Nothing too hidden about these guys. Especially not if you've read The Dirt.

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02. Loudness: "Soldier of Fortune"

Though little known in the United States, Japanese heavy metal band Loudness has experienced a long and storied career throughout the decades. In 1989, in an attempt to garner a spot on the charts in the States, the band's label replaced their recently departed vocalist with Mike Vescera, their first and only American vocalist. The resulting album was Soldier of Fortune, which unfortunately slipped under the North American radar.

The band would only produce one more album with Vescera before hiring a new Japanese vocalist. In spite of the lack of critical attention, Soldier of Fortune contains some killer songs, in particular the title track. If you're reading this, and you're unfamiliar with the playing of Akira Takasaki, then please. Fix that. From being hailed as a technical pioneer on the guitar since his first musical success at age 15, to starting his own Japanese-made line of instruments, Takasaki is an incredibly accomplished musician.

That being said, his work on the track below is phenomenal, particularly his use of inverted tapping and the furious accuracy of his picking hand. And you know what? Even if you don't enjoy his playing (which would be a damn shame), this television show makes no attempt to conceal the fact that the performance is playback and at points it's pretty hilarious.

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