YouTuber. If there was ever a word with the ability to separate people into two distinct age groups in less than a second, then this is the one. It’s a term that didn’t even exist twenty years ago, yet for some, it’s just another word used without a second thought. But for others, it’s the grating sound of hyperactive internet personalities desperately trying to keep the attention of their trend-obsessed subscribers by constantly shouting, screaming, waving their arms about and overreacting wildly to literally everything.
There are, of course, many different types of YouTubers, and over the last ten years or so, the rise of the bedroom musician has been an intriguing phenomenon to behold. Kids and teenagers with no apparent desire to reach end-of-level final bosses or go outside and interact with other people are far more interested in learning about 100mph pull-offs, hammer-ons, and whammy bar gymnastics and then showcasing their talents to the world.
One such person is Sophie Lloyd. By sharing her shredding abilities on YouTube from her home in London, Lloyd created her own channel in 2011. She became an instant hit among enthusiastic young musicians and metalheads everywhere, performing songs and solos from the likes of Black Veil Brides and Avenged Sevenfold. Currently plying her trade on tour with Machine Gun Kelly, the guitar sensation recently collaborated with a number of well known rock and metal musicians for her full length debut album, Imposter Syndrome (Autumn Records).
Featuring Nathan James of UK rockers, Inglorious, “Do Or Die” is a high octane opener with a big chorus, bigger riffs, and as you would expect, a sensational guitar solo. Brandon Saller Of Atreyu guests on the downbeat but punchy “Pressure” while Lzzy Hale lends her vocal talents to the magnificently moody “Imposter Syndrome”.
“Let It Hurt” sounds exactly what you would expect from a song which boasts Chris Robertson of Black Stone Cherry while eighties glam metal throwback “Runaway” features Michael Starr of Steel Panther on vocals with Lloyd herself throwing in some extremely tasty Eddie Van Halen style licks. Hitting a more grungy tone, Matthew Heafy of Trivium helps make “Fall Of Man” sound like Alice in Chains with a more uplifting chorus as he roars and sings over a Mastodon meets Deftones style riff.
A brooding instrumental with some tremendous twin guitar harmonies, “Lost” features Canadian Youtuber/guitarist Cole Rolland before another Canadian singer-songwriter, Lauren Babic, appears on “Hanging On”, a sleazy riff-driven beast with a strong chorus that could only be improved with more cowbell. “Avalanche” with Trevor McNevan of Thousand Foot Krutch doesn’t land too far from Nickelback arena rock territory but it’s an absolute belter.
Another standout cut, the stomping “Won’t You Come” features a fantastic vocal performance from Marisa Rodriguez of UK grunge/alt act Marisa and the Moths before “Judge And Jury” with Theory of a Deadman frontman Tyler Connolly closes the album with a Queens of the Stone Age style bang.
Punky Misfits rhythms with solos in the style of players like Eddie Van Halen and Joe Bonnamassa, Imposter Syndrome plays to the strength of each guest star while Lloyd puts her own unique stamp on each song, every solo adding to the song while always knowing just how long to stay around. An extremely promising debut indeed.
Buy the album here:
https://shop.sophieguitar.com/
8 / 10
GARY ALCOCK