Is Ralph Santolla the World’s best Death Metal lead guitarist?

[vernplum]

originally posted here: http://gitbuddy.wordpress.com/

I think so.

Exhibit A: stepped into the shoes of the Hoffman brothers in Deicide (despite him being a practicing Catholic entering into the world’s most Satanic band) for the album The Stench of Redemption - a titanically heavy album with superb melodic shred playing that perfectly suits the Death Metal genre. Ok - when I say ’stepped’ into the shoes of, I’m not forgetting Jack Owen (former Cannibal Corpse guitarist) who’s not exactly a slouch on his axe either, but his lead playing while violent and fitting for this type of metal is not as refined and melodic (I know this sounds like an oxymoron in context) as Santolla’s.

Exhibit B: Replaced Allen West in Obituary for the crushingly heavy but beautifully adorned (with Santolla’s spiraling leads) album Xecutioner’s Return. I always felt West was the weak point in the Ob lineup and had a minor celebration when James Murphy joined for the Cause Of Death album (sadly he left because he went mental from brain cancer). West’s leads just lacked that certain oomph and energy - neither weird, atonal or ’sound effecty’ enough nor as melodic or technically accomplished in the shred realm to really round out Obituary to being totally crushing. Let’s hope Santolla stays in the band, or at least contributes as a hired gun in the great tradition of other revolving door DM guitar artistes such as Murphy, Andy LaRoque, Paul Masvidal… Anyway, go buy that album - an outstanding Death Metal release.

P.S. My company network blocks access to the Deicide website. Now that’s evil.

 

[YSR]

Im sorry, you have been misinformed. For I have claimed that title since I was born.

 

[subversion]

best? he's currently much talked about & given some highlight due to his session for certain bands, replacing certain individuals. in the realm of heavy music, there are these people to consider:

*Carl August Tideman

*Bill Steer

*Mike Davis/ Sean McNenney

 

[Alchemist]

what about the godfather of death metal Chuck "Evil" Schuldiner ?

aniways there's no such thing as best in music IMO. it aint a sport. and ......Even in sports, pple are bias as well!

 

[ShredCow]

what about the godfather of death metal Chuck "Evil" Schuldiner ?

He is one guy whose technique I can't grasp.

How do you play with that needle thin, heavily compressed, chorus-ed lead tone???? And yet stir up so much emotion???

I couldn't care for his tone but he can sure play and move the heart.

 

[subversion]

the late Shuldiner was initially an average player who got pressured to perform simply because the people he recruited were more intriguing than him: Paul Masvidal, Andy La Rocque, Santola, among others...

 

[vernplum]

what about the godfather of death metal Chuck "Evil" Schuldiner ?

aniways there's no such thing as best in music IMO. it aint a sport. and ......Even in sports, pple are bias as well!

Yeah - I know there's no such thing as 'best' - I was just being provocative to start a conversation.

What about Chuck? Chuck was a fantastic songwriter and rhythm guitarist (solid right hand technique) and a very good soloist too, but if we're rating lead players then IMHO, while I enjoyed his leads I always found the playing of his 'hired guns' on whatever album to outshine him there. Like Sub says though, he improved vastly since the early days, continually being pushed by this group of fantastic lead guitarists whom he employed...

 

[vernplum]

best? he's currently much talked about & given some highlight due to his session for certain bands, replacing certain individuals. in the realm of heavy music, there are these people to consider:

*Carl August Tideman

*Bill Steer

*Mike Davis/ Sean McNenney


Not familiar with Tideman - recommendations?

Yes - Bill Steer is a great player and I think he did his best work in Carcass. The Arch Enemy album I have (Wages Of Sin) didn't really reach out and grab me by the goolies I'm afraid.

Davis/McNenney - IMHO their best work is also behind them. Nocturnus' album 'The Key' is one of my favourite albums - super solid rhythm work, hyperspeed shredding, awesome guitar generated sound effects, raw sound production and good integration of synth noises(sadly it was let down by terrible vocals but we're talking about axemen here anyway).
This album remains absolutely essential today and I still listen to it frequently - 10/10. Unfortunately their follow up work left a lot to be desired - the follow up 'Thresholds' had a couple of good tracks (Gridzone, Aquatica had killer opening riffs) but overall some of the polish in the production also removed some of the spirit of the shredding if that makes sense... The frenetic hyper speed had been toned down somewhat and some of their attempts at melodic soloing exposed some of their musical shortfalls in places. The latest album 'Ethereal Tomb' was a major disappointment for me which I won't go into here.


P.S. I'm not talking about best DM lead guitarist of all time btw, just 'of the moment'.


Cheers

Ed

 

[vernplum]

He is one guy whose technique I can't grasp.

How do you play with that needle thin, heavily compressed, chorus-ed lead tone???? And yet stir up so much emotion???

I couldn't care for his tone but he can sure play and move the heart.

You're right - goes to show that even with a horrible tone if you're thinking melody (Shuldiner almost always did) then you'll be ok.

Tonewise, of the death guitarists, my favourite was Andy LaRoque. Solo on 'Trapped In A Corner' from 'Individual Thought Patterns' is heavenly (in an evil Death Metal way).

 

[ShredCow]

Yeah - I know there's no such thing as 'best' - I was just being provocative to start a conversation.

What about Chuck? Chuck was a fantastic songwriter and rhythm guitarist (solid right hand technique) and a very good soloist too, but if we're rating lead players then IMHO, while I enjoyed his leads I always found the playing of his 'hired guns' on whatever album to outshine him there. Like Sub says though, he improved vastly since the early days, continually being pushed by this group of fantastic lead guitarists whom he employed...

Actually, on the topic of Chuck as a guitarist - I actually never thought he was outplayed by his guitarists... especially on the later albums.

Lets take The Sound of Perseverance, which I actually thought had this whole heavyness which didn't need gutteral hellish vocals or very detuned guitars, I thought Chuck's solos had a certain something to it, compared to the lead guitarist's playing (was it Andy? I think it was...)

Chuck played like he owned it, like he believed in it, like the whole weight of the lyrics was coming down into those notes.

Andy played like... a job? I didn't get that feel...

Anyway, back to your topic Vern... I'm not a fan of death metal per se so I can't comment but didn't Ralph Santolla appear on Betcha Can't Play This? There's a youtube I htink - very impressive - not the knd of tone I expected.

 

[subversion]

P.S. I'm not talking about best DM lead guitarist of all time btw, just 'of the moment'.

unless the people i mentioned are deceased, they do qualify 'for the moment' yes? in due fairness, they aren't the current flavour, definitely.

 

[vernplum]

unless the people i mentioned are deceased, they do qualify 'for the moment' yes? in due fairness, they aren't the current flavour, definitely.

well, Les Paul is still alive but he's not 'of the moment' is he? But then, he's not very Death Metal either... you know what I mean.

No - Ralph is in my current consciousness because of his playing on those two recent(ish) albums I mention and which have been keeping things heavy for me on the bus of late.

Now, if we want to talk 'greatest DM guitarists of all time' (or any other kind of metal you care to talk about) - then that's another story. Shall we start here, or do you favour a new thread?

 

[fuzztremecho]

about more than 10 years ago, an issue of guitar zine did mention steer as one of the axeman to look out for-he was called "malmsteen on steroids".
agreed-he did his best work for carcass,there is still alot of things that i am learning from his guitarworks

santolla is also a pretty damn good player- the thing is this good guitarists listened to a huge amount of different types of music and incoporated them into their own individual styles

in the west, there is a lot of "guns for hire" and in order to put bread on the table, they listened and put in a what they listened to their style

metal genre for instance-used a lot of exotic middle eastern/easten europe scales into their lead work

 

[Alchemist]

Lets take The Sound of Perseverance, which I actually thought had this whole heavyness which didn't need gutteral hellish vocals or very detuned guitars, I thought Chuck's solos had a certain something to it, compared to the lead guitarist's playing (was it Andy? I think it was...)

Chuck played like he owned it, like he believed in it, like the whole weight of the lyrics was coming down into those notes.

I second tt.The Sound of Perseverance was ....pure genuis. i cant get help but feel so much when i listen to "voice of the soul". He realli stepped up a level from "Human" onwards.

The other guy that had this impact for me was Dimebag in his CFH and vulgar display of power days.not forgetting the solo from "floods" of cos.

 

[Alchemist]

You're right - goes to show that even with a horrible tone if you're thinking melody (Shuldiner almost always did) then you'll be ok.

Tonewise, of the death guitarists, my favourite was Andy LaRoque. Solo on 'Trapped In A Corner' from 'Individual Thought Patterns' is heavenly (in an evil Death Metal way).

That solo was a example of how chuck used music to explain his songs. andy's solo tells you tt you have no where to run, no where to hide and yah "trapped in a corner". Den comes Chuck's solo which in turn brings you hope( with the tapping) and shows you the way out ....




For me at least

 

[EugeneSmasher]

You forgot Nile's two guitarists, Karl Sanders and Dallas Toler-Wade!

Rocky Gray was also a good death metal guitarist before Living Sacrifice became metalcore.

 

[Anirudh]

What about Chuck? Chuck was a fantastic songwriter and rhythm guitarist (solid right hand technique)

FYI Chuck was the lead guitarist of DEATH.


cheers

 

[loathed]

Chuck was never specifically the lead or rhythm guitarist in Death. He shared both lead and rhythm duties with his other guitarist.

but for me, no one beats Chuck in death metal guitars. he wasnt the most technical or anything, but you dont have to be the most technical to be the best.

R.I.P Chuck

you have been missed and will always continue to be missed.