Ultimate-Guitar is driven by its passionate community of users and the main focus of the site is to spread great music throughout it. Though we love to support the veteran acts, one of the most exciting things we get to do is champion the newer talents within our scene. That brings us to
Shred Sean. The New York native is the lead guitarist in
Blessed By A Broken Heart and a solo artist in his own right. One listen to his blistering fret work reveals his adoration for the shred era of the late ‘80s.
Sean will be releasing an instructional video in the coming year along with a new record from
Blessed By A Broken Heart. Throughout 2010, he’ll also be writing pieces for
Ultimate-Guitar along with posting “how-to” videos for all his fellow speed freaks. For his inaugural article here, we asked him to list 10 guitarists that he’s looking forward to hearing more from in 2010.
So with no further delay, we present to you Shred Sean!
10 Guitarists For 2010
Jeff Loomis
Loomis has been a badass shredder since he won Wisconsin's “Guitar Wars” contest at age 16. He later went on to help form Nevermore, bringing his brand of over-the-top neo-classical shred to the masses. With the recent release of his début solo album ‘Zero Phase Order’ -- which to me sounds like the second coming of Jason Becker -- Jeff will be a shred guitar force to be reckoned with in 2010.
Mandatory Listening:
solo - “Miles of Machines" from ‘Zero Phase Order’
Nevermore: "Enemies Of Reality" from ‘Enemies of Reality’
Chris Broderick
Chris first hit the shred scene in the early ‘90s, joining established power metal band Jag Panzer. With a gig in Nevermore along his path, Chris is the current guitar player for Megadeth. Close your eyes and you’ll think its 1990 all over again, and Marty Freidman is shredding, or it’s 1986 and Chris Poland is melting his fretboard! With his amazing eight-finger tapping skills and vast knowledge of music theory, not to mention variety of styles, Chris will undoubtedly be pushing guitar to the limit in 2010.
Mandatory Listening:
Jag Panzer - "Starlight’s Fury" from ‘Casting the Stones’
Misha Mansoor
Misha is a new, up-and-coming guitarist on the metal scene. Just think of Meshuggah mixed with Allan Holdsworth and you’ll get a picture of what his playing sounds like. With intensely complex riffage, pounding drums, soothing melodic leads, and an album release pending on Sumerian Records with his band Periphery, Misha will be on everyone’s radar this coming year.
Mandatory Listening:
Periphery - "Buttersnips" – An instrumental demo of a song that will be on their upcoming album
Guthrie Govan
This British musician is recognized by many as quite possibly the scariest guitar player alive. Guth is just as comfortable comping in a jazz combo as he is slaying us with death-defying two-handed licks, coupled with an unmatched ear for melody and phrasing. With massive YouTube buzz and the recent release of his solo album ‘Erotic Cakes,’ Govan is a guitar player’s guitar player set to break big in 2010.
Mandatory Listening:
solo - "Waves" from ‘Erotic Cakes’
Paul Gilbert
This legend needs no introduction. Gilbert’s signature white-hot alternate picking ability, countless guitar magazine covers, dozens of albums, instructional DVDs, and world tours with Racer X and Mr. Big, has undoubtedly achieved the veteran his status as a shred god.
With his most recent solo albums, Paul has turned off the mic and turned up his amp again, much to this guitar player’s delight. ‘Get Out of My Back Yard’ and ‘Silence Followed By A Deafening Roar,’ coupled with the recent Mr. Big reunion sold-out tour dates in Japan (and hopefully in America!) Paul is getting more press than ever, and is bound for a renaissance of sorts.
Mandatory Listening:
Racer X - "Superheroes" from ‘Superheroes’
Mr. Big - "Addicted To That Rush" from ‘Mr. Big’
solo - "Get Out Of My Back Yard" from ‘Get Out of My Back Yard’
Dave Justo
Over-the-top, yet intensely melodic Chopin etudes... romantic baroque... hard rock and blues... Dave's got something for everyone and he does it all with style. The 2007 release of his solo album ‘Aura’ shows off his vast chops and maturity around his instrument. Currently blazing the board in his blues/hard rock band Soraia, Dave is a singular talent and personal friend of mine that deserves to break through to all of the people in the Ultimate-Guitar community.
Mandatory Listening:
solo - "Chopin Etude Opus 10 No. 1" from ‘Aura’
Nils Norberg
His fierce style of shredding, smooth Holdsworth-like tapping, legato technique, and great sense of melody and songwriting are on full, jaw-dropping display with his band Nocturnal Rites. It’s a crime that more people have not heard of this Swedish guitar player. In 2005, the band released their 7th album, ‘Grand Illusion,’ featuring some fantastic playing by Nils.
The follow-up album, The 8th Sin,’ was another tour-de-force, and showcases Nils’ signature style of smooth shredding and melodic note choices. Unfortunately Nils parted ways with the band and music shortly after this record, claiming, "my interest in music has cooled down the past few years." His absence has been a true loss to the metal world and guitar aficionados everywhere.
Mandatory Listening:
Nocturnal Rites - "Cuts Like A Knife" from ‘Grand Illusion’
Richie Kotzen
From shred to soul, Kotzen has done it all. With a long list of bands for which he has slung an axe for, and range of styles he’s covered, Kotzen certainly has branched out as a player since his late ‘80s Shrapnel solo efforts, and become not just a guitar hero but also an accomplished songwriter and vocalist to boot. In 2010 I hope to see Richie’s face painted over John Mayer's in Guitar Center stores and the pop charts. It’s time Top 40 Radio had a real blues/soul guitarist on its playlists.
Mandatory Listening:
solo from his shredding period: "B Funk" from ‘Electric Joy’
solo from his current era: "’Till You Put Me Down" from ‘Into The Black’
Tosin Abasi
This new age shred/jazz fusion guitarist’s instrumental album as Animals As Leaders came out on Prosthetic Records in 2008. It will leave your head spinning from a tornado of two-handed licks, arpeggios, augmented with crushing rhythms and drum backings from recording mastermind Misha Mansoor (also on this list in his role as the lead guitarist for Periphery). Tosin’s buffet of blistering licks and soothing acoustic passages will knock you into a shred coma! His approach to the instrument and style of songwriting is definitely a breath of fresh air for the instrumental guitar community and I look forward to more great music from Abasi in 2010.
Mandatory Listening:
Animals As Leaders - "Tempting Time" from ‘Animals As Leaders’
Gus G
This Greek shredder just picked up one of the most coveted gigs of all time: the hot lead gun-for-hire for Ozzy Osbourne. Since we’re all familiar with the Prince of Darkness’ catalog, let’s talk a little bit about Gus before he was handed the Golden Guitar Ticket...
Gus is no stranger to the whole hired gun thing, filling in for Christopher Amott in Arch Enemy, and contributing to their ‘Doomsday Machine’ album by playing the solo in “Taking Back My Soul.” He’s also played with Swedish metallers Dream Evil, as well as providing guest-shreds for Nightrage, Old Man’s Child, and Japanese metallers Sigh. Let’s not forget Gus's unstopabble work in his own band, Firewind. I’m glad to see Oz giving another young guitar player the chance of a lifetime -- too bad it’s not me… haha!
Mandatory Listening:
Firewind - "Fire And The Fury" from ‘Burning Earth’
Until next time, Shredheads...
- Shred Sean (c) 2010
Mr. Big FTW
Hell ya!!
Pretty good list imo