alex or james

[MacMoney]

Originally posted by Viking Chief


I did read your post and that's why I replied You make absolutely no fucking sense by saying that because maybe the best thrash album ever didn't contain any solos or that they were bad, then real thrash is without solos and the rest is just bad thrash at best. That is basically what you're saying. If that's not what you mean, then maybe you should try to rephrase your opinion!!!

You're interpreting my posts totally wrong.

 

[Viking Chief]

I beg to differ, since you're the one saying that there is only emphasis on riffing in "real" thrash metal. Hence, you're saying it wrong and not making your point clear enough.

 

[swallowyoursoul]

This was my original post and this my view.
Alex is technically sound, and can certainly shred. James on the other hand "thinks a bit outside the box" and isn't as predictable like alex. I would give the nod to james just for his ingenuity.


Now as far this new topic of trash metal and soloing. Thrash really is about the riffs, but that doesn't mean you can't have awesome soloing. The best thrash album, not voted by me....but by thousands and thousands of others is Rust in Peace. And there is so much soloing on that album that it just makes my head spin.........and guys, there are bloody amazing solos on that disc ie. Tornado; Holy wars; Hangar 18; take no prisoners....basically the entire album.
In short james over alex 'cause of style.
Thrash and soloing go hand in hand

But again...this just my opinion

 

[Viking Chief]

I agree with you on the thrash issue as far as it goes hand in hand. Actually I believe the term for fast thrash with no solos is called Speed metal. Not sure but maybe there's the difference that could clear this issue. What do you guys think?

 

[inflamer]

its a very hard choice...as far as tecnic i must say that alexi's strong point were the arpeggio runs and he was dham fast also...james does some real shred and melodic stuff as well...both master the thrash riffs superbly...overal my vote goes to james for being the metalhead that alex didnt kept on with...

 

[MacMoney]

I was saying the exact same thing as swallovyoursoul.

And no thrash riffs means thrash metal. Speed metal is a whole different thing.

 

[AjDeath]

Personally, I would go for Alex, his style is more melodic.

I agree with Chief. To me thrash IS solos and great riffs all in one package. To judge a genre of music by one band(by the way I will not buy another slayer album, that is what you get when you abandon your core audience)and one, albiet great if not the greatest thrash album of all time, is just not looking at the broader picture. Proof positive of this is Testament.

 

[Apocalyptic Me]

Originally posted by davefitz
what is wrong with you people?!it is obvious that your are not musicians, or anyone with any brains, to compare alex and james is plain stupid, they have tottaly different styles.but then again they can play each others solos flawlessly,there both badasses, to judge alex because he isnt exclusivlely metal is hilarious.you cant compare them..you just cant do it.non of you can play their licks so why be a critic anyway?the way i see it is...testament kicked ass with alex and kicked ass with james..and to say james is better because he dropped a whole step is the funniest shit ive ever seen....obviously you havent heard the new first strike still deadly.."WHICH FEATURES ALEX" and it is dropped down in tuning!!idiots! i hope the guys dont read this board and see how ignorant their fans are.you people put alex down..but i bet a million bucks when he was in testament he was your guitar god, but then he went on to play some of the most technical music he has ever made.."WHICH IM SURE NON OF YOU HAVE EVEN CHECKED OUT" and now you dog him out...if you ask me..alex wrote better solos that had more melody, and they fit testament more than james stuff....but im not gonna campare the 2 because they have tottaly different styles...but you know what....if you didnt know that was alex on the new cd...i bet you dumbasses prolly thought it was james when you first heard it!!!!!

I totally agree with you! But you seem a little angry man, calm down. IMO Alex is the greatest metal guitarist that I've ever heard. His solos are just fuckin awesome.

 

[Sadistik]

.."WHICH IM SURE NON OF YOU HAVE EVEN CHECKED OUT


As a matter of fact I have, and its quite cool. I like both the Attention Deficit AND Skol-Patrol things....beyond that, not sure what else he's done....(not counting Handful...of course)

 

[swallowyoursoul]

Sadistik says

"As a matter of fact I have, and its quite cool. I like both the Attention Deficit AND Skol-Patrol things....beyond that, not sure what else he's done....(not counting Handful...of course)"

Didn't Alex do some jazz fusion project called Exhibit-A?

 

[Sadistik]

Buy James Murphy's Feeding the MAchine and COnvergence, both on Shrapnel Records. Be a dear and buy the autographed one's from his site (more money, but to help him in his expensive medical treatments).

 

[StolichnayaCzara]

I know this is an older thread but I'm going to have to reply to some of these post. First off....... I have to agree with the replies that state that Alex and James fit the eras. That is as accurate as it gets. Both are indeed highly talented and are nice guys. I'll think that you all will find that Alex hasn't given up heavy metal all together. As evidence has shown through FSSD and his latest project..... Although it's old school metal done to a different genre.... It's worth checking out if you like Kiss, Scorpions, Black Sabbath, Ozzy and Aerosmith. My personal favorite is War Pigs. But decide for yourself. http://www.alexskolnick.com/skol_shop.html

 

[batmura]

They're both amazing guitarists, but I like Alex Skolnick's stuff better. His performance on First Strike Still Deadly is awesome IMO.

NP: Antithesis - Dying For Life

~Mezarkabul

 

[Demizevox]

While I'm not very familiar with Skolnick's work, James Murphy has done some incredible shit. My two favorites by him are Low (Testament) and Spiritual Healing (Death). He and Chuck were the ultimate guitar tandom in the latter of the two above. From what I've heard of Skolnick's stuff...The Ritual, that does suck which is probably why i never gave Skolnick Testament a chance because that album is nothing special and that is the only full album from the Skolnick era that i've listened to carefully. Actually, I don't think Peterson gets enough credit. He's been the backbone to the Testament Skeleton for their entire existence and he is a damn good guitar player too. His later shit is wickedly heavy and he comes up and always has come up with by himself or at least co-written every song. Testament's Hanneman. Never gets any recognition but the fact be known, writes most of the music for his band. It's tiring seeing the real people who deserve the credit getting pushed aside into the shadows. Granted, lead guitar is a big job that takes a certain kind of guitar player to fulfill but the real heart of Testament lies in the rythm guitarist/lead guitarist Peterson.

"To be extreme, so it seems, is a mental crutch...to cover up from those who are completely out of touch"

 

[Icon]

Viking Chief: You need to change contacts or whatever is hindering you to see Macs obvious point. Rythm riffing IS more essential to thrash than solos... without a doubt in my mind.

 

[vengeance]

1st off as far as Testament goes, I'll take Alex Skolnicks work any day over James Murphy! However James Axework on "LOW" is very good (though not as good as his work with DISINCARNATE).

When I 1st picked up "The Ritual" in 92', I did not like it at all! I was pretty dissappointed with it! But the more I listened to it, I realized that its a really good Album! Its definitely Alex Skolnick's best Lead work up to that point! His Phrasing, Legato & Hammer-on Licks are amazing! They flow so well! I've grown to become very fond of that CD! He's playing stuff on there that I've never really heard anyone else play in Metal!
Take another listen to "The Ritual"! Killer, Awesome, Melodic, Death Metal band with Progressive & Black Metal Influences!

 

[Icon]

Vengeance - Completely agree with ya, its a great album. Return to serenity... i mean WOW, what a masterpiece!

 

[Deadly Embrace]

Alex hands down, no question about it, Alex is one of the greatest metal guitarist EVER!

 

[XTREME666]

Alex Skolnick is the better guitarist and one of my favourite guitarists but he had to leave Testament unfortunately. They were just interested in different genres.

Great rythmn makes a decent thrash album but great leads on top make a special one.

 

[XTREME666]

Alex Skolnick is the better guitarist and one of my favourite guitarists but he had to leave Testament unfortunately. They were just interested in different genres.

Great rythmn makes a decent thrash album but great leads on top make a special one.