NerdMentality | REVIEW: Guitar Shreds

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REVIEW: Guitar Shreds

Posted March 25th 2009 by Chris Selvaraj.

Edward L. Walker developed the concept of "Hedgehog Theory." Generally, it means that a person will like something if its complexity is neither too high or too low. This is subjective and varies from person to person. If the stimulus is too complex, people will metaphorically curl up into a ball, like a hedgehog.

I have always considered my complexity threshold to be very high for music. I am in no way an avid fan of guitar shredding/speed metal bands, but I can appreciate the technical skill involved. When viewing Beethoven's Guitar Shred, it is impossible to not recognize The Great Kat's talent. Regardless of whether you enjoy the music, this Julliard-educated artist's ability to play at such break-neck speeds is highly impressive.

The DVD is separated into two major sections: Shred Videos and Shred Bonus Features. There are seven videos, starting with a shred arrangement of a classical piece. The videos alternate between classical arrangements and what seem to be original works by The Great Kat. The classical arrangements include, "The Flight of the Bumble-bee," "Paganini's Caprice #24," "Beethoven's 5th Symphony," and "Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #3."

My issue with most shredding bands is that technical prowess is paramount. These groups seem more interested in showing off talent, rather than making music. The music I tend to enjoy blends the various sounds of the instruments together, as opposed to having several soloists perform. The classical arrangements have this level of balance and quality and the shred arrangements keep this mostly intact. As a result, I found them surprisingly enjoyable. In addition, there is a certain novelty in hearing a drastically different interpretation of the classical pieces. It is reminiscent of seeing a cartoon drawn in the style of another cartoon, or hearing your favorite video game music performed by a full orchestra.

On the other hand, The Great Kat's original works were the origins of most of my issues with the DVD. These pieces, while maintaining technically impressive guitar work, lacked the tonal balance of the band. The lead guitar, drums, or both were out of proportion during these pieces and lacked any recognizable melody, resulting in noise rather than music. The titles of these pieces are "Torture Techniques," "Blood," and "Islamofascists." Needless to say, these videos contain some rather bizarre images, and are no doubt the reason the box art sports a Parental Advisory. "Torture Techniques" contains S&M-type imagery, while "Blood" features our favorite shredder doused in blood. The drop in musicality coupled with the odd, and often cheesy imagery make watching these videos an excruciatingly awkward experience; one that I will not repeat.

The Shred Bonus Features contain four short videos. The highlight of these is "Metal Fugue: Bach's the Art of the Fugue," but these extras are too short to be a substantial bonus. The disc also has a "Shred Kartoon" that consists of "The Flight of the Bumble-bee" played with a cartoon version of The Great Kat. It is a decent addition and gives the listener another opportunity to hear one of the most technically impressive songs on the DVD.

Closing Comments

If you are a guitar shredding junkie, then you probably have enough information to check this DVD out. At $8, hardcore fans have little reason not to give it a viewing. For the rest of us, the ridiculous presentation will keep most away.