In this week’s Weekly Riff, we feature John LaMacchia, Candiria guitarist and mastermind of post-prog project Spylacopa. Originally intended to be a conduit for his experimental and hypnotic compositions, it soon snowballed into something more significant. The first Spylacopa release, “Collective Unconscious,” appeared on Candiria’s C.O.M.A. imprint in 2002. And some years later, in 2005, with the addition of The Dillinger Escape Plan’s Greg Puciato and Jeff Caxide of Isis, another Spylacopa single, “The Duke,” was released on Undreradar Records. Feeling chemistry, camaraderie, and a river of creative juices, in late 2006, Spylacopa began to work on its first official release – but not before the addition of yet another member – frontwoman Julie Christmas from Made Out of Babies.
The riff in question is one from the new album Parallels, which is coming out at the end of March. It has a kind of off-kilter Sabbath vibe, with an ostinato 7/8 pattern moving through a few different chords. It doesn’t look that tough to play, more like tough to think. So bust out your axe and get to work:
