
High-octane instrumental shred that mashes industrial grit with lightning-fast bluegrass picking. It is horror-themed virtuosity for people who love technical precision.
John 5 creates a sonic world where the macabre meets the mechanical. His music is a relentless display of technical mastery, characterized by a razor-sharp guitar tone that cuts through dense, industrial-influenced rhythms. While the foundation is firmly rooted in heavy metal, there is a constant sense of restless curiosity that leads him into unexpected territories, from cinematic soundscapes to eerie, carnival-like melodies.
What truly sets him apart is the 'chicken pickin' technique usually reserved for country music, applied here with high-gain distortion and terrifying speed. He treats the guitar like a multi-functional tool, alternating between percussive slaps, fluid legato runs, and staccato banjo-style rolls. This juxtaposition of rural Americana techniques with a dark, Hollywood-horror aesthetic creates a listening experience that is both jarring and deeply impressive.
Newcomers should dive into 'God Told Me To' to hear the full breadth of his style, ranging from acoustic brilliance to crushing electric riffs. It is the perfect entry point for anyone who wants to hear a guitar pushed to its absolute physical limits without losing the sense of a dark, cohesive narrative.
John William Lowery (born July 31, 1970), known by the stage name John 5, is an American guitarist. He first took the stage name in 1998 when he left David Lee Roth's solo band and joined Marilyn Manson. Lowery later became the guitarist for Rob Zombie, and in 2022, became the touring guitarist for Mötley Crüe, being promoted to a full member the following year. He is also a solo artist, and has recorded eleven guitar albums: Vertigo (2004), Songs for Sanity (2005), The Devil Knows My Name (2007), Requiem (2008), The Art of Malice (2010), God Told Me To (2012), Careful With That Axe (2014), Season of the Witch (2017), Invasion (2019), Sinner (2021), and Ghost (2025). He also has a remix album, Remixploitation (2009), and live albums It's Alive (2018) and Live Invasion (2020). As a staff writer for Chrysalis Records, he has worked with artists such as Avril Lavigne, Rob Halford, k.d. lang, Garbage, Meat Loaf, Scorpions, Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, FeFe Dobson, and Steve Perry. He has written and recorded with Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. His stage name was given to him by Manson, and refers to both the Bible chapter and him being the fifth member of Manson's band.
Shares industrial metal, alternative metal, hard rock, intense (subgenre)
Shares industrial metal, alternative metal, hard rock, intense (subgenre)
Shares industrial metal, alternative metal, noise textured, maximalist (subgenre)
Shares industrial metal, alternative metal, maximalist, intense (subgenre)
Shares industrial metal, alternative metal, maximalist, intense (subgenre)
Shares industrial metal, alternative metal, hard rock, maximalist (subgenre)
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