Features

Watch Video Highlights from 2013 Golden Gods Awards: Metallica, Anthrax, Danzig, Dillinger Escape Plan and More

Guitar World Staff — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:40:46 +0000

The biggest names in hard rock and heavy metal rocked Los Angeles on Thursday, May 2, at the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods Award Show.

As always, the event featured the once-in-a-lifetime collaborations that America’s only hard-rock and heavy-metal show has become known for.

The event featured appearances by Gene Simmons, Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Jason Newsted, Zakk Wylde, Jack Black and Kyle Gass of Tenacious D, Kerry King of Slayer, Munky and Brian “Head” Welch of Korn, David Ellefson and Chris Broderick of Megadeth, Heaven’s Basement, Testament, In This Moment, John 5, Queensrÿche, Al Jourgensen of Ministry, Rudy Sarzo, Stephen Perkins of Jane’s Addiction, Orianthi, Butcher Babies and many more. Also in attendance were UFC legend Chuck Liddell and actor Danny Masterson.

And, of course, there were lots of great performances by Metallica, Anthrax, the Dillinger Escape Plan, Danzig, Halestorm, Five Finger Death Punch and Stone Sour. Check out performance highlights from the event RIGHT HERE.

Videos include:

• Metallica - Disposable Heroes"
• Metallica - "Seek & Destroy"
• Metallica - "For Whom the Bell Tolls"
• Metallica with Rob Halford - "Rapid Fire"
• Anthrax - "This Love and Raining Blood Intro"
• Danzig - "Death Comes Ripping"
• Best Guitarist Award, Presented by Epiphone
• Stone Sour - "Children of the Grave"
• The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Prancer"
• The Dillinger Escape Plan - "When I Lost My Bet"

Head here for more Golden Gods highlight videos.

Additional Content

La Grunge: The Top 10 Blues-Approved Overdrive/Distortion Pedals

Chris Gill — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:18:39 +0000

The origin of guitar distortion goes back to the earliest electrified blues guitarists.

They didn’t care that their primitive tube amps were breaking up and distorting, as long as they were loud. Soon, blues guitarists grew quite fond of those nasty, gnarly distorted tones, and they sought to replicate them by any means necessary.

Enter the overdrive pedal. Designed to push an amp to the brink, the overdrive pedal allows players to summon singing sustain, compelling crunch, and glorious grit at any volume level, giving guitarists the bite and balls they need for genuine blues-approved tone. While a handful of purists prefer to plug a guitar straight into an amp, most blues guitarists these days have a handful of overdrive, distortion and even fuzz boxes in their rigs.

Thanks to the proliferation of boutique pedal builders over the past 20 years, there are easily more than a thousand distortion devices available to help guitarists find their signature blues sound. The following pedals are the top 10 classics and modern marvels that get our mojo working when we spank that plank and crank up the volume.

10. Way Huge Pork Loin

By blending modern soft-clipping BiFET overdrive and classic clean “British” preamp tone pathways, the Pork Loin allows players to dial in raw, raunchy tones that never lose bottom-end clarity or definition. The Pork Loin plays a massive role in Joe Bonamassa’s bigger-than-life modern blues sound.

9. Klon Centaur

The Klon Centaur’s legendary clean boost transforms a guitar’s natural tone the same way a livestock farmer turns a piglet into a prize-winning porker—by making it bigger, fatter, juicier, meatier and more muscular. Centaur designer Bill Finnegan discontinued production several years ago, driving prices for used Klons well above $1,000, but he’s trying to bring a similar pedal to the market again with the same hand-selected parts, attention to detail and signature sound that the numerous “klones” have failed to match.

8. PaulC Audio Tim

Thanks to its impressive tonal range and expressive touch sensitivity, the Tim is a favorite of tube amp aficionados who don’t want to sacrifice the dynamic response of their favorite amps but need more gain and tonal-shaping capabilities. With the EQ controls set at 12 o’clock, it provides some of the most transparent clean boost and overdrive tones available.

7. Fulltone Full-Drive 2

Fulltone makes an impressive variety of incredible overdrive, distortion and fuzz pedals, including the OCD, PlimSoul and Fat-Boost FB-3, but when it comes to the blues, most guitarists choose the Fulltone Full-Drive 2. With separate overdrive and boost footswitches and mini toggle switches for selecting clean boost, midrange emphasis, MOSFET clipping and more, the Full-Drive 2 is a versatile overdrive pedal that makes it easy to dial in your own signature blues tones.

6. Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer

Thanks to Stevie Ray Vaughan’s use of an Ibanez Tube Screamer (he replaced the TS-808 with a TS-9 and TS-10 later in his career), this pedal has gone on to become the best-selling and most copied overdrive pedal of all time. The Tube Screamer’s output boost and signature midrange hump, along with a characteristic warmth that the TS-808’s successors lack, make it ideal for playing fat, aggressive solos that destroy everything else in its path.

5. Electro-Harmonix Big Muff π

Most staunch traditionalists think that the raunchy fuzz tones of a Big Muff π are a little too furry and furious for the blues, but that hasn’t stopped a new generation of blues-inspired players from using one. The Big Muff is a key element of 21st century blues as envisioned by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys and Jack White of the White Stripes, the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather.

4. Dallas-Arbiter Rangemaster Treble Booster

Eric Clapton’s alleged use of a Dallas-Arbiter Rangemaster Treble Booster on John Mayall’s legendary Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton album remains the source of much controversy, but the Rangemaster was also a key element of Rory Gallagher’s late-Sixties rig that similarly redefined blues guitar tone during the British blues revival, thanks to its marvelous midrange and gritty germanium transistor grind. Numerous clones are available today, including the Analog Man Beano Boost and Keeley Java Boost.

3. Boss BD-2 Blues Driver

Not since the late Seventies, when the Ibanez Tube Screamer and Boss OD-1 made their debut, has a mass-produced overdrive pedal won over the great unwashed and cork-sniffing tone snobs alike. The BD-2 delivers a wide variety of overdrive tones, from creamy to crunchy, with personality that ranges from retro smooth to modern blues-rock raunch.

2. Blackstone Appliances MOSFET Overdrive

This pedal’s nameplate and crinkle finish may have the retro-cool vibe of a Thirties toaster, but underneath the hood lies a modern circuit that uses small-signal MOSFETs and an unconventional input stage to cook up distortion and overdrive with rich harmonic overtones that will melt your face off like a million-watt microwave. “It’s heavy stuff, not the sound of a popcorn machine,” says Billy Gibbons, who used the Blackstone in tasteful excess on several new ZZ Top tunes.

1. Analog Man King of Tone

With a two-year waiting list, the Analog Man King of Tone is one of the most sought-after overdrive pedals, and for a very good reason: it provides a clean boost that preserves a guitar’s tone, making it sound bigger, badder and more bodacious, with just the right amount of natural-sounding distortion. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Gary Clark Jr. and Buddy Miller are just a handful of the pros who have discovered that the King of Tone truly rules.

Small Wonders: Five Essential 15-Watt Guitar Amps

Damian Fanelli — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:18:11 +0000

Let's face it, bringing a 100-watt guitar amp to your average weekend bar gig is a lot like taking a Lamborghini to Shop Rite for Sunday-afternoon grocery shopping.

You simply don't need all that power (Unless Shop Rite also happens to be hosting a Sunday-afternoon drag race).

Which is why several amp manufacturers have spent a lot of time, effort and money developing less-powerful and more-portable (not to mention affordable) amps, namely those of the 15-watt variety. Unlike larger amps, including 50-watters, you can really open up a 15-watt amp at a gig and take advantage of all its features, including that beautiful, natural gain that magically appears at high volumes.

Here's a list of our five essential 15-watt guitar amps. As always, this list was compiled by a group of Guitar World editorial staffers including Technical Editor Paul Riario, the guy who tries out every piece of gear that arrives at Guitar World. He also appears in one of the five demo videos in this story.

As always, the amps are presented in no particular order.

Marshall Haze MHZ15

There's nothing hazy about this choice, Marshall's Haze15.

The amp runs on three ECC83 preamp and two 6V6 power amp tubes, providing this two-channel head with a pure-tube pedigree. The amp's traditional EQ section of Bass, Middle and Treble allows massive amounts of control; the Normal and Overdrive channels create beautiful clean and distorted tones — and everything in between.

Turning up the Normal channel volume takes the clear tone and adds tube drive, compression and bite, which can be adjusted through your guitar’s volume control. Engaging the Bright function adds sonic sparkle and an extra cutting edge. Switching to the Overdrive channel sees the amp really start to roar with Volume and Gain controls allowing direct access to your sound.

At low volumes, the Haze15 offers smooth, rich overdriven tones. When it's cranked up, you can look forward to classic, fat, Marshall distortion.

What does it sound like?

Here's our own Paul Riario trying out the Haze15 in a GW video from 2010:

MSRP: $840 | Visit marshallamps.com for more about Marshall's Haze series.

From its humble origins in the back of a small music store in London, Marshall Amplification has defined the sound of rock for generations of guitarists around the world. The History of Marshall Amps: The First Fifty Years by Michael Doyle and Nick Bowcott tells the story of Jim Marshall's remarkable life and documents the many innovations of Marshall amplifiers, from the famous “stack” to the most current offerings. It's available at the Guitar World Online Store.

Orange Amplifiers Tiny Terror Series TT15

Lunch, anyone?

Orange Amplification's Tiny Terror Head — known by fans as the original lunchbox amp — is a best seller for a reason. When driven, this tiny amp has almost as much gain as most four-stage lead channels.

The Tiny Terror puts a host of boutique amps to shame with its clean crunch and full-on overdrive sounds. At mid-gain settings, this tube-driven head has plenty of vintage British character. The Tiny Terror was designed to the same specs as larger Orange amps, and its portability makes it perfect for gigging around town or rehearsing. As an added bonus, the Tiny Terror can go from 15 to 7 watts for studio use, recording and practice.

What does it sound like?

Here's an official demo video from Orange:

MSRP: $769 | Visit orangeamps.com for more info about this amp.

Fender 65 Princeton Reverb 15W

I own one of these babies, so I can vouch for it from years of personal experience. This is simply a great amp for the majority of gigs I play — bars and clubs. There are four guitarists in our band, and this amp never gets lost in the mix.

The 65 Princeton Reverb is versatile enough to go from the living room to the recording studio to the small gig. It's got plenty of vintage vibe, plus dynamic clean and overdriven tones, spring reverb and tube vibrato.

The amp delivers 15 watts through a 10-inch Jensen Special Design speaker. It has two inputs (one channel), plus a footswitch, and control knobs for Treble, Bass, Reverb, Speed and Intensity. The tube complement consists of a trio of 12AX7s, a 12AT7, dual Groove Tubes 6V6s and a single 5AR4 rectifier tube.

What does it sound like?

This video wasn't created by Fender or Guitar World, but it does a fine job of demonstrating the sounds and features. You'll notice the model being tested is the recently introduced Surf Green version of the amp:

MSRP: $1,299.99 | Visit fender.com for more info about this amp.

Vox Night Train NT15H/V112NT

Simply put, this is one cool-looking, mirror-finish 15-watt amp.

The industrial-looking amp, part of Vox's Night Train series, is a solid, all-tube, portable head. It runs on two 12AX7 preamp tubes and two EL84 power tubes; this is the same tube complement as the company's classic AC15 amp.

The Vox Night Train's single switch lets you select between Pentode or Triode tube operation. In Pentode mode, the amp delivers 15 watts of power. In the Triode mode, the power is cut to 7.5 watts. The Triode mode also relaxes the tube power stage, letting the mellow tube character shine through.

Night Train greets you with a clear, simple panel design, offering the familiar Gain and Volume controls. The Tone controls include Treble, Middle and Bass, allowing you to dial up just the right character for your individual, signature tone. In addition, the preamp section features a mode switch, offering both Bright and Thick options. The Bright mode accentuates the high-frequency components for a clear, ringing tone; the Thick setting bypasses the tone circuit to boost the gain and create a chunkier, heavier sound.

What does it sound like?

Here's an official video Night Train demo video from Vox:

MSRP: $700 | Visit voxamps.com for more info about this amp.

Mesa Boogie Transatlantic TA-15

The guys at Mesa Boogie noticed everyone else was bringing lunchboxes to the amp party, so they decided to make their own. They did a fine job; the TA-15 is a tasty, portable amp that packs in a lot of features.

The TA-15 packs all the performance found in high-end, full-size models and offers classic British and American sounds in a 12-pound package. Two channels feature five modes; choose a preamp style in each channel, then select the perfect power for it from three output choices: 5 Watts (Single-Ended Class A), 15 Watts (Class A) or 25 Watts (Dyna-Watt).

From Mesa Boogie: "The Channel Modes start off with lower gain NORMAL and higher gain classic versions of the iconic TOP BOOST sound in Channel 1, which includes an ingenious Pull MASTER on the CUT control that can be Hard Bypassed for purists. Channel 2 houses three Modes; a gorgeous TWEED clean, a British high gain in HI 1 and a classic Boogie Lead in HI 2."

What does it sound like?

Check out these seven audio TA-15 samples available on mesaboogie.com. Here's Mesa Boogie's official demo TA-15 video:

MSRP: $899 | Visit mesaboogie.com for more info about this amp.

'200 Rock Licks' DVD is a Guitar Licks Goldmine

Guitar World Staff — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:16:17 +0000

A guitar licks goldmine awaits you in an incredible rock collection, the 200 Rock Licks: Guitar Licks Goldmine DVD (Hal Leonard).

The DVD, which is available now at the Guitar World Online Store. is jam-packed with killer lead lines, phrases and riffs personally taught to you by professional guitarists Greg Harrison, Matthew Schroeder and Troy Stetina.

From classic rock to modern metal, each and every authentic lick includes: a walk-through explanation by a professional guitarist; note-for-note on-screen tablature; normal and slow-speed performance demos.

Total running time: 4 hours, 14 minutes.

The '200 Rock Licks: Guitar Licks Goldmine' DVD is available now at the Guitar World Online Store for $24.99.

Gig Review: An Evening with Steven Wilson in Downtown Los Angeles

Andrew Bansal — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:05:30 +0000

It takes a certain ability to be able to appreciate everything British musician Steven Wilson brings to his multiple projects — from Porcupine Tree to Blackfield to No-Man to IEM — but whenever he's in town, the fans show up in droves.

That’s exactly what happened at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles on May 10, when he performed with his solo band.

As posh as the venue is (It's part of LA Live in the immediate vicinity of the Staples Center), it still makes for an intimate setting. It’s no wonder Wilson prefers to play here when he's in LA; in terms of sound quality, I don’t think there’s a better venue for rock/metal in the city.

The stage and the atmosphere were set for a full-on Steven Wilson live experience.

As there was no support act in this "evening with" show, the doors opened at 8 p.m., and the evening’s proceedings began with an intro video at around 8:35 p.m. The backdrop screen showed an image of the moon similar to the one on the cover of Wilson's latest solo album, The Raven That Refused To Sing, with clouds slowly moving across it on screen and in the form of stage fog. As the clock went past 9 p.m., the video faded away and the band appeared on stage, led by Wilson.

What transpired over the next two and a half hours was a stunning musical exhibition that displayed all of Wilson’s talents, and then some. He brought on a much different on-stage personality and energy throughout this performance as compared to shows with Porcupine Tree.

His multi-instrumental prowess couldn't be missed as he sang, donned electric and acoustic guitars and handled piano and computer samples. In terms of the set list, he and his band played the new album in its entirety, plus selections from his last two solo albums. The focus on solo material was apt for this evening, and only during the encore did Wilson reference Porcupine Tree, ending the show with "Radioactive Toy" amidst loud cheers.

That said, it wasn’t a one-man show by any means. When Wilson picks a group of musicians to tour with him, he doesn’t mess around. Guitarist Guthrie Govan was a bonus for all attendees. Chad Wackerman was a beast on the drums, as mentioned by Wilson several times during the show. Nick Beggs on bass and Chapman Stick, Theo Travis on saxophone and flute and Adam Holtzman on keyboards rounded out this incredible band.

Even though the entire new album was performed, it wasn’t as if the crowd was waiting for older material. Wilson’s music is so twisted and unconventional, the song sometimes doesn’t even matter. The evening was a musical story with 14 chapters, all of which seemed connected to each other, following a progression of sorts.

In between some of these chapters, Wilson shared some great anecdotes. His audience interaction was nothing short of hilarious, as he briefly described the stories behind "Postcard," "Harmony Korine" and "Raider II"; made fun of an Amazon.com review of his album and made snide remarks about the traditional "Free Bird" joke.

A sizeable portion of the evening’s latter half was played with the projection screen in front of the band, something I'd never seen before. It was a unique way of combining music and theater, with tunes such as "The Watchmaker" being enhanced tenfold by a slide of images taking the foreground even as the band continued on playing the music.

I should mention that the set included plenty of downright heavy moments, making it a truly diverse show capable of pleasing fans of heavy and mellow music.

This tour has come to an end, but the next time Wilson comes around for a solo tour, I suggest all music lovers try to attend. My advice would be to do so in a completely sober state of mind, like I did, because this exhibition is extremely mind-bending. Any further alteration of the mind would be pointless and dangerous.

For more information on Wilson and his projects, visit stevenwilsonhq.com.

Set List:

01. Luminol
02. Drive Home
03. The Pin Drop
04. Postcard
05. The Holy Drinker
06. Deform to Form a Star
07. The Watchmaker
08. Index
09. Insurgentes
10. Harmony Korine
11. No Part of Me
12. Raider II
13. The Raven That Refused to Sing
14. Radioactive Toy (encore)

Additional Content

Little Games: Jimmy Page's Five Best Guitar Solos with The Yardbirds

Damian Fanelli — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:10:42 +0000

Before he wielded the hammer of the gods — and a Les Paul — as a member of mighty Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page was a Telecaster-wielding Yardbird.

Today we turn our attention to Page's best guitar work with his former band.

Fortunately, we don't have very far to look, since Page recorded only one album with the band — 1967's Little Games — plus a few non-album singles and B-sides, all of which have wound up on deluxe versions of Little Games over the decades.

While the band's Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck eras enjoyed decent chart success — from "For Your Love" to "Heart Full of Soul" to "Shapes of Things" — its Page-fronted version managed to fly under the radar until imploding in 1968. (Even "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago," which featured Beck and Page, only reached Number 30.)

Check out our five choices for Page's best guitar work as a Yardbird. This list was complied with the input of Guitar World Editor-in-Chief Brad Tolinski, author of Light & Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page. If you're interested in Page's Yardbirds days — not to mention his Led Zeppelin days — you might want to check out the book, which is available now at the Guitar World Online Store.

P.S.: I'd like to award an "honorable mention" to a lesser-known Yardbirds track from 1968 called "Avron Knows," which features Page playing a Tele with a simply beautiful fuzz tone. The recording, which is incomplete (And I don't think Page and the boys will be gathering to finish it anytime soon), wasn't released until a few years ago on the Cumular Limit album.

On that note, enjoy!

"Think About It," B-side of "Goodnight Sweet Josephine"

If the guitar solo on "Think About It" sounds familiar, that's because Page borrowed and re-purposed it a year later when recording "Dazed and Confused" with Led Zeppelin. The guitar solo makes this the Yardbirds' most Zeppelin-like track, and it's easily the most shred-centric solo in the band's catalog. Be sure to check out Aerosmith's cover of this tune, which can be found on their Night in the Ruts album.

"Happenings Ten Years Time Ago," A-side of a 1966 single

"Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" was the first Yardbirds single to feature Page, who — this time around — shares the guitar spotlight with Beck. There are only three Beck/Page-era Yardbirds recordings — "Happenings," "Psycho Daisies" and "Stroll On." "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" is a mini-masterpiece, what Tolinski calls "a tour de force of guitar invention and orchestration ... a moody slice of psychedelia with nightmarish overtones." That's John Paul Jones on bass, by the way. You can hear Beck's voice during the mid-song ranty interlude.

"White Summer," from Little Games

This acoustic instrumental track is the precursor to Led Zeppelin's "Black Mountain Side," and Page often performed the two songs as a medley during early Led Zeppelin tours. It's interesting to note that during the Yardbirds' final days as a touring band, Page performed this song with an electric guitar, as heard on Live Yardbirds: Featuring Jimmy Page. Said Page: "I used a special tuning for [the song]; the low string down to D, then A, D, G, A and D. It’s like a modal tuning, a sitar tuning, in fact."

"Smile On Me," from Little Games

"Smile On Me" is the closest the Page-era Yardbirds got to straight-ahead (and spaced-out) blues. P.S.: That's '60s fashion model Edie Sedgwick in the video below. We like her!

"Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor," from Little Games

From Light & Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page:

BRAD TOLINSKI: Those ringing guitar parts and suspended chords on "Tinker, Tailor" are almost like a precursor to "The Song Remains the Same."

JIMMY PAGE: Well, it could be, except I've got two or three different demo versions, each with different guitar approaches. What is somewhat funny is I presented [producer] Mickie [Most] with the poppiest version. Here I am talking about shooting ourselves in the foot by doing pop stuff, but I really sort of enabled the situation by coming up with parts that were intentionally quite catchy. I guess I still had that instinct from doing sessions for all those years!"

Note that Page is playing guitar with a violin bow during the solo, a sound that would turn up on the first Led Zeppelin album.

Additional Content

June 2013 Guitar World: Megadeth Talk 'Super Collider,' Dave Grohl, Tool's Adam Jones, Epiphone's '60s Axes and More

Guitar World Staff — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:09:54 +0000

The all-new June 2013 issue of Guitar World magazine is available now! This month's cover stars are none of than Dave Mustaine and Chris Broderick of Megadeth!

As Megadeth hit the big 3-0, Dave Mustaine and Chris Broderick sit down to reminisce about the group's rebellious history and discuss the making of Super Collider, the band's high-energy new album. lso, Dean Guitars' Dave Mustaine Signature Series features some of the most visually striking guitars on the market. Here, Mustaine gives his views on three of the new-for-2013 models.

A host of other music giants trace the history of metal in the new book Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal.

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl teams up with Paul McCartney, Trent Reznor and other greats for Sound City: Real to Reel, a multimedia celebration of rock music's former glory.

Guitar World pays tribute to epic guitarmaker Epiphone with a look at the coolest and craziest axes from its extraordinary 140-year history.

Jerry Cantrell tells how Alice in Chains buried their past with The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, a monster of an album unlike anything they've made before. Cantrell also shares the tales behind some of the most treasured pieces in his arsenal.

Adam Jones of Tool talks about the limited-edition reissue of the group's 1992 debut EP, Opiate, with new artwork and collectibles.

Four Songs with Tabs for Guitar and Bass!

• Foo Fighters - "Rope"
• Extreme - "Get the Funk Out"
• Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Down on the Corner"
• Megadeth - "Sweating Bullets

The June 2013 issue of Guitar World is available now at newsstands and at the Guitar World Online Store!

Additional Content

'Human Nature': BWB Guitarist Norman Brown Discusses New Album Paying Homage to Michael Jackson

James Wood — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:48:44 +0000

With an incredible catalog of songs accumulated over the course of a lifetime, Michael Jackson’s music was something that transcended genres and influenced a generation of listeners.

Growing up, I remember not only being glued to the TV watching the Jackson 5's cartoon, but also being on the front lines for the Thriller and Bad album phenomena (The former still ranks as the biggest selling album of all time).

People just couldn’t get enough of Jackson's music — and many a child of the '80s will tell you that they regularly (and secretly) paid homage to Jackson by imitating his moonwalk or wearing jackets and gloves similar to the ones he made famous.

Grammy-winning jazz guitarist Norman Brown never had the opportunity to meet the King of Pop, but his work on the new BWB album, Human Nature, channels the connection between Jackson and his music in a powerful way.

Fans have lamented that more than a decade has passed since Brown and BWB (with fellow jazz greats Kirk Whalum on sax and Rick Braun on trumpet) released their last album, Groovin. With Human Nature, not only has the supergroup reunited, but the reunion has allowed them to put their own spin on 11 Jackson classics, including tasty renditions of “Billie Jean," “Beat It” and “Man in The Mirror."

I had the pleasure of speaking with Brown and discussing Human Nature and more in this exclusive interview.

GUITAR WORLD: When you think of Michael Jackson’s music and legacy, what are some of the things that come to mind?

I remember being real young and had just started getting into guitar. I was fairly good at the time, and when Michael came on the scene, I said, “Oh man, now I have to learn how to sing and dance too?” [laughs]. He just blew my mind. He truly was one of a kind.

What made you, Rick and Kirk decide to reunite and make this album?

We made our first BWB record together back in 2002, and ever since then, everywhere we go fans have been asking when we were going to do another one. So last year, the three of us got together and decided that it was finally time to do something. Rick was the one who came up with idea of doing a tribute to Michael, and for us it was a no-brainer.

How did you decide which songs to use from Jackson’s catalog?

We started off with a list of about 30 songs, then we narrowed it down to 20. We actually had a few extras in there too because we couldn’t make up our minds [laughs]. We finally were able to get it down to 11.

As a jazz guitarist, was there a lot of preparation required in terms of how to approach these songs?

There was a lot of listening involved. First, finding the favorites and then finding things that worked for this kind of instrumentation (guitar, trumpet and sax). All of the music has jazz elements with melodies that really sing on their own, without the lyric. In a lot of lyric songs, the melody can be so plain for an instrumentalist (because the actual words take over), but the songs we chose really lend themselves well to melodic ideas.

Tell me a little about your background.

I grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. It was a great place to live because within a six-block radius there was nothing but musicians. I remember the family across the street from me had seven people, and six of them played instruments. Then there was a drummer down the street, and another family had three people who played. At my house, me and my brother both played. Growing up, I played in a few neighborhood bands, but I really started playing guitar formally in high school as part of the jazz band. From there, I graduated and went to GIT and taught there for 12 years until I got my deal with Motown.

Did you have a practice regimen?

I did a lot of technique exercises. I learned how to play chromatics up and down the neck. That way, you’re able to work all four fingers, hit every note on the neck and get the right hand going as well. The right hand is the biggest challenge for guitarists because it’s similar to the way wind is for a horn player. A horn player blows into the sax and moves their fingers, but they get that sound from the wind. Since we as guitarists don’t have that luxury, the right hand has to become the wind.

What elements make for a great jazz guitar solo?

It’s all about personal expression. You have to have a good musical vocabulary, with enough technique and “colors” within that technique. Then you put all of that together and try to express yourself in a way that touches someone and moves them.

You grew up listening to players like Jimi Hendrix but eventually decided to focus more on jazz. How did that happen?

I actually did start out with Jimi and learning all of his stuff. But once my father saw that I was serious, he took me down to the basement and said, “Now you need to listen to this guitar player!” Then he put on Wes Montgomery, and man, it was an expansion for me. Wes had all of these great elements that I wanted in my own playing. And then George [Benson] came along and he took it a little further with his skatting and lightning-fast licks, and that was it for me! [laughs].

Human Nature will be released June 18. For more on Norman Brown and BWB, check out Brown's Facebook page .

Photo: Lori Stoll

James Wood is a writer, musician and self-proclaimed metalhead who maintains his own website, GoJimmyGo.net. His articles and interviews are written on a variety of topics with passion and humor. You can follow him on Twitter @JimEWood.

Additional Content

Song Facts: The Beatles — "Nowhere Man"

Damian Fanelli — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:52:59 +0000

John Lennon wrote this gentle folk-rock ballad in the autumn of 1965 at his home in Kenwood, St. George’s Hill Estate, Weybridge, Surrey.

Just as "Yesterday" mysteriously came to Paul McCartney, "Nowhere Man" simply came to Lennon at dawn after he'd stayed up all night, struggling to come up with a new song for Rubber Soul. He happened upon a phrase, "nowhere man," which, he felt, described his own fears about himself. "I thought of myself sitting there, doing nothing and getting nowhere," he later said.

The song, a quasi-biographical composition in the vein of "I'm A Loser" and "Help!," was recorded on October 22, 1965, after several failed attempts the day before. Apart from its beautiful, ethereal vocal harmonies, the song is also striking for the parts played by McCartney and George Harrison.

Besides gracing the track with his most melodic bass part to date, McCartney was instrumental in wringing an ultra-trebly sound out of Harrison's and Lennon's newly acquired Sonic Blue Fender Stratocasters, especially for Harrison's joyous, verse-based guitar solo.

"We wanted very trebly guitars, which [Stratocasters] are. They're among the most trebly guitars I've ever heard on record," McCartney said. "The engineer said, 'All right' … and we said 'That's not enough,' and he said … 'I've only got one pot and that's it!' We replied, 'Well, put that through another lot of faders and put the treble up on that."

It can be argued that the high-E harmonic note that ends Harrison's guitar solo also sounds the death knell for The Beatles' reliance on their once-ubiquitous Beatlemania-era instruments, namely their Gretsches and Rickenbackers (excluding McCartney's 4001S, which he'd use well into the late Wings era).

Damian Fanelli is the online managing editor at Guitar World.

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Interview: Blues Guitarist Popa Chubby Discusses His New Album, 'Universal Breakdown Blues'

David Reffett — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:37:52 +0000

Popa Chubby, a larger-than-life figure on the blues scene, has built a rabid following around the world through his relentless touring schedule and ever-expanding discography. His latest album, Universal Breakdown Blues, will be released May 28 via Provogue Records.

Chubby describes his performance style as, “the Stooges meet Buddy Guy, Motörhead meet Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix meets Robert Johnson." His eclectic tastes and approach brings with it a straight-ahead, no-BS attitude — and lots of passion.

We recently sat down to talk touring (His current dates are available here) and to hear all about his new album.

GUITAR WORLD: You've been in this business for a few decades. Does Universal Breakdown Blues bear witness to your finding your voice and place in the blues?

It's been an organic progression of owning who I am. The music comes and instructs the soul. Life’s lessons add to the mix. Pain is a factor. Carlos Santana used to say he took LSD to suffer. I don’t need the substance. Life provides enough opportunity. The blues becomes a conduit. One day you wake up and you get what all the old cats were saying. It's like standing on at the crossroads, and as the devil hands you the contract to sign, he says, "Son, if there is anything else you can do, do it." You sign 'cause you have no choice, that’s the blues.

I love the lead-off track, “I Don’t Want Nobody,” in particular. Which songs are your favorites on the new album?

A new CD is like having multiple births. You can't really play favorites, but I hit some highs on this one, guitar-wise! Check out the solo work on “Rock Me Baby.”

You're known for your relentless touring schedule. How many days out of the year are you on the road? Also, please talk a bit about your “road warrior” lifestyle. How do you unwind when not touring?

I’m a single dad of 17-year-old twin girls who are about to enter college. I tour constantly because if I stop for a month, I'm broke! Welcome to the blues. Europe is big for me. I sell out 3,000-plus in France. We are taking America by storm on this record! Unwind? What is that? Hookers and Champagne, of course [laughs]! Just joking! Tai Chi and green tea. I’m looking for a mama to rub my feet [laughs].

If you could play a song with three other blues greats, living or dead, who would you choose and why?

Jimi Hendrix because he was God! Freddie King because he was the second coming, and Hubert Sumlin, just to do it one more time. I miss you, Hubert.

What do you want to say with this album?

The message of this album is hope. Don't give up. Let the blues flow through you and give you solace in a broken-down, broke-ass universe.

What's your writing process like?

Live, suffer, inspire, catalog, hammer out, demo and record. Usually a lyric first.

Here's a reader question from George Longhurst, who asks, "What do you do to keep the blues fresh and new?"

You can only play the blues in the moment. If you rely on yesterday or think of tomorrow, you miss the point.

You've said, "Rock and roll and the blues should be dangerous." How do you mix the "poetry," as you have put it, with the danger in your music?

I'm a Cadillac with a power pack. I'm the man of steel with killer feel. I'm your Kundalini — be my Lil Queenie. Who uses Kundalini in a blues song besides me? I'm the danger man! I'm glorious, laborious, calculated, elevated, updated, majestic and domestic.

Are there any new artists out there that you really dig?

Brand new? Alabama Shakes. I'm in love with that girl, Brittany Howard. The Black Keys. I wish Jack White would cut the crap and just sing the blues. Lots of good stuff out there.

Here's a reader question from Alexander Caraballo: "I'm a huge believer that learning to play the blues is essential for all guitar players. Do you agree, and if so, why?"

Alexander, you must feel the blues. Like Luke Skywalker in Star Wars! Feel the force! You can learn all the technique, but you must feel what you play. May the blues be with you!

What would you like to say to your fans out there reading this?

If nobody told you they love you today, Popa Chubby loves you!

For more about Popa Chubby, check out his official website.

Dave Reffett is a Berklee College of Music graduate and has worked with some of the best players in rock and metal. He is an instructor at (and the head of) the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal department at The Real School of Music in the metro Boston area. He also is a master clinician and a highly-in-demand private guitar teacher. He teaches lessons in person and worldwide via Skype. As an artist and performer, he is working on some soon-to-be revealed high-profile projects with A-list players in rock and metal. In 2009, he formed the musical project Shredding The Envelope and released the critically acclaimed album The Call Of The Flames. Dave also is an official artist endorsee for companies like Seymour Duncan, Gibson, Eminence and Esoterik Guitars, which in 2011 released a Dave Reffett signature model guitar, the DR-1. Dave has worked in the past at Sanctuary Records and Virgin Records, where he promoting acts like The Rolling Stones, Janet Jackson, Korn and Meat Loaf.

'Right Now': Jazz Guitarist Fabrizio Sotti’s New Album Pays Homage to Classic Hits

James Wood — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:16:02 +0000

Whether it’s writing, producing or recording straight ahead jazz records for himself or for other artists, Fabrizzio Sotti has done it all.

But when it comes to his latest album, Right Now, Sotti does something completely different from anything he’s ever done before. Included among six brand-new, original tracks are songs that have inspired the guitarist since his youth.

They are classic songs that have been re-worked into mesmerizing jazz-pop gems, including Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” Jimi Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary,” Bob Marley’s “Waitin’ In Vain" and U2’s “One."

Sotti is joined on Right Now by R&B powerhouse Melanie Fiona, reggae superstar Shaggy and hip-hop icons Ice T and M-1 of Dead Prez. The album’s cohesive sound stems from the band, which is made up of Sotti on electric, acoustic and classical guitars, Tony Grey on bass and Mino Cinélu on drums and percussion.

I spoke with Sotti about the new album and more in this exclusive interview.

GUITAR WORLD: What sparked the idea to do a project like this one?

When I first came to the States as a child, my goal was originally to be a jazz guitarist and to make records and go on tour. Eventually, I started getting involved in producing and writing for other artists in different styles, but I always kept those things separate from my own playing. Because jazz guitar playing is totally different than the more pop style of music. I’ve been lucky to have a great career and be able to work with a lot great artists.

Over the past 10 or 15 years, I’ve noticed that some of the artists I’ve looked up to, like Herbie Hancock, would sometimes put together a trio or quartet and then record with a bunch of singers and create different arrangements; and it didn’t necessarily have anything to do with jazz. That gave me the strength to do my own take and do a project that would relate to everyone. It was an experiment, something different from what I've done before.

What made you choose which songs to do?

There’s a reason I chose these songs. Each of them takes me back to my childhood and the years when I was growing up. When I was a kid, I was exposed to everything. The songs from these artists interested me when I was growing up.

What was it like collaborating with the guest artists on Right Now?

I’ve worked with many of them in the past, but this was the first time where I wasn’t the producer or writer. This time, I was actually the artist in the studio, and they came in to sing with me. I took them out of their element and they really trusted me. When I started recording the album, I had no idea just how cohesive it would be; it had elements of hip-hop, R&B and jazz. I think with my trio of Tony Grey (bass) and Mino Cinélu (drums), it really added to the cohesiveness. If you listen to the album from start to finish, it makes sense. Even though the artists come from much different places.

Let’s talk about your musical background.

I actually started out playing piano when I was really young. In the beginning, I was playing mostly classical because that was the only thing that was available. When I was 9, we moved to a new home and the place we moved to didn’t have a piano. So my mother gave me a guitar, and that’s when I started playing and my influences began to change. I started listening to Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis and John Coltraine. From there, I evolved into what I am today. Before I came to the US at 16, I already had a mini-career in Italy working in a trio and with some pop artists. So I think the duality of me having my own career as an artist and also having interest in doing other things was there right from the beginning.

How did you practice?

I didn’t have a set structure as if I had gone to a school. I had private teachers that showed me proper theory: harmonizing, major/minor scales and all of the modes. I studied Hendrix and the blues masters like B.B. King and Robben Ford.

What advice would give to someone who is just starting out?

In music, everyone has big dreams of what they want to become. Patience is important. Don’t be discouraged and always listen to your own voice. Believe in yourself. Most importantly, you really have to love the craft and work hard. It doesn’t matter what instrument you play; the results won’t come unless you put in the work. Dedication and passion for what you do is the key to success at the end of the day.

Keep up with Fabrizio Sotti on Facebook.

Photo: Marco Glaviano

Digital Subscriptions: Read Guitar World Magazine on Your Favorite Device

Guitar World Staff — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:43:17 +0000

Guitar World just got louder! Now you can read Guitar World magazine on your favorite device!

Head to the Guitar World Online Store to download Guitar World — not to mention our sister publications, Guitar Aficionado, Guitar Player, Bass Player, Revolver, Mix, Electronic Musician and more!

All your favorite magazines are right at your fingertips.

Head to the Guitar World Online Store now for more info or to start reading!

A Clean Sweep: Mastering Sweep Arpeggios with John Petrucci

John Petrucci — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:58:30 +0000

Here's a classic column from the pages of Guitar World magazine.

I always get frustrated when I hear someone talking about sweep arpeggios.

Though there are plenty of licks and examples out there, no one has ever really broken down the mechanics of the technique. As a result, guitarists have had to figure them out by trial and error. This became all the more evident when I was teaching.

My students repeatedly made the same mistake: they'd hold a barre chord while articulating each note. To play sweep arpeggios correctly, you have to mute each note with the left hand immediately after picking it.

The best way to learn sweep picking is to first isolate the right- and left-hand techniques, master them separately and then coordinate them. Let's begin with the right hand. Basically, you have to let the pick "fall" from string to string as if you were strumming a chord. Don't try to separate the pick strokes!

This technique feels weird at first, but picture your right hand as a Slinky going down from step to step-just let it fall. When executing an upstroke sweep, drag the pick upwards over the strings. Keep your hand loose and relaxed, as if it were being lifted by a string tied around your wrist.

Now let's look at the left hand. In order to use the sweeping technique, you can only play one note per string. As I noted earlier, you need to mute each string with the left hand immediately after picking it to keep the notes from "bleeding" into each other and sounding like an ordinary strummed chord. FIGURE 1 is an atonal-sound sweep picking exercise that is designed to coordinate you left-hand muting and right-hand sweeping techniques. Practice it slowly at first, concentrating on keeping the notes separate and distinct. The try playing it faster.

Muting the strings with the left hand can be difficult whenever two or more consecutive notes are on the same fret, as when sweeping a familiar barre chord shape. The key to muting the strings properly and keeping the notes separate when barring is using what's know as the rolling technique. Rolling involves fully extending your barring finger so that it becomes slightly arched. This is absolutely essential in order to make the technique work. If your fingers don't seem to want to bend backwards, you can work on increasing your flexibility by fully extending all your knuckles and pressing your opposite fingertips together gently. When performing this limbering exercise, be careful not to press too hard, as you could overextend your joints and injure them.

Let's look at an example of the rolling technique, using a major triad shape on the D, G and B strings (Figure 2). In order to make the rolling technique work you'll need to fret the D string note with the tip of your finger, using the fleshy underside of the finger to fret the G- and B-string notes. To execute the first roll in Figure 2, pick the D string. Then, as you go to pick the G string, arch the first knuckle of your barring finger and roll the finger in the direction of the sweep, so that the tip of the finger mutes D string. As you pick the B string, continue rolling the finger to mute the G string. Done correctly, the notes will sound separate and distinct. When performing the descending (upstroke) sweeps in Figure 2, roll your barring finger in the opposite direction. Keep repeating the C and D triads in Figure 2 until you can sweep them quickly and cleanly. The rolling movement should be like that of a rocking chair. Practice rolling with all four fingers of your left hand.

Once you master Figure 2, try FIGURE 3, which will help you gain left-hand facility across the fingerboard while sweep picking. Make sure you follow the right-hand picking pattern indicated above the tablature. It's tricky, but well worth the effort!

As you coordinate the right-hand sweeping with the left-hand rolling and muting, you'll start to develop the speed and definition that makes sweep picking such an exciting technique. FIGURE 4 is a jazzy sounding lick that combine sweep picking, alternate picking, rolling and quick position shifting. The lick is just chromatically descending minor-sever arpeggios, but listen to how cool Ebm7 and Dbm7 sound over A7 altered and G7 altered, respectively.

This lick sounds great when played with the sweep technique. Work on coordinating both hands. Proceed slowly at first and concentrate on maintaining a steady flow of 16th notes. Though it'll feel awkward at first, you'll be truly amazed how you'll sound when it clicks.

Photo Gallery: 50 Classic Acoustic Rock Songs

Guitar World Staff — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:41:10 +0000

Whether you began on an electric or an acoustic guitar, there's no doubt the latter will eventually find its way into your hands at some point.

The nature of the acoustic guitar's efficiency (no amp!) makes it a commonality among players, collectors and dorm-room guys looking to impress girls. Even the most devout shredder will be tempted to noodle on a dreadnought — particularly in front of the aforementioned girls.

Despite the advent of the electric guitar in the early fifties, the acoustic guitar has remained a prominent force in rock and roll. If there were any doubt, check out the 50 classic acoustic rockers listed below. These are tried-and-true numbers all anchored around the acoustic guitar.

Some are radio staples, some are wedding fixtures and all are just good fun to play.

So if you haven't dusted off that sprucetop in a while, give a few of these tunes a listen. You'll be strumming — and probably crooning — along in no time.

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Magnificent Seven: The 10 Greatest Seven-String Guitar Songs of All Time

Josh Hart, Compiled by Guitar World Staff — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:07:26 +0000

Why ain’t six strings enough? This was the question we posed to one of guitar's all-time greats in a recent Guitar World cover story.

Steve Vai, in his infinite, sage-like wisdom, responded, "Six is enough, and eight is enough too. Whatever you want. Four can be enough. One can be enough, if you’ve got the imagination for it."

And that's really what it came down to when whittling down our list of the 10 greatest seven-string guitar songs of all time. Who had the imagination to take that extra string and do something with it that couldn't be replicated simply by down-tuning or pitch-shifting?

It would have been very easy for the seven-string guitar to now be sitting in a museum somewhere as a one-off novelty item, a Spinal Tap-ish relic of someone who wanted a guitar that went "one lower." But these 10 songs are a testament to the myriad ways in which the seven-string guitar has evolved over the years, in ways that even its modern progenitor couldn't have foreseen.

"When I was [playing seven-strings], I had a feeling there was going to be a group of kids who were really gonna take that low string and do something with it that I wasn’t doing," Vai said in that same interview. "And I also felt that maybe some jazz and classical players would take it up. I had no idea that they were going to do what they did."

10. Deftones — "Hexagram" (Deftones, 2003)

Whether utilizing seven strings or eight, Deftones have packed some serious subsonics into their music over the years. "Hexagram" off the band's 2003 self-titled effort is the epitome of their haunting take on alternative metal, with Chino Moreno screaming maniacally over Stephen Carpenter's off-kilter seven-string riffing.

09. Morbid Angel — "God of Emptiness" (Covenant, 1993)

Trey Azagthoth can be credited as the man who took the seven-string to the world of extreme metal, bringing in some added low-end heft for Morbid Angel's landmark 1993 album, Covenant. The result? One of the best-selling death metal albums of the SoundScan era.

08. Animals as Leaders — "CAFO" (Animals as Leaders, 2009)

When Tosin Abasi recorded what was essentially a solo album under the name Animals as Leaders, his goal was to expand the pallet of heavy, progressive music into something that was more compositionally challenging for him and more accessible to linsteners. “I wanted to make music that was more universal,” he told Guitar World in 2009. Tosin may be better known for rocking the eight-string these days, but "CAFO" from Animals as Leaders' eponymous debut is as fine an example of seven-string mastery as you'll come across in the modern metal-scape.

07. Nevermore — "Born" (The Godless Endeavor, 2005)

Few guitarists have developed such an integral bond with the seven-string guitar like former Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis. On the opening track from 2005's The Godless Endeavor, Loomis and fellow guitarist Steve Smyth put on a seven-string show that kicks off with a blast-beat-backed rhythmic flurry and doesn't let up for five solid minutes.

06. Emperor — "The Prophet" (Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise, 2001)

For Emperor's final album, 2001's Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise, guitarist Ihsahn began toying with the sonic and compositional possibilities of the seven-string guitar. While Ihsahn would continue down this path in his solo career (eventually deciding seven wasn't enough and opting for an eight-string guitar), Prometheus may still be his crowning achievement, representing a high-water mark for technical prowess in the black metal genre that few have approached since.

05. Joe Satriani — "Seven String" (Strange Beautiful Music, 2002)

An innovative force like few other guitarists have been, Joe Satriani has unsurprisingly turned to the seven-string guitar more than once in his career to extend the range of his alien guitar acrobatics. "A song like 'Seven String' represents the brute-force side of playing," said Satriani in a 2002 Guitar World interview, echoing just why we can't enough of this track from Strange Beautiful Music.

04. Dream Theater — "The Dark Eternal Night" (Systematic Chaos, 2007)

Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci has made on-and-off use of the seven-string since 1994's Awake, using it to lend unique chord voicings and extended arpeggiated sequences to the band's frantic brand of prog-metal (perhaps most notably on 2002's "The Glass Prison"). But it was on the band's 2007 effort, Systematic Chaos, that Petrucci revved things up another notch entirely with the pummeling, nine-minute opus, "The Dark Eternal Night."

03. Meshuggah — "Future Breed Machine" (Destroy Erase Improve, 1995)

While you won't find any extra strings on Meshuggah's 1991 debut, Contradictions Collapse, guitarist Fredrik Thordendal knew from the very beginning that six strings just wouldn't suffice to contain the breadth of his band's music. "For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to have a seven-string guitar so that I’d be able to play those really low notes," Thordendal told Guitar World, "and then Ibanez finally came out with one." By the time of the band's follow-up effort, the aptly named Destroy Erase Improve, the band had added an additional guitarist in Marten Hagstrom, and upped the ante with a retooled brand of progressive metal that has proven immensely influential to the new breed of metal musicians.

02. Steve Vai — "The Riddle" (Passion and Warfare, 1990)

Around the time of Whitesnake's 1989 album, Slip of the Tongue, Steve Vai was in search of some way to take the guitar into another dimension. "I was just looking for something different, looking to expand the instrument and get a different sound," said Vai in a recent interview of his part in creating the seven-string. "It wasn't a great revelation. It wasn't like the skies opened up and this instrument fell down. It was just a JEM guitar with an extra string. We tried to put a high string on it, but they kept breaking so we added a low string instead." And with that, and the release of 1990's Passion and Warfare, Vai would make his new guitar the envy of shredders worldwide.

01. Korn — "Blind" (Korn, 1994)

When grunge had the shred movement on the ropes, Korn helped to bring the seven-string back from the brink of extinction, giving rise to the nu metal movement in the process. While 1998's Follow the Leader was largely responsible for making them the unabashed leaders of the mainstream metal world with hits like "Freak on a Leash" and "Got the Life," it was the lead track off their self-titled 1994 debut that first turned heads. "I was stunned," said Steve Vai of first hearing Korn. "It sounded like a herd of buffalo wearing iron shoes and blowing fire out of their nostrils."

But the strength of Korn's sound was far from just a lumbering, low-end rumble. The guitar interplay of Munky and Head was something imitators never quite nailed down. "We feed off of each other rhythmically a lot," said Munky in a 1998 GW interview. "We play a lot of parts in unison, or I'll play a steady riff while Head plays counterpoint fills, like we do in the beginning of 'Blind.'"

The seven-string guitar is alive and well, with many of modern metal's most innovative musicians opting for (at least) one extra string to open up new creative avenues. With that in mind, here are five cuts from the last five years that are sure to garner consideration in future renditions of this list.

Periphery — "Racecar" (Periphery, 2010)

After The Burial — "My Frailty" (In Dreams, 2010)

All Shall Perish — "Awaken the Dreamers" (Awaken the Dreamers, 2008)

Scale the Summit — "Whales" (The Collective, 2011)

Textures — "Singularity" (Dualism, 2011)

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