Virtuocity

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Virtuocity is a Finnish neo-classical metal band lead by guitarist Jaron Sebastian Raven, born as Jarno Keskinen, formerly of KenZiner.

[edit] History

Jaron Sebastian Raven started composing at the tender age of 9. His very first melody lines were put together with a flute his mother gave him for his ninth birthday. By the age of 10 he had already received his first electric guitar. Neither the flute nor the guitar were the child prodigy's first instrument, though. Jaron had been banging away on the drums ever since he was 5 years old, but when Jaron was 14, playing drums took a more serious nature.

He wrote and recorded songs with his 4-track tape recorder, taping the drum and guitar parts first. The compositions were gloomy and expressive heavy metal pieces, even more so for a 15-year old boy. At 18, Jaron recorded his first 4-song, 16-track EP master, on which he played drums, bass, guitars and keyboards.

Numerous years in between, Jaron finally found his band, under the moniker of Virtuocity. Virtuocity's debut album Secret Visions displays an array of melodic, classically inspired compositions and included performances from such famed musicians as Marco Hietala of Tarot and Jaska Raatikainen of Children of Bodom.

After the release of “Secret Visions” Virtuocity’s lineup went through major changes. Jaron Sebastian Raven (guitar) and Peter James Goodman (vocals) finally found players that met their standards and musical ambitions and so Joey Edith (drums), Michael Thomas (keyboard) and Tom Joens (bass) were added to the Virtuocity roster.

The second album Northern Twilight Symphony continues where last record ended, with strong melodic neo-classical metal and with new members the band is stronger than ever.

Some of the former members continued their musical work with Amberian Dawn.