Rafael Trujillo
Austrian Virtuoso Guitarist, Modern Fusion Innovator & Progressive Metal Visionary
Biography & Overview
Born in 1992 in Austria, Rafael Trujillo is an internationally acclaimed guitarist, composer, educator, and producer. Beginning classical guitar studies in early childhood, he broadened his palette to electric guitar, heavy rock, and modern jazz, culminating in formal jazz and popular music studies at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK).
Trujillo gained worldwide prominence in 2015 when he joined German technical death metal heavyweights Obscura, contributing intricate neoclassical soloing and complex rhythmic counterpoint to their landmark albums Akroasis (2016) and Diluvium (2018). In 2020, following creative differences with Obscura's leadership, Trujillo departed alongside bandmates Steffen Kummerer (drums), Linus Klausenitzer (bass), and Christian Münzner to co-found progressive metal supergroup Obsidious. Balancing technical metal with deep harmonic jazz-fusion vocabulary, he is also an established masterclass clinician for JTC Guitar and an active solo composer.
Musical Instrumentation & Technical Signature
- Advanced Harmonic Integration & Jazz Fusion Phrasing
- Seamlessly incorporates exotic scales, diminished and altered dominant runs, chromatic enclosures, and sophisticated voice leading over complex polyrhythmic metal backing tracks.
- Hybrid Picking & Fluid Legato Mechanics
- Renowned for exceptionally smooth, low-effort left-hand legato stretches combined with pick-and-finger hybrid picking, allowing fluid intervallic leaps across string sets without percussive pick noise.
- Two-Handed Fretboard Tapping & Sweeping
- Executes multi-finger polyphonic tapping and multi-octave sweep arpeggios that mirror piano and violin classical literature, creating expansive modern textures.
- Signature Gear & Endorsements
- Prominent artist for Strandberg Guitars (frequently showcasing headless 6- and 7-string Boden models), Ibanez Guitars, and digital modeling setups (Neural DSP, Kemper).
Band History & Key Collaborations
- Obsidious (2020–present)
- Co-founder, lead guitarist, and primary composer alongside Linus Klausenitzer, Sebastian Lanser, and vocalist Javi Perera. The band blends technical metal, groove rock, and extreme metal with clean melodic hooks.
- Obscura (2015–2020)
- Lead guitarist across major international tours and two cornerstone albums in the band's conceptual four-album cycle, delivering celebrated solos on tracks like "The Monist" and "Mortification of the Vulgar Sun."
- JTC Guitar (Jam Track Central) & Educational Projects
- A prominent contributor to JTC Guitar's artist roster, releasing acclaimed masterclass packages focusing on modal improvisation, odd-meter phrasing, and hybrid picking workouts.
- Solo & Session Ventures
- Releases independent jazz-fusion and instrumental progressive singles, performing as a guest soloist across global metal and fusion releases.
Selected Discography & Key Releases
With Obsidious
- Iconic (2022)
- The critically acclaimed debut full-length album on Season of Mist, featuring virtuosic cuts like "Under Black Skies," "Sense of Lust," "Bound by Autopsy," and "Deviance."
With Obscura
- Akróasis (2016)
- His debut studio outing with the band on Relapse Records, praised for its technical dexterity and intricate interplay on songs like "Ten Sepiroth" and "Weltseele."
- Diluvium (2018)
- A technical death metal triumph concluding the band's four-album concept series, spotlighting Trujillo's neoclassical lead compositions and flamenco/acoustic interludes.
Instructional & Solo Works
- JTC Masterclasses: Hybrid Picking & Modern Fusion Phrasing
- Comprehensive video masterclasses and backing tracks highlighting his melodic approaches, intervallic structures, and picking mechanics.
Guitar: Rafael Trujillo
Bass: Robin Gadermeier
Drums: Aaron Thier
Composition: Robin Gadermeier
Mix: Aaron Thier
Mastering: Ingmar Versolmann
Nostradamus Kaukasus #2 - Robin Gadermeier, Rafael Trujillo, Aaron Thier