Nita Strauss, the guitar shredder for the ALICE COOPER band, has unleashed her brand new single, “Dead Inside”, today, her first new music since the release of her critically acclaimed debut solo album “Controlled Chaos” in 2018. But this time, Nita isn’t coming alone. “Dead Inside” features her first-ever solo collaboration with a vocalist and not just any vocalist, none other than David Draiman, frontman of Grammy-nominated rock icons DISTURBED.
“Dead Inside” is the kind of rare musical alchemy that can only be conjured by the serendipitous collaboration of two iconic hard rock powerhouses such as Strauss and Draiman. It kicks off with Nita‘s inimitably intricate lead guitar work and, as the intro builds, begins to snake its way around the ground-shaking, headbanging lead riff as Josh Villalta‘s technical and bombastic drums kick in. Then comes the unmistakable vocal prowess of Draiman as he delivers his unique signature brand of enormously catchy vocal melody and a stadium-conquering chorus. The song ebbs and flows through sonic and emotional dynamics and culminates with a brutally heavy beatdown into a final rendition of the chorus, ensuring that the lead hook will be replaying over and over in the listener’s head for days.
Speaking about the collaboration, Strauss says: “This is my first time releasing my own music with a vocalist, and I am so honored to take this step alongside a legend like David Draiman. David‘s voice and powerful lyrics took this song to a level I could never have imagined! And we are so excited to unleash this song on the world.”
Draiman adds: “Serendipity can be really cool. We’ve been friends for years. Nita sent me the track… I didn’t have time to work on it right away… then, in literally a couple of days, while killing time in Santa Monica, the whole thing just came together. Incredibly proud of how it turned out and honored to be a part of it.”
Through obsession, dedication and sheer hard work, Nita has not only been firmly established as one of the best guitarists in the world, she is also a role model, a trail blazer, a fitness fanatic, a phenomenal performer and a total badass. Her skill, exuberant stage presence and love for all things guitar have seen Nita become a truly unstoppable, limitless force, blazing a previously untrodden trail.
As well as writing, producing and playing all the guitar and bass parts on her solo output, Nita is known for wowing fans all over the world as Cooper‘s touring guitarist, gracing the covers of Guitar World and Guitar Player, performing for millions upon millions of WWE fans worldwide at record-setting pay-per-views and becoming the first female to have a signature Ibanez guitar (which now hangs in the entrance to the legendary Guitar Center on Sunset Blvd).
When the pandemic hit, being the force of nature that she is, Nita took the adversity of no touring and being at home and turned it in to a positive. During the past 18 months, Nita launched her online guitar learning course, “Rock Guitar Fundamentals”, which takes the learner through everything from picking up the guitar for the first time all the way through to learning songs and playing solos. Taking her passion for health and fitness to the next level, Nita also launched her Body Shred Fitness Challenge, a three-month fitness challenge that pairs a love of music with passion for getting healthier in your body and mind! Participants have the chance to win prize packages valued at over $2,500 while becoming a part of a fun, supportive worldwide fitness community.
And, as if that wasn’t enough, Nita launched her Patreon which gives fans access to weekly livestreams, lessons, signed photos and behind-the-scenes looks at the album recording process.
On top of these digital initiatives, Nita also became the official in-house guitarist of the Los Angeles Rams, playing every home game at the brand new SoFi Stadium, performed the national anthem at WWE‘s “NXT Takeover: Stand And Deliver” event, released two new signature Ibanez guitars, JIVA Jr and JIVA X, was featured on the cover of Guitar World‘s “Guitarists Of The Decade” issue and performed with Cooper at the Fire Fight Australia benefit for the bush fires that ravaged Australia in 2020.
Nita released “Controlled Chaos” in 2018 to mass acclaim from fans and media alike, with Metal Injection calling it “a great debut that — as its creator intended — leaves no doubt”, and Guitar World stating “‘Controlled Chaos’ is a panoramic view of Nita Strauss‘s many strengths”. To date the album has clocked up 6.7 million streams worldwide, with music videos for singles “Our Most Desperate Hour”, “Pandemonium”, “Alegria” and “Mariana Trench” generating over 3 million YouTube views.
As well as performing with Cooper, Nita has also played with R&B star Jermaine Jackson, early MTV darlings FEMME FATALE, video game supergroup CRITICAL HIT and popular tribute band THE IRON MAIDENS.
