Michael Angelo Batio - Shred Force 1 (The Essential MAB) 
Rat  Pak Records
http://www.ShredForce1.com 
http://www.ratpakrecords.com/michaelangelobatio

Rating: B

Michael Angelo Batio is one of the Godfathers of Shredding.  This guy not only shreds with the best of them, he does it with a two-necked guitar, soloing with each hand!  He is a one of a kind talent; a unique performer and an excellent guitar teacher (just ask Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello). 

This album is a mixture of Michael’s most respected instrumentals, including “8 Pillars of Steel” (with guest appearances by Elliott Dean Rubinson, Dave Reffett, Jeff Loomis, Rusty Cooley, George Lynch, Andrea Martongelli and Craig Goldy), and his tributes to some of his favorite guitarists.  “RRR” is a tribute to Randy Rhoads while “Slowhand” is his tribute to Eric Clapton... plus a couple of killer remakes. 

Classic Rock fans will love hearing the remakes of the Rush classic “What You’re Doing” and the Deep Purple classic “Burn.”  These two tracks literally smoke!  “What You’re Doing” features Queensrÿche vocalist Todd LaTorre, Metal Church guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, Alice Cooper bassist Chuck Garric, Metal Church/TSO drummer Jeff Plate and guitarist Craig Blackwell.  “Burn” sees Batio team up with Queensrÿche vocalist Todd LaTorre and Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti.  These two alone are worth the price of admission, however, in reality they are a warm-up act to showcase some bad-ass guitar playing you may not have heard of before.

Shred Force 1: The Essential Michael Angelo Batio is a pure slab of electric guitar mastery.  Batio, who invented many techniques and then taught them to an army of guitarists was even voted one of the World’s Top 100 Guitarists Of All Time by Guitar World Magazine.  

Shred Force 1 is a must have for all fans of the shred guitar genre! Pre-order bundles are now available at http://www.ShredForce1.com or http://www.ratpakrecords.com/michaelangelobatio .

“I feel that Shred Force 1 is the culmination of my best musical work,” exclaims Batio. “These are some of my personal favorite performances along with an army of featured guest stars pulled together by an amazing record company to bring it all into focus!”

Track Listing

01 Hands Without Shadows
02 Burn
03 Juggernaut
04 What You're Doing
05 8 Pillars of Steel
06 Call to Arms
07 2X Again
08 Slowhand
09 Diamond
10 Rainforest
11 Gotta Run
12 No Boundaries
13 R R R

By Jeb Wright