Nita Strauss

Sure, American guitarist and all-round bloody goddess Nita Strauss is the current touring guitarist for the equally godlike Alice Cooper; but it’s the cosmically colossal noise she brings of her own volition that makes Strauss one of the hottest shredders around today.

Her career has been shaped by her ensemble work, most notably with all-girl tribute band The Iron Maidens. But add to that her performances with current band Consume The Fire and previous projects like hard-rock outfits Femme Fatale and We Start Wars, and you’ve got an incredibly admirable musician who has truly earned her nickname of Hurricane Nita.

She grinds and she growls, her storming riffs creating an absolute animal when coupled with some rabid drumming. Her fingers, with an acute precision and boisterous sound, dance on the neck of a fretboard like ants at a picnic. Strauss made history last year when she was made the first female Ibanez signature artist. She entered the arena with the JIVA10, boasting a mahogany body and bolt-on maple Wizard neck with an ebony fretboard, putting Strauss in the company of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Paul Gilbert, to name just a few.

Strauss is a hard rockin’ staple, that much is clear. Does she need a spotlight? Not really – you already know her, but her work is epic and worthy of a mention at each and every opportunity. We know Strauss packs a punch, and we’re pretty damn certain her creative river won’t run dry any time soon.