“If you’re on the hunt for a healthy dose of high-octane riffage, fretboard-melting soloing, and dizzying technical prowess, you can call off the search party because Bobby Keller has you covered.” – Guitar World
About Bobby Keller:
Born in the ‘80s and enthusiastically embodying everything about the style, commitment, and flair of that decade’s heavy metal, Bobby Keller is a new guitar hero for the ages. Keller’s talents and determination earned him a rapid ascendence within instrumental guitar music, already saluted by the likes of Ultimate Guitar, Guitar World, Loudwire, Brave Words, and multiple tastemakers.
Keller lives and breathes heavy metal, proud to carry the torch down the trail blazed by the greats and embraced by many of his heroes and peers in the tightknit scene. After a whirlwind of experience playing shows with Avatar and alongside bands like Evanescence, Mastodon, Gojira, Hellyeah, Jonathan Davis of Korn, and Nonpoint, he unleashed a unique solo sound with a string of killer tracks.
Bobby Keller collaborated with drummer and producer Ben Johnson, who works under Grammy-winning producer Will Putney (Fit For An Autopsy, Thy Art Is Murder), to create instrumental guitar tracks filled with excitement and nuance which are destined to push the genre forward.
Three ferocious titles; “Reign in Fire,” “Light Bearer,” and “Perpetual Dreams” are his first solo offerings, and the first of many to come. The songs blend the feel and chops of his major influences, including Joe Satriani and “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, with smart arrangements and catchy hooks. “I want to make something that sticks to a listener, rather than just throw a bunch of notes together,” he explains. “There’s still a lot of shred on the songs thus far, and I’m thrilled with the process and the results.”
Raised in Orlando, Florida, Bobby is a blues-based player with an arsenal of euphonic rhythm and unstoppable speed, making for a genuinely unique technique and sound. Keller remains devoted to Satriani, Dimebag, the fretboard shred of Jason Becker, the blues-based epic power of Randy Rhoads, the precision rhythms of James Hetfield, and the overall guitar wizardry of Eddie Van Halen, to name a few. “The bands that I love are timeless and continue to inspire me today,” he says.
Guitar World called “Reign of Fire,” “a blazing instrumental piece” that “takes you on a pretty rapid journey,” one that includes “orchestral atmospheric ambiance,” “fierce drop-tuned riffs, and staggering leads.” Keller filmed a red-hot playthrough video for the publication, emphasizing its clean lines and face-melting solo sections with brutal efficiency. Mel Torres, assisted by Ben Johnson, filmed a playthrough video for “Reign of Fire” at Fortin Amps Studio in Anaheim, California, during NAMM.
Speaking of NAMM, Keller features in the recap video from ESP Guitars, with “Perpetual Dreams” as the background music. The full video of his interview with ESP is also available on YouTube.
Playthrough video: https://youtu.be/ipAMT1fsNCg
Link to ESP Guitars NAMM Recap Video: https://youtu.be/1gnnAPPDXTM
ESP Guitar full interview from NAMM: https://youtu.be/Ej0srRAzdRk
In Fall of 2022, Bobby Keller appeared at the prestigious Guitar Summit in Mannheim, Germany, in
a “who’s who” of the international guitar scene where Keller participated in showcasing the weekend full of workshops, face-to-face meetings, and performances.
A pivotal launching pad for Bobby Keller was his residency, sponsored in part by the National Endowment for The Arts, when TheatreWorks Florida drafted Keller to star in a production of Rock Of Ages at Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in 2016. He played the lead guitarist of the “house band” of the Bourbon Room in Hollywood, California.
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