Super-shredder (and upcoming GW columnist) John5 has just released his latest solo album, The Art of Malice, on 60 Cycle Hum/Rocket Science Ventures. “It is a completely different vibe than my other albums,” explains John5. “The title is derived from the saying 'kill them with kindness' like taking a good approach to still obtain a dark result.”
The Art of Malice has everything that the fans come to expect: chickenpicking, shred, metal and Spanish guitar. The song titles also vary as vignettes into John5’s life, such as the title "JW" which is John5’s initials and what his father had called him growing up. "Ya Dig" comes from working with the master of frontmen David Lee Roth and also features Billy Sheehan on bass. “That is Dave’s saying and it fits the music,” says John5 about the song.
You can catch John5 this summer on the Mayhem Festival, where he'll be showcasing his fleet-fingered skills in Rob Zombie's band.
“Exactly the kind of thing the Instagram algorithm won’t be injecting into your eyeballs every time you log on”: February 2025 Guitar World Editors’ Picks
“It was like unraveling a mystery, trying to imagine what George might have meant”: Lost chords that George Harrison wrote down before his passing have been turned into a new song – and it was recorded using three of his famed Beatles guitars
