In the mid- to late '80s, two guitarists in particular introduced metalheads to the wonders of the "instrumental rock guitar album." Of course, we're talking about Mr. Joe Satriani and his onetime student, Steve Vai. And in their wake, quite a few similarly styled six-string shredders appeared, including Greg Howe. With Howe having issued a somewhat steady stream of releases on Mike Varney's Shrapnel label, Howe's 2006 release, Collection: The Shrapnel Years, is exactly what the title says -- a spotlight on his best tracks from his albums on the aforementioned label. If you're looking for some fretboard pyrotechnics, there is plenty to be heard throughout this 11-track set, as Howe's playing doesn't sound all that much different than Satch and Vai circa their Surfing with the Alien and Passion and Warfare peaks, cases in point being such shredfest ditties as "Bad Racket" and "Joker's Wild," as well as the jazzy "Jump Start" and the funky "Howe 'Bout It." But like nearly all guitar-led instrumental releases from this era, if you're not a guitarist yourself, all the flash may numb your brain after a while. ~ Greg Prato
