Artist: Rusty Cooley CD Title: Self Titled Debut Reviewed by: Nick Martinelli 3/24/03

     Rusty Cooley is a popular shredder that is taking the world of instrumental guitar by storm. He popularity started to rise with his release of his first 3 Chops From Hello instructional CD-ROMs. In fact, he brings new life to the meaning of "instrumental guitar" with his 100,000,000 M.P.H. playing and soulful melodic phrasing. Cooley's music redefines what we all call instrumental guitar. He unleashes a 7 string guitar fury that now one in the entire universe could defeat in battle. This author is known as "The Shred Demon," now Rusty earns the title "The Super Sonic Shred Demon!" He will thrash your senses to mush with true Heavy Metal guitar riffing and piercing shred. All stand up and hail the new king of shred! Rusty take a bow, you deserve it! Here at The Shred Zone.com have had a long friendship with Mr. Cooley since he submitted his demo well over a year ago. We are glad to have the utmost privilege to be one of the first guitar sites to present this highly anticipated CD release. We've heard the early demos first hand and now have gotten our official copy of the self-titled debut and it knocked us out of our chairs and through the wall!

     "Under the Influence" is butt kicker from the very first note. No force in the universe can stop rusty blistering virtuoso playing throughout this song. The main melody is breathtaking and will become an instant classic with any listener. He uses an interesting blend of speed and melody to get his point across. Along with that, the rhythm guitar playing will kick the living crap out of you! Check out 02:53 for some of the fastest shredding on earth, hot damn. At 03:45 Rusty breaks into some rhythm guitar pedal phrases that are real beefy. Rusty is an excellent composer and writes his song in normal rock format: verse, chorus, bridge, verse, and etc. Instrumental songs like this are the best, because they never lose the listeners interest or bore them to death. Sorry guys, you won't find a 10-minute song of non-stop shred. Lets all give Rusty a hand for doing the right thing!

     "The Butcher" is a funky upbeat number that blends aspects of fusion, metal and all out shred. Rusty hammers the competition away with mind blowing shred antics and flare. He torches the listeners with god like arpeggios, speed runs and infectious melodies. This song is very open and takes a few different turns. The main melody line is a super catchy arpeggio phrase that will scare the living daylights right out of you. Rusty has an unmatchable technique when it comes to insane speed and accuracy. He defiantly has put the practice in that's for sure.

     Song three "Dark Matter" is a slower song that opens with some mystical clean guitar playing that sets the stage for his soulful melodic leads. You must be asking yourself how can a shred head that plays a billion notes per second still be melodic? I know there is a huge stigma against guitar monsters like Rusty Cooley, but I'm hear to say that Rusty is obliterating that myth. This guy has soul coming out of every pore. I've heard my share of shreddSers over the years, and its safe to say that Rusty raises the bar and its not going to be an easy one to reach by all means. This track is a great example of soul and moody blended together. Rusty drives home immense leads that command the listener's attention. He begins slowly, but then he must have drunk a mug of high-octane racing fuel, because shortly after he tears through countless arpeggios, speed runs, and mind-blowing phrasings. Check out the amazing arpeggio progression at 05:10. I was brought to tears, and I broke my guitar over me knees. All will cower to the skill and speed that he as and bow to worship a new shred god. All hail Rusty, the fastest shredder on earth. Hail, Hail Hail!

     Well shred nuts, opps Rusty went and did it again… Yes that's right, he played his ass off and composed one of the most intense shred instrumental songs ever! "Dominion" is a power dive into the world of shred and that's to say the least. Cooley sets the world on fire with this blazing instrumental piece. He incorporates electrifying arpeggios, soulful phrasings, string skipping, and a whole host full of other surprises. The double guitar harmony at 03:33 is to die for, because its melodic and very odd sounding at the same time. After that, Rusty closes the song with some killer legato rolls. Nice touch my friend.

     "E.B.E." is another insane chops from hell shred fest. This time Rusty uses a wide arsenal of guitar attacks. He bombs you with infectious upbeat harmonies, wah wah drenched licks, and earth shaking composing. Check out the amazing movement that starts at 02:15; that's what good song writing is all about folks. At 02:43 Cooley scares the living crap out of you with his tremolo picking from hell. His technique is so clean that it will truly blow the rest to dust. I also dug the drop tuned backing guitar that supported the rhythm section. The riffing drove the song along with a balls-to-the-wall intensity.

     "Hillbilly Militia" should have been name "Redneck Rampage," because Rusty kills anything in his way, well everything but cute fuzzy animals that is. (laughs) I think he named this song accordingly, because he used some very odd sounding licks and progressions. He does a lot of finger rolls and I could see a tiny bit of country influencing that. But don't be fooled folks, Cooley head bangs his way through this one. I think one of the coolest aspects of this track is his heavy low tuned speed guitar riffing. It kept the song moving and gave it the hard edge it needed to get the job done.

     Track seven "Jazzmine's Song" takes a step into the world of pop or glam metal with this upbeat wondrous song. Cooley uses plenty of major scale action here to give it a very happy feel. Remember kids, major equals happy. Anyways, Cooley glazes the listener over with beautiful leads and melodies. To hear what I'm talking about, the section starting at 02:11 is proof positive to this guy's true vibe. Man I wish I wrote that one! He cranked out some super soulful licks that will defiantly leave the listener in awe. I also liked the main riff in the song. It was very major sounding and gave the song that signature touch. This piece was in dedication to Rusty's daughter Jazzmine Cooley. When she gets old enough, she'll defiantly pat her dad on the back!

     "War of the Angels" hands down is the number one song from this stellar release. Rusty Cooley's guitar playing is off the scale and ferocious! Cooley is defiantly a lion when it comes to his guitar playing. He pounces on his pray with a mighty thrash then roars out in victory with his thunderous rhythm guitar work. This song is very machinelike. Cooley showcases all his chops ranging from melodic hooks, happy arpeggios, screaming bends, insane harmonics to shred runs that will leave his competition in shambles. The main melody and backing riff is if not the most powerful and aggressive one ever to hit the face of instrumental guitar. I can't even begin to describe to awesome this song is. There are so many interesting and over the top licks I can't even pin point a few to check out immediately. Well, I did find the section starting at 05:01 real interesting, because Rusty shifted from the explosive shred and ballsy riffing to a peaceful melodic solo that will calm the wildest of all beasts. This song will be hard to beat and I will state that "War of the Angels" is The Shred Zone.com's pick for best instrumental song of the year!

     Song nine "The Duel" is a melody driven chop shop of guitar playing. Rusty pulls out his bag of tricks and wows his audience with his guitar pyrotechnics. The main guitar riff is something right out of your worst nightmare. Cooley lays down some of the most aggressive guitar riffing in an instrumental ever. His usual 7 string guitar antics really help make this song so unreal too. For most of his rhythm work, he pounds on the low B string for some of that "not of this earth" tone. Rusty is truly a unique guitarist that is unmatched in the world of guitar playing today. His lead work throughout the track is phenomenal and I know you'll be wishing you played that fast after hearing them!

     "Piece of Mind" opens with some of the most confusing rhythm guitar playing I've ever heard. I mean could he make the riff any faster and odder to play? Hell, if you think Yngwie has some hard to play rhythm guitar lines, "Piece of Mind" will make any of those look like amateur hour at open mic night! Rusty then penetrates with searing arpeggios that are so clean you could eat off them. Cooley has a refined technique that comes from years of experience. Every note rings out and you'll never dream of hearing a dead tonality. I also liked his use of double harmonies during this track, because they added dimension and layers of texture. Lastly, don't forget to check out the last section of the song, because Rusty crushes through some of the most frightful lead runs ever!

Bonus Tracks

     "Dominion" (the vocal version) is just as scary as the instrumental version. Can we say brutal Heavy Metal? I had to go to the hospital to seek treatment for head banging related neck injuries. All I have to say is, "RUSTY YOU ARE A HEAVY METAL FREAK FROM HELL!" Songs like this really make you proud to say you're a Metalhead. Cooley leads us all into deadly battle carrying the flag for us all. His guitar playing is not of this world and that's what it comes down to. Aliens must have abducted him and performed extensive experimentation on him, because no one on earth plays like this alien does! Actually, I think Rusty was beamed down to earth at an early age. His parents found him laying in a corn field in Illinois in a little picnic basket and took him in to raise as their own. There you have it folks, Rusty's true existence has been exposed! For more information read next month's National Enquirer, the headline reads "Extreme Alien Child Guitarist Found in the Corn Fields of Illinois. (Just kidding, laughs) If you haven't figured it out by now that Rusty is a guitar god that has unmatched skills, you seriously better get your head checked, because your not right. I will personally admit anyone who disagrees into their local Psychiatric ward for further testing. This song gets an A+ in my book. Rusty had me at hello.

     "The Machine" (aka The Butcher vocal version) is another instrumental song gone a wall. Rusty penetrates with badass, ball kicking Heavy Metal style jamming once again. This song has a very old school Pantera sound to it, so you know it will tear the paint off the walls. Cooley's playing is super heavy and fast. He used a large variety of palm muted and galloping riffs that build up an immortal wall of sound. What's even more exciting is his solo. Rusty smokes boards with off the charts speed ratings. Can we say MACH 4? How the hell did he get so fast? That's what I want to know. He defiantly is in the Chris Impelliteri and Michael Angelo Richter scales. In fact, in the 2003 May issue of Guitar One magazine Rusty was listed along side these legends in an article called "The Worlds Fastest Shredders!" So I'm not the only one who thinks this guy is a shred god. His main solo encompasses a lot of material from melodic moody bends to full shred jacket. Not only can Rusty shred strings, but he can also be very soulful at the same time. What a combo huh?

     Well shred maniacs, no animals were harmed during the making of this cd. Rusty personally tested and experimented with the shredding on himself. Luckily, he has full medical insurance coverage, because after recording this album he had to be admitted with a diagnosis of Ostio Shred Permadosis. In another words, SHRED OVERLOAD or what well shred monsters call multiple finger motion sickness!

     So your're asking yourself should I spend 13 bucks to buy this one? Is it just like all the other shred and instrumental guitar albums your probably asking? Well if your looking for some boring Satch… (we won't name, names) album don't even bother!!! You must first get a medical clearance from your doctor, because this album will put you in the ground. Rusty will personally dig the grave, grab you by the throat and brutally slaughter you with his unmatchable shreds of death. Then after that, what's left of your shredded corpse will be slammed into a shallow grave. Did I mention if you purchase this album from Lion Music or Guitar 9, they through in a free body bag? Ya, that's right! An Fin' body bag, because your slacker guitar playin' bum is going to need one after this deadly assault of guitar riotousness. (Note to reader: Body bags are not included. We just like to write creatively here at The Shred Zone.com. Laughs) Hell forget fighting wars and crime, just roll Rusty into town on a flatbed semi truck with guitar and amplifier and let him obliterate all who opposes in one deadly strike of shredical warfare!

     Seriously guitar fans, Rusty Cooley is a guitar player to lookup too. He defiantly replaces the idols of old. Again not naming names, because the old geezers still need to make a living somehow. Not many guitar players can match the mad skills that Cooley has. I would put him in the same genre with Vinnie Moore, Jason Becker, Chris Impelliteri, and Marty Friedman. Rusty is a heaven sent gift to the world of instrumental guitar, touching us with his soulful shred and uncanny style. Cooley is a sensei shred master that is here to stay. His music gives the instrumental world a serious kick in the inspirational butt, because now artists have to compete with his playing! Lion Music put their money were their mouth was and did the world a true justice by releasing this album to the masses. Rusty breaks all boundaries and sets new records for this genre of guitar. This self-titled debut will be an instant classic and I foresee it selling truckloads of copies! So with that said, do playing a favor and go buy this cd. What are you waiting for? Aliens to beam you down a copy for the mothership? Get off your lazy butt and pick up a copy at Lion Music or Guitar9 right now!!!