Matze Wurm - Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction (2005)ProgRock Records

Matze Wurm is a German guitarist who graduated from Munich Guitar Institute and Los Angeles Music Academy where he was taught by the likes of Frank Gambale, Steve Fister, Wolfgang Zenk and others. You can make him think of some bands - Appendix, Jezebel's Tower and a great progressive rock group Alias Eye. Mr. Wurm decided on recording his first solo mini-CD and invited a few guests to put together his ideas: Andy Wurm (keys), Philip Griffiths (vocals on three tracks; Alias Eye), Tino Calmbach (drums) and Daniel Kehl (bass guitar).

This 6-track stuff is half instrumental and half vocal, so we will be able to compare these two sides of Matze's material. What kind of music does he play? It is very emotional and subtle with a bit progressive tint and funky tones at some moments. His EP also includes a pinch of virtuosic brilliance, but we will not have any problems grasping Wurm's music with our minds. Philip Griffiths' vocal manner can be compared to Michael Sadler's (Saga) and Roy Khan's (Kamelot), so it is as luscious as keys' parts which are a perfect backdrop to Matze's faultless guitar playing. It is advisable to gain an insight into this mini-CD, since "Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction" is very precious and absorbing material.

Matze's instrumental and vocal tracks with melodic guitar solos can raise your spirits so effectively that the final results of your mental purification will be surely gratifying. Thanks to this EP, I got to be bond of Wurm's musical proposal. Now, I am looking forward to another great item.