Biography Mick Barr

Mick Barr is an American avant-garde metal guitarist. His main projects are avant bands Orthrelm, Crom-Tech (disbanded), metal group Krallice, and solo projects Octis and Ocrilim. He also was a member of The Flying Luttenbachers. His style is characterized by awkward, loud and fast electric guitar "shredding", in which a main melodic line, or a harmonic progression, are completely absent.

Barr released a solo album under his own name: "Octis: Iohargh Wended", on Tzadik Records. Given this title and the music, it can be considered an Octis album. It features Barr's typical, technical guitar playing, of a similar heaviness to PsyOpus or Behold...The Arctopus, and a drum machine. Barr plays on the record by himself and also programs the drum machine. This is his first CD labeled under his name as far as can be seen.

The blurb on Tzadik's site says:

"One of the most extreme and virtuosic guitar players today creates compositions of repetitive and non-repetitive modular structures with speed, intensity and a profound inner logic. Included here are five breathtaking solo pieces and ten lightening fast pieces for guitar and drum machine that will make your head spin. Brilliantly combining the power of rock with a classical asceticism, this is unique and mysterious music from a masterful young musical experimentalist."

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