Artist description MYTHIC FORCE is Broderick Gray on all instruments utilizing high speed rhythms, classical forms, complex key changes, high operatic vocal melodies, and many interesting and exotic chords scales and modes.

Music Style Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Neoclassical Metal

Musical Influences Yngwie Malmsteen, Iron Maiden, Annihilator, Nocturnal Rites, Stratovarius, Megadeth, Helloween, Fates Warning, Edguy, Primal Fear, Metallica, Dream Theater, Gamma Ray, Impellitteri, Rhapsody, Symphony X, Marty Friedman, Apocrypha, Racer X, Vicious Rumors, Queensryche, Judas Priest

Similar Artists All of the above

Artist History Throughout the nineties Gray has played in several east coast bands such as: Amethyst, Allegiance, Nyxx, Metal in Action, and Final Prophecy. In 2001 he started the ultimate neoclassical melodic power-metal solo project: MYTHIC FORCE!

Group Members Broderick Gray - Guitar, Vocals, Keys and Drum Programming

Albums Metal Machine

Press Reviews ProgressiveWorld.net review Broderick Gray - Mythic Realms Released: 2000 Label: Fossil Records. Reviewed by: Stephanie Sollow, March 2001 Sometimes you get a metal band who have great musical chops but a lousy singer, such that you wish the vocalist would just keep his mouth shut and let the band play. Well, Broderick Gray's Mythic Realms is like that, only you don't have to wait for the vocalist to take a break - there's no vocals at all here. Just music, great instrumental progressive metal music. And the band is just Gray, on guitar, on keys, on drums. He apologizes in the liner notes for not playing real drums, but to my ear, I couldn't tell the difference. Or maybe I was just overly dazzled by the dexterity of Gray's playing. Being someone who never got past the rhythm guitar stage, and barely beyond three chords, that anyone get their fingers to move about the fretboard with the rapidity that Gray does (or anyone, for that matter) just continues to impress me. What's important, of course, is the music. Some of the music is quite infectious - of the foot tapping, air-guitaring variety. Gray treats us to 16 different compositions, ranging within the prog metal style - meaning you'll hear bits of Dream Theater, Queensryche, Symphony X...any well known band you care to name practically. Bits of, mind you. Shadings, nods, hints, that sort of thing. Oh, that's not to say that Gray doesn't engage in some fairly recognizable moves, he does. But his energy makes them almost fresh. What you get is progressive metal riffs of the classical, speed and power variety, all melded together - though I'm not sure really that much separates them stylistically anyway, other than, perhaps, tempo. "Dawn Of The Dragon," is rhythmic, getting into a groove that Gray just rides along on. You almost expect a classic, LaBrie-like voice to come swooping in, take ahold, and carry you away. Picking up the pace a bit is "Horizons Of Glory," - the headbanging-styled song, but instead of adrenaline fueled Teutonic lyrics sung by a rough voiced vocalist, we get singing guitar lines - Rhapsody comes to mind here, an interlude that suggests battle - hmm, "glory" is in the title. As skilled as Gray is, he isn't really taking instrumental guitar into any new places, but is instead exploring within the places it's been. There are times where things feel a little samey, even if they don't sound exactly samey. In other words, sometimes vocalists help to break things up. With 16 tracks of varying lengths, Gray does explore a variety of tones and colours. But, as an example of his talent and love of some often very tasty licks, Gray has here a great calling card. METAL-RULES.COM Broderick Gray - Mythic Realms March 2001 | Released: 2000, Mythic Records | Rating: 3.5/5 | Reviewer: Rick Well here I am with a totally instrumental CD that I like. As if anyone hasn't guessed by now, I'm not a big fan of instrumental music. This CD is different however. The man behind this CD is guitar player Broderick Gray. He plays all instruments on this CD including bass, keyboards and drums and does a damn good job. The only thing I miss on this disc is vocals. Guess I'll have to live with it. Gray describes the CD as Heavy Metal/Neoclassical Metal and I'd have to agree whole heartedly. The influences that Gray lists include Yngwie Malmsteen, Iron Maiden, Fates Warning, Megadeth, Metallica, Annihilator, and Helloween. I can hear bits and pieces of all these bands but Gray has created a great blend of all his influences and with it one damn good CD. The CD kicks off with the obligatory acoustic guitar intro which leads right into "Realms of Fire". This song is a great opener with Gray shredding in his best Yngwie style. "Dawn of the Dragon" takes over where Realms leaves off. Gray slips in a thrash influence with his ode to Jeff Waters and Annihilator. He does not mimic Jeff instead he plays a similar style as Waters but again throws in a wrench by adding keyboards and a European powermetal influence. Great song. The over 8 minute long "Horizons Of Glory" is definitely one of the best songs on the CD as it's choke full melodic leads and some very good riffing. Other standout tracks are the "Abode of the Dead" which is some great speed metal and "Eye of the Sphinx" which is just a flat out powermetal song. As it is this is a great CD. Broderick Gray is definitely a very talented man. If you're into instrumental metal then by all means get this CD!!

Additional Info Mythic Force uses: Yamaha MD8 Multi Track MD Recorder, Tascam 424 MK II, Lexicon MPX 100, Alesis MidiVerb 4, Lexicon MPX 1, Mesa Boogie TriAxis, SM 57, Fender Strat, Generalmusic Turbo S3 Music Processor 76 keys, Alesis SR-16, Ernie Ball 10s Regular Slinky, Dunlop X-H picks, Fender CG-7 acoustic guitar, ESP MH-201

Location Tempe, AZ - USA

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