Let´s face it, most of the music we love is now of underground status so by definition many of the performers are unsung, underrated and underrecognised. However among the most criminally underrated include many guitarists on the shred scene. Even Malmsteen, the best known name, deserves more recognition than he gets. Other unsung heroes include Magnitude 9 (Rob Johnson´s band showcase, progressive metal with amazing guitar), Ten (need more exposure), and my latest rave Sonata Arctica, an incredible bunch of Finnish musicians in their late teens/early twenties who write fantastic symphonic melodic metal songs in the Stratovarius/Malmsteen vein. SA´s "Ecliptica" is my favourite album of 2000 so far.