Shrapnel Records
Truly the home of the guitar hero, Shrapnel Records was founded
in the early eighties by guitar enthusiast Mike Varney, with the
initial goal of putting out recordings by up-and-coming virtuosos.
The
US Metal compilations (four in all) got the ball rolling with
appearances by bands such as
Wild Dogs,
Exciter,
and
The Rods,
and soon the label was releasing quality works such as
Steeler
(one of
Yngwie Malmsteen's
earliest bands),
Culprit,
Griffin,
and others.
As the label grew, the focus shifted slightly from proper bands
to solo artists, with major players such as Marty Friedman,
Joey Tafolla, Vinnie Moore, Greg Howe, and many others releasing
solo albums on the label.
In recent years the label has expanded to include fusion works and
other interests outside the metal world.
Shrapnel albums featured on these pages:
