Mettavolution marks a significant step forward in acoustic instrumental duo Rodrigo y Gabriela’s catalog. Their adventurous experimentation on it includes the use of electric guitar and effects, and a stunning interpretation of the Pink Floyd epic “Echoes,” but it also reflects a reconnection to their hardscrabble, street-playing roots. The sound is edgy and bristling with energy, just like it was near the turn of the millennium, when Rodrigo y Gabriela ditched their old thrasher electric guitars for acoustics, left Mexico City to busk on the streets of Dublin, Ireland, and eventually became an international sensation.
“It’s always good to reconnect with the essence of what inspired you in the beginning,” percussive rhythm guitar guru Gabriela Quintero says.
“We’d gotten comfortable and were taking things for granted,” linear lick maestro Rodrigo Sanchez adds. “We now understand that it’s all about giving. We created the word mettavolution to describe evolution through compassion by combining metta, a Sanskrit word for compassion, with evolution.”
The new album’s six original songs mostly feature a relatively straightforward melodic and rhythmic sensibility underscored by a thumping pulse. That’s epitomized on the title track as well as on “Terracentric,” “Krotana Days” and “Witness Tree.” And while creating acoustic versions of classic songs has become a trend — YouTube-breaking examples range from Andy McKee’s version of Toto’s “Africa” to Mike Dawes’ interpretation of Metallica’s “One” — Rodrigo y Gabriela up the ante with their singular take on “Echoes.” On it, they honor the original’s myriad nuances and movements while maintaining their signature sonic identity. Mettavolution is fleshed out with Sanchez’s electric forays and Quintero’s pounding percussion, as well as bass, synth effects and additional percussion provided by producer D. Sardy, whose credits include A Perfect Circle, Hank Williams III and