Fredrik Thordendal Demo - Secrets of the Unknown

[TheJake3]

Yup, Allen Holdsworth in deed!

[TheMrChugger]

If someone could recommend me anything like this, I'd be grateful! Obviously, Allan Holdsworth I've already come across, but anything more like this?

[Ibanezmarro]

@TheMrChugger Derryl Gabel. He is a big fusion Legato guy and a great teacher! Also...me ;) hahaa wow, I am a douche

[sirspam90]

@TheMrChugger Planet X, check those guys out.

[dripgoss]

@TheMrChugger Gotta check out Chimp Spanner. It's like Meshuggah meets Planet X meets Steve Vai.

[22fret]

Can it get any better? I just can't stop listening to it over and over again. This is what I'd call complete musicianship...

[thekaserxxx13]

that picture is very creepy... haha

[UndertheDomeInRome]

Does anyone know where to get this track, I have 33 demo if anyone needs

[NightmareGrundwig666]

@chiodos132 Are you sure? What videogame?

[lahbl]

@NightmareGrundwig666 He means it would suit a video game, but isn't in one.

[MickeyLWalker]

check out chimp spanner, chon, cloudkicker, mats morgan :)

[vaxkors95]

I love this... influenced by Jazz.... =D

[modeivan]

make me sleep and dream with my future

[ChicorelliC]

that last part is "Tathagata" in "Sol Niger Within"

[22fret]

@ChicorelliC It's also in "Sublevels" from the "Destroy Erase Improve"- Album

[chiodos132]

belongs in a video game

[zakktothefuture]

i just like to imagine that the sound of the lead guitar is coming from his mouth in the photo

[Polaf3456]

I admire the randomness of his fucked up expression lol

[Ibanezmarro]

In response to some of the comments below, I must know his scales. For an example, His solo in that 33 demo is in Ab melodic minor. He must know a bit of theory...

[XIPH0S707]

@suspect157 I guess I can agree, there is tons of stuff I can't still do effectively on guitar, but alot of stuff I can do and understand, mainly because I grew up playing saxophone (alto tenor baritone). Stuff like transposition, and certain time signatures like 5/8 or 12/8 that most folks cant do b/c they don't have the knowledge in music theory. Fredrik at the very least played an instrument other than guitar.

[meshuggahfan]

@XIPH0S707 more than likely. There isn't much to do in Sweden in the winter when the sun goes down at fuckin 330 pm *cries*. Lot's of bands from Sweden kick ass.

[XIPH0S707]

@suspect157 Chris Poland is no different. He was also hugely influenced by Holdsworth. Chris is an amazing musician when it comes to guitar, especially jazz fusion guitar. So if a guy like Chris Poland with such a distinctive style tone and diversity can't understand theory, I understand why someone equally talented ( like Fredrik ) by all rights would not be able to either. His ears make the sense he is a learner by ear, as am I, as is chris poland. It's a wonderful gift really.

[Purkinje90]

@suspect157 I think he *knows* many scales, but not as a trained musician would. You probably couldn't ask him to play a specific scale on the spot, but if you were to play a lick in a certain key, I'm sure he could pick it out and start jamming to it. I think he has a very unique understanding of music and of his instrument. That may be the reason why he approaches music in such a unique way. Sol Niger Within + other solo tracks are amazing!

[rodeojoe55]

@suspect157

[EB1089]

You can Thordendal's jazz training all throughout this b33y1tch. Long live one of the greatest and one of the most underrated guitarists of our time. Respect to Thordendal!

[BlessureK]

@EB1089 Pretty sure he has no training at all. He hardly knows any scales, everything he makes is just whats inside his head

[EB1089]

@BlessureK

Really? Interesting...I guess that's just metal media (e.g. magazines) which I don't read anyway that say all that crap then. Y'know, all those "math metal" and other stupid tags that ppl put on Meshuggah. I know Haake said that he isn't really a trained musician either.

[BlessureK]

@EB1089 Yeah I read in Guitar World (i think it was) of an interview with him that he said he was brought up with jazz because his dad listened to it. A lot of people try to over analyze Meshuggah's music by saying they use weird meters and stuff but really their music isn't exactly "musical". They really break the rules of music and do their own thing, its just crazy how it all works out in the end. In my opinion that is true uniqueness, where most bands really suffer from copycat techniques

[jtaylor477]

this is a stunning piece of music, fred's solo work should be made a bigger deal of!

[metalmike04]

haha sounds a little holdworthy huh?

[MetalFatigued]

How Holdsworth does this sound?? Great stuff

[ThatGuy1154]

After hearing this song, I felt myself feeling bad for the fact that deaf people will never be able to hear such musicianship.

[evietea]

i wish i could create music this good

[vargulv]

Fredrik should do more solos on meshuggah, just like on None and Destroy Erase Improve.

[Bajistico1]

Allan Holdsworth influence, Fredrik is amazing!

[perryvanamstel]

Pet Metheny like also Great music  hats off

[snusskalle]

it's like steve vai artish music

[Lan2Wave]

This is incredible, Great music.

[LukamusPrime]

Arguably one of the greatest and underrated musicians of our time... Thank you so very much for this upload.

Peace..

[vespertinne]

xox

[OldVillain]

I would love to buy this…

…but where?

[In2Infinity]

@OldVillain the closest you could get is maybe Sol Niger, which wont have this at all but its his solo work

[LokiLasher]

wow, I see Holdsworth now, my problem was getting mixed up with you experts!

[Cambrand]

programmed drums.. id bet my ass on it

[jonesy97]

That tone is just pure heaven. Just brilliant!

[StromboliKicks]

fredrik, make love with me please!!

[In2Infinity]

This music is amazing! It makes me feel as if my brain was seperated from my body and was sent to sail around the cosmos for one thousand years. When it returned my soul was filled with infinite knowledge of the universe!

[LokiLasher]

Sounds like Joe or Yngwie influence to me...

[bonuzround]

@LokiLasher More like Holdsworth.

[jaretthale78]

@LokiLasher no yngwie at all here dude...

[ScorpWriter]

@LokiLasher uh-oh. dirty ears lurking around!! :P it's very much like Holdsworth...like Batio once said, Yngwie can't touch this :P hahahaha

[LokiLasher]

@ScorpWriter in my defense, this is all new to me, im kinda an old fart. Satriani, Yngvie, Vai, Santana and Petrucci are my limitations to this guitar taking the front of the bus. Im trying to "expand" my knowledge. I only can compare it to what I've experienced..or I would be, I think the word is Poser . I wil listen to this Holdsworth and see. Is Yngiew a bad word now?

[ScorpWriter]

@LokiLasher hey, you are no poser at all no one's saying that! Yngwie isn't a bad word either, but in this era, using Yng, is like....like using the word Thou, hahaha...very dated and old...I'm glad you're trying to expand your view and hopefully, leave those old fellas in the back part of our guitar music museum, hehehe....Some Names you'd love to check are Greg Howe, Guthrie Govan, Fabrizio Leo, Prashant Aswani...fusion is today's standard pretty much...cheers! PD Holdsworth's older than Yng

[burningvenom]

@LokiLasher it lacks the fast scales to be yngwie, and it lacks the pentatonic soloing to be joe's, seriously go listen to allan holdsworth.

[pianoprog]

the harmony is a little bit similar to Garbarek ... here Frederik is showing that only composed measures is not his specialty ... respect

[schpleeb]

fredrik's faces put mr kidman to shame at times

[DigitalSteelHiFi]

Amazing !

[NearbyHermit]

MOTHERFUCKING SOL NIGER WITHIN !

Music for all tastes, but only for the wise !

[rod3067]

it reminds me a bit of starcraft music

[dandecay6]

@rod3067 definitely dude

[modeivan]

i love this type of music, make me think in i dont know what! but i love fredrik.

[MegaArtoO]

it kicks ass : o

[DominoDylan]

this is translucent of an earlier shift in cognitive superiority

[paquaxin]

Holdsworthian

[picball39]

I guess his guitar has orgasm 24/7

spaceless emotion

[IceReverie]

This kicks ass!! I'm mad I didn't discover this sooner! \m/

[PinkDolSaw]

Wow! Beautiful!

[sderoij]

This is just one reason why I love the metal scene, the people aren't so closeminded and make music they like, not music that follows the rules. There are no rules.

[bluebunny61]

@sderoij you pretty much explained Jazz, too.

[sderoij]

@bluebunny61

ya i know ^^'

love jazz as well

[BlessureK]

@sderoij

No close mindedness in the metal scene? Are you serious? I love metal, but like 80 percent of metalheads are fucking morons

[IceReverie]

@BlessureK Lol, I partly agree. I've met both dumb and smart metal heads.  I agree though that I've met more with mashed potatoes upstairs, lol!

[citizend1ck]

@BlessureK

my thoughts actually

[djentlekat]

@BlessureK 79.99 percent

[voodoocigam]

@sderoij open minded? i'm not saying i don't like metal, but i beg to differ.

[vaxkors95]

@sderoij In fact, there are rules, sorry to dissapoint you, some scales, arpeggios and chords cannot be linked, and in the rythm a emphasis beat at some time, so the people can hear the song and find the beat... you can use polyrythm, but after a while you have to compesate with the emphasis beat...

In pop music, they don't explore the music, so people absorb it... that's why I don't like pop, I think musicians must explore, but if you disrispect music theory, music dosen't make any sense...

[sderoij]

@vaxkors95 I do not disrespect music theory at all! I think you got me wrong there sir. Of course there are some rules, but compared to the most music that is released nowadays...

People read my comment to literally...

[vaxkors95]

@sderoij that's right

[lepistolero12]

@vaxkors95 Music theory is there to help us understand what sounds good and why, give us a template, that's all...Who are you to ultimately say a chord doesn't go well with another, hell, who's God to say that.

[vaxkors95]

@lepistolero12 welll, yeah you are right the chords can be linked, but if you try to link chords through scales, you can't use every note, you have to use a related scale

[murdastick]

9:06 is the end of sublevels on the Destroy Erase Improve album, EPIC ENDING imo

[LorenzKamo]

I love this

[immortalx50]

"Recommended for you: Equilibrium - Blut Im Auge, because you watched Fredrik Thordendal Demo - Secrets of the Unknown"

LOL fuck off, dumb youtube

[BannanaOfDoom]

@immortalx50 Agree, youtube needs to die for even relating it.

[brwnie00]

Never heard this tune before... It is really really Holdsworth-ish, even the synth sounds. Cool.

[touchcoma]

DAMN!!!!! HOLDSWORTH HAS INFECTED SOMEONE ELSE

[agirlinglass]

@touchcoma I was about to comment on how near it sounds to Allan Holdsworth!

[PearlJamm]

the first thirty seconds reminded me soooo much of Cynic.

[1947xeno]

where can i buy this music dude!?!?!

[MrBabble68]

You can really hear that Fredrik is inspired by Allan Holdsworth in this one

[SvenNysvenn4]

Isn't this Planet X? It sounds like them.

[XTVille]

The ending melody is clearly from Tathagata, the final part of Sol Niger Within. Don't know if anyone said this already though.

[egobraind1]

god i wish he would release some shit in the states

[U2SaxFan]

Amazing demo. Ending kind of sounds like the ending of Sub Levels from Meshuggah's Destroy Erase Improve.

[austin33309]

holdsworth anyone?

[needlearmor]

i know it's computer drums (badass drum track too, just like the rest of the instruments), but anyone have an idea of what kind of ride cymbal would give that bell sound? it's beautiful and mixes well..

[jadedmastermind]

How did you get a copy of this song? I'd like to get a copy for myself!

[mvunit3]

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Come on Fredrik!!! Release some MORE Solo albums fer ged sakes! :P This piece is great, where does this come from???

The man sure does love Allan Holdsworth :D And fromthistexasbreath, Bravo!!! -MAVIII(prOgulus . c O m)

[warjeffeagle]

@mvunit3 Lucky for you, and everyone else, he is releasing another solo album! He's recording it right now. I can't wait!!!!!! It can't get here soon enough.

[mvunit3]

@warjeffeagle - Oh cool!!!! Thanx for the reply, will have to go to his site now :D

[warjeffeagle]

@mvunit3 No problem, always glad to turn a fellow fan onto good music, new artists, etc. I think he is recording it with 2 different drummers as well. Dirk Verbeuren from Soilwork and I wanna say Morgan Agren again too. I may be wrong, but I think that's right. You can actually read some studio updates from Verbeuren somewhere (google it), where he talks about how he and Fredrik jammed out for hours, just doing improv drum patterns for Fredrik to play on top of. Should be badass. Can't wait!

[specialDFX]

@warjeffeagle oh fuck, that session could be nothing less than godly.

[needlearmor]

@warjeffeagle Wow, thought I'd be the only guy in Auburn on this page.  War eagle... great taste in music

[warjeffeagle]

@needlearmor Hell yeah! War Damn Eagle right back at ya! I can't believe theres another Auburn guy that likes Fredrik. My all time favorite band is Meshuggah hands down, and there's not even close 2nd. You dont find many people with such good music taste down on the Plains. Its mostly crappy radio rock and country. Cam 4 Heisman ;-)

[fatsuperfly]

wish i could make my music sound this good, Fredrik is God!!!!

[Venomguitar]

the beggining sounds like chaos elevator music. awsome song though

[Xiphos68]

Hey, Man

is there anyway your can download this?

[goalnick]

Big Allan Holdsworth influence....I love it. wish I knew where to buy this if it is indeed available.

[LarsBauer74]

Great stuff !!! Anybody know if this track was ever released on an album or can be purchased as an mp3?

[Power2theFlyingV]

Frederik is Allan Holdsworth's evil twin... srsly

[fromthistexasbreath]

@Power2theFlyingV haha, wow. i've always heard holdsworth in his playing, but that is probably the best way to put it.

[burningvenom]

@Power2theFlyingV He is allan holdsworth kidnapped by aliens!

[DWXVI]

Fredrik Thordendal doesn't write music, he creates eargasms. :D

[skezness]

I like how he uses the sublevels/tathagata thingy over and over... I hople sdfx2 ends like that as well

[Som1onu2be]

Reminds me of Shawn Lane

[ThrashingBastardHell]

This is GOOD Music.

[yngwie8]

finally some1 realise the influence im talkin about ALLAN HOLDSWORTH yeh rite on dudes ***

[MaXaNoMaLoUs]

Try to find the song 4.15 Bradford Executive, I think its on the Album called "SAND" by ALLAN HOLDSWORTH

[DeadAmaranth]

I hate to use the word "accessible" in the same context as Fred, but if he ever did release a quick-digestible solo-guitarist album in the vein of Satch, Vai or Howe, musicians all over the world would drop dead, because it would liquefy their brains. The man definitely stands in his own psychotic infini-hued sphere of creative mastery. Also seems so warm and affable for an extraterrestrial.

[choasboyfromtheabyss]

so fucking beautiful....

[fromthistexasbreath]

i love that this video is bringing together all the fusion/metal nerds, and lacks the negativity and ignorance that we all know is so rampant on youtube. thumbs up to all you guys!

[specialDFX]

@fromthistexasbreath aww, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

[12meor]

@specialDFX yeah man that negativity shit is everywhere, i love this music soooooo much, awesomely cerebral, perfect, beautiful, complex and mesmorizing!!!

[touchcoma]

@specialDFX sir that's a stroke from the thordendal awesomeness

[SoilentGr33n]

@fromthistexasbreath Anything related to Meshuggah will do that, that's why they are the best there is.

[goalnick]

@fromthistexasbreath i totally agree dude. must be the jazz element. whatever it is tho Im diggin the vibe and this incredible music.....anyone know the musicians involved in ths recording?

[specialDFX]

@goalnick pretty sure it's just Fredrik.

[Hammetallica92]

@goalnick the drummer is called Morgan Ågren. He's the one behind the drums on the sol niger within medley video

[marduk111]

@Hammetallica92

i thought fredrik programmed it in drumkit from hell

[maynardkeenan11]

@fromthistexasbreath so true i am a huge fusion fan and this is amazing stuff.

allan holdsworth and fredrik thordendal are two of the greatest musicians ever to live.

[Sidar654231]

@fromthistexasbreath

Wow, is this possible? Youtube's all-negative-all-the-time policy is being rudely ignored here! Positivity on youtube, man, tomorrow the sun is gonna fall down from the sky

[Tentacleed]

ha ha ha, his face looks exactly the same as Terry Gilliam's from the Spanish Inqusition Monty Python sketch XD

[gutxoo]

Impresionante!!

[44eelz]

he solos beautifully

[cisco9x]

Pure genius

[fatsuperfly]

yeah its kind of mind boggling when i hear him say he doesnt know music theory.i guess some people are just naturally gifted

[Caldera]

This just goes to show that you don't have to know music theory to be awesome like this, although it helps a lot if you want to know "how the clock ticks," if you will. But Thordendal is just amazing regardless.

[ScorpioX19]

trying to decide

[CORNinfestedP00]

Fredriks freakin awesome, but for some reason, after staring at that picture for a couple minutes it started to make me laugh uncontrollably...its oddly hypnotic

[ReActSound]

3:08-3:17 simply awesome. I'm having fun learning this one. Thanks Freddy for sharing. WE WANT MORE :)

[CkerCky]

fucking awesome mannn

[Hernru]

to add to that list, also try Animals as Leaders

[elarchenemy]

i listen to this everyday, 333 times

[Manbagdeluxe]

I'm pretty sure Thordendal ain't educated in theory. It's all just stuff he absorbed from listening to fusion. Also, he may be a great guitarist, but the true fusion guitarists will always be Holdsworth and Lane. No one comes close to those guys. I've always seen Thordendal as more of a budding fusion guitarist. But whatever, he's still amazing.

[LacerateSkiesGuitar]

He said in an interview he practices his scales but most of the inspiration comes from science fiction stuff and Holdsworth.

[Manbagdeluxe]

What is this and where did you get it? You must tell me! This definately isn't on Sol Niger. I know that album like the back of my hand.

[ScorpioX19]

@Manbagdeluxe It isn't? I thought it was for a sec.. Hav any other records besides that you'd recommend? pREFERABLY WITHOUT THE ANnoying keys.. :] Srry bout the caps lol

[GoCrazy6000]

don't make me tab it...

[TheMrChugger]

Fucking incredible! How?! Just how?! Do you set about writing this?!

[gibbsies]

lol isnt the ending of this the same as the ending of sublevels, just with less fucked up drums

[Niteblub]

yea, and i think its from an holdsworth tune to, i know iv heard it b4..

[specialDFX]

sol niger.

[MainstreamKills]

yup... just wanted to post the same

[JoeSlinkard]

If you like this try:

Allan Holdsworth (older)

Chimp Spanner

Defect Noises

Periphery (pre-vocals)

Bulb

Jazz/Metal FOREVER!

[specialDFX]

@JoeSlinkard exivious!

[onthevirg]

@specialDFX

ever hear Panzerballet? its a different kind of blend of jazz/metal, but still pretty cool.

[specialDFX]

@onthevirg awesome shit man!

[EraUntold]

@onthevirg check us out were heavily interested by Fredrik! we are called Era Untold check us out on m y s p a c e!

[LizardIIKing]

@onthevirg

Yes! Those dudes tear it up. I love their "Simpsons" inspired cover. Awesome stuff

[deadlyjrmint253]

@JoeSlinkard tesseract

[ATtTheGates]

@JoeSlinkard Also check out Animals as leaders, Exivious, Gordian Knot and every single thing Ron Jarzombek has done! (which includes exivious, gordian knot)

[ATtTheGates]

@JoeSlinkard Oh i didnt read the other comments, I see animals as Leadrs has already been mentioned, O.k check out Cloudkicker instead.

[crazytim1000]

@JoeSlinkard no check out peripherys demo with jake veredika. better guitar tone, and way better vocals.

[deusexvideos]

where did you find these? are they available to purchase anywhere?

[joenic2791]

DAMN cool indeed, one of the best live as well with Meshuggah. Anyone heard the solo album by Tosin Abasi? He calls himself Animals as Leaders, pretty awesome stuff

[specialDFX]

Yes AAL 's album is a masterpiece, also check out Chimpspanner :)

[joenic2791]

I will! thanks

[joenic2791]

I loved ChimpSpanner!! Great melodies and skill. Thanks for the referral friend

[elarchenemy]

one of the best guitar tones ever. perfection

[bicmed88]

Awesome

[zoso0987]

wow, it just clicked with me that Fredrik is really influenced by Allan Holdsworth

[locobeis]

it would be cool to listen this man and holdsworth on a fantastic jam

[jadedmastermind]

Now for a comment that actually makes sense: Thanks for posting this song. It's alot like Missing Time. Great to know Friedrik Thordendal wrote another song like it.

[22fret]

@jadedmastermind

to me, it's even better than missing time. this here is a true masterpiece. hopefully, he will do something like SNG, again.

[jadedmastermind]

Today, we're going to learn to make plutonium from common household items.

[UnrealNumina]

Excellent picture choice.

[bionicmemorykid]

Thats a great upload ! Where did you find this? Has anyone seen Fredrik on here? What a genuis. Rock-on bro!

[ofulm]

This is definately Special Defects. Listen to the 9:07 part. Heard it on Sol Niger Within, no?

[onthevirg]

Well, this track isn't on Sol Niger, but yeah, that riff is on Meshuggah's Sublevels and on Tathagata from Sol Niger Within. Fredrik must have been in love with that riff.