Music
Press
a great disc to be played to clear and challenge the mind. - ProgSnobs, Aaron Weiss, 13 Dec 2010
A real unique progressive instrumental album. - Harmonic Lizard, Todders (Adrian Jones), Nov 2010
Shades of Frank Zappa, King Crimson and Ian Carr... - Terrascope Online, Phil McMullen, Dec 2010
You need to tread carefully if you are entering the Iconophobic world of Salim Ghazi Saeedi. You have been warned. - DPRP, Volume 67, John O’Boyle, Dec 2010
[Translation from German] "Salim is a skilled guitarist with unusual skills who knows how to play his instrument impressively with interesting tone.”
"Salim ist ein geübter Gitarrist mit einiger ausgefallener Handfertigkeit, der sein Instrument eindrucksvoll zu spielen weiß und dabei eine interessante Prägung hat. Seine Kompositionen beweisen Kenntnis orientalischer wie populärer Musik." - Ragazzi Webzine
[Translation from Dutch] "Think of the Peter Gabriel IV with all sorts of intriguing, self-generated sounds..."
"Denk daarbij aan de voor Peter Gabriel IV met allerhande intrigerende, zelf opgewekte klanken volgestopte Fairlight." - iO Pages Magazine #96, René Yedema
"The first thing I noticed is there is not a dull moment on the disc... I was kept surprised throughout my first listen and more intrigued and very much at attention by my third listen to Iconophobic" - ProgNaut webzine, Lee Henderson
[Translated from Italian] "I hope that the music of Salim will one day fly high in a professional version, with maybe some international cooperation."
"mi auguro che la musica di Salim possa un giorno volare alta, in una versione professionale, grazie magari a qualche collaborazione internazionale." - Arlequins webzine, Jessica Attene
[Translated from Italian] "We can appreciate the writing skills of Salim and his great imagination to create images and sound to merge styles that are located far apart midway between East and West."
"... possiamo comunque apprezzare le doti di scrittura di Salim e la sua grande fantasia nel creare immagini sonore e nel fondere stili distanti che si collocano a metà strada fra oriente ed occidente." - Arlequins webzine, Jessica Attene
"...Hendrix and Santana have also obviously instructed the phenomenal axe genius that Salim Ghazi Saeedi truly is. Highly recommended for a hefty dose of extremely heavy yet highly melodic metal of a VERY special kind"
- On the album "Abrahadabra" - Gnosis2000
"Without ever becoming predictable, and taking care to add in the odd dissonant or arhytmic segment, the gritty guitars and swirling violins create stunning contrasts - and quite often exotic sounding flurries adds some sice to the proceedings as well." - Progarchives.com
Without information freely given, the visceral heart of the creator will serendipitously change you. - Stave Magazine
Discography
Album (Solo Project) :
2011 - Human Encounter (Credits: composition, performing Guitar/Bass/Synthesizer, Engineering, Mix)
2010 - Iconophobic (Credits: composition, performing Guitar/Bass/Synthesizer, Engineering, Mix)
Album (with Arashk Band):
2008 - Ustuqus-al-Uss (Credits: composition, performing Guitar/Bass/Synthesizer, Engineering, Mix) except performance in two songs*
2007 - Sovereign (Credits: composition, performing Guitar/Bass/Synthesizer, Engineering, Mix) except performance in one song*
2006- Abrahadabra (Credits: composition, performing Guitar/Bass/Synthesizer, Engineering, Mix)
*Please refer to salimworld.com for further details.
Photos
Bio
Salim Ghazi Saeedi was born in 1981 in Tehran, Iran. Despite the inactive rock scene in Iran, he decided to challenge his fate by becoming a rock musician.
Salim started self teaching electric guitar and music production from 1999. Meanwhile living outside contemporary rock music currents in Iran made Salim shape his music style in a unique personal way. It has been compared to surprisingly diversified bands from all over the world like Univers Zero, King Crimson, John Zorn and Birdsongs of the Mesozoic. In this regard Salim has found himself composing in genres like art rock, rock in opposition, progressive metal and jazz-fusion - with tinges of oriental music according to critics. Harmonie Magazine compared his guitar playing to King Crimson's Robert Fripp.
He is the producer, composer and performer of all instruments in his instrumental music. He has coined the term "Pictorial Rock" as a description of his compositions which is also the title of his blog: "Pictorial rock" he says "is a term I use for my music that is usually based on series of mental images, a nightmare or maybe dreams of a sound sleep... As a listener, you have to wait for the pictures to materialize in your mind!"
However Salim has had little chance to expand his music career in his hometown, he has regularly kept on working. While in Arashk band he released Abrahadabra (2006), Sovereign (2007) and Ustuqus-al-Uss (2008). Afterwards he released Iconophobic (2010) and Human Encounter (2011) both as a one-man-band.
His albums are concept albums hiring elements of classical and electronic music and progressive rock with diversified use of instruments. He describes himself as "an ever improviser... both in performing and in composing." His main influences include Jeff Beck and Thelonious Monk. Salim says about his style of music: "I never decided to compose in progressive genre. I just have a very versatile taste of music listening... Maybe this is how progressive genre takes place. You let your mind free and it becomes progressive!"
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