Sergey Rybytskyy: “Battle” – a true pioneer that is blazing his own trail!

Ukrainian neo classical composer Sergey Rybytskyy has taken the appropriate steps to fine tune his craft by attending multiple courses from Dnepropetrovsk Music College as well as receiving private lessons from talented musician and piano virtuoso Vladimir Skuratovsky. Rybytskyy was able to do this while essentially leading a second life as he completed engineering school and began a career to pay his bills in the mining engineer field. When Rybytskyy leaves the mining world he often enters into his own mental lair for song writing and recording.

Rybytskyy’s whose musical influences cover a vast range from Alice Cooper to Marty Friedman released his debut album “New Vista” in 2012, blending classical, prog rock, and neo-classical metal. He followed that up with the album “In Labyrinths of the Soul” and is currently working on his third release.

Sergey Rybytskyy

From his sophomore album comes the instrumental single, “Battle”. This is a truly guitar dominated track. Most guitar heroes need to be playing fast all the time and are most interested in finger dexterity than songwriting, orchestration, or other essentials to making a great record. Sergey Rybytskyy instead, does pay attention to these things, and his songs are complex, interesting, but not inaccessible.

And when he does feel the need to shred, he does it better than anyone out there. His tone on this recording is great, and his use of layering, harmony, and creating a mass of music using other instruments is amazing and makes this record fun to listen every time.

The thing that I really like about his music, especially on this, is that not everything is focused on the guitar. He lets the other instruments and shine through, which makes it much more interesting than just a non-stop chops fest. To be honest I don’t think he even uses the guitar in this song, and that’s the brilliant part!

If I’m right “Battle” is guitar dominated in sound, but keyboard executed in essence, as Sergey Rybytskyy delivers his electronic wizardry treating keys as if they were strings and twisting ivory chords into crunching guitar riffs. Sweep picking, arpeggios, shredding and tapping, suddenly become keyboard techniques, in this high energy, heart-pounding instrumental.

With this track Rybytskyy demonstrates that he is a most incredible instrumentalist, but he also has a great sense of music. His arrangements will raise the hair on the back of your neck and arms; always provoking a real emotional response.

Sergey Rybytskyy appears as a true nomad, a true pioneer that is blazing his own trail. While his music is stunning for instrumentalists and composers to listen to, it is also extremely palatable to the average listener who can enjoy contemporary rock-fusion blended with classical influences as well. The bottom line is if you like progressive instrumental music served by guitar heroes such as Joe Satriani or Yngwie Malmsteen, then you will love “Battle”.

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