance of “Still Got the Blues” between Zack and Vi. Of course, Gary Moore’s signature song. When the intensely exciting “War Pigs” finishes, the song switches to that phrase, and Zack sings it in a Chinese style and plays it passionately. Zack, who is full of southern rock, and Gary, who is Irish, have slightly different images, but their chemistry through the blues and sticky guitar makes them a good fit. Then, once the song breaks, Nuno appears and the two of them release a tearful rapid-fire tribute to Guitar Crazy. After a battle of alternate crying, a particularly unique tone interrupts and Vi appears! At the end, triple harmony takes the highlight of that famous song to another dimension… Because the phrases are simple, each individual’s individuality is strong in both battle and harmony, and you can also feel the presence of the sixth hero: Gary Moore. It is truly a song that concentrates the flavor of the great collaboration project. Although it was long due to all the co-stars, the solo stages of each of the five members were also intense. This is a 3-disc set filled with guitars for 3 hours and 20 minutes that will leave you exhausted. Of course it’s a must-listen for guitar players, but it’s so intense that it’ll make you laugh even if you don’t play an instrument. If you have plenty of volume, every moment will be extra rich. Truly the ultimate guitar album. Live at Zepp Namba, Osaka, Japan 26th November 2019 TRULY PERFECT SOUND(from Original Masters) Disc 1 (55:07) 1. Intro Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, Tosin Abasi 2. Hocus Pocus Tosin Abasi 3 Tempting Time 4. The Woven Web 5. CAFO Tosin Abasi & Nuno Bettencourt 6. Physical Education Nuno Bettencourt 7. Get the Funk Out 8. Midnight Express 9. Extreme Medley Disc 2 (73:59) Nuno Bettencourt & Zakk Wylde 1. Sideways Zakk Wylde 2. N.I.B. 3. Into the Void 4. War Pigs Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt & Steve Vai (joins at end) 5 Still Got the Blues Steve Vai 6. There’s a Fire in the House 7. The Animal 8. Tender Surrender Disc 3 (69:53) Yngwie Malmsteen 1. Top Down, Foot Down 2. Into Valhalla / Baroque & Roll 3. Overture / From a Thousand Cuts / Arpeggios from Hell 4. Badiniere / Concerto #4 / Adagio 5. Far Beyond the Sun 6. Trilogy Suite Op: 5 7. Fugue / Cadenza #3 / Echo 8. Acoustic Cadenza Yngwie Malmsteen & Steve Vai 9. Black Star Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt, Tosin Abasi 10. Frankenstein Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde , Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, Tosin Abasi 11. Bohemian Rhapsody 12. Burn