alex or james

[IcedEarth556]

HOLY SHIT! i never knew there was a testament board here! And ive been here since February. I think Alex Skolnick is the better guitarist and his solos are some of my favorites. Im kind of glad he left before he became stale.

 

[StolichnayaCzara]

Alex stale????? I don't see that happening. You'll never find another talent quite like that one. He's definetly original...

 

[IcedEarth556]

I think any band that lasts too long becomes "stale." He may not become stale but if he was still in testament to this day, i would think almost everyone would like his older stuff better.

 

[StolichnayaCzara]

Point taken IcedEarth. I see what you are getting at and yes everyone needs to grow musically.

 

[Demizevox]

no...I even took Vengeance's advice and I listened to The Ritual again. The rhythms don't have any balls and the vocals are stunningly similar to Metallica. If I want thrash that sounds like Metallica I'll simply listen to metallica since their first three albums are the best thrash albums ever. Personally, this'll probably condemn me among all you seemingly emphatuated Skolnick advocates, but his work on "The Ritual" is nothing special. Shit, Skolnick made up only one of the songs alone, while Mr. Peterson wrote four songs on the album solo anyway, including "Return to Serenity", so the appraisal that is given by Icon is in fact to Peterson. While I will not write Skolnick out (I'm planning on picking up "Souls of Black" sometime in the near future) how could you think that mediocre metal/barely thrash album is a masterpiece? Even if I was really impressed with Skolnick's leads, which they are pretty damn good, I'm not going to listen to an inferior album just to hear a few good leads (and he's definitely NOT the best metal guitarist). There is no intensity in the rhythms.

"what comes around goes around, show them what you are...a...waste...of...life" -Evil Chuck

 

[XTREME666]

Thats because by Ritual Alex had all but lost interest in metal. But from the stuff he did on the earlier albums he is my favourite metal guitarist

 

[Demizevox]

Fair enough...everyone is intitled to his/her own opinion. The thrashing of the album "The Ritual" was in response to Vengeance who said that album contained Skolnick's best up to that point. If that truly is the case, than fuck him. But some of you others beg to differ. So I'll go ahead like I was going to before and pick up "Souls of Black". How are the leads on that? from what I've heard of it, the rhythms are awesome.

"This creature in human form...is out of control!"-Chuck Schuldiner-

 

[max]

i think the leads rock on the ritual. but doesn't the drumming completely SUCK all the way through the record? i mean louie just sounds totally uninterested.

 

[vengeance]

As far as the drumming on the Ritual, Louie has always been a very simple drummer! But his drumming is very solid & tight! He's just playing what the songs call for!
Sure the Ritual is not more technical or fast Rhythmwise like the Ritual, but if you haven't noticed though, from The Legacy on up to the Ritual, Testament were always getting simpler & more song oriented from album to album! I'm not basing the leads as the only reason to listen to The Ritual cause I like the CD alot as a whole! But like I said in my last posting, The Ritual has Alex playing some of his best leadwork ever! Just my opinion as a fan as well as a Guitarist myself!
Souls of Black is a good album, but it sounds so rushed which it was! There is some Killer guitar work on that CD like on the tracks "The Legacy" & "Souls Of Black"! Its worth picking up!
I like the LOW CD as well, except the low D' tuning! I wished they would of stuck with standard tuning! I also dont like Chuck Billy's Growling all that much, but the songs are good & James Murphy really delivers some Killer lead work!
I havent heard Feeding The Machine But I do own Convergeance which is really good as far as the lead playing goes! But I think the songs kinda fall flat! Nothing special, but if you like Killer Lead guitar work then its worth picking up!


Assisting Sorrow

 

[max]

yeah i picked up one of james murphy's CDs (can't remember which one) it really sucked. it was terribly patchy. that one went straight back to the shop.
SOB is a killer record. everyone says it sounds rushed - but i dont really hear that. the songs are so well constructed and alex just rips it up. shame about the bad sound quality.
well if you listen to SO MANY LIES on 'return to the a. city' paul bostaph seems to inject new life into that song. on the ritual, they've put the hi-hat way too high in the mix and it gets on my nerves a bit. but i still like that record - it has some nice melodies.
have you got alex's jazz trio record? THAT rocks!!!!

 

[vengeance]

No, but I'd really like to hear Skolpatrol!