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ROBBEN FORD: About Style – Exclusive Video Available Until June 1st

admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:35:53 +0000

The above video is brought to you by the Robben Ford Guitar Dojo & Riff Time. It’s available exclusively at Guitar Messenger until June 1st, 2012. In this video presentation, Robben talks about the process of spontaneity and improvisation, which helped develop what he calls his “bizarre and eclectic style.” Blues, jazz, and rock have influenced Robben and provided the bedrock for a broad range of unique and identifiable progressions in style and technique. Hear Robben improvise a blues as he walks the talk…. Robben Ford Biography (See complete bio at RobbenFord.com). Robben Ford is one of today’s premiere electric... (Continue)

Veil Of Maya – Eclipse (Featuring Track-By-Track Commentary From Marc Okubo)

Luke Dennis — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:20:47 +0000

Let’s get one thing out of the way: how you regard Veil of Maya and their Sumerian brethren likely runs parallel to your impressions of Meshuggah. Of course it wasn’t until a few years ago that anyone bothered to stamp this brand of arrhythmic metal with a name as monosyllabically demeaning as ‘djent.’ But as the outer rims of metal took the genre to new depths of speed, volume, and atonality, it was only a matter of time before bands went back to the vintage brewed up by the spastic Swedes in the 90’s and decided they liked the Kool-Aid.... (Continue)

MIKE PORTNOY, BILLY SHEEHAN, TONY MACALPINE, DEREK SHERINIAN To Tour Europe And Asia

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:13:49 +0000

Drummer Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER, AVENGED SEVENFOLD), bassist Billy Sheehan (STEVE VAI, DAVID LEE ROTH), guitarist Tony MacAlpine (neo classical-metal style, STEVE VAI) and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, PLANET X, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION) will join forces this fall, embarking on an extended tour of Europe and Asia. The virtuoso band will play an all-instrumental set consisting of material from each of their solo records and their previous collaborations as well as classic instrumental covers and extended solo spots. Portnoy formed the lineup to perfom at two drum events at the NAMM show last January (footage below). Due to... (Continue)

Meshuggah – Koloss

Luke Dennis — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:21:29 +0000

Few bands can claim to be both mirror and hammer to the modern metal scene, at once reflecting the zeitgeist whilst forging its future. And yet Meshuggah have managed to do just that for two decades. For a band built up from relative obscurity in the early nineties, the savage Swedes have strayed little from their brand of esoteric thrash. Their success comes from the metal scene’s migration towards them, rather than the other way around. As their death and grind peers exhausted themselves on the limits of speed and volume long ago, Meshuggah have proven to be an asymptote... (Continue)

Guitar Icon ROBERT CRAY Working On New Studio Album To Be Released In September 2012

admin — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:16:00 +0000

(New York, NY, March 14, 2012) Five-time Grammy award winning legend and Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Robert Cray heads into the studio this month to record a new album scheduled for release later this year. Producing for the multimillion selling Cray will be famed rock producer Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Joe Bonamassa, Black Crowes, Rush). “I’m really enthusiastic about collaborating with Kevin, says Cray, “he’s done some amazing work in the past and I like the direction we’re taking for this album.” Adds Shirley, “What an absolute honor to work with Robert Cray. I’ve been a fan since Strong Persuader and... (Continue)

Marc Okubo Interview – Veil Of Maya (2012)

Ivan Chopik — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:54:16 +0000

Since their inception in 2004, Chicago’s Veil Of Maya have established themselves as one of the premier bands in today’s modern metal scene. With the release of Eclipse, their third full-length album and most concise offering to date, the group has further broadened their explosive brand of progressive metal. In our November 2010 interview between Veil Of Maya’s own Marc Okubo and Periphery’s Misha Mansoor, the two axe-slingers had set a goal of working on a musical collaboration in the near future. The notion was realized on Eclipse, with Misha joining forces as producer and adding his own touch to Veil Of Maya’s... (Continue)

Devin Townsend Masterclass

admin — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:00:51 +0000

I think that the instrument that you first become proficient with ultimately defines the way in which you write music. I do play an equal amount of bass guitar as I do 6-string guitar, and while the process is similar, it's a little different because bass is coming from the role of support. But with guitar you've got the option of either rhythm or lead, so everything that I write (other than a few isolated bass moments) comes from me with a guitar in my hands.

Listen To MESHUGGAH’s New Track From Upcoming Album KOLOSS (UPDATED – 2nd Track Added!)

Ivan Chopik — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:54:33 +0000

UPDATE 02/17/2012: Listen to “Do Not Look Down,” a second track off the upcoming new album KOLOSS here: 02/9/2012: A new track from Swedish masters of the extreme MESHUGGAH has been leaked via http://iamaleak.com. According to Got-Djent.com, an anonymous source noted that the leak is track 7 off the upcoming album ‘Koloss,’ titled “Break These Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion.” The file was uploaded by the band’s manager, along with the following message: the ophidian whispered those who seek shall be rewarded…. a sonic declaration of spIte And resentMent its resonAnce grinding to dust our souls the twine of revenge tightLy strung its subharmonics... (Continue)

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Announce New Singer: JESSE LEACH

Ivan Chopik — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:12:48 +0000

(New York, NY): Killswitch Engage are pleased to announce that they have filled the singer vacancy in the band and they have done so with a familiar face: original vocalist Jesse Leach. Leach sang on the band’s first self-titled album, which came out in 2000, and on their landmark 2002 Roadrunner debut Alive or Just Breathing. Leach left the band in 2002 and was replaced by Howard Jones, but his work on Alive or Just Breathing has always been revered by diehard, longtime KsE fans. Things have come full circle a decade later, and Leach and the band couldn’t be... (Continue)

OPETH & MASTODON Announce Co-Headlining “HERITAGE HUNTER TOUR”

Ivan Chopik — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:32:11 +0000

New York, NY: This is one tour that rock fans will be talking about for years to come and if you miss it, you’ll be terribly sorry. Opeth and Mastodon will be embarking on a co-headline tour this spring, which kicks off April 4 in Portland, Maine and runs through May 12 in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s the first time these two titans of progressive and forward-thinking hard rock have hit the road together and it’s going to be one for the ages. Ghost will serve as the opener of the tour, which has been christened the “Heritage Hunter.” About the tour, Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt, in... (Continue)

PAUL WARDINGHAM Announces Forthcoming Release THE HUMAN AFFLICTION

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:21:40 +0000

Australian guitar shredder and producer, Paul Wardingham, has announced The Human Affliction as the title of his new instrumental cyber metal album. Wardingham, who released his acclaimed debut Assimilate Regenerate in 2011 through Enigmatic Records, says this second full-length will be a concept album. “I wasn’t planning on making an album like this for a few years, but the music began to take on a life of its own and a story materialized from the themes of each track” says Wardingham. “Assimilate Regenerate was conceptual in that it was inspired by science fiction, future technology and the effect it has on society, and... (Continue)

Gary Moore – Live At Montreux Jazz Festival 2010

Luke Dennis — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:10:18 +0000

Though his passing earlier this year registered as little more than a blip in Rolling Stone, the loss of Gary Moore proved all too heavy to the rock world. Moore wielded his guitar mastery for more than four decades, lending searing solos and riffs to a dizzying line-up of projects. While he never enjoyed a tenure for more than a few albums with any one outfit, he’s rubbed shoulders with Thin Lizzy, the Traveling Wilburys, Albert King, and even Andrew Lloyd Webber. Rest assured you’ve heard his playing, if not from his own hands, then through the many guitar heroes... (Continue)

MESHUGGAH Announce New Album Title

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:58:36 +0000

Sweden’s extreme, technical metal band MESHUGGAH have chosen KOLOSS as the title to their eighth studio album, set for North American release on March 27th and European release on March 23rd. Drummer Tomas Haake has issued the following warning: “As always, we try to take our music in a slightly different direction with each album and with KOLOSS we feel that we really nailed what we were going for. Organic brutality, viscera and groove all crammed into a 54-minute metalicious treat, best avoided by the faint of heart!!” Sign up here to receive the latest information on MESHUGGAH’s KOLOSS. 2008’s obZen has sold over 82,000 copies in the... (Continue)

T.R.A.M. To Release Debut Album on February 28th (Mars Volta, Animals As Leaders, Suicidal Tendencies)

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:56:23 +0000

It’s extremely rare to come across a new band that just flips the script of conventionality throwing caution to the wind, but the debut effort from T.R.A.M. does just that while blazing a trail of creativity that will quickly turn heads across the world. This unit will be referred to by many as a “supergroup,” however the members of this dynamic unit aren’t in this for any reason but to use it as a platform to further express their art without limitations or any preconceived notions. Their much anticipated debut album, Lingua Franca, is now officially set for a Feb. 28th... (Continue)

Stepping Out: A Guide To Playing Outside (Part 1)

Thomas Williams — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:12:01 +0000

Playing ‘outside’ is a term synonymous with jazz rock/fusion guitar players. Within traditional forms of jazz this term is replaced by ‘using chromaticism.’ In blues, country, and folk forms it’s called ‘blue notes.’ In everything else it’s considered ‘the wrong notes.’ In all forms, however, the common goal is to play a note that clashes against the background harmony in order to create tension and thus reinforce resolution when it arrives.

EVER FORTHRIGHT Release Self-Titled Debut

admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:57:38 +0000

Ever Forthright have released their self-titled debut this week. The NYC-based collective is pushing the boundaries progressive metal with their with infusions of hip hop, DnB and pop into a djenty brew of jarring, syncopated riffs and eerily pleasing vocal harmonies. The physical record can be bought at everforthright.bigcartel.com, while digital copies can be obtained at everforthright.bandcamp.com. In the meantime, be sure to check out THIS featured lesson with Ever Forthright’s Nick Llerandi and Kevin Theodore! Related ArticlesEVER FORTHRIGHT Releases ‘Dispose Of Your Optimism’ & Prepares To Unveil Debut EP (UPDATED)Friend For A Foe Release Debut Song!Putting Jazz In Metal With Ever ForthrightMESHUGGAH Announce... (Continue)

NEW ENGLAND METAL & HARDCORE FESTIVAL 14 Announces Lineup

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:37:54 +0000

WORCESTER, Mass. – Killswitch Engage has been confirmed as the headliner of the 14th Annual New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. The festival helped to launch the career of the Westfield, Mass., band and the festival vets went on to sign with Roadrunner Records. With over 1.5 million records sold in the United States alone and a Grammy nomination under its belt, the band will return to the NEMF stage in 2012. About this homecoming of sorts, vocalist Howard Jones said, ” Yup, trouble’s brewing. It’s been great to have time off, but now it’s back to business. All the... (Continue)

Tony MacAlpine Interview

John Anderson — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:14:56 +0000

Whether you know him as the young shredder who made 1986′s Edge of Insanity or as the architect of the heavy prog riffs for Planet X and Devil’s Slingshot, Tony MacAlpine has never failed to wow and sway his fans as he does once again with his latest release. Having acknowledged the self-titled Tony MacAlpine as his greatest solo work to date, he backs up the claim with his virtuosic luster through his convictive guitar leads and heavily structured rhythmic passages. Not merely content to contain his keyboard flourishes as a lush ambient background, he flexes his piano prowess with fluid mastery... (Continue)

Tony MacAlpine Masterclass

admin — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:22:31 +0000

[Tony's 7-string Ibanez guitar is tuned to Standard Tuning for all examples in this Masterclass: B E A D G B E]. Tony likes to incorporate arpeggios into his playing in sequential patterns, whereby a given arpeggio shape can be repeated in different octaves across the fretboard. In this example, he uses hammer-ons, pull-offs, and tapping to outline a Dmaj7 arpeggio shape.

PERIPHERY Part Ways With Bassist TOM MURPHY

admin — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:18:22 +0000

On November 15th, 2011 Periphery made the following announcement on their Facebook page: “We have some sad news to announce, unfortunately Tom Murphy has decided to leave the band: ‘I’m sorry to announce that as of today I will no longer be playing bass for Periphery. I have had so many unforgettable experiences and have met so many wonderful people while playing with the band and just want to say thank you to all the fans for making that possible. I am leaving to pursue something new. If you are interested following up with me, feel free to add my... (Continue)

Roadrunner Records Announces The Signing Of GOJIRA

admin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:54:12 +0000

Roadrunner Records announced today the addition of French metal behemoths Gojira to the label. The band is universally recognized as one of the most talented and extreme art-metal acts on the scene today. Gojira is one of those rare bands that comes along every couple of years and takes everything you know about metal, twists it, reimagines it and comes up with something wholly unique. It’s doubtful you’ve heard anything like Gojira before. The band makes that much of an impact with its music and approach. Gojira are comprised of vocalist/guitarist Joe Duplantier, who has a previous relationship with Roadrunner,... (Continue)

Andy Timmons Band Plays Sgt. Pepper

Jack Parsons — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:56:45 +0000

Andy Timmons is a world-renowned proponent of instrumental rock, known just as much for his impeccable taste and gorgeous tone, as his blazing chops and harmonic dexterity. To date, the Andy Timmons Band (with bassist Mike Daane and Mitch Marine) has released seven albums of jaw dropping rock, leading up to the group’s most ambitious recording to date: an instrumental rock reading of The Beatles’ classic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The first thing that becomes evident upon listening is that this is by no means your parents’ Sgt. Pepper. While Timmons remains very faithful to the source material,... (Continue)

Mastodon – The Hunter

Luke Dennis — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 04:34:51 +0000

Mastodon set the bar dizzyingly high with 2009’s Crack the Skye. Following a trio of element-themed records, their ‘air’ album married brutal riffs and brain-melting production with themes of astral projection, Rasputin’s possession of a crippled boy’s soul, and the fall of Tsarist Russia. But the announcement of their follow-up album The Hunter came with a trio of concerns. 1: How could they possibly top the iron-knuckled, vision quest that was Crack the Skye? 2: Why the hell is Dr. Dre’s bass player and Maroon 5’s producer Mike Elizondo manning the mixing board? And 3: What would the theme be... (Continue)

Acoustic Guitar Virtuoso JON GOMM Releases PASSIONFLOWER

admin — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:08:46 +0000

With a once-seen-never-forgotten two-handed style, both physical and complex, Jon Gomm is an incredible guitar virtuoso, using one acoustic instrument to create drum sounds, bass lines and sparkling melodies all at the same time. The son of a music critic, musicians would often stay at the Gomm household in Blackpool on the understanding Jon would get a guitar lesson, meaning he had one-to-one tuition from blues legends like Walter Trout and Bob Brozman. International tours have generated a huge cult following and Jon is regarded by those ‘in the know’ as one of the world’s most talented and innovative guitarists.... (Continue)

EVILE Unleash New Album “FIVE SERPENT’S TEETH”

admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:10:29 +0000

British thrash metal band EVILE will release their third studio album, Five Serpent’s Teeth, in North America on October 18 via Earache Records. A 15-minute preview of the album, featuring one-and-a-half blistering minutes of each song, is available to listen to now at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np5HFxA3U4s. Five Serpent’s Teeth was recorded at Parlour Studios in Kettering, UK, with producer Russ Russell (Napalm Death, Dimmu Borgir), who also helmed the band’s highly regarded 2009 release Infected Nations. Conceptually derived from the dreams of vocalist/rhythm guitarist Matt Drake and heavily influenced by the passing of the band’s beloved bassist Mike Alexander, Five Serpent’s Teeth... (Continue)

ANDY TIMMONS BAND Plays SGT. PEPPER To Be Released October 24

admin — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:04:25 +0000

One of the most beloved cultural milestones of the ‘60s generation and every generation since, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles gets creatively interpreted and re-imagined in this all-instrumental rendition by a guitarist whose lifelong love of this material has resulted in an album that transcends all musical boundaries and genres. Two years in the making, guitar fans, Beatle fans and everyone in-between will come together when Favored Nations Entertainment releases Andy Timmons Band Plays Sgt. Pepper on October 24. “I must hip you to new music I just heard that floored me! It is, without a... (Continue)

PERIPHERY Announces New Guitarist and Dream Theater Off Day Shows

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:59:27 +0000

PERIPHERY have redefined the boundaries of progressive music and previously announced they will be touring as direct support to the legendary Dream Theater throughout Europe from Jan. 23rd through Feb. 26th. Yesterday the band announced that they will play two headlining shows amidst those dates. Brussels, Belgium, and Prague, Czech Republic, have been added to the band’s schedule. All of their tour dates can be found below or by visiting www.facebook.com/peripheryband Following PERIPHERY’s extremely successful “Frak The Gods” North American tour, the group are excited to now officially announce its newest member Mark Holcomb (he had a project with Misha Mansoor... (Continue)

Progressive Death Metallers ORDINANCE Release Debut Album INTERNAL MONOLOGUES

admin — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:17:51 +0000

Ordinance is a four piece Progressive Death Metal act based out of Frederick, Maryland. The band is comprised of Alex Rudinger (of Threat Signal), Greg Macklin (of System Divide), Mike Semesky (of Vestascension, Haunted Shores, Rest Among Ruins), and Gunter Ostendorp (of Knossis). Originated by Macklin and Rudinger in 2009 as a two piece, Ordinance joined forces with guitarist Ostendorp shortly thereafter, and began writing for the debut album Internal Monologues. Throughout the writing process, each new song found its way to YouTube via Rudinger’s drum video releases, bringing about an ever-growing online audience awaiting a record from the trio.... (Continue)

Metal Foundations Lesson 3: Intermediate Riff Concepts

Zach Pino — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:24:53 +0000

Welcome back, metal Guitar Messengers! The last lesson introduced you to some basic riff construction concepts based off of common chord diads and the palm muting technique. In this lesson, we’re going to dive right into some more advanced riff concepts. These include the use of tritones, bending techniques, and the use of palm-muted rests to create syncopated grooves. The riffs in this lesson are all in Drop D tuning, with the exception of Figure 3, which is in standard tuning. And as always, we’ll conclude the lesson with some essential metal albums that illustrate these concepts. Sound good? Let’s... (Continue)

Electro-Harmonix Unveils The Ravish Sitar Pedal

admin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:24:22 +0000

Electro-Harmonix introduces the Ravish Sitar pedal, which transforms a guitar into a sitar. A traditional sitar achieves its instantly recognizable sound through a combination of melody, drone and sympathetic strings, as well as its unique construction. Mike Matthews and the pedal wizards at Electro-Harmonix have distilled the essence of that exotic instrument into a compact, polyphonic pedal. The Ravish Sitar features three independent level controls, one each for the Dry sound, Lead voice and Sympathetic strings. There are also individual Timbre controls for the Lead voice and the Sympathetic strings. The Timbre controls act like filter controls and introduce more... (Continue)