Any good bands that "shred?"

[T-Rock]

So, lately I've been listening to a lot of bands like RacerX and Dragonforce. I know some people have gripes with them (especially Dragonforce), but I enjoy the speed and noodly-ness of their guitars. So, basically, I'm looking for more good bands who "shred" like crazy. Basically, the main focus is speed and guitar solo-ing. I find listening to this kind of music helps me to become a better electric guitar player, since it pushes me into a faster mode of playing (I'm more of an acoustic fingerpicker, currently). Any suggestions would help. And before anybody mentions them, I've already listened to Satriani, Vai, and Neil Zaza. Call me crazy, but I think I'm much fonder of Zaza than the rest.

Oh, and one last thing: if a band has vocals, I'd prefer them to not be the growling metal type. I mean, I'm cool with screaming in a lot of hardcore bands, but the whole Children of Bodom vocals really turn me off. It's a shame, though, because so many of those bands have just the insturmental parts I'm looking for. I guess if the guitar is real good, I can handle it. Music without vocals is perfectly fine as well. Thanks!

[Skummel Maske]

Hm, to list some, there's Symphony X, Dream Theater, Time Requiem, Adagio, Magnitude Nine and to a certain degree Gordian Knot.

[audio fidelity]

check out sinergy, has alexi from children of bodom, and their first album had jesper from in flames, but there is in no screaming. its a girl vocalist, who was or still is married to alexi. warmen is also in that vein and is led by cob's keyboardist.

and if your not a fan of al di meola, that can guy can tear it up

orchestral metal? listen to nightwish

opeth isn't all screming

- the last two - their not too worried about speed, but great music

sadly you limit yourself with no screaming - wanna hear some real technicality, listen to dillinger escape plan...most can't handle it

[Bahamut]

Angra (sheer Brazilian genius, especially post-Matos, which goes from the Rebirth album and on)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K0oqGu8Haw

Gamma Ray (the third band in the power metal genre, and one of the original 4 pioneers - was started by Kai Hansen, former guitarist & vocalist of Helloween)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxe-_o5FMIU

Helloween (by far the biggest pioneer of power metal, as well as being the second band to enter the genre)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBE6l3LHp3I

Blind Guardian (another one of the original 4 pioneers of power metal, mixed a blend of speed metal with power metal, although more recently they've gone more progressive)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj3p2g-DNn0

Manowar (heavy metal, one of the giants of metal that tends to get overlooked)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1b_9A2EFyA

Symphony X

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RUO-vHlKc4

Kiko Loureiro (Guitarist for Angra, has some amazing solo stuff - his guitarwork is influenced by his love of Brazilian jazz)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2Ju5OX80Fc


Nightwish, as much as I love them, isn't a band known for having the most amazing guitarwork or speed - its a band that gets attention for how it melds a female lead vocalist (especially formerly when Tarja was the vocalist) with great arrangements in metal.

[Lunahorum]

ah thanks for the sinergy link. I never knew about that... I hate pandora sometimes. It has never once given me a sinergy song. Great stuff.

[Guy In Rubber Suit]

Opeth doesn't have much shredding. Great band just doesn't seem like what he's looking for.

Into Eternity is a fantastic band that combines great shredding and has growling/clean vocals. Arsis is great though again the death vocals may put you off.

Behold...the Arctopus is a chaotic shredfest instrumental band that is definitely worth checking out.

I second Angra. One of my favorite power/progressive metal bands. Control Denied you might want to give a shot. It's Chuck Schulinder's other band after Death. It was formed after Death was dissolved though it has more of a power/progressive sound to it. No growling vocals.

Jason Becker I'm sure you'll love especially if you like Vai and Satch. Firewind is a great band

The Human Abstract has a lot of shredding but the vocals are screaming. Not really death style, but more hardcore standard throat tearing shrieking.

[Necrotic]

Sonata Arctica is a power metal band that seems to be precisely what you're looking for. I'm pretty sure there's nothing about them you won't like.

Wintersun is a melodeath band in a similar vein to Children of Bodom, but with more progressive elements. I think you'd like them a lot, and some of their vocals can be clean, although usually just the chorus if anything (so don't get your hopes up but give them a listen.)


Of course, the minute you start to keep an open mind to growling is the minute you get access to an entire spectrum of bands that are incredibly talented. I have plenty of those too.

I second Into Eternity, Angra, Sinergy, Firewind and basically any of the bands Bahamut suggested.

[Guy In Rubber Suit]

I forgot to mention Nevermore. A fantastic power/thrash metal band from Seattle. Jeff Loomis is a monster on guitar. I highly recommend the albums Dreaming Neon Black all the way to This Godless Endeavor. You don't have to worry about growling here. Warrel Dane delivers a great performance with a wide range but stays mostly in the mid tones.

Judas Priest's Painkiller is an essential shred album. Just straight up balls out metal that has some killer leads and riffs.

Of course there's Yngwie Malmsteen and if you like Dream Theater check out Liquid Tension Experiment which has John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy and Jordan Rudess of the previous said band in addition to Tony Levin of King Crimson (fantastic band in their own right if you don't know them). They're an instrumental band that incorporates a fair amount of shred in their music.

[SotSS]

Indricothere - Colin Marston's (the Warr Guitar player in Behold... The Arctopus) solo project. [Instrumental]

Indricothere (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9FWrS-po4o)

Balance of One (http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/balance_of_one/hill_of_dreams/) [Instrumental]

OSV (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=111136085) [Instrumental]

Scale The Summit (http://www.myspace.com/scalethesummit) [Instrumental]

Sleep Terror (http://www.myspace.com/sleepterror) [Instrumental]

Guitar Heroes (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=269032063) [Album] [Instrumental]

Arsis (http://www.myspace.com/arsis) (vocals may annoy you, but James Malone's guitar playing is ridiculous) [Band]

Canvas Solaris (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=53154007) (a lot of slower, laid back parts, but also lots of technicality and shredding) [Band] [Instrumental]

David Valdes (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=106474063) [Instrumental]

David Valdes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cocwoUq4pcs)

All I can think of right now aside from what's already been mentioned.

[Skummel Maske]

I just remembered, Pagan's Mind also has some incredible guitar playing. How well known are they outside of Norway?

[yangfeili]

I still kind of like Galneryus. Their vocalist is a bit hit-and-miss. He started out decent, went through a confused weird period on their second album where he at times sounded like Pee Wee Herman, and has consistently improved from there. The guitar solos are pretty good, especially on the first two albums. I just focused on the vocals because they seem to be the main thing people sometimes have trouble with.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5V4aeIohcnA


I haven't been listening to them much lately after stumbling upon Onmyouza. They've got some pretty good solos here and there, and the vocals are damned awesome.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bJaXzRLh4sw

[atmuh]

Dragonforce

stopped reading thread at this point

[IbanezNinja]

hey atma i like dragonforce wanna fight about it

[atmuh]

ya lets play smash bros over it

[IbanezNinja]

i would but i have no working gamecube remotes atm

also for real listen to sinergy it's just like children of bodom but with a woman singer, alexi laiho and his rhythm guitarist (Roope?) from cob are in it

[Argle]

Threshold is a great prog metal band. Not an overabundance of shredding but they can definitely tear it up from time to time. Circus Maximus rocks as well.


I just remembered, Pagan's Mind also has some incredible guitar playing. How well known are they outside of Norway?

I have their album Celestial Entrance. It's a solid work.