The most compelling tracks on Gus G's previous album, 2018's "Fearless", were definitely the instrumentals. So it was with great interest that we approached this "Quantum Leap," the Firewind guitarist's first fully instrumental solo album. Conceived and recorded during the pandemic, this opus was born as much to make up for the frustration of not being able to defend on stage the Firewind album released in 2020 as to please its author. Having almost nothing to prove, except that he deserves much more international recognition as a guitarist, Kostas Karamitroudis set out to compose tracks that highlight both his technique and his melodic sense. Mission accomplished, but only partially.
Indeed, the big interest of "Quantum Leap" is that each track develops an identifiable melodic line from the first listening. Gus G takes great care not to bury the listener under a deluge of technical plans, even if the specialists will find a considerable quantity of shred and neoclassical passages to study. But the disadvantage of this choice is that the melodic lines in question are very similar to those used by others, notably Joe Satriani ('Enigma Of Life', 'Not Forgotten') or Patrick Rondat ('Quantum Lead'), which makes us think that Gus G listened to his favorite artists and imbued a little too much of their universe before composing his album.
This lack of personality, added to a total absence of emotion in the way of approaching his guitar playing, penalizes the album which however conceals many qualities, in the first place a certain science of the metal riff coming straight from Firewind ('Judgement Day', 'Fierce', 'Demon Stomp', 'Force Majeure'). That said, it doesn't prevent "Quantum Leap" from going round in circles sometimes, despite some welcome incursions in the progressive metal ('Into The Unknown') and in the synthwave ('Night Driver').
"Quantum Leap" is thus a well produced instrumental album, rather generous but finally a little too wise to totally win over the audience. It lacks the breath and the ambition present in the real specialists of the genre. It should be noted that it is delivered with a second CD gathering live versions of some of Gus G's sung tracks which are totally dispensable.