FLAMETAL: When Flamenco Meets Speed Metal, With A Little Help From MARTY FRIEDMAN

June 23, 2004

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman has contributed guest guitar leads to a track from FLAMETAL, a self-described "flamenco metal" project that mixes flamenco and speed metal. The brainchild of innovative musician/artist Benjamin Woods, FLAMETAL's music is based off flamenco rhythms and tonalities with the flamenco guitar at the forefront, "proving that the nylon stringed acoustic guitar can be heavy as hell," according to a press release. "FLAMETAL takes core aspects of flamenco with the highest respect, and fuses it with the highly developed and intricate elements of speed metal, another virtuosic and rhythmically abundant music, widely known for its aggression and power. When combined, the beauty and brutality of FLAMETAL hath no equal.

"Backed up by an intense and incredibly tight speed metal band, [FLAMETAL's] main attraction are the FLAMETAL dancers. Truly evil and seductive, and yet accomplished flamenco dancers and percussionists, they slither and pound rhythms with their dramatic and mesmerizing choreographies. Each piece has its own place as a part of a large theatrical horror story told by the music, dance, lyrics, and narratives."

Says Woods: "Born in Seattle, I taught myself to play guitar by listening and playing along with IRON MAIDEN albums. Soon after, I was playing speed metal and in a short time, it stopped being a challenge. My junkie roommate stole all my electric guitar gear forcing me to play my speed metal tunes on all I had left, a classical guitar. It literally struck a chord in my head and I started to pursue flamenco in hopes that I could make my electric guitar sound more original. Little did I know I would be swept up by this incredible art and transformed into a flamenco guitar soloist and accompanist, having the utmost respect for its high level of virtuosity and profound expression. After 8 years of flamenco study and ongoing performances, I finally went to Spain where I felt strangely at home and accepted. When I returned, I remembered my original idea and finally having the musical maturity in both genres, I created FLAMETAL. My intention is not to dilute flamenco, but to open the minds of others to its beauty and to stay true to my musical roots."

Download several FLAMETAL MP3s, including the track "Bruja Tortura" (featuring "insane" guitar solos by Marty Friedman) at this location.

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