Senes

Steve Senes, the man with the name behind this album, is a bit of an unknown guitar god…although probably not for much longer. One listen to the material on his debut instrumental “De-Evolution Of Theory”, or to write it correctly “dE-eVolution oF thEorY”, will tell you this guy is going great places.
With influences in rock, metal, country, funk, soul, classical and more, Steve’s playing never lacks for variety. DEOT is as varied as a shred album ever gets, ranging from heavy metal that’ll have hair and heads rocking all over the place, down to sweet melodies you could get lost in for hours.
Add in the fact the album is completely self written, performed, produced, engineered and mixed by the guy, and the evidence points to Steve being the complete package.
Good:
The depth and variety of the sound is astonishing. This is like a lesson in all genres of guitar showmanship. The production is crystal clear, and every instrument - be it real or synthesised - has a wonderful crisp sound.
Not So Good:
The man is not better known. He clearly needs to get involved with a Chickenfoot-style project with top-end musicians to get really noticed. An instrumental - however good it is - may not give him the fame he deserves.
The Songs:
All much of a muchness, that muchness being excellence. This is not an album full of amazing catchy tunes that’ll stick in the mind for days - although some of the riffs are truly memorable. This is an album for listeners to drool over every intricate detail and nuance. From a technical standpoint, “De-Evolution Of Theory” is off the scale.
In Summation:
Bloody impressive. What else can you say? This is how to make a statement with a debut album.
Entertainment/Enjoyment:
5/7
Musicianship:
7/7
Song Writing:
5/7
Production:
6/7

Overall:
6/7 - Rock Realms

Ok, let’s get one thing straight, I’m lousy at Guitar Hero to the point that my missus kicks my ass. All those years with the tennis racket haven’t had any effect on my ability to play like Eddie Van Halen. So when Steve Senes latest release came my way, I must admit that my repressed guitar failings clouded my judgement. My jealousy wasn’t abated by the fact he was Guitar Player Magazine Superstar 2009 on Truthinshredding.com!

I’ve always felt that a guitar should complement a band sound, laying down the riffs over a heady baseline with some seriously crunchy vocals but ‘De-evolution of Theory’ was a shock, from the outset of the opening track, it was evident that this was something different with its heavy opening and mesmerising lead playing.

I hate to make references but there is appears to be a heavy Joe Satriani / Steve Vai presence on this recording but as they are the only solo guitar virtuosos I know I don’t have much to go on, but he’s good, real good. Every style of playing is present, acoustic ambiance of ‘Ruth’, upbeat impatience of ‘Highball’, funk infused ‘Cop show’ and the fabulously trashy metal infused of the opener ‘The Swami’ and ‘Colossus’.

At the end of the day, an album like ‘De-evolution of theory’ is a showcase for a guitarists talents and this it achieves tenfold, proving Steve Senes deserves the title of superstar. His guitar playing has a unique quality that can keep a complete Luddite like me intrigued to listen for longer than I expected and in addition to the playing, is something amazing.
- Vanguard Online

Steve Senes (or if you want to find him on Youtube, noisenet) is the multi talented self taught guitarist who seems to have snuck in under the radar and caught quite a few people by surprise. He’s also very annoying. Why? Because when I should have been writing this damned review, I picked up my RG270 and started to groove along to Greaseball. If it escalates to the RG350DX and beyond, Steve, you’re in trouble! Instrumental albums appeal to a very selective audience, a very fickle audience, but Steve’s “dE-eVolution oF thEorY” (Steve, now you’re just taunting us aren’t you, I have to reach for the shift key with my little finger to type that) is a fantastic debut solo album.
I’m a fan of Satriani, Tremonti, Johnson, Knopfler, Meldrum, Petrucci, Gilbert and so on (the list as you can imagine is very long and extensive). I am not a fan of the likes of Malmsteen. This may come as a shock, but speed freaks like Dragonforce don’t impress me, and Malmsteen’s fret blistering solos left me cold. Senes doesn’t have the same effect, but a huge thank you goes out to Yngwie for inspiring that 15 year old to pick up a guitar. The joy of Senes’ playing is that it’s eclectic, all encompassing, with “Swami” being a deceptively quiet but ominous start, before a granite slab of a guitar riff drops in. The solo work over the top is sublime, very “Satch” like, never ridiculously over powering.
The aforementioned “Greaseball”, love it. Awesome groove to it that yields to some beautiful melodic lead guitar work, and then jumping right back to that delicious groove. A very finely balanced song indeed that has your head nodding in approval. And just when you think you’ve seen all that Senes is capable of, “Ruth”. Quite simply a beautiful song. If I were to get a chance to interview this guy, I think I would have to ask about who/what inspired this track because it feels as though there might be a real story behind it.
“Highball” has a twisted little Tubular Bells type intro which I’m not convinced adds anything to the song and at first actually put me off it, but then he pulls it out of the bag 52 seconds in with an awesome little rhythm blast that sets the scene for a track that progresses nicely. Then we hit the only real genuine annoyance that I have. Track 6, “Cop Show”. The title says it all, it’s aptly named, and we demand a TV show be created especially just for this song, but sirens in a song. Why does this annoy me? I listen to a lot of CD’s in my car, and on the way to work I have to pass a very large Hospital, and then a Fire Station. It’s not a musical annoyance, it’s a personal one, so I’m sure many of you will forgive him for that.
“Facecheck” picks up the pace, out and out rock with a minimalist vicious riff, wailing lead guitar work, it’s fast paced, and reminded me a little of Satch’s “I Wanna Rock”. “High & Mighty” has one of those intro solos that you just want to go into a music shop, pull “an axe” off the wall, let rip, stop, sniff a little, put back, nod approval, and then drift through the rest of the shop nonchalantly.
“Colossus” has a definite Vai/Satriani tint to it, in fact if this was on one of their albums, I’m not sure if I could spot it as being by someone else. That’s something of a double edged comment I know, on the one hand, I’d like to see Senes stand out a bit more, but on the other hand, anybody that can sound so good to be confused with Vai or Satch has got some outstanding skill. “Angel” is a lovely little baroque interlude of a song. Very well placed in the running order to give you a chance to catch your breath from Colossus. Jam Bomb has a tinny intro that again I’m not a huge fan of, but when the main rhythm guitars kick in, the wall of noise is devastating! “Mare Tranquillitatis” and “The Afterglow” bring a nice soothing end to Senes’ 12 track impressive masterpiece. It’s a fine polished performance, and hopefully it’ll shout loud enough amongst the crowds to get your attention. - The Jitty

Steve Senes Chittaro for now is a little-known. This “de-Evolution of Theory” is his first solo effort and hard guys!First of all, Steve is the author of all 12 songs, played all the instruments, produced and mixed a little jewel crafting instrumental. If I had to choose an adjective to describe this CD would certainly be: schizophrenic! In the best sense of the word. Indeed Senes can switch from one genre to another with a disarmingly simple, but always maintaining a wonderful feeling to be with the instrument with the song being played. The influences are varied, moving from rock to metal to country, funk, soul, the classic! The great advantage of the CD is that, even through so many different genres, the technique is never an end in itself but is put to the song. The depth, variety of sound and the crystalline production can lead the listener to get lost in the melodies embroidered guitar. In some parts then you do not disdain even a little ‘healthy headbanging. Some melodies are fixed in your head for days, for example, “Cop Show” seems to be marking 70 years with a show of his office “funk-oriented”, “High & Mighty” reminded me a bit ‘of the Doug Aldrich Electrovision, Colossus captivates you with its heavy riffs to Malmsteen and Angel with its medium pace of classical music from a tender acoustic guitar is a little gem. It ‘s strange that this guy has remained unknown until now, of course won the 2009 Guitar Superstar, but it is still the unknown factor of how a talent like that has remained in the shadows. To give you an idea of how it sounds Senes imagine taking Satriani, Vai, Van Halen and Santana, mix it together and add a little ‘originality of sound and the mix is done. Beautiful are also “Greaseball” (very old Satriani The Extremist) and Ruth (with a beautiful acoustic arpeggio). Essentially an instrumental masterpiece that will surely talk about Steve Senes in the coming years.The climb to the “Guitarway To Heaven” has started but I am convinced that our guitar hero will not need the pick of destiny to reach the summit. Dedicated to guitar purists and those who want to try listening to an instrumental album although it is not accustomed to such sounds - Rock Rebel Magazine

In all honesty, when I received this particular album, it took me a little while to find the time to really sit down and listen to it. With so many guitarists releasing solo albums in 2010; Satriani, Bonamassa etc, I was slightly dubious as to whether Steve Senes would stand out from the rest, or simply blend into the background. As it turns out, my relaxed and laid back attitude was very wrong and after listening to ‘De-Evolution Of Theory’, it is no wonder that Steve secured himself Guitar Player Magazines’ Superstar 2009. Furthermore, this isn’t your average solo album, as it is completely self written, performed, produced, engineered and mixed by Steve.
It is often hard to put into words just what a guitarist on this level is able to offer musically, but let me assure you one thing; once you hear the opening track ‘The Swami’, you will undoubtedly by hooked on the magic of Senes. Exploring scales and melodies on numerous levels and screaming through a range of musical genres, the fretboard is truly warmed up at the hands of Steve. If you are reading this review and have never really found instrumental releases worthy of your time, you will find enough content hear to forget your longing for vocals. This is a body of work, not a slap dash three minute radio friendly piece of junk.
‘Ruth’ for example has a quality and zest surrounding it, akin to ballads of old, where layers of music is built up and harmonised beautifully. In many respect, this is more orchestral than simply an album showcasing the work of a supreme guitarist. Fear not my friends, Steve does light up the axe just in time for a heartfelt solo; whilst distorted elements stake their claim in the background. ‘Facecheck’ in contrast is like stepping back into the 80’s and 90’s where guitarists knew how to squeak and squeal, taking the listener by the balls and reminding them what it meant to be Rock and f**king roll! In fact, this particular example reminded me of my personal favourite guitarist Nuno Bettencourt (another very underrated and often overlooked musician).
You might wonder why you have never heard of Steve before and quite simply it seems that although his contributions to music span many genres and artists, he has also been sadly overlooked. However, once De-Evolution of Theory makes its way into the homes of true musicians around the world, he will shine through. A great effort and worth getting hold of! - Sonic Shocks

They Say :- Steve Senes was kind of a late bloomer in that he didn’t start playing guitar until the age of 15. From that point on it’s been rare to see him without a guitar in his hands.
Having played with various bands over the years, Steve Senes has amassed quite a large variety of styles ranging from Rock, Metal & Southern to Funk, R&B and Soul – with hints of Latin, Jazz, even a Classical moment or two. This diversity is especially evident on Steve’s soon to be released solo instrumental CD, “dE-eVolution oF thEorY”.
Several years of 300+ gigs a year has solidified Steve as a guy who not only just loves to play, but as an artist who craves the stage seven days a week.
Virtuoso – (from Italian virtuoso, Late Latin virtuosus, Latin virtus meaning: skill, manliness, excellence) is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability at singing or playing a musical instrument.
We Say :- Instrumental albums by virtuoso guitarists, dontcha just love em. Guitar gods stepping up to the mark and releasing solo albums is nothing new, but finding one which has lasting appeal and is more than an egotistical exercise in how fast they can move their fingers is comparatively rare.
The problem with instrumental albums, especially by guitarists, is that there is a real risk of them sounding pretty similar. This is understandable as there’s a limit to what you can do with 6 strings after all. There’s also the pitfall of it becoming a technical demonstration which ends up feeling more than a little soulless and clinical. Worse still it ends up sounding like a 45 minute guitar solo…
De-Evolution Theory is the new album from South Carolina’s Steve Senes who clearly knows his way around a fretboard, he was voted Guitar Player Magazine’s Guitar Superstar in 2009. In addition this is a solo album in the literal sense, with Senes com[posing the music as well as playing everything.
Apart from the musicianship, which is pretty much what you’d expect from someone with Steve Senes’ reputation, it’s the ‘feel’ of this album that lifts it above the ordinary. OK there are totally predictable widdly-widdly guitar demonstrations on here like Jam Bomb, but along side that there are forays into a number of different musical styles. These range from the traditional 80s Heavy Metal vibe of The Swami through the out and out high velocity rock of Highball to the bluesy Mare Tranquilltatis and even the funk-swing sound of Cop Show.
For all the complicated fretboard wankery that is evident here Senes also knows when to wind things back when the track demands it. It is the predominantly acoustic Angel where he shows his ability to slow things down and weave a more involved, and involving, tune.
As well as showcasing Senes’ musical skills, De-Evolution theory manages to hold up as a very good album in its own right. It stands up well to repeated listens and that’s not something you can say about all instrumental efforts. On the strength of this release Senes deserves to be up there with the other modern guitar greats like Vai, Satriani and Malmsteen.
- Cack Blabbath

On hearing the intro of the first song on this album could hear you think: “Ai, the next in a row guitar virtuosos themselves will deduct on six strings.” A minute later throws a bone hard, simple rock riff firmly be daring. Soft, rough and funky moments alternate when appropriate, supplemented by beautiful, technically superb solos. Every song seems to support some solid riffs, listen to what the felt increases reliability. This man rocks like the beasts. Certainly one of the top concerns some instrumental guitar heroes. (JR) SILVER - Mindview

“I wanna be you when I grow up”! Not just a random bunch of words, we are quoting the mighty Steve Lukather (Toto) here! And I do believe that these words come from the heart… Steve Senes, self-taught guitarist, a musician going from one side of America to the other and back again, playing on stage every day (!?!), has decided to release his debut… And he managed to destroy everything! I’m sure that His Sevenstringness, Steve Vai himself, is listening to the album, loud and proud, that one of his “sons” has played all that amazing stuff. Whilst “Highball” is running, a song requesting six hands and a hundred fingers… Wow, what the Sen-es that? Okay… “Cop Show” is now playing, featuring a Funk-o-Rock-o-and-other-alien-Satrianix style that drove us all bananas. AMAZING guitarist, clean-cut and multi-leveled. All those themes, leaving flash to jam with Rock, to flirt with Country a bit, to tutti with drums and bass and keys… Drums are programmed of course, yet the work he’s done programming them! My, oh my! Naturally, you can easily guess that Steve has done everything on this album! Due to the fact that awesomic guitarists are much too many and many of them are not that well-known, just grab this album, put it on and remember my words. Those of you into guitar playing, you will hate me for writing such and adore Steve. Those of you simply listening to good music, you will only think “Man, this dude is the shit”! Steve is not playing, he’s flying! I do hope that we’ll soon get to see him live on stage… Costas Koulis
- Rock Pages

*When this review was written De-Evolution Of Theory was their top album!

I had never heard of Steve Senes before, and I must say that it is a pity. The blond guitarist has spent the years playing in various groups, I do not know how stable or as a session, running all kind of music that you may know. I mean that everyone, from pop to rock to metal, in all their facets.
If the information that I found (unfortunately there was a biography accompanying the CD) on the Internet, your site, rather thin in substance, this should be his first solo album. And that album, Ladies and Gentlemen, hardcore metalheads, rockers, pop music listeners, Latin American, and electronics.

Why do I keep Alencar all these musical genres and variations? Because it gives us a good Senes almost time for absolute versatility and musical style, which shows so all his dexterity with the six strings, but also all his love for music. Music as a single unit, made up of variations in care Satriani, Vai, Van Halen, Bettencourt, Malmsteen, Gilbert, Becker, as well as guitarists to Latin American music, folk, and a multitude of different kinds.
The whole thing is topped off with a background of electronic music, sampling different, in a perfect mix and surprisingly effective that never falls for the duration of the disc. Senes was able to mix electronics and metal riff-rock that had failed to fully in Satriani Engines Of Creation. The real beauty of de-evolution Of Theory, therefore, is right in participating and making the listener aware that music is one, regardless of the kind that sounds like or the individual. Is not it better than the pop-metal, electronics than the Latin American or classical, or neo-classical or jazz. Why give a kind in a border: this seems to be the point of this album, de-evolution theory. Senes And he succeeded brilliantly.

Rating: 5/5
Stefano Muscariello - Heavy-Metal.IT

I must admit that I’m not a big fan of instrumental albums. Yet, this De-Evolution Theory Of a few words to say we did all right.

The guitar hero Steve Senes is offering a very fine solo debut, which showcases more effective to its full potential. In addition to this, however, the structure of the song, obviously built around the six-string work, is excellent and articulate: metal roots firmly but the ability to wander between several genres (rock, funk, fusion) and feelings with disarming ease. In this way, the pieces are not very technical stain to an end in themselves, but real songs with great class. So, as happens only in the album’s instrumental value, the lack of voice is heard very little, replaced by a guitar and exciting at the highest level.

I started to write before giving it 10 because it grows with each listen. I need not tell you much more about the songs, because you’re going to hear you without any delay. If you love to hear people who can really play to go buy this disc.Now.
10/10 Stars
- Metal.IT