QUARK 7 - ONCE UPON A CRIME (Black Cat Distribution - 2000): This band is preesented as France´s answer to Dream Theater. Nevertheless, I think that both bands are quite different. Quark 7 has for example a different approach to guitar parts, see the guitar parts of Mikael Fitrzyk, the phrases are done in more open chords, and John Petrucci would have played instead riffs with one note progressions. Also, the drumming are different than those used by the american band, here the breaks and patterns are more influenced by the most elaborated progressive rock bands of the seventies, like Yes, King Crimson, Focus. Another difference is that Quark7 uses less keyboards. This band is formed by four virtuosos that are all the time getting the most from their instruments but giving more importance to the actual composition than to doing simple pyrotechnics (all that they do is done to make the song better). But the prize here is for Mikael and his spectacular guitar parts, that guides the music of Quark 7 . Listen to songs like "Will to Live" or the acoustic interlude "Remember" to see what this man can do. Lovers of progressive rock or metal will be really happy with this recording from France. Favorite tracks: "Conundrum", "Rage part one" and "Mystery". Contact: quark.rock@free.fr or http://quark.rock.free.fr
