Released one week before Allan Holdsworth’s death at the age of 70, Eidolon serves both as a study in fusion guitar and a sonic epitaph. This two-CD collection—a condensed version of the 12-disc box set titled The Man Who Changed Guitar Forever—contains 28 songs chosen by Holdsworth that reflect the guitarist’s pioneering and complex style in jazz, hard rock and progressive music, Holdsworth, who became known for his exploratory work with the SynthAxe guitar synthesizer, played with such giants as Bill Bruford, John Wetton, Jeff Berlin, Jean-Luc Ponty and Jack Bruce, and he influenced everyone from Eddie Van Halen to Tom Morello. The title of this abridged package refers to the “spirit-image of a living or dead person,” according to Chris Hoard’s lengthy liner notes, and it’s haunting in both its prescience and its power. All but one of Holdsworth’s 12 solo albums are represented on Eidolon, and it’s the best place to begin developing an appreciation for the man who left behind a staggering legacy.
