Guitar Unleashed

Edward the Great collects most of Iron Maiden's hits, including the punishing "Number of the Beast", the super-dramatic "Can I Play with Madness?" and their sole chart-topper "Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter". Since their late-1970s rise as prime movers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Iron Maiden have unleashed a ferocious pack of hit singles and million-selling albums. Their recipe was simple: They took their lyrics from bloody world mythology and classic gothic literature and backed them with a soaring, bulldozing twin-guitar assault driven on by main man Steve Harris' relentless bass. It was an approach that would influence countless rock bands, from Metallica to a string of Scandinavian death-merchants.

Whiskey Bayou Records proudly releases Pain By Numbers, the new album by acclaimed guitarist-vocalist, Eric McFadden. Guitar Player Magazine writes, “If San Francisco is home to anyone approaching the abilities of a modern Jimi Hendrix, it’s Eric McFadden.” Produced by famed musician (and Whiskey Bayou Records co-owner) Tab Benoit, “Pain by Numbers” is twelve tracks of dark gospel, compelling rock, and dirty blues. Encompassing three decades of recording and performing live, McFadden has created his own original style. His music is dirty, his guitar is dirty, and his attitude is dirty.

One word used to describe the new album from Chinese post rock band ZHAOZE would be intoxicating. According to the liner notes Intoxicatingly Lost is the first Western release for the band and includes songs both new and old. In the band are Hoyliang (gugin, xiao, keyboards), Littledream (guitar), Roy (bass) and Seasean (drums, glockenspiel)…

Repackaged in this box are four live King Crimson concerts that were initially unleashed via the band's Collectors' Club mail-order series or as à la carte downloadable files. Granted, the primary target for anthologies such as this is not the casual enthusiast or curious listener. However, that unspoken guideline should be suspended for 2006's The Collectors' King Crimson, Vol. 10 due to the remarkable breadth of its contents…

Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music.
From the opening strains of a monumental organ theme you know this is going to be Prog Heaven. Right on cue the band crashes in and off we go on a roller-coaster ride of majestic proportions.