http://community.webtv.net/metal-essence/QUINTESSENCE2000

Rusty Cooley (U.S.)- s/t (2003 Lion Music)

I've been hearing alot about this guy in the last 3 years and only heard one track from the "Lick This" compilation back a few years ago and all the stuff surrounding the "Chops From Hell" series. Rusty is another Neo-Classical shredder but alot different than one would think since the first things that come to mind when anyone says that is Bellas, Malmsteen, Stump or Gilbert for example. Scratch all of that! Rusty is as about as different as let's say James Byrd or a Vinnie Moore type or even Rondat or Toschi for added flare.

Rusty started playing at 15 and was self-taught for the first 2 years before attending the Guitar Workshop in Connecticut and taught classes in guitar as a senior in high school while forming the band Revolution which broke out in due time opening up for bands like Nitro, Badlands, Every Mother's Nightmare and Southgang. Rusty soon departed the band and formed another one called Dominion with bassist Brent Marches. From '95 to 2001 Rusty had entered and won various guitar contests or at least made runner-up along with a few episodes of guitar instruction on cable tv and then eventually releasing a 2-disc CD-Rom instructional called "Shred Guitar Manifesto" (www.chopsfromhell.com) and started his current project which is a Prog-etal/Shred band called Outworld.

The new CD captures 10 tracks of crunchy to groove-laiden riffs with Neo and Prog elements reminiscent of the above mentioned with alot of keyboards and absolute guitar chaos! Between sweeps, arpeggios and alot of those other technical words that guitarists use, this Cd has it all! Rusty can write, arrange, compose and play as skillful as anyone in my book. His playing proves so much of why the buzz was as strong as it was and continues to keep buzzing. Lion Music has really stepped-up it's roster signing this guy, Martone and Edward Box of lately; there's just so much to hear and discover. Here's your roadmap to get started!!