Ron Jarzombek

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Ron Jarzombek is an American guitarist best known for his work with Austin, Texas progressive metal trailblazers WatchTower, '90s madcap trio, Spastic Ink, technical extreme metal band Blotted Science, featuring Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster and Obscura drummer Hannes Grossmann, and most recently Terrestrial Exiled, an all-star instrumental quartet, featuring Spastic Ink bassist Pete Perez and Obscura members Christian Muenzner and Hannes Grossmann.^[1]

Jarzombek has also guested with a number of artists ranging from fellow guitarists Marty Friedman and Jeff Loomis to death metal outfits Obscura and Odious Mortem, and collaborated with Cynic off-shoot Gordian Knot as well as Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler. He also teaches guitar in San Antonio, Texas.

Influence

Ron has been hailed as one of the most influential progressive metal guitarists and has been called "the Godfather of Technical Metal."^{[citation needed]} He has been cited as an influence by numerous players, particularly from the burgeoning technical death metal scene, most prominently Muhammed Suiçmez of Necrophagist.^[2] Ron is also featured in the 2009 book The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists by British author Joel McIver who calls Jarzombek "the most underrated axemonger ever”.^[3] Decibel Magazine remarked, "Ron Jarzombek should be a friggin’ legend by now"^[4] in its review of Blotted Science's The Machinations of Dementia.

Soundtrack work

Ron wrote several exclusive pieces for Atlanta, GA-based Morley Arts Productions, a small animation company. These include the intro to a proposed science fiction short film titled Magnatania and bits featured on the Morley Arts 2005 demo reel which starts off with 'See and It's Sharp' by Spastic Ink. Another unreleased piece utilized was the Vai-esque Martians Marchin', originally meant to be a 'soundtrack for' a lithograph called House of Stairs by M.C. Escher. In 2004, the animated 15-minute space mini-epic Time Ace, produced by Morley Arts and featuring two of Jarzombek's compositions, was awarded 'Best Animation' by a jury of film industry professionals in clickflick.tv's online film festival.

Family

Ron is the youngest of three musical brothers, Ralph, a keyboard player, and drummer Bobby Jarzombek, with whom he formed a short-lived project named Happy Kitties in the mid 1980's and collaborated with more extensively in Spastic Ink in the 1990s.

Equipment

Jarzombek plays custom-made guitars he builds himself, the reason being that "I am rather selective when it comes to guitars. For me, it's easier to build a guitar totally from scratch than to buy something off the shelf and customize it. The necks are taken off of guitars that I come across at local music stores."^[5]

Discography

Albums:

• (2011) Blotted Science - The Animation of Entomology (EclecticElectric)
• (2009) Ron Jarzombek (solo) - PHHHP! Plus (EclecticElectric)
• (2007) Blotted Science - The Machinations of Dementia (EclecticElectric; released by Marquee/Avalon in Japan in 2011)
• (2007) Marty Friedman - Exhibit A - Live In Europe (Avex Entertainment; released by Mascot Records in 2008)
• (2004) Spastic Ink - Ink Compatible (EclecticElectric / Marquee Avalon)
• (2002) Ron Jarzombek (solo) - Solitarily Speaking Of Theoretical Confinement (Mr. Kitty)
• (2002) WatchTower - Demonstrations in Chaos (archives release) (Monster Records)
• (1998) Gordian Knot - Gordian Knot (Sensory)
• (1998) Ron Jarzombek (solo) - PHHHP! (Mr. Kitty)
• (1997) Spastic Ink - Ink Complete (Dream Circle, re-released by EclecticElectric in 2000)
• (1989) WatchTower - Control And Resistance (Noise Records)
• (1988) S.A.Slayer - Go For The Throat (Under Den Linden)

Singles:

• (2011) Terrestrial Exiled - Duodecimal Levorotation (digital release)
• (2010) WatchTower - The Size of Matter (digital release)

Compilations & guest appearances:

• (2010) Ray Riendeau - Atmospheres (guest guitar solo on "A Search For Lifeforms") (Groove Theory Records)
• (2009) Obscura - Cosmogenesis (guest guitar solo on "Cosmogenesis") (Relapse Records)
• (2008) Jeff Loomis - Zero Order Phase (guest guitar solo on "Jato Unit") (Century Media)
• (2008) The Fractured Dimension - Towards the Mysterium (guest guitar solo on "Towards the Mysterium") (Independent)
• (2007) Odious Mortem - Cryptic Implosion (guest guitar solo on "Collapse Of Recreation") (Willowtip Records)
• (2006) Various Artists - Drum Nation Vol.3 (Magna Carta) w/ Chris Adler
• (2006) Loch Vostok - Destruction Time Again! (guest guitar solo on "Talk") (Escapi Music)
• (1999) Various Artists - A Tribute To Accept Vol.1 (Nuclear Blast) w/ WatchTower
• (1998) Various Artists - The Music Of Raymond Scott (Esotericity)
• (1996) Various Artists - 12 Years In Noise: Metal & Beyond [2-CD] (Noise Records) w/ WatchTower
• (1989) Various Artists - Doomsday News 2 (Noise Records) w/ WatchTower

Videos & DVDs:

• (2007) Marty Friedman - Exhibit B - Live In Japan (Avex Entertainment)
• (2006) Chris Adler / Jason Bittner - Live At Modern Drummer Festival 2005 (Hudson Music)+
• (2005) Bobby Jarzombek - Performance & Technique (Warner Bros. Publications)+
• (1990) Various Artists - Doomsday News - The Video Compilation Volume 2 (Noise Records) w/ WatchTower

+ NOTE: Ron is not seen but rather heard as the guitarist and co-writer of some of the music on these DVDs!

External links

• Ron Jarzombek website
• Ron Jarzombek YouTube channel
• Ron Jarzombek MySpace page
• Ron Jarzombek Facebook page
• 2010 interview with Ron Jarzombek on Prog Sphere

References