If you keep an ear to the ground of the UK power metal scene, you might already be familiar with Constantine Kanakis. Best known for his six-string duties with Sorceress of Sin, he’s been tearing it up on stages across the country, including a slot on the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock back in 2021. While the band recently dropped their 2024 album Ennea, Kanakis has also been busy carving out a path as a solo artist.
He has just released a new instrumental single titled “Solitude”, following up on his previous release “Ground Zero”. If you are a fan of the old-school Shrapnel Records era – think the golden age of shred where technicality met melody – then this is likely going to be right up your street. The track wears its influences on its sleeve, tipping the hat to the precision of Vinnie Moore and the neoclassical flair of Jason Becker, but there’s a bit of Jeff Loomis-style power in there too to keep things heavy.
Instrumental guitar music can sometimes fall into the trap of being “notes for the sake of notes”, but Kanakis seems keen to avoid that. “Solitude” focuses on emotional resonance as much as it does on fretboard gymnastics. It’s a reminder that the guitar is an expressive tool, not just a machine gun.
It’s always good to see UK musicians stepping out and doing their own thing alongside their main bands. If you fancy a bit of neoclassical shred to cleanse the palette, check out the visualizer below or stream it from the usual places.
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Header image by M Freeman Photography
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