Chris Impellitteri is often hailed as one of the fastest guitarists in the world, yet he believes there’s much more to life than simply shredding. Reflecting on his career, he shares, “I was doing that before they even coined the term ‘shred.’ When I first heard the word, I thought, ‘Are you kidding me? You could do that with a potato or cheese!’”
For Impellitteri, playing fast was always about enhancing the song, especially in the context of heavy metal. “When it’s heavy metal, the goal is to excite,” he explains. But his rapid style didn’t come without criticism. After the release of his first EP, Impellitteri’s speed was often mocked, and his second album, Stand in Line, came with an emotional and mental struggle. “People called it ‘guitar masturbation,’” he recalls. “And honestly, I agreed with them. But it was a turning point for me. I took a step back, got my technique right again, and that became a gift for our music.”
Impellitteri’s newest album, War Machine, marks a shift towards old-school metal, reminiscent of bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, rather than the solo-driven shred he was once known for. “Looking back, I was a 22-year-old kid with the world watching,” he says. “Now, I’m a more mature musician. I understand music theory better and know when and how to apply it.”
Today, Impellitteri says his focus is on creating music that complements the song. “No matter what I play, I always think, ‘How can I make this solo enhance the song?’”
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