Artist: Wayde Cooper CD Title: "32nd Note Festival of Shred" Reviewed by: Nick Martinelli Reviewed: 2/5/20032

     Washington guitar great Wayde Cooper lays the smack down with one hell of an instrumental guitar release. "32nd Note Festival of Shred" is an outstanding example of what strong melody writing, creative guitar playing and pure style sounds like. Wayde has some well defined chops and tears the fretboard to pieces with his quick and concise technique. The album is chalked full of catchy hook lines, shred runs, butter like arpeggios and great riffing. I highly recommend this release for people that like their instrumental guitar songs in normal rock format. (Verse, chorus, solo, verse... etc) You'll never hear a 8 minute chop fest with no melody line. Wayde knows how to write a catchy shred tune that's for sure.

     "Illicit" opens up this stellar release with some groovy guitar playing and soulful guitar leads. Wayde is a melody machine! He always uses repeating hook lines in his song writing, and this tune damn good example of that. I really enjoyed the main melody line, its one that you'll be humming along with for sure. Also, be sure to listen to Wayde's interesting arpeggio usage. He does some interesting movements, and they are very melodic in nature. Check out Wayde's bluesy wah wah endued solo at 3:03, man this boy has some soul!

     "Virtual Dimension" is another high profile song enthralled with speed, flare and total balls! The rhythm guitar playing alone is worth the listen. The main melody line that starts the song is repeated many times throughout the number. Its super catchy and was a great choice to initiate each verse. Check out the interesting climb 00:49, its one defiantly worth listening to a few times. Wayde uses some cool run ideas in all his songs. I can't say I've heard ones like these quite often, and that's why Cooper's playing sounds very original!

     "Mostly Harmless" was a bad choice for the name of this song! It should have been called, "This song will put your A#$ in the melody hospital." Wayde just blazes through some of his best melodic playing in this piece. He uses an interesting combination of slow pedal note phrasings and slower more drawn out arpeggios to state his hook lines. I'd be hear all day pointing out the coolest ones, because there are so many. I really did enjoy the main lead break starting at 2:30, for its use of soulful blues bends and raw emotion.

     Song four "Full Tilt" opens up with Racer Xish type lead runs, then shortly after Wayde busts in the his greatest guitar riff of all. This one just slayed me, its extremely upbeat and draws its power from the metal riffing styles of the greats. Don't forget the killer palm muted runs at 01:01 that lead into the most melodic licks in the song, this following section is what true instrumental guitar leads should sound like. A mix of melody, taste, and soul. Wayde's playing skills really impressed me and after hearing this song I just couldn't tell what he was capable of next! The main lead section mauls as well, so get your game face on for some serious ripping!

     "Symphony in Symmetry" opens with with some neo-classical drenched guitar playing and this sets the stage for the rest of the track. If your into all out classical inspired harmonic minor shred fests than you've purchased the right cd! Wayde uses countless numbers of lead techniques, ranging from arpeggios, melodic phrasing, and pedal movements. Cooper gave an amazing performance throughout the song, and be sure to keep your ears peeled for his high octane arpeggio approach. On top of that listen to how clean and concise they are.

     Song six "Velocity" brings the album's speed back up to par with some intense shred metal guitar riffing. Listen how he incorporates mini lower string runs into the main riffing ideas. Flawless my friends, flawless. The main hook line is great and well put together as well. Check out the shred soup starting at 02:09, he starts off with some attention grabbing full bends and then steps right into the world of shred. Then soon after Cooper breaks into some chord partials higher up on the board. I wasn't expecting that at all, and it wasn't the conventional way of writing that type of solo. In my opinion, that's what truly makes an artist and artist. A true artist will lead you for a while, but then leave you mesmerized by something you really didn't expect and that's what Cooper did for me in this tune.

     "Blood Thirsty Rutabagas" song seven jives through with a different sort of beat. First there were killer tomatoes and now Wayde brought in the Rutabagas. What's next flesh eating peaches? (laughs) Seriously now folks, this track made a different mark on me musically. It showed that Wayde is an accomplished shred head, and also that he could play his leads "out of the box" so to say. He's very diverse with his playing approach in this song and I think you will agree. Its packed with odd licks and even more interesting melody lines. So keep your forks ready, this will be the meal of a life time.

     After fighting of those down right evil Rutabagas, we come to song eight "Doom Ride," a darker and more evil groove. Wayde takes a step back and gets heavy and gloomy in this tune. His main melody lines are very melodic, which counter react what is going on in the background. This song was well put together and it defiantly stands out for being an original composition. Then let the shred fest begin at 01:43, Wayde goes of with some hyper speed shred runs, blues bends, and some smoking tremolo picking. Priceless shredding my friends, just priceless. Wayde puts your money where your mouth is that's for sure. 02:49 marks Wayde's neo-classical harmonic minor stint for this track. I know you'll enjoy it just as much as I did.

     "Creepy Crawly" is the perfect name for this closing track. The main riffs do exactly that, creep and crawl! His rhythm guitar playing is exceptional and it builds the mountain that Wayde climbs up easily. Check out the very middle eastern feeling lead starting at 00:55, its filled with some interesting phrasings that really give you the illusion of being a tomb raider in a ancient pyramid in Egypt. Wayde has an amazing ability to alter the listener's mood with his music. His guitar playing is top notch and its not every day that you find players that can do this musically.

     Looking back, Wayde did a phenomenal job with "32nd Note Festival of Shred." He is a guitar player that breaks out from the norms and seeks to write music that has something to say. This defiantly appeals to guitar players at all levels and most genres. I'm glad to say its a part of my permanent instrumental guitar CD library. If your into high octane, upbeat and melodic song writing then Wayde Cooper is the man to check out. If your into shred, metal, hard rock, and just super melodic guitar playing then Wayde Cooper is the player just right for you. If you buy any cd this week make it this one!

Buy CDs online at Fossil Records and at Guitar9
Buy his instructional CD at www.chopsfromhell.com