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  1. Guitars

Total Guitar Reader Awards 2014: best solo

News
By Total Guitar ( Total Guitar ) published 28 December 2014

Singing leads and searing shred

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Introduction

Introduction

From prog gods to party metal and everything in between, it's been an excellent year for the solo.

We asked for your help in picking a favourite and the response was impressive. Here for your listening pleasure are the best guitar solos of 2014, as voted for by you...

Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of 9
Anathema - Anathema

Anathema - Anathema

The Liverpool prog rockers have been going for over two decades now and still seem to be getting better and better.

2014's Distant Sattelites was an emotional gut-puncher and this self-titled epic, with it's huge and evolving guitar solo, proved a most worthy centre-piece.

Page 2 of 9
Page 2 of 9
Arch Enemy - War Eternal

Arch Enemy - War Eternal

Ninth album War Eternal saw Arch Enemy return refreshed and reinvigorated with new singer Alissa White-Gluz.

The title track - released ahead of the album - is one of the record's most potent. It silenced doubters, proving that White-Gluz had the goods vocally, and gave Michael Amott and Nick Cordle (since replaced by Jeff Loomis) the chance to trade lead licks.

Page 3 of 9
Page 3 of 9
Mr. Big - Gotta Love The Ride

Mr. Big - Gotta Love The Ride

Oh Mr Paul Gilbert. How do we love thee? Let us count the ways...

  1. You're proper boss on guitar
  2. You're one of the nicest men in rock music
  3. The Gotta Love The Ride solo from this year's The Stories We Could Tell

Never change...

Page 4 of 9
Page 4 of 9
Opeth - River

Opeth - River

Mikael Åkerfeldt and co continued to add more strings to their, frankly, already sizeable bow with this year's Communion.

River is one of the album's stand-out tracks due to its Crosby, Stills and Nash-influenced opening and classic rocking solo section - just to show they can, it seems. Then, of course, things only progress from there...

Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of 9
Marty Friedman - Inferno

Marty Friedman - Inferno

One thing you might say about Marty Friedman, is that he can play guitar...

The former Megadeth man has been plying his trade as an inspirational instrumentalist since the early 00s and this year's Inferno sees him, err, firing on all cylinders.

Page 6 of 9
Page 6 of 9
Animals As Leaders - Nephele

Animals As Leaders - Nephele

Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes get name-checked by just about every other guitarist we speak with, and for good reason: Animals As Leaders are leading the way when it comes to progressive metal playing.

Nephele, is a meandering, symphonic track that peaks with an incredible solo mid-way before giving way to a pummeling outro.

Page 7 of 9
Page 7 of 9
Black Label Society - My Dying Time

Black Label Society - My Dying Time

Our viking guitar lord Zakk Wylde returned this year with the ninth album from Black Label Society, Catacombs Of The Black Vatican.

Wah-laden and punctuated by Zakk's trademark pinch harmonics, the solo from My Dying Time is one of the record's best.

Page 8 of 9
Page 8 of 9
Steel Panther - Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World

Steel Panther - Party Like Tomorrow Is The End Of The World

'Panther's ode to a party with no consquences - due to the impending apocalypse - contains an appropriately indulgent and (characteristically impressive) shred solo from Satchel.

The video, on the other hand contains Ron Jeremy, scenes of graphic drug taking and a large amount of ladies exposing their upper bodies.

Page 9 of 9
Page 9 of 9
Total Guitar
Total Guitar
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Total Guitar is Europe's best-selling guitar magazine.

Every month we feature interviews with the biggest names and hottest new acts in guitar land, plus Guest Lessons from the stars.

Finally, our Rocked & Rated section is the place to go for reviews, round-ups and help setting up your guitars and gear.

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