Photo via Facebook / Gunderslam
If you’ve ever played a video game, there’s a good chance that a piece of its soundtrack has stuck with you for long after you’ve put down the controller. Listening to those songs is often a trip down memory lane, but what if you could revisit those worlds instead via soaring, distorted guitar leads layered over thunderous rhythm sections?
That’s the nature of Gunderslam, a Milwaukee musician that transcribes popular video game tunes into the world of heavy metal. And it’s all instrumental—fingers and fretboards take the spotlight in this show.
Patrick Gunderson, the face behind Gunderslam, is better known around the Milwaukee music scene as the lead guitarist for H1Z1, a metal band that’s been making the rounds in the city since 2010. But with the pandemic preventing the band from safely playing shows, Gunderson has had more time to focus on his video-game-fueled alter-ego.
It all started with a Legend of Zelda cover in 2014—a throwback to one of Gunderson’s favorite games of all time, and one that taught him music appreciation at a young age. Since that debut video, he’s put out covers of popular titles like Doom and Sonic the Hedgehog, with some videos garnering up to almost 2000 views.
Gunderslam’s most recent project is an eight-track ode to Hollowknight, a hugely successful indie title released in 2017. The album, put out in 2020 and titled Silk & Steel, will transport listeners back to pivotal experiences within the game -- like the time they narrowly defeated a boss monster or the first time they entered a new unfamiliar area. Even for those who haven’t played the game, the songs are pieces of an exciting and evocative heavy metal experience that will leave you feeling like you’ve just returned home from a harrowing adventure.
To promote his music, Gunderslam utilizes a Youtube channel, where he performs the songs live with segments of gameplay spliced into videos of him playing the guitar. He has also given behind-the-scenes looks on how he creates unique sounds. In one such video, Gunderslam demonstrates how he spins a fidget spinner near a bass guitar’s pickups to create a gutteral, cavernous noise.
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Now, Gunderson is getting back into the groove of practicing with his band H1Z1, but he has plenty more video game covers on the way. To stay up to date with these, subscribe to Gunderslam’s Youtube page. Gunderslam will be featured on a compilation album called Archstones, a tribute to the video game Demon's Souls, and that album comes out on Friday, Feb. 26 and is available on digital streaming platforms.
