BEETHOVEN'S Guitar Shred DVD

The Great Kat

The Great Kat’s biography begins with a list of her accomplishments:

• Juilliard Graduate Violin Virtuoso
• Concertmaster of the Juilliard Pre-College Orchestra
• Winner of the Artists International Competition on Violin
• Carnegie Recital Hall Debut on Solo Violin
• Top 10 Fastest Shredders Of All Time - Guitar One Magazine
• 12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists - Elle Magazine
• The 100 Wildest Guitar Heroes - Classic Rock Magazine

With such a pedigree, I was skeptical of the review I was about to do. This DVD release from The Great Kat accurately showcases the woman Guitar World Magazine named one of the “50 Fastest Guitarists Of All Time” and dubbed one “8 of the World’s Fastest Shredders” by Gibson Lifestyle. This Julliard trained musician will totally make one look at not only classical music, but heavy metal and shred in a different way. This DVD contains seven music videos from The Great Kat and a Kat Kartoon, an animated music video.

One listen to the songs contained herein and you know why there is such a buzz regarding her speed and shred abilities. To take a masterpiece such as “The Flight of the Bumble-Bee” or Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto #3” (this reviewer’s favorite piece on this collection) and convert it to a listenable shred piece is no small feat. Don’t get me wrong, if you only like classical, this is not for you – you might be better off with an orchestral video. If you like metal, however, and enjoy classical, you need this… even if it is only for the shock value.

There is no doubting The Great Kat’s talent when it comes to speed and shredding. Personally, I would love to see her dial it down a few BPMs and use her abilities and extensive training to further the metal cause. So many guitarists today cannot shred and that is why we need The Great Kat – she could teach them all a lesson. In addition to that, her music is SO fast; you don’t have time to appreciate the vocal talent she possesses in addition to discovering whether or not her band has any real talent, other than pounding out a safe, yet VERY fast, rhythm line to accompany her rapid-fire classical playing.

The Great Kat Extreme Guitar Shred is a definite DVD for a few different people:

• you have always been curious what would happen if someone were to marry shred and classical music;
• you want to shock and amaze your friends who don’t think these two musical tastes go together… just remember, there was a whole PR campaign about getting peanut butter on chocolate and chocolate in peanut butter. The end result: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups;
• you are into S&M and shred – lets be honest, any video that features an electric guitar and a hot chick in lingerie deserves at least one look;
• and if you are ADD and can only take music and video is small doses – each video clocks in around 2 minutes or so.

You may not like or appreciate what she does, but no one can deny she is an innovator in both the shred and classical genre in that she took two of the most different musical types and put them together… again, remember how that worked out for Reese’s.

Todd Jolicouer