The Guitar Player's Resource
Rick Renstrom is the guitar world's newest hope for a guitar hero. Future Intense is the title of the latest CD-R project from the Florida shredder, featuring seven blistering instrumentals in the style of Yngwie Malmsteen, Joe Stump and Chris Impelliteri. Not as blindingly fast as Stump, but not as repetitive as Malmsteen, Renstrom manages to carve out his own niche in the neo-classical metal arena, delivering the goods with control, fury, and passionate fire. The guitarist also credits Andy La Rocque, Ronni Le Tekro, Ritchie Blackmore, Uli Jon Roth, Jimi Hendrix and Al Di Meola as influences, drawing on their collective strengths, and adding his own stamp of virtuosity to the metallic mix. Future Intense is likely to lead to full album projects in the very near future.
At the age of fifteen, after seeing Yngwie Malmsteen on a TV special, Rick decided to start playing guitar. By the time he was sixteen, he was attending the University of Akron majoring in music, playing with his band, Shattered Innocence, three nights a week--all while still attending high school. Rick studied classical guitar, jazz guitar, theory, composition and overall musicianship. He also played in other bands during this period: China Blue, Bastille, Metal Wolf and Wicked Ways. Rick's current endeavors include a full length solo album accompanied by a symphony orchestra, and an autobiography. The shredder also won the "Best Lead Guitarist" at the 1996 CFMA Awards, and in 1998 won the MARS Music Guitar challenge.
Renstrom also has a new metal project in the works, tentatively called Monaco RR. Seventeen songs have been written, and Renstrom will be entering the studio to record a three-song demo. He also has recently joined a studio/touring project called U.S. Challenge.
Rick Renstrom
P.O. Box 162492
Altamonte Springs, FL 32716-2492
United States
Web site: www.truemetal.org/rickrenstrom/