Yes Alex Skolnick is. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few years ago with the Alex Skolnick Trio. He was a very humble person for his talent. He and I discussed his work with TestAmenT/Savatage, etc... I told Mr. Skolnick that I thought he played and approached the Savatage/Handful of Rain album in the way the late/great Criss Oliva would have approached this release. He told me nobody had ever told him that. I said sir, please take this as a compliment. Then he signed a napkin for me which I still have. The trio went on to play instrumental/jazzy versions of Aerosmith's "Dream On", Ozzy's "Goodbye to Romance", and the Scorpions "Still Loving You" and others. One of the highlights of my life.