Φοίβος Ζαχαρόπουλος: New E.P. titled 'Distorted'

In recent years there has been a great flourishing in music composition. Many very important and interesting artists have kicked off their careers with personal records. One of them is Φοίβος Ζαχαρόπουλος. The guitarist – composer presented his first E.P. titled 'Distorted’.

First step in his solo career

Φοίβος may be taking the first step in his solo career, but he is by no means a new artist. Born on May 2, 1983, the artist started working as a professional musician at the age of 16. His talent made him stand out.

22 years later, he is considered one of the most well-known guitarists in the Greek music industry, having recorded over 700 tracks on records as a session musician. Beyond that, he has taken part in a large number of concerts and tours in Europe, South Africa, Australia, Canada and America.

His first E.P. titled 'Distorted', contains 5 of his own compositions and one cover. The cover is of the well-known Beatles track, 'Eleanor Rigby’.

A dynamic, guitar-driven E.P.

Φοίβος is a guitarist of exceptional level. Battle-hardened in both live shows and recordings. 'Distorted' is a dynamic, guitar-driven E.P., in which the artist showcases his wide range of melodies and techniques.

At this point I'd like to underline the difficulty that instrumental albums present, both for composers and for listeners. From the composer's side, the difficulty lies in the fact that without lyrics, they must maintain a continuous and interesting flow in the tracks. This is usually achieved through constant variation of rhythms, riffs, melodies and, of course, the track's dynamics. The role of the frontman and the voice here is taken up by the lead guitar parts. This is the track's vocal line.

On the other hand, the difficulty for listeners lies in the fact that not everyone can get into an album that doesn't have songs with lyrics. It's a completely personal thing. For my part, I believe that music as a whole is the element every listener should focus on.

Let the melodies tell you their stories

With 'Distorted', Φοίβος offers us this instrumental musical feast, of the kind we've come to expect from well-known virtuoso guitarists like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani.

In terms of sound, Φοίβος moves from soft sounds full of atmospheric effects, all the way to full throttle, distorted lead parts. A wide range of sounds packed with dynamics. The tone he's chosen for his guitars is excellent. It 'cuts' through the mix in just the right way and highlights even the smallest details.

On the songs

The truth is that many of the tracks on this E.P. have caught my attention. Songs like 'Schumann Ρesonance', 'Alleviation' and the title track 'Distorted', certainly deserve a mention.

Editor's Choice: Eleanor Rigby

Beyond the above, I'd like to dwell on Φοίβος's excellent effort to cover the well-known Beatles track titled 'Eleanor Rigby'. Φοίβος transformed the legendary pop track by the Fab Four into an excellent instrumental cover with a heavy sound. All of this done in the unique style of an experienced guitarist.

In conclusion

'Distorted' has all the elements that can help Φοίβος shed the profile of session guitarist and take on that of a solo performer. His sound is very high quality and his compositions are of great interest. It would certainly be very interesting to be able to see Φοίβος in a live performance, perhaps his first as a solo artist. Beyond that, we eagerly await his next work.