SHRED WITH THE ABSENCE

While keeping fans on the line for the follow-up to 2007’s ridiculously underrated Riders of the Plague, The Absence are throwing fans a bone by teaming up with Ultimate-Guitar.com to offer one would-be shredder the opportunity to have a guest solo on the band’s new record. Entrants can download a rhythm guitar track from the contest page, add their shred over top of it, then submit it to the band as a YouTube video via Ultimate-Guitar.com. The winner gets “a chance” to have the solo included on the new record (which we’re guessing is just an insurance policy in case all the entries suck), and a slew of runners-up will receive an autographed CD, t-shirt, stickers and “other,” whatever that means.

The 15-year-old version of Vince Neilstein just got a giant boner; what a cool thing for the band to do. I wish the Intrawebs were around when I was a kid! Instead I had to settle for listening to 1984 and No More Tears on repeat whilst posing in front of the mirror and pretending to be EVH / Zakk Wylde. I had a helluva Zakk Wylde impression though; you shoulda seen it.

Check out The Absence on MySpace.

-VN