Dario Lorina-Death Grip Tribulations

Shrapnel Records
2017

Fans of top-tier instrumental heavy rock, shred, and hard & heavy metal be sure to drop what you are doing and listen up. This one is for you. Primarily known for his solid work with Zakk Wylde and Black Label Society, highly-skilled hard rock/heavy metal guitarist Dario Lorina (ex-Cyrus Zain, ex-Lizzy Borden, ex-Eric Martin Band, ex-Jani Lane Band, ex-Karneval) with issue the twelve-track recording, "Death Grip Tribulations", on February 24th. Engineered and mixed by well-known producer Fred Archambault, Dario's forthcoming release is a clinical lesson in the fine art of guitar playing that is not only bound to be a sure fire hit for fans of the genre, but is (hands down!) one of the best instrumental albums that I have ever had the pleasure of covering! Staring off with a bang by way of the righteous "Rituals" (a great rock/metal number that sets the pace for the amazing album that is to follow!), "Death Grip Tribulations" is Dario Lorina's second instrumental album since 2013 and (hopefully) it will be the one to finally put this talented musician on the map!! In addition to special guest guitarist Phil Campbell (Motörhead/Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons) this simply-stellar recording features contributions from not only drummer Dan DC Conway (Dario's longtime friend and musical partner) and bassist Marten Andersson (Legacy, Lizzy Borden, ex-Lynch Mob, ex-Starwood), but Dario's Black Label Society band mates John JD DeServio (bass) and Jeff Fabb (drums). Highlights include (but are not limited to) the aforementioned "Rituals" as well as "Echos of A Stone Heart", "Two Fifty", "Heart of Night", "Same Dice", "Hollowing", "Perigee", and the title track. While the album could be considered a mixture of heavy rock, hard rock, traditional heavy metal, and shred there is a lot of versatility going on between numbers. On the heavier end of the spectrum we have "Two Fifty" (the heavy rock/hard rock gem with guest guitarist Phil Campbell) where we are treated to a tasty mash-up of modern day rock and roll and the old school magic of Black Sabbath and Motörhead! Then there are lighter moments such as "Same Dice". This classy numbers instantly wins you over with it's killer saxophone intro and before you know what has happened you are left standing in awe of Dario's vast skills. Here is an artist (and yes, Dario is a artist when it comes to his skills with the guitar!) that can easily switch between the smooth sounds of fusion and the riff heavy, furious leads that are associated with heavy metal. What's more, Dario Lorina plays with heart. With a lot of instrumental albums you get the feeling that the guitarist is simply trying to show of (no names mentioned but we know who you are!), but with this young musician you can actual feel the emotional love that he has for his instrument! The fittingly-titled "Echos of A Stone Heart" is proof of this. In-between wonderfully complex lines and guitar solos that are second to none, Dario finds a way to inject his passion for the six string instrument he holds. Along with the almost sorrowful (yet brilliantly beautiful) "Heart of Night", "Echos of A Stone Heart" is one of those rare instrumental cuts where you get the sensation that Dario is also thankful for his skills. This to is seldom experienced on a release such as this and it goes a very  ways towards making you appreciate the hard work and effort involved with the creation of  "Death Grip Tribulations". Ultimately I simply cannot say enough good things about this record and the man responsible for it. Though it is obviously geared towards instrumental rock and metal enthusiasts, Dario Lorina's second solo disc is an adventure that everyone should experience. It's brilliantly played and passionate to the core. Really, "Death Grip Tribulations" answers the age old question as to whether or not you can have instrumental rock albums that speak to you as clearly as lyrically rich records do. That being said, Shrapnel Records' latest goldmine of a release does leave me with one important question. And that is
why is Dario Lorina wasting away in Zakk Wylde's shadow?