Jason Becker - Perpetual Burn
Perpetual Burn was the first solo album by guitarist Jason Becker.
9/21/20241 min read
Jason Becker, a popular metal musician, has set a precedent for many a guitarist with his discipline and infallible grit in the face of life-altering adversity. Growing up, he practiced several hours each day, emulating his idols’ guitar techniques note for note. Soon, he was playing with guitar virtuoso Marty Friedman (best known for his Megadeth tenure), and released a solo album shortly after. But as luck would have it, he was later diagnosed with ALS, a degenerative disease that acutely impaired his ability to walk, talk, or even breathe. However, he has trumped all physical impediments with tenacity alone, and found alternative ways to create music to this day.
His first solo album Perpetual Burn, released when he was just 19, bespeaks a bold and vigorous attitude while also displaying intimate feeling. Becker employs compositional devices of Classical and Baroque-era artists like Bach and Paganini in order to enhance expressiveness. The youthful vigour that the music exudes is courtesy of the Malmsteen and Van Halen-inspired shredding. Indeed, this is a fast, over-the-top shredfest of an album that is a good place to start for those new to neoclassical shred. According to me, the most poignant song on the album is Air. While Becker says that he was inspired by Mozart’s pieces, he agrees that the song is more of a display of Bach-like counterpoint. Another memorable track is Mabel’s Fatal Fabe, which embodies the volatility and lightning speed of Paganini’s capriccios.
In conclusion, this is a classic shred album that oozes both showy extravagance and virtuosity, emotion, and compositional brilliance. The nimble guitar playing is a performance that conveys feelings, joys, sorrows, celebrations, and passions. Becker’s moving life story adds to his music’s mystique.