Emir Hot
Sevdah Metal Lion Music

by Franco Wissa
Staff Writer

Comments: My God, this is just a CD that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Somewhere, the metal gods are smiling, for here is a CD filled with the kind of guitar shredding that is just out of this world phenemonal.

Born in February of 1978, Emir Hot was born in Bosnia with a love for the guitar that showed since the age of 5. From the collection of his older brothers, he dove head first into the guitars of Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton. At the age of 10, already considered a prodigy, he was accepted into The Music School in Bosnia, and in 1989, he joined his first band, Hatred, a trash/metal band from Tuzla. Even the civil unrest in his native country would not deter Emir Hot from his love for music, and over the next several years, he would find himself in and out of various projects and bands.

In 2003, with the war becoming increasingly dangerous, and with laws making it almost impossible for him to continue his music outside of Bosnia, the decision was made to leave Bosnia for America, and upon doing so, applied for and auditioned, and was subsequently accepted into the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. In 2004, he recorded his first instrumental CD, Quaterworlds of Fantasia. In June of 2007, upon his graduation from the school he completed the CD that can be heard here, Sevdah Metal with John West (Royal Hunt, Lynch Mob, Sun Red Sun, Cozy Powell, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Yngvie Malmsteen, Badlands) on vocals, and a drummer that is quite possible one of the world's best - Mike Terrana (Rage, Masterplan, Axel Rudi Pell, Savage Circus, Zillion, Taboo Voodoo).

With a clean, polished sound, Emir Hot's guitar resonates perfectly. He can rip into a multi bar solo at one moment, and in the next, offer perfectly tuned power guitar chords, contributing a concrete background with the vocals. This is a brilliant CD, with truly not a bad track to be heard. Emir Hot's fingers virtually fly up and down the neck of his guitar, but each note is clear as a bell, easily heard, the solos fit perfectly with the lay of the track, and this insanely talented axeman knows just when to flow from a soft pianissimo to the hardest and loudest of fortissimo. From acoustic, to electric, to rhythm, he does each one to absolute perfection.

After the short introduction, "Forspill," the song explodes into "Devils in Disguise." Sounding as a cross of Saint Deamon, Seventh Wonder with the furious solos of Yngvie Malmsteen. On this track, the vocals of John West are excellent, and with it the drums of Mike Terrana are spot on, (as they always are.) At 2:09 the track delves into an interesting myriad of percussions and keyboards, when at 2:36 it becomes a furious guitar solo, with after which is a keyboard solo, that then does a give and take with the guitar. "Devils in Disguise," is a killer, killer track. More flawless guitars are all over the following tracks, "World Set on Fire," "Skies and Oceans," (another impeccably executed track with an almost non stop double bass drum.) On "Skies and Oceans," John West showcases his range with his voice reaching into the highest of octaves. A listen must, MUST be made to track 5, "Sevdah Metal Rhapsody," a 11 minute monster of a track with massive, pounding drums, keyboards that are all over the place, metal sounding vocals, and guitars upon guitars that sound as if it isn't humanly possible to play with such precision. But the proof is there, and it is dead center on "Sevdah Metal Rhapsody." Emir Hot's love for the different is also heard on this track as at 2:42 the sounds of an accordion make for an interesting solo, with this same accordion coming in and out of ear shot at various times.

Never thought it would be possible to bang your head to an accordion, but by God, a listen to "Sevdah Metal Rhapsody", and one is proved wrong. Mike Terrana is given a chance to display his talent with him cutting loose with a solo that must be heard to be believed. Showing the world why he is one of metal's leading drummers, he cuts loose with roll after roll making full use of the cymbals and drums at his disposal. A soft acoustic guitar opens track 6, "Stand and Fight," a beautiful track that is heartfelt and genuine. Mid way into its almost 6 minute playing time, it picks up steam, which then becomes a metal upon metal track with vocal harmonies. The remaining tracks are all as good as anything heard up to this point. Closing Svedah Metal is "You," an interesting track with an acoustic guitar accompanied by chimes and percussion that also features an angelic choir.

Mixing classical, progressive and neo-metal, the talents of Emir Hot are beyond reproach. His songwriting is unblemished, and as well, the flair of Mike Terrana and John West makes this a CD that lovers of metal need to be made aware of. Almost as if this a CD that pays homage to the trials and unrest of his beloved homeland, tracks "Endless Pain," "World Set on Fire," "Stand and Fight," and "Land of the Dark" all seem to have an extra something written about them, as if Emir Hot was thinking of the troubles and strife that is within his country. For all of them were written and played with a passion and an in moments anger that seems to come to more to the forefront than some others. This is a CD that cannot be praised high enough, and is easily one of 2008's best.

Musicians:
Emir Hot - guitars, bass
John West - vocals
Mike Terrana - drums

Track Listing:
Forspill
Devils in Disguise
World Set on Fire
Skies and Oceans
Sevdah Metal Rhapsody
Stand and Fight
Endless Pain
Hora Martisorului
Land of the Dark
You

Hardrock Haven rating: 9.5/10