Iron Axxis Premiere Their Guitar-Duel-Heavy “Way of the Warrior” Music Video

It’s like Guitar Hero, with real guitars, and on the beach, in Iron Axxis’ brand new music video for “Way of the Warrior.” This is a guitar dual for the ages, which sees longtime friends Anupam Shobhakar and Phil Duke bringing out the best in each other.

Words don’t feel necessary when you’re playing on the level that this duo is playing on here. It’s not hard to notice the influence of the great Joe Satriani in the spirit and vibe of the song. The way Shobhakar and Duke play off each other is really quite special. It emphasizes the chemistry and musical bond that they have formed as collaborators, working together on many recording projects in the past.

Commenting on the single and video, the band collectively states:

“‘Way of the Warrior’ was filmed off the Pacific coast in Malibu, CA as a nod to Eddie Van Halen, where he built his 5150 studio and ultimately where his ashes were scattered. The music video portrays us perched upon a Malibu cliff overlooking crashing waves and a sunset, in addition to behind the scenes footage of Iron Axxis recording in the studio for an intimate experience.”

“Way of the Warrior” is a sign of things to come on Iron Axis’ new 2286 EP. Due out early in the new year, the album will be a fiesta of their progressive approach to guitar-centric songwriting. Shobhakar and Duke initially bonded over their love of the nuances and technicalities of metal. They previously played together in Book of Harmony, but it wasn’t until early last year that they began to develop Iron Axxis. Working together in the studio, their styles quickly gelled together. That’s not at all surprising, considering the pair’s affection for guitar virtuosos of the classic rock era. But they also bonded over their love of modern metal. Mix it all together, and you get a more post-modern approach to guitar-driven rock.

It can’t be understated the impact that Eddie Van Halen had on the recording of the 2286 EP. Van Halen did many things with the electric guitar that no one had ever done before. That impact can be felt throughout the EP. It is that varied, thundering style that really got Shobhakar and Duke excited about doing a guitar-focused project.

As something of an ode to Van Halen, the “Way of the Warrior” video was shot in Malibu, California. That’s where he built his 5150 studio and where his ashes were scattered after his passing. Based on Iron Axxis’ impressive output here, we’d have to say that Eddie would be proud and honoured by what he would hear.

Iron Axxis “Way of the Warrior” single artwork