When you first see SOPHIE LLOYD, you see the “girl next door”, ok the incredibly HOT “girl next door”, but she is so much more than a pretty face, she is an unbelievably talented, masterful shedder. Sophie graduated with honors from the prestigious BIMM Music Institute in the United Kingdom for starters and has not looked back. She started a YouTube channel when she was just seventeen and has amassed over 2.5 million followers. With her roots in classic metal but blending her own style and expression she developed her unique style of playing and composing. Sophie recently toured with MACHINE GUN KELLY as lead guitarist and has just self- released her second album “Imposter Syndrome” on October 21, 2023 loaded with amazing guest vocal talents that fuse together and create a paradisiacal hard-hitting album that hits home on all levels. Sophie explains her path into music from her website home page: (www.sophieguitar.com) “I started playing guitar when I was around ten years old listening to LED ZEPPELIN in the car with my dad, I was a bit of an outcast, but it gave me an escape from reality and helped me overcome my anxieties and really gave me a sense of fulfillment” thank goodness she picked up a guitar instead of a barbie.

Opening with “Do or Die” featuring vocalist Nathan James (INGLORIOUS) wastes no time in setting the tone with lighting fast riffs and licks paving the way for the heavenly voice of James that delivers a true rocking explosion fueled by the bludgeoning axe work of Sophie’s magic fingers. I had a preconceived idea of what to expect on this album being familiar with her YouTube channel and her debut album “Shred Volume 1” , but already I’m blown away. On to “Pressure” featuring Brandon Saller (ATREYU) brings in a more turned down attitude with deeper vocals and more grinding guitar chops but continues the metal assault. I go into the title track “Imposter Syndrome” giddy like the first time at a strip club not quite knowing what to expect but knowing I’m gonna love it and love it I do because the song features one of my absolute favorite musicians, the woman fantasies are made of, Lzzy Hale (HALESTROM), providing her own special impassioned vocal delivery over a melodic, sensual song mixed beautifully with an ardent guitar backdrop, a very heartfelt song. “Fall of Man” featuring Matthew K. Heafy (TRIVIUM) strays off into the heaviest song so far with gruff vocals and tuned down guitar licks giving a meaty, dirty sound with a dash of Thrash metal tossed in to keeps us on our toes. The only instrumental track on the album “Lost” featuring Cole Rolland lets loose with a simmering barrage of a dual guitar battle where the winner is us, the listener. I must admit I did not know anything about the next vocalist on “Hanging on” featuring Lauren Babic, but after listening to and falling in love with her powerful vocal delivery on this kick-ass song and how she meshed with the intense guitar playing of Sophie to becoming one bad-ass musical machine. We end this masterful album on as strong a note as possible with “Judge and Jury” featuring Tyler Connolly of THEORY OF A DEADMAN with a magical onslaught of downright pulsating guitar licks gelling effortlessly with impeccable vocal stylings creating a tasty rocking song.

I fell in love with SOPHIE LLOYD and her playing the very first time I saw her YouTube video channel. Her effortless style is mesmerizing and her left hand moves like a spider on the fretboard with finger numbing sparks shooting off. I could not have been more excited when she decided to record an album with vocals on “Imposter Syndrome” because it showcased her talents even more and each singer provided a beautifully contrasting feel and sound to help deliver one helluva rocking good time album on all levels.