“I’m seeing players compose something crazy-hard and pretend they can play it when they can’t. It’s dishonest”: How Hedras became one of today’s leading virtuosos by fusing shred smarts and boomer sensibilities

Hedras.

Guatemalan virtuoso Hedras’ latest solo album Front Line is a heart-on-sleeve work where his two distinct disciplines – angular progressive metal and free-flowing jazz – meet. Facing the realities of being a modern musician, he admits it was a struggle to stay motivated when he has bills to pay.

“You’re trying to push hard on your instrument but you’re busy every night playing gigs,” he says. “I found the secret is just to grab the guitar and start playing. Something will happen. If you’re lazy and don’t grab the guitar, you’ll be a victim.”