Metal/Speed Solos: Annoying?

To me, in prog metal, all i hear is people playing overly fast guitar solos with the same 32nd and 64th note rhythms the entire time. That was certainly a by-product of 80's shred.  I don't not like them (i actually love a great speed solo (see John Petrucci), it's just that they are so repetitive that i can't tell them apart. That's why people like C.C. DeVille were hated on so much in the 80's.  Shred is fine; just inject some emotion into the playing.  I just wish that guitarists would incorperate more chops and rhythms into their solos like they used to (Yes, Rush, Zappa, King Crimson) and then maybe throw in a few speed solos. Has Alex Lifeson EVER done a speed solo?  That I recall...no, and I've owned, listened to and enjoyed (almost) every one of them.  He told GUITAR WORLD that he considers himself more of a rhythm player than anything else.  To me, skill isn't how fast you can play.  True, to a point.  With certain types of music (doesn't all have to be rock), though, you NEED some speed to navigate not only chord changes, but string-skipping and things like that.  Even blues guitarists like Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughan were pretty speedy, but no one would DARE to say they were "shredders" or that they "lacked emotion".

Just a thought.

Some awesome, some awful. Depends on which band!

walrus333 wrote: If used sparingly it can be great; however if you are say Yngwie Malmsteen who feels the need to play at 200 miles per hour every second, it can grow old fast.

Funny...Yngwie claims to be influenced by Richie Blackmore...if that's the case, why can't he frickin'  slow down once in a while?  I heard something by his band called "Alcatrazz" one time (my ex b/f swore by him...figures), and, me being a shred fan (Satch, Vai, Petrucci, Van Halen, etc.) I thought I'd like it.  Within 15 seconds I was reaching for the nearest bucket.

I love 'em.

I've really never understood the fuss about it all though. Personally I wouldn't call it showing off or anything as it's a music genre within itself. Take me for example, I like to shred. Am I trying to show off? No. I love shred! From a young age I was influenced by bands like Megadeth, Metallica, Slayer and Iron Maiden. Fast solos have always been a part of my music.

Sometimes I listen to classical. That's nice for calm, relaxing, mellowing out music. Shred is the exacty opposite. I think the whole "there is no passion" is bullsh*t, as all shred guitarists had to practice a lot to get where they are. I practice on average of about six hours a day and I'm still learning.