People listen to songs playing on the radio or stream on their go-to platforms without thinking about the work that went behind perfecting every beat, marrying the rhythms, and writing the lyrics. While there could be a passing exclamation about how good a particular riff is in that one rock single or how well-written a solo is in an instrumental ballad, people often finish listening to the entire album and miss the skilled execution that births each track. Progressive Metal Songwriter and producer Kevin Parallax is among today’s musicians who are known not only for their passion for the craft and impressive arsenal of skills but also for the time they extend toward giving listeners a glimpse of their creative process. Currently, LA-based composer and guitarist is gearing up for the release of his new EP and looks forward to proving that he has more aces up his sleeves. 

Originally hailing from Mumbai, India, Kevin Parallax showed an affinity toward music early in his life. At the age of sixteen, he started taking guitar lessons, inspired by John Petrucci, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, and many alike, to further hone the craft and perfect every skill before he ever even attempted to write a song. Given his deep-seated interest in music, it didn’t come as a surprise when he applied to and got accepted by the Musicians Institute, Hollywood. However, education abroad wasn’t part of the equation considering his financial situation. 

“Then came a letter from the school saying that I had won two scholarships,” recalled Kevin Parallax. “So I flew to the United States with nothing on my back, but hope.” That hope has brought the multi-talented personality to many places. Now, the must-watch force is expanding his discography, demonstrating in the process that he’s destined for greater heights.

Although tuning into his compositions is an experience in itself, listening to Kevin Parallax go into detail about his creative process is an entirely different story. He doesn’t only talk about his inspirations but also delves into the factors that influenced a particular musical decision.

“The choice of notes matters the most to me, later comes the part of executing it as a whole section, where much thought is then put into how it sounds and how it should be played,” he shared. “I like to strike a balance between what sounds catchy to my ears and what would make sense musically to someone who would listen to it for the first time. Then arises the question of whether it is good enough to captivate an audience; if not, I would just delete the entire section and move on to trying something else over it. It’s trial and error sometimes, and sometimes it would just flow naturally.”

Kevin Parallax’s approach over the years when it comes to writing music is expected to stand out with the upcoming release of his new EP in collaboration with Mike Semesky. “Unlike the previously released singles ‘Perplexing Emotions’ and ‘Fantasy Integration,’ this EP will feature Mike Semeskly on vocals,” announced the multifaceted personality.

The move to include vocals in his next project is a welcome development from a guitarist acclaimed for his instrumental tracks. Along with many others, this creative endeavor is set to propel Kevin Parallax into the spotlight. 

Picture Courtesy of Devam Shah