Chris Impellitteri (born September 25, 1964) is the American

lead guitarist Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featured ...

and founder of the heavy metal band

Impellitteri Impellitteri is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles formed and led by guitarist Chris Impellitteri, vocalist Rob Rock, and bassist James Amelio Pulli. The band has sold millions of albums worldwide. History Chris Impellitteri for ...

. Impellitteri is heralded as one of the greatest guitar shredders. He has won Best Rock Guitarist awards on several magazines during the years for his guitar soloing. In 2003, ''Guitar One Magazine'' voted Chris Impellitteri the second-fastest guitar shredder of all time, behind only

Michael Angelo Batio Michael Angelo Batio (), also known as Michael Angelo, Mike Batio or MAB, is an American heavy metal guitarist and columnist from Chicago, Illinois. He was the lead guitarist for the Los Angeles-based glam metal band Nitro in the late 1980s an ...

;

Yngwie Malmsteen Yngwie Johan Malmsteen ( ; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, 30 June 1963) is a Swedish guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical playing style in heavy metal, and has released 22 studio albums in a career spanning ov ...

was dubbed the third fastest shredder. In 2008, ''

Guitar World ''Guitar World'' is a monthly music magazine for guitarists – and fans of guitar-based music and trends – that has been published since July 1980. ''Guitar World'', the best-selling guitar magazine in the United States, contains original arti ...

'' magazine named him as one of the fastest guitarists of all time.

Biography

On The Blairing Out Show, he said that both his parents committed suicide when he was nine years old, and that the guitar provided a path for him to express his anger and feelings. Impellitteri's first music release was a black EP titled ''Impellitteri''. It was filled with music featuring shredding guitar solos, screaming vocals, and a fast rhythm section. The Impellitteri Black EP established the band's sound in the metal world and was well received by their fans, critics, and respected musicians. Chris Impellitteri was instantly branded a guitar hero after this recording was released. The following IMPELLITTERI record was titled Stand in Line and propelled the band into stardom. The music video Stand in Line was played often on MTV and VH1. The Stand in Line album featured Lead vocalist Graham Bonnet who formerly sang with the legendary rock band Rainbow. IMPELLITTERI has recently released two new critically acclaimed records titled Venom and The Nature of the Beast. The band IMPELLITTERI currently features

Rob Rock Robert Rock (born June 29, 1959) is an American heavy metal singer who is best known as the longtime frontman of Impellitteri, a position he has held from 1987 to 1988, 1992 to 2000, and now from 2008 to the present day. Rock has also released ...

on vocals, James Pulli on Bass and

Jon Dette Jon Dette (born April 19, 1970) is an American heavy metal drummer best known for his time in Slayer and Testament. Over the years, he has also been chosen to fill-in with Anthrax, Heathen (band), Heathen, and Iced Earth. Dette also played wit ...

on drums. The band has become very popular globally and has performed to over 30,000:people at a single show.

Equipment

Over the course of his career, Impelliterri has used a wide variety of different guitar brands and models, including Fender, Gibson, and Dean. He is currently endorsed by

Charvel Charvel is a brand of electric guitars founded in the 1970s by Wayne Charvel in Azusa, California and originally headquartered in Glendora, California. Since 2002, Charvel has been under the ownership of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. H ...

guitars with whom he has a custom model. In addition, he also used ENGL amplifiers and Seymour Duncan pickups. Chris Impellitteri is currently using Charvel and Gibson guitars and Vintage Marshall and Mesa Boogie amplification.

Discography

with Impellitteri

''See: Impellitteri Discography'' *'' Stand in Line'' (1988) *'' Grin and Bear It'' (1992) *''

Answer to the Master ''Answer to the Master'' (1994) is the third full-length studio album by Impellitteri. Track listing *All lyrics by Rob Rock, except where noted. All music by Chris Impellitteri. # "The Future Is Black" — 3:42 # "Fly Away" — 4:03 # "Warrior" ...

'' (1994) *''

Screaming Symphony Impellitteri is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles formed and led by guitarist Chris Impellitteri, vocalist Rob Rock, and bassist James Amelio Pulli. The band has sold millions of albums worldwide. History Chris Impellitteri for ...

'' (1996) *'' Eye of the Hurricane'' (1997) *'' Crunch'' (2000) *'' System X'' (2002) *'' Pedal to the Metal'' (2004) *''

Wicked Maiden Impellitteri is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles formed and led by guitarist Chris Impellitteri, vocalist Rob Rock, and bassist James Amelio Pulli. The band has sold millions of albums worldwide. History Chris Impellitteri f ...

'' (2009) *''

Venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a ...

'' (2015) *'' The Nature of the Beast'' (2018)

with Animetal USA

*''

Animetal USA are a Japan-based American heavy metal band formed as a tribute to Eizo Sakamoto's band Animetal. They made their world debut at the 2011 Loud Park Festival, where they performed on stage with Momoiro Clover Z. The band's original members ...

'' (2011) *'' Animetal USA W'' (2012)

Guest appearances

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster ...

– ''

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'' (1990) * Various artists – '' Dragon Attack: A Tribute to Queen'' (1997) * Various artists – ''Randy Rhoads Tribute'' (2000)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Impellitteri, Chris Living people Lead guitarists American heavy metal guitarists American people of Italian descent 1964 births American male guitarists Impellitteri members 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians Animetal USA members