You'll notice we spent more time on this final group of eight than the other songs, simply because they were a lot harder. Despite the increased difficultly, however (or maybe even because if it), I actually enjoyed these songs more, which include a number of classic instrumentals. Sadly, I didn't like the finale - Freebird is just too long for my taste.
Jessica (Allman Brothers)
Best Score: 4/5 stars, 93%, 172199 (1135/1210 notes hit)
You may not recognize the name of this classic country-rock instrumental, but you'll recognize the main riff the second you hear it. The verses aren't too tough, but there's a marathon solo that will have you stretching over all five keys for a few minutes before kicking back into the verses. Warm up those fingers!
Madhouse (Anthrax)
Best Score: 5/5 stars, 95%, 300351 (1007/1053 notes hit)
I loved Anthrax growing up, and could probably play this song for hours without getting tired of it. The main riff, the verses, the solo -- they're everything that makes Guitar Hero great. It's not easy, but it's one of the most addictive songs in our preview, and I couldn't put it down until I hit 5/5 stars.
Laid to Rest (Lamb of God)
Best Score: 4/5 stars, 93%, 194714 (1183/1268 notes hit)
Dear Harmonix: Can you add the ability to mute vocals? The crunching guitar riffs from this thrash/heavy metal track are perfect for Guitar Hero, but the angry, growling vocals may be a turnoff to some people. I think I'd actually have more fun playing this as an instrumental. (It's possible, by the way, to lower the entire band in relation to the guitar, but not isolated instruments like the vocals.)
Psychobilly Freakout (Reverend Horton Heat)
Best Score: 3/5 stars, 86%, 102286 (617/717 notes hit)
Make sure your fingers are warmed up before attempting this high-octane rockabilly fret-burner. It's a short song, but filled with tons of fast, complicated licks and chord progressions, making it only one of two songs in our preview I couldn't do better than 3 stars.
YYZ (Rush)
Best Score: 5/5 stars, 97%, 181301 (927/954 notes hit)
If you've never heard Rush's progressive-rock instrumental before, the weird time signatures and various fills might seem a little daunting, especially on Expert. But for anyone who grew up as a fan of the Canadian trio, the inclusion of YYZ is like a dream come true, and getting to take on Geddy Lee's bass line in co-op is a fantastic bonus. This was one of my favorite songs so far, and I found myself playing it over and over until I hit the 5-star mark.
Beast and the Harlot (Avenged Sevenfold)
Best Score: 4/5 stars, 92%, 252259 (1560/1638 notes hit)
I'd never heard this song before, but I suspect this breakneck metal track will become an instant favorite among Guitar Hero II diehards; it might even be this game's Bark at the Moon. It's got a lightning-fast rhythm section for the verses, a chorus that requires some nimble fretwork across all five buttons, and lots of other interesting sections that will undoubtedly encourage lots of replays.
Misirlou (Dick Dale)
Best Score: 3/5 stars, 91%, 132975 (1120/1222 notes hit)
For the life of me, I have no idea how I managed to get through Dick Dale's classic surf-rock instrumental, easily recognized from its inclusion in Pulp Fiction. It's filled with endless runs of sixteenth notes, which are terrifying just to look at, let alone play. My wrist actually began to hurt after a few attempts, causing me to take a little break; if you can master this tune, you'll have people wondering if you're actually one of those cyborgs from Battlestar Galactica.
Freebird (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Best Score: 4/5 stars, 83%, 249487 (1655/1982 notes hit)
After having so much fun to this point, it was kind of a downer to end things on this marathon -- the first few minutes are fairly boring, where you're just biding time until you get to the extended solos at the end. (I couldn't even force myself to play it more than once.) The real value of this song will undoubtedly be in competitive multiplayer matches, where players will spend the early parts of the song trying to build a lead, then try to out-solo each other to the finish.
That's it for now, but there's more to come in the next few weeks, so check back for our review of Guitar Hero II to see how it all turns out.
