Guitar Messenger

The Almighty ii-V: Part 2 (Minor)

Mark Kilianski — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:09:58 +0000

Sultry. Spicy. Rich. Exotic. No, I am not talking about your mother. I’m talking about Jazz standards in minor keys. Though they make up a smaller percentage of the Jazz repertoire, minor tunes add a great variety and sound to any performance, album, or jam session. Even if the tune you are playing is in [...]

DIMMU BORGIR Announce North American Tour

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:38:08 +0000

A foreboding Wagnerian majesty will soon shroud all major cities in the U.S. and Canada. Launching the “Darkness Reborn Tour” on Friday, November 5th in Worcester, Massachusetts, Norway’s infamous symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR return to the western hemisphere on a headlining, 32-date run across North America supported by fellow countrymen Enslaved and Blood Red Throne, plus [...]

TEXTURES Guitarist Launches “Inside The Songs” Online Video Series

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:31:26 +0000

TEXTURES 7-string guitarist Bart Hennephof has launched an “Inside The Songs” online video series explaining “some of the coolest riffs used in the songs by TEXTURES. I talk about how they are created and what processes we have gone through to come up with rhythms and patterns that challenge us while still keeping it as musical as [...]

TESSERACT Announce THE CONCEALING FATE EP Details; Prepare For Devin Townsend North American Tour

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:31:17 +0000

Progressive Metal act TesseracT will release their Concealing Fate EP on Oct. 12th. This EP will be available online with a limited edition digipack sold exclusively at CM Distro. Pre-order packages are available now at the link below. The band’s much anticipated debut full- length, One, will be released early 2011 and will feature the songs [...]

BEHEMOTH’s Nergal responds to overwhelming fan support

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:15:46 +0000

Since news on Nergal’s recent health issues has been released, the band, management, and label has received an overwhelming response from fans and bands all over the world asking how they can directly help Nergal. In response to everyone offering his or her help in terms of setting up benefits and shows to raise money [...]

ERIC JOHNSON and others unite for an acoustic guitar masters tour

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:30:36 +0000

Three of the most popular, talented, innovative and musically rich guitar players and composers in contemporary music will bring their acoustic guitars together to perform and interact on stages across America this October and January 2011 when Eric Johnson, Andy McKee and Peppino D’Agostino meet on the Guitar Masters tour. The 21-date two-leg run of [...]

The Robert Cray Band – Cookin’ In Mobile

Chris Dingman — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:26:22 +0000

Release Date: July 27, 2010 After decades of serving up smooth, soul-infused blues, singer and master guitarist Robert Cray has at last released a live DVD to give viewers at home the chance to experience one of music’s classiest acts. Fortunately for us, Cray made sure to get things done right. The camera work is excellent, [...]

Friend For A Foe Release Debut Song!

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:35:33 +0000

Washington DC based progressive metal group Friend For A Foe just released their debut song called “Niacin”. Niacin will be on an upcoming 6 song EP expected to be out in the fall. For a free download visit soundclick.com/friendforafoe “Washington DC’s Friend For A Foe (FFaF) began as a one-man band, gaining attention since 2004. After [...]

Steve Morse & Sarah Spencer – Angelfire

Chris Dingman — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:53:00 +0000

Release Date: August 10, 2010 Throughout Steve Morse’s memorable career he has written music that draws on hard rock, country, British fusion and baroque classical. Angelfire, the debut album from his latest project of the same name, finds Morse applying his gifts to yet another genre: acoustic vocal music. Morse and his partner in Angelfire, [...]

Century Media announces worldwide signing of TESSERACT

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:00:21 +0000

Hailed as one of the best unsigned bands from everyone from the Washington Post to UK’s Rock Sound magazine, TESSERACT are pleased to finally shed the “unsigned” tag as they announce a worldwide recording deal with Century Media Records. The band comments: “TESSERACT is very excited to be working with Century Media. We have been looking for [...]

Dream Theater’s JAMES LABRIE Unveils His New Static Impulse Solo Release

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:13:55 +0000

Dream Theater’s JAMES LABRIE is easily one of the defining, elite and naturally talented vocalists the world has to offer and after selling over a million albums worldwide he further challenges himself with an aggressive and dynamic new solo effort. The much anticipated new full-length offering, Static Impulse, also marks LABRIE’s first solo effort in over [...]

Electro-Harmonix Release The Freeze Sound Retainer & Headphone Amp

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:06:53 +0000

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY — Electro-Harmonix releases the Freeze Sound Retainer, a performance device that captures a frozen moment and turns it into a unique sonic landscape. The Freeze delivers infinite sustain of any note or chord at the press of a momentary footswitch. Play over your captured sound for liquid, interactive creativity. Release the [...]

Soilwork Kick Off North American Tour

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:59:16 +0000

The Godfathers of Swedish modern metal, SOILWORK, recently kick off their North American headlining tour with San Francisco Bay Area thrash legends DEATH ANGEL, Quebec’s tech-death masters AUGURY, Roadrunner Records recording artists MUTINY WITHIN, and pirate themed thrashers SWASHBUCKLE. Frontman Bjorn “Speed” Strid commented on the first show of the tour, and what it was like to play [...]

Jamming With Eric Krasno

Ivan Chopik — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 02:42:14 +0000

...‘Interlude,’ the opening track from Soulive’s 2005 release Break Out. Be sure to lay back on the beat – as usual, Krasno’s excellent timing and articulations turn this harmonically simple riff into an essay on groove.

Eric Krasno Interview

Ivan Chopik — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 05:16:33 +0000

An acclaimed musician in today’s jazz, hip-hop, and funk circuits, Eric Krasno is best known as the guitarist and co-founder of the soul-funk powerhouse Soulive. With his deep groove, bluesy attitude and jazz chops, Kraz’s signature sound stands out throughout all of his work. Kraz is also a founder of Lettuce and is currently on [...]

Francesco Artusato joins All Shall Perish & Unveils Details of a New Solo Effort

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:41:29 +0000

June 9th, 2010 Guitar Messenger’s very own Francesco Artusato has recently been announced as the new touring guitarist for Oakland, California’s extreme metal unit All Shall Perish. The band issued the following statement: “So we’re long due for an update on the currently happenings of All Shall Perish. Firstly, we’re pleased to announce that Adam Pierce (Sea [...]

George Bellas Interview 2

Ivan Chopik — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 22:10:32 +0000

George Bellas is a unique figure in the world of instrumental guitar. His fusion of technical facility and compositional prowess allows him to consistently deliver fresh material that both excites and challenges his listeners. The Dawn of Time, his latest offering, continues to expand the boundaries of his signature sound. At the same time, the record [...]

Tour Survival 101

Marcel Hamel — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:56:52 +0000

I remember it perfectly. It was nineteen weeks ago that I arrived in Manhattan, guitar in hand, frantically looking for Chelsea Studios. Chelsea is one of the larger theatrical rehearsal studios in New York City and while I’d played in a number of pit orchestras before, I’d also never had any reason to find the [...]

Steve Vai Presents: Western Vacation

admin — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:18:40 +0000

In the early 1980s, Steve Vai had just moved to California and bought a house in rural Sylmar California. At the time, it was a place with more animals than people. Steve’s little house out in the wilderness, was a place where wayward musicians can come and call home. One of those musicians living at [...]

Altered Dimensions: The Altered Dominant Chord

Mark Kilianski — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:41:02 +0000

The Altered Scale. Sound scary? Well it is. It’s a 20 story tall, fire-breathing beast with enough tension in it to break the entire universe into infinite little pieces and eat them all in one bite. But that’s why it’s so great. If you learn to tame this beast it can add a hip, sophisticated, [...]

Electro-Harmonix releases the Germanium 4 Big Muff Pi & 44 Magnum Power Amp

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:12:31 +0000

ELECTRO-HARMONIX RELEASES THE GERMANIUM 4 BIG MUFF Pi, a combination overdrive and distortion pedal using four classic Germanium transistors. Electro-Harmonix has resurrected the warm sound unique to the Germanium transistors of the 1960s and applied several modern twists to deliver a new pedal with a vintage vibe and feel, but modern control and power. The [...]

George Bellas – The Dawn of Time

admin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:26:34 +0000

The Dawn Of Time – Coming July 16th, 2010. In the beginning there was nothing… And then there was light! The Dawn Of Time. Fifteen billion years later George Bellas presents to you an epic collection of instrumental songs inspired by the universe, how it was created, and from where and what it came from. [...]

Guitar Virtuoso Month at Lion Music

admin — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:13:37 +0000

To celebrate the release of new albums from world acclaimed guitar virtuosos George Bellas and Alex Masi on July 16th, Lion Music are celebrating “Guitar Virtuoso Month” in July 2010. The whole of July will see exclusive interviews with guitarists on the labels roster, special offers on releases from the LM store and a whole [...]

Dark Tranquillity @ Harper’s Ferry – Allston, MA

Chris Dingman — Wed, 19 May 2010 22:22:38 +0000

Only three months after playing a short set in Boston with Killswitch Engage, Dark Tranquillity returned to treat their loyal fans to a headlining show at the cozy Harper’s Ferry. Hometown heavies Acaro were the first to take the stage that night, and they controlled the room with ease. Frontman Chris Harrell engaged the early [...]

Legendary Heavy Metal Vocalist RONNIE JAMES DIO Dies

admin — Sun, 16 May 2010 19:40:17 +0000

Wendy Dio, wife/manager of legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW), has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET: “Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45 a.m. [on Sunday] 16th May. Many, many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully [...]

Peter Wichers Comments on Producing New SOILWORK Record

admin — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:00:42 +0000

The Godfathers of Swedish modern metal, SOILWORK, will release The Panic Broadcast on July 2 (EUROPE) and July 13 (N. America) via Nuclear Blast. It will be the first album to feature original guitarist, songwriter & producer Peter Wichers since his return to the band in 2008! The Panic Broadcast was also produced by Wichers, [...]

Periphery: Misha Mansoor Masterclass (Part 2)

admin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 03:17:22 +0000

One goal that I have with my music – it’s up to you to decide whether I’ve failed or succeeded at this – but we’re definitely trying to write interesting, proggy chord changes that we have sing-along choruses to...

Periphery: Misha Mansoor Masterclass (Part 1)

admin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 01:00:22 +0000

When I write riffs, I usually wait until I’m recording to figure out how it’s going to sound, but I usually have a bunch of moves that I want to work in - I’m sure a lot of people...

Misha Mansoor Interview (Periphery)

Ivan Chopik — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 22:03:11 +0000

Always striving to expand the outer limits of their sound, Periphery is a band that’s living up to their name – and storming onto the progressive metal scene. After years of anticipation, numerous line-up changes, and several re-recordings, the Bethesda, Maryland-based unit finally unveiled their self-titled debut on April 20th, 2010. Leading the growth of [...]

Periphery debuts ‘Icarus Lives’ Video

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:01:28 +0000

Today Periphery have released their video for ‘Icarus Lives’ off their upcoming self-titled debut via Metal Injection. The album is coming out on April 20th via Sumerian Records. Related ArticlesPeriphery: Misha Mansoor Masterclass (Part 2)Periphery: Misha Mansoor Masterclass (Part 1)Misha Mansoor Interview (Periphery)Periphery: New Singer & New Album TeaserCentury Media announces worldwide signing of TESSERACTFriend [...]