Although attractiveness is subjective, ArcTanGent happens to be situated in an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – and if you visit it and look around, you’d probably agree with the government’s judgment for once. As for the music you can expect to experience at the UK’s most respected prog, math, and post-everything festival, it may serve a very specific niche, but the fans who love the styles in question tend to Read more…
When a festival’s lineup includes an insane number of inevitably epic sets, it’s hard to know where to start – and ArcTanGent 2018 is packed with intriguing prospects. Hopefully, this list will help prog-math-post-whatever fans overcome option paralysis, and start you off on the path to the perfect ATG experience… Read more…
Plini is one of the most highly respected instrumental guitarists in the world right now. Steve Vai heavily praised Plini’s first (and so far only) long-player Handmade Cities, while the Australian virtuoso’s DIY work ethic landed him on Download Festival’s Dogtooth Stage for the legendary event’s first ever instrumental guitar set. Although Plini first Read more…
Parents are handed newborn children, authors are furnished with freshly printed books, and musicians are presented with CDs swaddled in liner notes and shrink-wrapped jewel cases. Just before this interview started, Gus G was given the first of many copies of Fearless – his exceptional new Read more…
If you play guitar, Gus G will need little introduction. As the founder of power metal masters Firewind, former sideman to none other than Ozzy Osbourne, and shred-ready solo artist in his own right, Gus G’s CV is punctuated with serious achievements. In the world of the six-string, he is a Read more…
As a prolific solo artist and DispersE axeman-in-chief, Jakub Zytecki is a busy guy. I caught up with one of this generation’s most promising guitarists to chat about his creative process, spirituality, and some solid advice from Plini…
You’re currently in the middle of a very busy period, having released two solo EPs – and an album with DispersE – last year, with a new solo album in the works for 2018, along with even more DispersE work on top of everything else! Damn – I felt tired just saying all that. How’re you feeling?
Yeah man, it was definitely hard to get bored Read more…
There may be countless technically accomplished guitarists in the world, but Jakub Zytecki is one of a kind. The best musicians are not only able to impress using flashy chops and virtuosic gymnastics – they also succeed in making us feel something. With Ladder Head and Feather Bed – two EPs set to be combined into one full-length release – Jakub Zytecki has Read more…
As one of the Internet’s leading guitar personalities, Rabea Massaad is widely recognized by six-string aficionados worldwide as…well…a bit fucking good. A total, authoritative master of rock and metal playing with a unique, immediately recognisable style of his own, this guy knows his shit. Bea (pronounced like “beer”) is also a key member of long-term personal favourites Dorje and Toska – a pair of bands already making an impact on the online rock, metal, and instrumental prog scenes Read more…
As Animals As Leaders’ only UK show of 2017, this gig was literally one of a kind. As is becoming my custom at Koko, I set up camp near the ceiling and prepared for a bird’s eye view of a very special show.
Nick Johnston (95%) was the only act on this bill I hadn’t seen live before, although having reviewed his previous two albums Remarkably Human and Atomic Mind and chatted to him at length about the former for this interview, I knew to expect great things Read more…
As the world struggles with an onslaught of serious issues, it’s nice to be able to take a break every now and again and just have some fun. CHON provide an ideal soundtrack for said festivities; their back catalogue is crammed with cutesy cleans, playful and mostly instrumental math-based tunes, and good vibes aplenty. Up to this point, these guys have emphasised the clean side of instrumental guitar – but on Homey, their focus has firmly shifted Read more…