Zero Tolerance

Practicing his own brand of extreme seven-string guitar, Pennsylvania guitarist Jim Horne has released Zero Tolerance, an all-instrumental shred/metal/rock EP-length CD. Taking dissonance to the next level, Horne revved up his drum machine, and double and triple-tracked his seven-string Ibanez axe, blending speed and slow melodic phrasing over the albums six cuts. A showcase for improvisational moments, Zero Tolerance challenges the listener with sharp, jagged guitar lines teetering on the edge of disharmony ("Destination" and the title track), then brings it back into focus with sinuously dense riffs and fiendishly meshed guitar solos ("Ballad Type Thing"). Counting influences such as Vinnie Moore, Steve Vai, Greg Howe, Jason Becker and Richie Kotzen, Horne hopes to make some noise before launching his next project squarely at the shred guitar community.