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Riff Rundown: Mastodon's "Roots Remain"
August 5, 2018
Bill Kelliher elaborates on how he uses open notes, bends, and hammer-ons for this Emperor of Sand track.
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Obsessive Progressive: Periphery
January 13, 2018
What do you get when you combine three fiercely unique metalheads with a love for down-tuned guitars, crushing rhythms, and a passion for odd-meter time signatures?
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Obsessive Progressive: How to Decode Advanced Polymeters
August 26, 2017
Bands like Opeth and Meshuggah are known for their warped take on ear-bending rhythms. Here are a few ways to break through the theory and learn how they do it.
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Obsessive Progressive: Get a Grip on Odd-Meter Time Signatures
July 29, 2017
Not all riffs need to live in a comfortable space. Some of the most iconic jams rely on adding or subtracting a few beats to create that perfect, yet uneasy feel.
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Cram Session: Thrash-Metal Rhythms
January 7, 2017
Learn how to conquer forearm-punishing riffs of the sort found in everything from early Metallica to Slayer and Megadeth.
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Divide and Conquer: Asking Alexandria’s Ben Bruce and Cameron Liddell
June 3, 2016
To channel their metalcore angst, the guitarists divvy up 6-string duties onstage and in the studio.
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Iron Maiden: Out of Thin Air
October 19, 2015
Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, and Janick Gers discuss finding magic in the moment on their latest album, The Book of Souls.
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Lamb Chops: The Tools and Techniques Behind Lamb of God’s Crushing Comeback Album
June 12, 2015
John Campbell, Mark Morton, and Willie Adler discuss their first release since the tragedy that nearly destroyed their band.
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Shredmental: Hell-Bent for Rhythm!
December 20, 2014
A brutal primer on heavy metal rhythm guitar.
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Electric Etudes: “Dimebag” Darrell
June 28, 2014
Dig into the rhythm and lead styles of the legendary Texas shredder.
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Future Rock: Two-Handed Tapping and How to Play the Intro to “Atlas Novus”
June 14, 2013
Scale the Summit's Chris Letchford takes you through the basics of two-hand tapping and demonstrates the into to "Atlas Novus."
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Rig Rundown - Dillinger Escape Plan's Ben Weinman
June 12, 2013
Dillinger Escape Plan guitarist Ben Weinman talks in depth about his upcoming signature model and love for Mesa/Boogie amps.
Album Review: Black Sabbath - "13"
June 6, 2013
Ozzy & Co.'s latest relies heavily on the sounds of their past, with flickers of hope for the future.
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Interview: Children of Bodom’s Alexi Laiho - Fast and Slow
May 15, 2013
Caption--> Children of Bodom’s eighth release, Halo of Blood, marks the first time the band has recorded an album in their Helsinki, Finland, rehearsal studio. “We got this hall
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Album Review: The Dillinger Escape Plan - "One of Us is the Killer"
May 8, 2013
DEP’s fifth outing incorporates elements of atmospheric prog-rock and ear-relieving jazz fills to buck the musical constraints and genre rigidness rampant in the metal genre.
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Remembering Jeff Hanneman: 1964 - 2013
May 6, 2013
What separated Jeff from the rest of the metal pack was his rhythm technique, his songwriting, and that for which he will be most remembered—his riffs.
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Drop Dead Shred: Sweep City
May 1, 2013
Learn the ins and outs, ups and downs of sweep picking with this lesson by uber-shredder Nita Strauss.
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Interview: Early Graves - Thrash in the Saddle Again
April 15, 2013
After a series of tragic setbacks—including the death of founding
vocalist Makh Daniels—Chris Brock
and Early Graves charge back into the
metal fray and emerge triumphant
with a thundering masterpiece.
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Interview: Killswitch Engage: Ironhearts, Redemption, and Big Digits
March 28, 2013
Rejuvenated by the return of original singer Jesse Leach, Killswitch Engage’s Adam Dutkiewicz, Joel Stroetzel, and Mike D’Antonio deliver pummeling riffs and walls of wailing guitar solos on "Disarm the Descent."
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The (Abbreviated) Best Guitar Performances of SXSW 2013
March 27, 2013
In this concentrated land of musical overstimulation, it’d be impossible to give a rundown of every amazing player in Austin’s premier showcase. Here, we offer our discerning highlights.
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