The guitar is the centerpiece of so much progressive music, and we’ve all heard so many different licks and riffs that I fear we sometimes become numb to some very amazing performances. There were many standouts for me this year. You’ll notice that technicality doesn’t always mean anything to me, but, if I can find the perfect balance between difficulty, composition, and emotion, that’s the winner hands down.
FYI: I decided against including pictures of each person out of respect for them and also copyright situations.
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10. Jane Getter – Premonition – “ON”
Incredibly technical, and definitely a good time.
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9. Matt Quayle/Dylan Mitrovich – Breaking Orbit – “Transcension”
Addictive licks throughout.
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8. Dave Cureton – IOEarth – “New World”
Massive talent, and he just keeps getting better.
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7. Joshua Theriot/Randy LeBoeuf – Abigail’s Ghost – “Black Plastic Sun”
Inspired solos and nostalgic playing.
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6. Michael Gagen – Arcane – “Known/Learned”
Super difficult and heavy, but manages to demonstrate a softer side, too.
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5. Piotr Grudzinski – Riverside – “Love, Fear and the Time Machine”
Incredible performance, plus my favorite guitar solo of the year.
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4. Steve Hackett – “Wolflight”
Spellbinding in both composition and sheer force.
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3. Diego Cafolla/Ivan Nastasi – Kingcrow – “Eidos”
Deliberate, fully inspired licks that really make the album.
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2. Jamie Van Dyck – Earthside – “A Dream in Static”
Heavy, varied, and mind-blowing.
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1. John Mitchell – Lonely Robot – “Please Come Home”
The emotional peak of guitar performances in 2015.
The PROG Mind 