Wow … had to dust off the ol’ cassette deck for this one!
Sure, faster shredders may have been left off this list, but arpeggio for arpeggio, these 10 albums strike the finest balance between tasteful melody and, “No way did he just play that!”
Note: For those of you born after 1985, a cassette is a small, flat plastic cartridge that contains a spool of 1/8-inch audiotape. Cassette players, although now nearly obsolete, are most commonly found in cheap rental cars.
10. Greg Howe (Shrapnel, 1988)
Greg Howe A funk-savvy speedster, Greg Howe injected the shred scene with some much-needed shake and soul. The funkdafied “Kick It All Over” kicks off the festivities, and the following track, “The Pepper Shake,” offers a spicy display of Howe’s legato and alternate-picking chops.
09. Speed Metal Symphony (Shrapnel, 1987)
CacophonySpeed Metal Symphony, a mighty opus featuring first-chair guitar virtuosos Marty Friedman and Jason Becker, uses “speed metal” rhythm beds and shifting time signatures to help break up the cacophonous onslaught of all-out shred.
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