Fractal Audio
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How Mikael Åkerfeldt Made Opeth’s New Album: “Big, Pompous, and Epic”
October 8, 2019
The outspoken frontman pushes the muse—moving his band’s sound beyond metal by blending vintage and cutting-edge instruments and sounds on their 13th studio album, In Cauda Venenum.
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Guthrie Govan: The Linguist
August 1, 2019
The Aristocrats guitarist talks about broadening the conversation on the prog trio's jaw-dropping new LP, You Know What...?
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Rig Rundown: Dream Theater’s John Petrucci and John Myung [2019]
May 22, 2019
The progressive metal band’s sultans of shred talk about the gear on The Distance Over Time tour, including John Petrucci’s brand-new Music Man Majesty Series signature models and Myung’s potential 2020 signature bass.
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Rig Rundown: Polyphia's Scott LePage
May 8, 2019
Aside from melting faces, these younglings don’t take themselves or much else seriously, but one-half of the wise-cracking guitar tandem dishes on his “dope” signature gear from Ibanez and DiMarzio.
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Fractal Audio Systems Announces the FM3
April 26, 2019
The compact floor unit captures the subtle sonic characteristics of real tube amps, with 265+ models offering an impressive range of clean tones, elusive “edge of breakup”, and everything from warm, touch-sensitive overdrive to face-melting modern distortion.
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Rig Rundown: Failure's Ken Andrews [2019]
April 3, 2019
The sonic sorcerer shows us how he builds walls of textures with an Axe-Fx III and his new signature Electrical Guitar Company offset.
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The Year in Gear 2018
November 20, 2018
Step inside Premier Guitar’s magical, miraculous time machine and revisit the gear that stood head and shoulders above the rest as Premier Gear Award winners in 2018.
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Fractal Audio Systems Axe-Fx III Review
November 20, 2018
Vast libraries of IRs and amp and effect models, as well as improvements in interface, memory, and connectivity, make the III tough to beat.
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Rig Rundown: Nine Inch Nails
November 7, 2018
Robin Finck and Alessandro Cortini create the perfect drug for NIN fans with a bevy of heavy-hitting custom guitars and basses and a high-tech hybrid setup that marries digital with analog.
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Rig Rundown: U2's The Edge
July 18, 2018
Strats, Explorers, Les Pauls, AC30s, and a healthy amount of delay help form some of the most iconic tones ever recorded. Famed tech Dallas Schoo walks us through the ins and outs of The Edge’s expansive setup.
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Feeling the Vertigo, Feeding the Vibe: Underøath’s Timothy McTague and James Smith
May 31, 2018
Swearing off solos and flash, the guitarists focus on songcraft, soundscapes, and soul, and strip down with digital modeling for Erase Me, their band’s first studio album in eight years.
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Rig Rundown: Propagandhi
March 21, 2018
Politically charged prog-punkers Chris Hannah, Todd Kowalski, and Sulynn Hago of Propagandhi take PG through their road rigs.
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Fractal Audio Systems Presents the X-Load LB-2 Reactive Load Box
March 2, 2018
The LB-2 provides both balanced XLR and unbalanced 1/4" line-level jacks plus a speaker thru for connecting an external speaker cabinet while using the DI outputs.
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Fractal Audio Launches the Axe-Fx III
January 31, 2018
The unit features a totally new user interface featuring a color display with five corresponding push knobs.
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Rig Rundown: Devin Townsend
January 17, 2018
In one of our funnest-ever RR shoots, the original Strapping Young Lad waxes giddy and witty explaining his signature axe, pickups, and all-digital setup.
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Quintessential Rock Rigs by Decade
January 9, 2018
A comprehensive look at the guitars, amps, and effects that defined rock movements from the 1950s to today.
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Rig Rundown: Periphery [2017]
December 27, 2017
Behind-the-scenes details on the three-headed guitar monster's updated signature axes (and pickups), and their unusual reliance on a blend of 20th- and 21st-century amp technology.
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Rig Rundown: Animals as Leaders [2017]
December 20, 2017
Investigate how progressive rockers Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes weave emotive jams with 16 strings, both tube heads and digital amp modelers, and a stockpile of stomps.
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Gear of the Year 2017
November 7, 2017
Another year, another dazzling parade of pedals, guitars, amps, modelers, and accessories that made our noggins spin.
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Rig Rundown: A Perfect Circle
May 10, 2017
James Iha and Matt McJunkins cover their 21st-century setups while lead guitarist Billy Howerdel shows off the range of sounds he needs to pull off the band’s expressive discography.
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