Andy James

An English guitar virtuoso who runs his own six-string academy, Andy James has earned recognition for his scorching technique, instructional videos posted online, and a steady stream of original music both on his own and alongside the British heavy metal band Sacred Mother Tongue.

Drawing from an expansive list of inspirations that range from John Petrucci and Steve Vai to Lamb of God, Symphony X, and Greg Howe, James first gained experience in the early 2000s playing with the Northampton-based group Sacred Mother Tongue, whose sound moved from melodic death metal into heavy metal and hard rock. The band delivered two studio albums—The Ruin of Man in 2009 and Out of the Darkness in 2013—along with the 2012 EP A Light Shines before disbanding that same year. While still active with Sacred Mother Tongue, James launched his solo instrumental career with the 2007 release In the Wake of Chaos. The recording spotlighted his advanced lead playing and prompted him to found the Andy James Guitar Academy; later projects such as Machine (2009), Andy James (2011), Exodus (2017), and Arrival (2018), together with the introduction of his signature ESP model, the LTD AJ-1, cemented his standing among the era’s leading shredders.