Holy Diver is a song written by Dio in 1982 about a Christ-like figure sacrificing himself to save humanity from evil, told through a fantasy-inspired story. Killswitch Engage covered the song in 2007, which I only recently realized because it doesn't sound like the kind of song I would expect them to write. Personally, I enjoy Killswitch Engage's version more than the original. I love the heavier sound and the energy they brought to the song, although Dio's version is undeniably a metal classic. Which version do you prefer: Dio or Killswitch Engage? What makes that version stand out to you?

I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who has joined and supported this course so far. Because of your help in growing this community, I would like to offer everyone here a Founders Discount. As some of you may know from the Welcome Module, I am slowly working on an Advanced Course that will be released in the future. To say thank you for being early supporters, anyone who joins the community between now and the official launch date of the Advanced Course will receive the Founders Discount, which includes free access to both the Fundamental Course and the Advanced Course for life. Thank you all again for helping grow this Skool into something more than just a course — a real community!

What was the last concert you attended? The last concert I went to was Lamb of God’s Into Oblivion Tour. It was such a special show because Lamb of God was the band that first got me into metal. My brother, who came with me to the concert, introduced me to them years ago, and albums like Ashes of the Wake and Resolution completely hooked me. That moment sparked my love for metal, so getting to see the band that started it all live with my brother was something I’ll never forget. The lineup was incredible too, with Sanguisugabogg, Fit For An Autopsy, and Kublai Khan TX opening the show. Three things will always stick with me from that night: Being part of the biggest circle pit I’ve ever seen—it literally wrapped around the entire floor and sound booth, moshing alongside my brother, and ALMOST losing my glasses… which is a story for another day. 😂 What was the last concert you attended, and what made it memorable?

🎸 Let's talk guitars! If you could own any guitar from any guitarist, from any era, and any brand, which one would you choose, and why? Personally, I'd pick Willie Adler's ESP WA-600 in the camo finish. I've always loved the punch and aggression of Willie's tone. It perfectly complements Lamb of God's riff style, with that thick midrange-heavy sound that I try to capture in my own playing. The camo finish also fits the band's "Redneck" vibe perfectly from their Sacrament album, making it one of the coolest signature guitars ever made in my opinion. I love playing Lamb of God riffs, so owning a guitar that captures their guitarists signature sound would be a dream. And honestly, the camo finish is just the cherry on top. What's your pick?

On a quick note from yesterday, happy Father’s Day! I hope everyone had a great day spent with their fathers, guardians, or children if you’re a father yourself. Now for today’s note — let’s look back at last week’s project. We all set a goal and made small changes to our habits to become more consistent and work toward it. For me, my goal was typing, and in just one week I made solid progress with both my speed and using my thumbs less. But why was that? A lot of people think it’s impossible to improve or learn a new skill in only a week. Spoiler alert: it’s not. Progress can happen way faster than you think — sometimes even in just a few days. So let’s bring that same idea into this week and apply it to our guitars. Below I’ve attached a simple beginner workout for single-string alternate picking. Every day for 15 minutes, try to go through the exercise at the highest BPM you can handle while still playing clearly. Then each day, push yourself a little faster. Do you think by the end of the week you can increase your speed by 25 BPM?