Jeff Loomis

Jeff Loomis (born September 14, 1971) is an American musician, best known for his role as lead guitarist in the progressive metal band Nevermore as well as brief tenures in its precursor, Sanctuary. In 2014, he joined Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, and in 2021 he joined Graham Bonnet's Alcatrazz as well. He left Arch Enemy in 2023. As a solo artist he has released two albums and one EP.

Biography

Early days

Loomis got his first instrument at nine or ten years old but did not start practicing seriously until around the age of 15. As a teenager in Wisconsin he played in a handful of cover bands and three death metal bands before joining more established bands. At the age of 16, Loomis won Wisconsin's Guitar Wars contest.

He auditioned for Megadeth (during the So Far, So Good...So What! era) at the age of 16 after their lead guitarist Jeff Young was fired from the band. After they played a few songs together, Dave Mustaine, the band's frontman and other lead guitarist, thanked Loomis and told him that one day he would become a great guitar player but because of his age he was not right for the position. It was released September 30 via Century Media Records. It features guest solos from Ron Jarzombek, Pat O'Brien, and bassist Michael Manring. During this time Dave Mustaine of Megadeth invited Loomis to join as the lead guitarist, but he declined the offer to work on his solo record.

In 2010, he played a guest guitar solo on Keith Merrow's album Awaken the Stone King, released on January 1, 2011. He also played another guest solo in the song "Racecar" on Periphery's self-titled debut album.

On April 10, 2012, Loomis released his second solo album Plains of Oblivion through Century Media Records. Marty Friedman, Tony MacAlpine and Chris Poland performed guest solos on the record.

In summer 2012, Loomis embarked on a North American tour with The Contortionist, Chimp Spanner, and 7 Horns 7 Eyes.

thumb|Loomis supporting [[Soilwork in 2013]]

In 2013, Loomis started touring with melodic death metal band Soilwork.

It was announced in July 2013, that Loomis would be teaming up with Keith Merrow, Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse, and Alex Rüdinger of The Faceless to record an instrumental album titled Conquering Dystopia, the recording of which will be funded by donations.

On November 17, 2014, Loomis was announced as the new guitarist of melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, replacing Nick Cordle. His first show with them was on November 26 in Lyon, France, when War Eternal European tour kicked off.

In 2017, Arch Enemy vocalist Alissa White-Gluz announced she was collaborating with Loomis for her upcoming solo record.

In January 2019, Loomis said he had been working on material for an upcoming third solo album.

In June 2021, Graham Bonnet released a statement on Facebook that Loomis had joined Graham Bonnet's Alcatrazz.

On December 30, 2023, Arch Enemy made a post on their Instagram account, stating that they had amicably parted ways with Loomis.

Nevermore re-formation (2024–present)

In December 2024, Loomis and Van Williams stated that they planned to re-form Nevermore. In February 2026, they announced the new lineup, with themselves alongside guitarist Jack Cattoi, bassist Semir Özerkan, and vocalist Berzan Önen.

Instructional and voice work

thumb|right|Loomis performing with [[Arch Enemy at Rock am Ring in 2019]]

Loomis had a monthly column in Guitar World magazine titled "Merchant of Menace", where he explained how to play the riffs and solos of Nevermore. In more recent columns, his former co-guitarist in Nevermore, Steve Smyth has co-written the column, which is dubbed "The Merchants of Menace". He has also been featured in Young Guitar Magazine, showing guitarists how to play and explain his style and signature guitar in Nevermore.

In 2006, he provided the voice of Murderface's father in Metalocalypse on Adult Swim.

In 2009, Guitar World released Loomis's first instructional video.

Slated for a late 2010 release, Loomis has recorded a two-part instructional DVD series with RockHouseMethod. Recording took place late fall of 2009.

Musical style and influences

Guitarists whose style influenced Loomis are Yngwie Malmsteen, Marty Friedman, Jason Becker, Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads and Brian May.

Equipment

Loomis plays various Schecter seven (and occasionally six) string guitars, including the Jeff Loomis C7 FR Signature Model with EMG 707 pickups and a Floyd Rose tremolo. Loomis can also been seen on YouTube playing an electro acoustic LAG Tramontane T100 ASCEBLK.

In January 2014, Schecter announced that the Loomis series had undergone a redesign. They now feature EMG 57-7H and 66-7H active-housed pickups, all-black hardware, a thinner body with a deeper archop, a thinner, un-tinted neck, repositioned volume and toggle controls, stainless steel frets, and the options of either a Hipshot hard-tail bridge (JL-7), instead of the previous TonePros Tune-O-Matic bridge, or a Floyd Rose floating bridge (JL-7FR). The neck was also repositioned for better upper-fret access. It is available in either vampyre red satin or gloss black. and for case on JLFR7 use Schecters SGR1C hard shell case. In 2016, the guitars began featuring Loomis's signature Seymour Duncan active pickups.

As of March 2018 Loomis has left Schecter stating more freedom to play other guitars in his collection, notably Les Pauls and Strats.

In December 2018, he became a Jackson endorsed artist and is under development of a signature model to be released in January 2019.

Loomis uses Ernie Ball strings. His current gauge 9-46+62 in B♭ tuning, he used to use a heavier 10–52 (skinny top, heavy bottom) + 70 gauge along with Dunlop Tortex 1.5 mm Sharp picks. For amplification he is currently using the Line6 Helix rack with Seymour Duncan PowerStage 700.

Effects pedals

Maxon 808
MXR Stereo Chorus
Way Huge Electronics Green Rhino Mk II
Morley Dragon Wah
Horizon Devices: Precision Drive

Recording gear

ENGL Amps – Engl Savage 120 head. Also E670.
Digidesign 002 Rack Pro Tools unit
Korg Padkontrol
Apple Macbook Pro
Apogee Quartet interface
Two Notes Torpedo Studio (load box and amp interface)
Event Opal Studio Monitors
Kemper Profiler

Discography

Nevermore

Nevermore (1995)
In Memory (EP, 1996)
The Politics of Ecstasy (1996)
Dreaming Neon Black (1999)
Dead Heart in a Dead World (2000)
Enemies of Reality (2003, remixed in 2005)
This Godless Endeavor (2005)
The Year of the Voyager (2008)
The Obsidian Conspiracy (2010)

Arch Enemy

Stolen Life (EP, 2015)
As The Stages Burn! (2017)
Will to Power (2017)
Deceivers (2022)

Solo

Zero Order Phase (2008)
Plains of Oblivion (2012)
Requiem for the Living (EP, 2013)

Conquering Dystopia

Conquering Dystopia (2014)

Guest appearances

Rorschach Test – Peace Minus One (2000)
God Forbid – Gone Forever (2004)
Pamela Moore – Stories from a Blue Room (2006)
Annihilator – Metal (2007)
Warrel Dane – Praises to the War Machine (2008)
Marty Friedman – Future Addict (2008)
Switchblade – Invictus Infinitum (2009)
Tim "Ripper" Owens – Play My Game (2009)
Periphery – Periphery (2010)
Pale Gray Sky – Everything for Nothing (2010)
Keith Merrow – Heart of the Sea Nymph (2011)
Glen Drover – Metalusion, (2011)
Single Bullet Theory – IV, (2011)
Keith Merrow – Spice-Dealer (2012)
Stéphan Forté – The Shadows Compendium (2011)
7 Horns 7 Eyes – Throes of Absolution (2012)
Leander – Szívidomár (2012)
Ihsahn – Eremita (2012)
Tuff – What Comes Around Goes Around Again (2012)
David Maxim Micic – Bilo 3.0 (2013)
Hannes Grossmann – The Radial Covenant (2014)
Helstar – This Wicked Nest (2014)
Tony MacAlpine – Concrete Gardens (2015)
Abnornmal Thought Patterns – Altered States of Consciousness (2015)
Jason Richardson – I (2016)
Rob Scallon – The Scene Is Dead (2017)
Scale the Summit - "In a World of Fear" (2017)
Lady Catman - Eyes Wide Open(2018)
Jason Becker - Triumphant Hearts (2018)
Silver Talon - Battle Angels (2018)
Andy Gillion - Skyless (2019)
Michael Sweet - Ten (2019)
Amaranthe - Do or Die (2020)
Binary Code - Memento Mori (2020)
Ola Englund - Starzinger (2021)
Alissa - TBA (2021)
The Home Team - Slow Bloom (2021)
Graham Bonnet Band - Day Out in Nowhere (2022)
Kvaen - The Great Below (2022)
Joey Concepcion - Divine Technical Machine (2023)