Rude: U Jam?

When it comes to the value of virtuosity, there’s a weird distinction to be made: Any of us would be quick to point out that an excellent guitar player may be incapable of authoring excellent music, while some groping novice could compose an enduring classic album. That is, virtuosity itself is low in substance and high in fleeting dazzle.

But it’s not meaningless. See, from that common-sense conclusion above, we may fail to extract the respect due to mega-skill in its proper function: as accent, detail, flourish. In other words, an excellent guitar player — or singer, drummer, bassist — may be the difference between a mediocre album and an awesome one. That negligible measure of zazz, of wienie-wangling, of bluster can mean the difference between the ho-hum and the bum-chum.

Just witness Rude, a neo-Obituary/supra-Warbringer crew whose new record Soul Recall is again and again elevated by the timely cameos of an awesome lead guitarist (either David Rodriguez or vocalist Yusef Wallace, twitter me @AnsoDF if u know). Sure, Soul Recall wouldn’t work without its deft songcraft and Death anti-charm, but without virtuosity, it wouldn’t be awesome. Crank it below (via xtreem music).

Rude’s Soul Recall is out today via FDA Rekotz. Order here.