STEVE BELLO BAND

Go Berserk!

myspace.com/stevebello

It’s no wonder Ibanez tapped Steve Bello to endorse its seven-string guitars. The New Jersey metalhead shreds with rare speed and fluidity, whether soloing or weaving the intricate leads that substitute for lyrics in his instrumental jams. On his fifth album Bello expertly mixes metal subgenres, grounding himself in the classic ’80s sound heard on opener “Surfing to Venus.” The trio flavors the funky “Chomp” with Red Hot Chili Pepper flakes, giving bassist Joe DeMott ample space to slap away. “Throwing Away My Skin” begins in the Far East, with drones and exotic percussion, before segueing into crunchy nü-metal territory. Bello is an old-school virtuoso, but he can hang with any young dude.