Playlist: Oli Herbert

Originally published in Guitar World, January 2011

The All That Remains shredder talks about the songs currently on his iPod.

“Alison Hell”—Annihilator

“The first time I saw the video for this song, in 1989, I was blown away by the killer riffs, interesting song structure and, of course, the precision guitar work of Jeff Waters. Jeff raised the bar in right-hand articulation and kept me inspired to work on my alternate picking due to the razor-sharp sound that only can come from strict alternation.”

“The Price You Pay”—Savatage

“This song is a bittersweet tribute to trying to ‘live the dream’ of being in a band and the dark side that accompanies that quest. The lyrics are like a foreshadowing of my life, and the guitar work of the late Criss Oliva cuts through the entire album like razors ripping through flesh.”

“Behind These Walls”—King Diamond

“Andy LaRocque’s solo at the end embodies his greatest strength as a guitarist, which is his ability to convey the imagery and emotion of the lyrics. The solo is relatively simple, but it’s played with gut-wrenching vibrato and conviction.”

“Nightfall”—Blind Guardian

“The melodic vocal hooks in the chorus, pre-chorus and bridge of this song are a tension-relieving imprint upon my being. This track will always get me out of a bad mood.”

“Halloween”—Helloween

“This is one of my most revered songs, and at over 13 minutes it’s more like a symphony with multiple movements. The twin-guitar leads of Michael Weikath and Kai Hansen put their stamp upon this legendary piece.”