Neanderthal

Hundreds of thousands of years ago they walked the earth. Not many remain, but one plays and records instrumental rock just for fun. No words.....only sounds and gestures.
Neanderthal is My Ruin guitarist Mick Murphy’s instrumental rock side project. It started in 2002 as song demos that didn’t necessarily fit My Ruin and has been evolving ever since. Guitar is the centerpiece and voice of the music and it appeals to people who like old school riffs, stoner grooves and gritty southern shredding with a touch of modern heaviness. Mick writes and records all the songs and plays all the instruments (guitar, bass and drums) on the recordings. The production is no frills and raw somehow enhancing the experience and setting it apart from the mechanical sounding pro tools modern era of metal.Neanderthal’s first album “Start A Fire With Rock” was self-released in 2006 available by mail order, at My Ruin shows and on the UK/France “Summer Of Hell” tour. Mick performed “Special Seat In Hell” from the “SFWR” album live with My Ruin’s rhythm section (Chris and Matt) on many nights of the “SOH” tour to an enthusiastic response. On this album, Mick programmed the drums for convenience sake but it still has a true rock feel. It was recorded sporadically from 2003-2006 at My Ruin HQ. The album was well received and is now available via the Snocap store on this page, many other digital music websites and will be available on Itunes in the not so distant future. Neanderthal’s second and latest album “Take The Ride” is a vintage sounding 12 song thrill ride through different styles and textures reflecting Mick’s love for 70’s rock/metal/fusion, 80’s punk/metal/thrash and heavy alternative/fuzz/doom bands of the 90’s with a southern twist of East Tennessee upbringing. The drum tracks on this album were recorded live to 4 track analog by Mick in 1997 shortly after he moved to Los Angeles from Knoxville in his former band’s lockout Studio X in the dirty heart of Hollywood. The guitar and bass tracks were done in 2007 at My Ruin HQ. “TTR” will be released through Rovena Recordings in association with Cargo records and will be available on My Ruin’s upcoming “Tell Your God” UK tour and also on itunes in early 2008. This CD will also include the video of “Special Seat In Hell” live at the Whisky A Go Go and the Nasty and Sinister video for “Throwing Shapes.”
Long Live Lead Guitar!
"Mick Murphy hammers some good ol' rock riffs back to metal"
(((Guitar Player Magazine)))
"Mr. Murphy is one heck of a mutha of a guitar player. These songs all travel places, meaning you can listen to them on their own and they're interesting. This isn't just case of bored guitar syndrome, with Joe Guitarist looking for an excuse to solo. But speaking of solos, Murph can do that with little problem as can be heard in "Down with the Devil" and "High and Mighty". Even more impressive is "Murchdadhl" and "Norg Horns" where he tries to burn his fingerprints off with some laser beam shredding"
(((Morley Seaver/BellaOnline.com)))
One of todays most electrifying players, master of heaviosity-Mick Murphy mutates his love for 70's hard rock and 80's punk into a modern goulash of gargantuan, Sabbath approved riffing."
(((Michael Molenda-Editor of Guitar Player Magazine))) ^Photo by Matt-Adamson^