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| Xander Demos |
XD: Thanks for having
me…yeah, the new EP is going to be really exciting, and I think that anyone who
loved my first, Guitarcadia, will really enjoy the new one. And, for those who haven’t checked out
Guitarcadia yet, the new one will stand on its own. As far as themes go, I’m always intrigued by
sci-fi and otherworldly themes. So,
there is a little of that on the new EP.
I’m really excited, because this release will have more vocals than the
last album. There are going to be 4
vocal tracks this time! I can’t wait for
everyone to hear the Judas Priest cover, and most likely, first single, “Judas
Rising.” The vocals on that track are
unbelievable! I’ll leave it at that, for
now. I don’t want to give too much away,
but I know people are going to sit up and take notice, when they hear that one. The new EP is going to be a perfect blend of
music, in my opinion: 2 vocal covers, 2 vocal originals, and 2 original
instrumentals…what more could you want?
Q.2. How do you judge the best time to launch a follow-up to an
acclaimed album?
XD: It’s hard to
judge, really. Things have been so busy
for the past couple of years, since the release of Guitarcadia, that the
greatest challenge was finding time to record, quite honestly. Some personnel changes also delayed
things. Deciding whether to do a full
band project, or just come out with another “solo” project delayed things,
too. But, I think people have had enough
time to digest the last album, and it’s definitely the perfect time to release
something new. I just can’t wait to hear
people’s reactions to the new stuff. I
hope I can get out and visit some different cities and play some of the new
stuff live, too.
Q.3. Briefly, describe the new EP. What's its title and had did
you arrive at the tracks?
XD: Haha. Well, I guess I kind of jumped the gun a
little on this one, since I talked about it earlier. Like I said, the new EP will be 6 tracks: 2
vocal covers, 2 vocal originals and 2 original instrumentals. We’re covering tunes by Judas Priest and
Accept. Some of the original material
has been around for a while, but it’s being re-imagined and newly
recorded. The tentative title is Runways
and Waterways, but that could change before the release. We’re hoping to have it out by early
summer. It’s still being tracked, and
I’m hoping to have CJ Snare from Firehouse, doing some mixes again, as well as
JK Northrup. Both are great friends, and
do amazing work. I also talked with
Michael Wagener about doing a mix. He’s
the all-time god of metal mixing, so it would be a thrill to have him do a
track, too. We’ll have to wait and
see.
Q.4. Recording or live performance? Which give you the best
experience?
XD: While I love recording, I’d have to say that the live
experience is the best for me. I love
that instant feedback and gratification.
There’s no feeling like stepping out on stage, in front of a sold-out
crowd, and just having them go nuts. We
played several incredible shows this year with Metal Church
Q.5. Please list three
other albums or performers whose fans would enjoy your new EP.
XD: Steve Vai – Passion and Warfare
Judas Priest –
Screaming For Vengeance
Dream Theater
– Images and Words
Choosing just three was tough, but I think that should give
everyone an idea of what to expect.
Thanks again for having me!
It was a pleasure. Now, to read more about Xander and his music and to see where to find him on the net, scroll on down.
Xander Demos homepage
www.facebook.com/xanderdemosmusic
Xander at Youtube
Xander Demos Biography
Xander Demos
is one of today’s premier shred metal guitarists. Based in Pittsburgh, PA, he
currently fronts his own band, XDB
and has performed as a member of national tribute act, James Rivera’s Sabbath Judas Sabbath, as well as playing in
Rivera’s solo band and Pittsburgh cover band, Raised On Radio. Xander performs in excess of 100 times a year,
and he is active in recording collaborations with artists all over the world.
Xander plays guitars from Suhr, McNaught, Brian Moore and Conklin, with whom he has endorsement
deals. His endorsement from these guitar
companies is a testament to his impressive skills and his deep commitment to
playing the best guitars in the world.
Xander's style ranges from
the beautifully melodic to the jaw-droppingly insane. His playing encompasses
much of what he has learned and absorbed from other players over the years;
artists like Shawn Lane, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Vinnie Moore, Jason Becker,
Neal Schon, Michael Romeo and John Sykes. One constant in his music is a focus
on strong guitar melodies. In 2012, Xander released his debut solo CD, Guitarcadia. Mixed by CJ Snare of Firehouse, the album was
named among the Best Albums of 2012 by
Hair Metal Mansion.
Recently, Xander has been
making quite the name for himself and his solo band by appearing as support for
acts like Symphony X, Stryper, Metal
Church, Adrenaline Mob, Buckethead, UFO, Lizzy Borden, Kip Winger, Neil Zaza
and Dio Disciples, as well as performing at Rock Harvest II, Wolf Fest, Skull Fest I and II and NAMM Metal Jam, alongside members of Anthrax, Whitesnake, King Diamond, Dio,
Queensryche, Alice Cooper, and many other metal greats.
Named the 2013 AND 2014 Iron City Rocks Pittsburgh Music Awards Guitarist of the
Year, Xander’s playing appears on several releases from other artists: Ged Rylands (Ten, Tygers of Pan Tang,) Derek Buddemeyer (Down Boys Records) Modern Superstar and Liberty ‘N’ Justice’s long awaited
“Cigar Chronicles,” also featuring George
Lynch (Dokken) Jeff Labar
(Cinderella) and Jerry Dixon
(Warrant.) He was included on “Guitar Feast” a compilation of international
guitarists. His latest single release,
“Dancing Through Daggers” was mixed by JK
Northrup of King Kobra/XYZ fame, and it was featured on the Guitar
Wizards compilation CD with members of KISS, Poison, Guns N Roses,
Whitesnake, Dio and more. Xander was
also nominated for 3 awards at the 2nd Annual International Music
and Entertainment Association Awards in 2014.
In addition to these
accomplishments, Xander is an avid animal lover. Always looking for projects that will aid
these beautiful creatures, Xander is donating a portion of his album sales to the
ASPCA.
Xander plays: V-Picks, the
Fractal Audio Axe-FX Ultra as well as Hughes and Kettner amps, Matrix Amplification,
Mission pedals, ISP Guitar Systems and Suhr Guitars, Amps & Effects,
McNaught Guitars, who completed production of the first Xander Demos Signature
Guitar, Conklin Guitars and John Dixon Cases. Many of Xander's guitars are
outfitted with EMG pickups and accessories. He exclusively uses the
FloydUpgrades tremolos or the GraphTech LB-63 piezo-equipped Floyd tremolo. He also is endorsed with Rock-N-Roll GangStar
Apparel, Lampifier Microphones, JH Audio In-ear monitors, and INTEX Cables.
Thanks again, Xander.
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