Ron Jarzimbek: Progressive Metal = "Keyboard Metal"

RON JARZOMBEK, guitar shredmaster of SPASTIC INK and WATCHTOWER (Marty Friedman was a bandmate), has garnered a cult following for his progressive metal guitar eccentricities. However, he is not very inspired by what passes as progressive metal these days. Here is an excerpt from his talk with Electricbasement.com, "...And progressive metal is becoming so stale these days. I don’t even know why they call it progressive metal these days; it’s keyboard metal. That’s what I think they should call it – keyboard metal.

"I read on the Internet they don’t even call Spastic Ink prog metal. They call it math metal. I think that’s because progressive metal is keyboard metal. It’s kind of a drag."

He predicts a demise as well, "I think prog metal is headed to where neo-classical is. You know how that got so burned out? That’s where prog metal is heading. People just seem to want the same stale keyboard shit. We went through the Dream Theater clone phase; now, the whole genre’s become a cliché of itself."

He does show praise for a few newbies such as ZERO HOUR and MESHUGGAH.

Read the full article at Electric Basement.