Orianthi

Orianthi's third studio album, 2013's Heaven in This Hell, finds the virtuoso guitarist and singer moving away from the melodic pop/rock of 2009's Believe and toward a more adult contemporary and modern blues-rock sound. Working with producer and Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart, Orianthi co-wrote all of the songs on Heaven in This Hell. Whereas last time, tracks like, "According to You" and "Bad News" brought to mind a harder rocking take on "Since You've Been Gone"-era Kelly Clarkson, here, cuts like the swampy blues of "Fire" and the Jimi Hendrix-esque "Frozen" play up more of Orianthi's strength as ballsy, guitar slinging rock chick.

Following several years of touring alongside former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, Orianthi returns to her solo work with her fourth full-length, 2020's O. Produced with Marti Fredriksen, O is Orianthi's first album for Italy's rock-centric Frontiers Records label and fittingly finds the Australian guitarist and singer digging into a heavy, hard rock- and metal-influenced sound. While there is certainly a hefty amount of old-school analog grit to much of the album, O also features an equal amount of contemporary pop sheen throughout. It's a stylistic combination that brings to mind Orianthi's most famous employer, the late Michael Jackson, with whom she worked and rehearsed just prior to his death in 2009. Since that time, Orianthi has carved out her own niche as an adept soloist and performer, drawing inspiration from her early mentors, including Carlos Santana and Steve Vai, as well as other idols like Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix.

Orianthi Panagaris, known professionally as Orianthi, is an Australian musician, singer and songwriter known for performing with Michael Jackson as part of his ill-fated This Is It concert series, and with Alice Cooper's touring band. Her debut single "According to You" peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8 in Australia and No. 17 in the US; her second album, Believe, received a worldwide release in late 2009. In 2009, Orianthi was named one of the 12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists by Elle magazine. She also won the award as "Breakthrough Guitarist of the Year" 2010 by Guitar International magazine.

With her mind-blowing mix of heavy metal guitar prowess and bluesy, soulful vocals, Orianthi will draw some justifiably well-earned comparisons to such giants of rock guitar as Jimi Hendrix and her own idol, Carlos Santana, on her 2009 sophomore album, Believe – re-released in 2010 as Believe (II) with four different songs than the original version, including a cover of John Waite's "Missing You." That said, her style hews closer to the more finger-frenetic pyrotechnics of such '70s and '80s icons as Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai. Throw in her ability to sell a lyric and carry a strong melodic vocal phrase while also throwing down some devastating slabs of heavy metal riffage, and she starts to look a heckuvalot like the fantasy love child of Prince and Lita Ford.

With her mind-blowing mix of heavy metal guitar prowess and bluesy, soulful vocals, Orianthi will draw some justifiably well-earned comparisons to such giants of rock guitar as Jimi Hendrix and her own idol, Carlos Santana, on her 2009 sophomore album, Believe. That said, her style hews closer to the more finger-frenetic pyrotechnics of such '70s and '80s icons as Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai. Throw in her ability to sell a lyric and carry a strong melodic vocal phrase while also throwing down some devastating slabs of heavy metal riffage, and she starts to look a heckuvalot like the fantasy love child of Prince and Lita Ford.

This is a charitable recording of Mark Knopfler’s instrumental,‘Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)’, produced in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America. The recording features the greatest and most iconic guitarists performing today, alongside an all-star band. Artists: Joan Armatrading, Jeff Beck, Richard Bennett, Joe Bonamassa, Joe Brown, James Burton, Jonathan Cain, Paul Carrack, Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder, Jim Cox, Steve Cropper, Danny Cummings, Duane Eddy, Sam Fender, Guy Fletcher, Peter Frampton, Audley Freed, Vince Gill, David Gilmour, Buddy Guy, Tony Iommi, John Jorgenson, Mark Knopfler, Joan Jett, Albert Lee, Greg Leisz, Hank Marvin, Brian May, Robbie McIntosh, John McLaughlin, Orianthi, Nile Rodgers, Mike Rutherford, Joe Satriani, John Sebastian, Connor Selby, Slash, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr and Zak Starkey, Sting, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Ian Thomas, Pete Townshend, Keith Urban, Steve Vai, Waddy Wachtel, Joe Louis Walker, Joe Walsh, Ronnie Wood, Glenn Worf and Zucchero. The cover art was created by Sir Peter Blake.

Combining virtuosic tapping, ferocious shredding, and deep hooks, Controlled Chaos is the debut solo album from versatile American guitarist Nita Strauss, who first caught the metal scene's attention playing in the all-female Iron Maiden tribute band the Iron Maidens and the popular West Coast hard rock/glam metal outfit Femme Fatale. Citing influences like Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jason Becker, and composer Johann Strauss, the latter of whom is actually a distant relative, the 11-track instrumental set delivers a lethal blend of melody and might.