Testament’s Alex Skolnick Talks Different Schools of Guitar, Metal + Jazz Communities

Testament's Alex Skolnick is not just one of metal's premiere axemen, he's one of the world's best guitarists. After leaving the legendary Bay Area thrash icons, he pursued and eventually earned a BFA in jazz performance from the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. With a jazz trio of his own, simply dubbed the Alex Skolnick trio, his credits also include Metal Allegiance, two stints with Trans-Siberian Orchestra and more, Additionally, he's been back with Testament for more than a decade now.

Equally respected in any musical community he is a part of, Alex Skolnick has built up an impressive résumé over the decades. Heavy metal and jazz never seem to have much of a Venn diagram kind of overlap, which is what makes the guitarist's career of particular interest.

In this interview, we asked the legend about both musical camps, noting the similarities in the approach from metal and jazz guitarists, always seeking to work advanced playing into the styles. We also wanted to know what keeps him coming back to heavy metal and he even commented on the reaction he gets when his jazz contemporaries watch him play metal!

To see more of what Skolnick had to say about having a foot firmly dug into the metal and jazz worlds, watch the video above. For those who are itching to hear the six-stringer on the metal side of things, be on the lookout for Testament's new album, Brotherhood of the Snake, out Oct. 28.

See Where Alex Skolnick Ranks Among the Top 66 Hard Rock + Metal Guitarists of All Time

Alex Skolnick Plays 'Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?'