No Boundaries (Michael Angelo Batio album)

Last updated
No Boundaries
MABNoBoundaries.jpg
Studio album by
Michael Angelo Batio
ReleasedApril 1994 (1994-04)
StudioM.A.C.E. Studios
(Chicago, Illinois)
Genre
Length48:17
Label M.A.C.E.
Producer Michael Angelo Batio
Michael Angelo Batio chronology
No Boundaries
(1994)		 Planet Gemini
(1997)

No Boundaries is the debut solo album by American heavy metal musician Michael Angelo Batio (credited as Michael Angelo). Recorded and self-produced by the guitarist at his own M.A.C.E. Studios in Chicago, Illinois, it was released in April 1994 as the first album on his own label, M.A.C.E. Music. The album consists entirely of instrumental recordings featuring Batio on all instruments, with drummer Rob Ross appearing on three tracks as the only other performer.

Contents

Background

Batio began his solo career shortly after the breakup of his previous band Nitro in 1993. [3] That April, he founded his own record label and distribution company, M.A.C.E. Music ("Michael Angelo Creative Enterprise"). [4] [5] Later that year, Batio recorded his debut solo album No Boundaries at his own M.A.C.E. Studios in Chicago, Illinois; he is credited on the album as performing all electric, acoustic and bass guitars, keyboards, programming, drums and percussion, as well as producing, engineering and mixing. [6] The only other performer on the release is Rob Ross, who played drums on the tracks "Rain Forest", "Science Fiction" and "2X Again". [7]

No Boundaries was originally released by M.A.C.E. in April 1994. [8] It was initially reissued by Thermometer Sound Surface in September 1995. [9] A later M.A.C.E. reissue in 2002 featured two bonus tracks, "Dream Up" and "Give Me Jimi", [10] both of which had earlier been featured on the promotional release Jam with Michael Angelo. [11] Several songs (all but "Intro" and "The Finish Line") were remixed and remastered, with additional drums by Joe Babiak, for the 2007 release 2 X Again . [12] The 2 X Again versions of "Rain Forest", "No Boundaries" and "Peace" were later featured on the 2015 compilation Shred Force 1: The Essential MAB . [13]

The title track of No Boundaries was originally composed for Batio's 1991 debut instructional video Speed Kills, in which he plays the piece "to illustrate every neoclassical shred technique known to man". [14] In an interview for Guitar.com, Batio explained that he "didn't even know the song ... would be popular". [15] "No Boundaries" was also the subject of the 2004 video Speed Lives, in which the guitarist instructs how to play the song in 27 individual parts. [16] For his third Speed Lives video in 2009, Batio provided a tutorial on how to play fellow No Boundaries track "The Finish Line", which he claims contains "Basically every modern guitar technique". [17]

Critical reception

In a review published by Guitar Nine, Kevin Prowse claims that No Boundaries is "heralded as one of the top ten instrumental guitar CDs of the 90s", describing it as "a diverse collection of musical styles ranging from rock, metal, blues, neoclassical and funk". [2] Highlighting the songs "Science Fiction", "Rain Forest" and "No Boundaries" in particular, Prowse praised Batio's performances on the album for exhibiting "a mastery of various lead techniques like speed picking, string skipping, arpeggios and cross string tapping". [2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Michael Angelo Batio

No.TitleLength
1."Intro: This CD Is Dedicated to You"1:54
2."Rain Forest"6:29
3."Science Fiction"6:32
4."Peace"6:28
5."I Do for You"5:48
6."The Jam Game"5:34
7."2X Again"5:27
8."No Boundaries"3:43
9."The Finish Line"2:01
10."Outsideinside"4:21
Total length:48:17
2002 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Dream Up"5:26
12."Give Me Jimi"4:51
Total length:58:34

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Angelo Batio</span> American heavy metal guitarist and columnist

Michael Angelo Batio, also known as Michael Angelo, Mike Batio or MAB, is an American heavy metal guitarist and columnist. He was the lead guitarist for the glam metal band Nitro in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is currently serving as the touring guitarist for the band Manowar.

Nitro was an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California. Formed in 1988, the group originally featured vocalist Jim Gillette, guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, bassist T. J. Racer and drummer Bobby Rock. Nitro released its debut album O.F.R. in 1989, which reached number 140 on the US Billboard 200. Rock was replaced by K. C. Comet for the album's tour and Racer would leave the band thereafter. Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S., released in 1992, featured Ralph Carter on bass and Johnny Thunder on drums. The group broke up in 1993, with a number of previously unreleased demo recordings issued on the 1999 album Gunnin' for Glory.

<i>O.F.R.</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Nitro

O.F.R. (Out-Fucking-Rageous) is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Nitro. Recorded at Front Page Productions in Costa Mesa, California, it was produced by the band's vocalist Jim Gillette and guitarist Michael Angelo Batio alongside engineer Charlie Watts and executive producer Bob Cahill. The album was released on May 30, 1989 by Rampage Records, a division of Rhino Entertainment, and peaked at number 140 on the US Billboard 200.

<i>Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S.</i> 1992 studio album by Nitro

Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S. is the second and final studio album by American heavy metal band Nitro. The album was released on March 21, 1992 by Rampage Records, a division of Rhino Entertainment. The band's cover of Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever" was issued as the album's only single.

Rusty Cooley is an American guitarist and guitar teacher, known for his highly refined guitar technique. He is regarded as one of the fastest guitarists in the United States and a master of shredding, an advanced guitar technique. Guitar Player magazine called him "the leading light of the post-Malmsteen shred-volution."

<i>Planet Gemini</i> (album) 1997 studio album by Michael Angelo Batio

Planet Gemini is the second solo album by American heavy metal musician Michael Angelo Batio. Recorded and self-produced by the guitarist at M.A.C.E. Court Studios in Chicago, Illinois, it was released in 1997 on his own label, M.A.C.E. Music. Batio performs all instruments and vocals on the album, with drummer Chuck White and keyboardist Frank Lucas the only other performers, both on the two parts of "No Boundaries Part II".

<i>Hands Without Shadows</i> 2005 studio album by Michael Angelo Batio

Hands Without Shadows is the fifth studio album by American shred guitarist Michael Angelo Batio. The album consists of four covers, two 'tributes' and two original compositions by Batio. The name refers to the speed at which his hands move when playing guitar, leaving "no shadows".

<i>Holiday Strings</i> 2001 studio album by Michael Angelo Batio

Holiday Strings is the fifth solo album by American heavy metal musician Michael Angelo Batio. Recorded and self-produced by the guitarist at Monster Mix Studio in Chicago, Illinois, it was released in November 2001 on his own label, M.A.C.E. Music. The album features instrumental, primarily acoustic recordings of popular Christmas songs, with all arrangements made and instruments performed by Batio.

<i>Tradition</i> (Michael Angelo Batio album) 2000 studio album by Michael Angelo Batio

Tradition is the third solo album by American heavy metal musician Michael Angelo Batio. Recorded and self-produced by the guitarist at Monster Mix Studio in Chicago, Illinois, it was released in 2000 on his own label, M.A.C.E. Music. The collection is entirely written and performed by Batio, and was originally released as a companion to the instructional video Jam with Angelo in 1998, as such featuring backing track versions of several songs.

<i>Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2</i> 2004 compilation album by Michael Angelo Batio

Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity Part 2 is the first compilation album by American heavy metal musician Michael Angelo Batio. It contains remastered tracks from Batio's third and fourth studio albums, Tradition (1998) and Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity (2000), and was released in 2004 by M.A.C.E. Music. Three songs from Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity 2 have also been included on instructional video albums released by Metal Method – "China" on Performance (2006), "Prog" on Speed Kills 3 (2007), and "The Finish Line" on Performance (2006) and Speed Lives 3: The Neo Classical Zone (2009).

<i>Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity</i> 2000 studio album by Michael Angelo Batio and Rob Ross

Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity is the fourth solo album by American heavy metal musician Michael Angelo Batio, featuring and co-credited to drummer Rob Ross. Recorded and self-produced by the guitarist at Monster Mix Studio in Chicago, Illinois, it was released in August 2000 on his own label, M.A.C.E. Music. Alongside Batio and Ross, Lucid Intervals... also features bassist William Kopecky, who is credited for performing on four of the album's nine tracks.

<i>2 X Again</i> 2007 compilation album by Michael Angelo Batio

2 X Again is a compilation album by American shred guitarist Michael Angelo Batio released on November 5, 2007. It features songs from Batio's first two studio albums – No Boundaries and Planet Gemini – remixed and remastered, with additional drums from Joe Babiak. Also included are two demo tracks from the No Boundaries sessions: "Acoustic" and "Allegory of the Cave".

<i>Call to Arms</i> (C4 album) 2001 studio album by C4

Call to Arms is the sole album by American heavy metal band C4, a one-off group consisting of guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, vocalist Dan Lenegar, bassist William Kopecky and drummer John Mrozek. Recorded and self-produced by the guitarist at Monster Mix Studio in Chicago, Illinois, it was released in March 2001 on his own label, M.A.C.E. Music. The album contains recordings of songs originally written for Batio's earlier groups, Holland (1984–1986) and Nitro (1988–1993).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M.A.C.E. Music</span>

M.A.C.E. Music, Inc. is an American record label founded by Michael Angelo Batio in April 1993. Currently based in Gurnee, Illinois, the label's main job is that of selling material and merchandise of Batio's, including his albums, videos and accessories such as the "MAB String Dampener". The label also releases material by other artists, including Batio's side-project C4, T. D. Clark, Tom Kopyto and The Flyin' Ryan Brothers. M.A.C.E. distributes material both directly and through other labels, to over 40 countries worldwide including the United States, the United Kingdom, all throughout Europe, Canada, Japan, Qatar, South Africa, Australia, Mexico and Brazil.

<i>Guitarsongs Volume 1</i> 2005 EP by Katrina Johansson

Guitarsongs Volume 1 is the debut EP by American shred guitarist Katrina Johansson, released in December 2005 by M.A.C.E. Music. The record is notable for featuring Michael Angelo Batio on bass.

<i>Hands Without Shadows 2 – Voices</i> 2009 studio album by Michael Angelo Batio

Hands Without Shadows 2 – Voices is the sixth studio album by American progressive metal musician Michael Angelo Batio, released on September 8, 2009. Unlike the majority of his previous albums, which were almost exclusively instrumental, HWS2 features vocal performances on all tracks. The album features a number of guest musicians, in addition to vocalist Warren Dunlevy, Jr. and drummer Joe Babiak, who previously performed on Batio's 2007 compilation album 2 X Again. The album features a bonus track entitled "MAB Forum Shreddathon", which includes guitar solos by members of the official MAB forum, written by Los Angeles–based metal guitarist and longtime forum member Maxxxwell Carlisle.

Dave Reffett is an American hard rock and heavy metal guitarist, singer, producer and bassist.

Maxxxwell Carlisle is an American heavy metal guitarist, songwriter, producer, YouTube host, and bodybuilder from Los Angeles, California. He was a guitarist in the American Heavy Metal bands Hellion and Society 1. He is also known for his work as a solo artist, as the keyboardist/guitarist of Raptor Command, as a former member of the American Thrash band Deathriders, as the host of the weekly Maxed-Out Metal Hour Show on internet radio station Metal Express Radio, and for his collaborations with other notable musicians such as Michael Angelo Batio, Tina Guo, Nita Strauss, and Ethan Brosh. Carlisle also is the host of two YouTube channels: Guitar Max, devoted to music gear and related topics, and Heavy Metal Horizons, which chronicles Carlisle's training as a pilot and explores other topics including airplanes and automobiles.

<i>Intermezzo</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Michael Angelo Batio

Intermezzo is the seventh studio album by American progressive metal musician Michael Angelo Batio. Self-produced by Batio and featuring a wide range of guest musicians, it was released in November 2013 by M.A.C.E. Music.

<i>Shred Force 1: The Essential MAB</i> 2015 compilation album by Michael Angelo Batio

Shred Force 1: The Essential MAB is a compilation album by American heavy metal musician Michael Angelo Batio. Released on April 14, 2015, by Rat Pak Records, it is a career retrospective featuring songs from many of Batio's previously released studio albums. Shred Force 1 was produced by Batio and features a wide range of guest musicians. The album registered on several Billboard charts.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Simpson, Paul. "Michael Angelo Batio Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Prowse, Kevin. "Michael Angelo "No Boundaries"". Guitar Nine. Archived from the original on September 22, 2008. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Former Nitro Frontman Jim Gillette – "I Was Actually Approached About Singing With Vinnie Vincent Invasion Before They Had Mark Slaughter"". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles . July 3, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  4. ↑ "About Us". M.A.C.E. Music. Archived from the original on February 16, 2008. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Mr double guitar". The Telegraph . July 2, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  6. ↑ "No Boundaries – Michael Angelo Batio". AllMusic . Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  7. ↑ No Boundaries (Media notes). Michael Angelo Batio. Thermometer Sound Surface. 1995. Retrieved April 6, 2024.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ↑ Batio, Michael Angelo (January 18, 2019). "Michael Angelo Batio Facebook Post January 18, 2019". Facebook . Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Independent Distributors Top 20 Albums Sales Rankings" (PDF). Cash Box Retail Guide . November 4, 1995. p. 3. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  10. ↑ No Boundaries (reissue) (Media notes). Michael Angelo Batio. M.A.C.E. Music. 2002. Retrieved April 6, 2024.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ↑ "Jam With Michael Angelo". Guitar Nine. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Michael Angelo Batio Schedules Nanuet In-Store". Blabbermouth.net . October 26, 2007. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Guitar Master Michael Angelo Batio To Release Compilation Entitled "Shred Force 1"". Eddie Trunk. March 5, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  14. ↑ "No Boundaries Note-for-Note – Michael Angelo Batio". Metal Method Productions. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Michael Angelo Batio Interview – Still Shreddin'". Guitar.com. April 21, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Speed Lives". Metal Method Productions. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Speed Lives 3". Metal Method Productions. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.