Marco Sfogli
Marco Sfogli is an Italian heavy metal and rock guitarist. He's the guitar player for James LaBrie, PFM and Icefish. He appeared on several albums.
History
Born in 1980, his first attempt with music came in 1984 when he played with his parents in Schwetzingen, Germany during an encore. In 1989 when he received his first Washburn electric guitar as a gift. He started to play along with his heroes. In 1992 he left the guitar to study the drums: "Being a drummer first and a guitarist second, helped me a lot in terms of creativity and rhythmic knowledge." In 1996 he left the drums because of his growing interest in guitar, especially after an intense listening of Images and Words by Dream Theater. Today, he's a guitar player, a composer and an arranger. He has worked for a lot of artists since. In 2005 he flew to Canada to record James LaBrie's third solo release titled Elements of Persuasion which has become a hit with progressive metal fans. Now member of the James LaBrie band, he put out his first solo record titled There's Hope on Feb. 15th 2008 through Lion Music. In 2010 he also worked on the James LaBrie record Static Impulse as guitar player, co-writer and engineer. He released his second solo album in 2012, titled reMarcoble and edited by JTC Records. In 2013 he joined the James LaBrie's band for the third time for the recording of the album Impermanent Resonance. In March 2015, he was announced as new guitar player for the Italian progressive band PFM, replacing former member Franco Mussida. Also in 2015 he announced a new band in the making with other members such as Virgil Donati on drums, Alex Argento on keyboards, and Andrea Casali on bass and vocals. The band name is Icefish, and they have released their debut album "Human Hardware" in 2017.Equipment
Sfogli used to play Rash Guitars, a small Italian company then switches to Ibanez Guitars and now play them exclusively. Recently has been seen using a prototype of what would become his signature model, based on a Premium line RG shape, this guitar was out in 2016 named the Ibanez Premium RG MSM1. In 2019 a new Japanese model based on the popular AZ series has been revealed, named the MSM100. He used Mesa Boogie Amps for various recordings, then switches to Dv Mark amplification using their Triple 6 then their Multiamp digital processor. During 2016 he played Victory amps for the first P.F.M. tours then switches to Mezzabarba amps as his main amp in 2018, he uses both the MZero Overdrive and the Skill; in 2019 he switches to a rack config using the new Mezzabarba Nivrana Preamp alongside a VHT 2:50:2 poweramp and a Fractal FX8 for his effects. In the studio he's been using both the Fractal Audio AXE FX-II and Kemper Profiling amplifier. On July 2020 he announces the switch to Charvel/Jackson GuitarsGuitars:
-Rash Custom Guitars "Marco Sfogli models"
-Ibanez RG Premium RG920QM
-Ibanez RG Prestige RG752
-Ibanez RGDIX7MPB-SBB Iron Label
-Ibanez RG2750QV-TAB Prestige
-Ibanez RG28020ZD LTD
-Ibanez Prestige RG2027XL-DTB
-Ibanez Prestige RG-MS1 Custom
-Ibanez RG MSM L.A.C.S Custom build
-Ibanez Prestige AZ2402 TFF
-Ibanez RG MSM1
-Ibanez AZ MSM100
-Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HH FR M Satin Burgundy Mist
-Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash FR7 Baked Green
Amps:
-Mesa Boogie Mark V
-Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier
-Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier
-Mesa Boogie Lonestar
-Mesa Boogie Rectifier Rack Preamp
-Mesa Boogie Triaxis Preamp
-Mesa Boogie Stereo 2:90 Poweramp
-ENGL Fireball
-DV Mark Triple 6
-Victory V30 the Countess
-Mezzabarba MZero Overdrive Head
-Mezzabarba Skill 30 Head
-Mezzabarba Nirvana Preamp
-Mezzabarba Trinity 100W
Effects/Processor:
-Fractal AxeFX Ultra
-Fractal AxeFX 2 XL+
-DV Mark Multiamp
-Kemper profiler
-Fractal AX8
-Line 6 HX Effects
-TC Electronic TC2290-DT
Other Equipment:
-DV Mark Midi board
-Fractal MFC101
-Mission Engineering Pedals
-Boss FV500
-Line 6 G50 Wireless
-Two Notes Torpedo Captor
-BOSS WAZA Tube Amp Expander
On records
- James LaBrie "Elements of Persuasion" - Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier 2ch - Mesa Boogie Mark III blue stripes - Mesa Boogie Tremoverb
- Alex Argento "EGO" - Mesa Boogie Triaxis/2:90 - Boss GT-6 - Roland Microcube
- The Alchemist II - Mesa Boogie Triaxis
- Magni Animi Viri "Heroes Temporis" - Mesa Boogie Triaxis/2:90 - Mesa Boogie Studio Preamp/2:90
- Jordan Rudess "The Road Home" - Native Instruments Guitar Rig - was also the last record which featured the Music Man JP guitar
- John Macaluso "The Radio Waves Goodbye" - Mesa Boogie Triaxis/2:90 - Lexicon MPXG2
- Shadrane "Temporal" - Boss GT-6
- Marco Sfogli "There's Hope" - Mesa Boogie Studio Preamp/Triaxis/2:90 - Mesa Boogie Lonestar - Native Instruments Guitar Rig - Boss GT-6 - IK Multimedia Amplitube - Roland Microcube - Behringer VAmp2 - Lexicon MPXG2
- Project Damage Control "Mechanism" - Mesa Boogie Studio Preamp/2:90 - Digidesign Eleven - Zoom 9002 Pro - Fractal Audio Axe FX Ultra
- Adam Nitti "Liminal" - Mesa Boogie Lonestar - Zoom 9002 Pro
- Utopia "Ice and Knives" - Fractal Audio Axe FX Ultra
- James LaBrie "Static Impulse" - Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier - Engl Fireball - Fractal Audio Axe FX Ultra
Discography
- NCCP - La voce del grano
- Marco Fasano - e già...!
- NCCP - Candelora
- James LaBrie - Elements of Persuasion
- Magni Animi Viri - Heroes Temporis
- Jordan Rudess - The Road Home
- The Alchemist II - The Alchemist II
- Alex Argento - EGO
- John Macaluso & Union Radio - Radio Waves Goodbye
- Shadrane - Temporal
- Adam Nitti - Liminal
- Project Damage Control - Mechanism
- Utopia - Ice and Knives
- Creation's End - A New Beginning
- James LaBrie - Static Impulse
- Soul Secret - Closer To Daylight
- Dino Fiorenza - It's Important
- Guitar Addiction - A Tribute to Modern Guitar
- Various Artists - Jason Becker's Not Dead Yet!
- Virgil Donati - In This Life
- Neural FX - Abreaction
- Ray Riendeau - Transcend
- James LaBrie - Impermanent Resonance
- LALU - Atomic Ark
- Nathan Frost - synecron
- Creation's End - Metaphysical
- Alberto Rigoni - Overloaded
- Widek - Hidden Dimensions
- Icefish - Human Hardware
- Premiata Forneria Marconi - Emotional Tattoos
- Richard Henshall - The Cocoon
- Marco Sfogli - There's Hope
- Marco Sfogli - reMarcoble
- Marco Sfogli - Homeland