JOHN 5

Discounting last year's release of remixes, 'Remixploitation', 'The Art of Malice' is American guitarist John 5's fifth solo album. Renowned for his virtuosic shredding abilities and stylistic diversity, his fretboard talents have, in the past, earned him high praise from the legend that is Steve Vai. Beyond mere technique, though, he is a man whose compositional skills are such that he's able to string together enough interesting tunes to prove himself worthy of releasing instrumental albums, as is so often not the case with various other skilled players. A virtuoso of your instrument does not necessarily imply you are able to write great music but, like I say, John 5 is gifted on both counts. I mentioned diversity, and that is what's on offer here throughout the twelve cuts that comprise 'The Art of Malice'. Opening number, 'The Nightmare Unravels' is metal through and through with heavy riffs overlayed, at key moments, with picked arpeggios, cleanly and swept, at a speed that will have you in awe at how fast this man can move his fingers. Refreshingly, I'm not talking fretboard wanking for the sake of displaying his evident virtuosity, rather all leads are at one with the song, maintaining absorbing melodies through all the shredding. No easy feat, I assure you. And that is true of the album in its entirety as each new track offers twists and turns in the most unexpected way. For example, following the album's all out metal opening, second number 'The Art of Malice' switches to a clean guitar sound, without backing, for one and three quarter minutes of skilful widdling in various diatonic modes (well, to my ears it sounds like a mixed mode approach that fuses two or three diatonic scales). More metal shredding arrives with 'All Will or Spite' before another clean guitar piece, 'J.W.', which contains some Albert Lee inspired picking. And the rest of the album remains just as diverse. One stand-out track is undoubtedly the melodiously poignant, down tempo 'Can I Live Again', a predominantly slide guitar piece, which is pure emotion expressed through his instrument, proving that John 5 is more than capable of holding back from the shred to deliver his aesthetic just as effective in this style. This mid-album number is absolutely sublime. As a whole, 'The Art of Malice' is an entirely satisfying and exciting listening experience which I wholeheartedly recommend, even if instrumental guitar works aren't your usual cup of tea. And I continue to be astonished by how fucking great John 5 is able to make a Telecaster sound!

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Mascot Records

Album

THE ART OF MALICE

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

45:01

RELEASE DATE:

19th July 2010

TRACK LISTING

1) The Nightmare Unravels
2) The Art of Malice
3) All Will or Spite
4) J.W.
5) Ya Dig
6) Can I Live Again
7) Portrayed as Unremorseful
8) Shred Guitar Rag
9) Wayne County Killer
10) Fractured Mirror
11) The S Lot
12) The Last Page Turned

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

USA

"...I'm not talking fretboard wanking for the sake of displaying his evident virtuosity, rather all leads are at one with the song, maintaining absorbing melodies through all the shredding."