Andy LaRocque

LaRocque contributed a guitar solo to the track "Cold" on the album Slaughter of the Soul by Swedish melodic death metal group At the Gates. Producer Fredrik Nordström was responsible for the idea, and telephoned LaRocque. At the Gates' guitarist Anders Björler gave LaRocque an audio cassette recording of the song. The tape played at the wrong speed at LaRocque's house, so LaRocque had to transcribe the recording. Two days after receiving the cassette, LaRocque laid down a guitar solo for the song within half an hour. Björler described the solo as "great" and in a November 2007 interview admitted he still couldn't play the solo "properly".

LaRocque was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2007. He is regularly listed as among the best or most underrated guitarists in heavy metal. He cites Michael Schenker and Randy Rhoads as major influences. He also likes Steve Vai and Tony Iommi, and was impressed by the friendliness of Chuck Schuldiner when he recorded Individual Thought Patterns with him.

LaRocque opened a studio called the "Los Angered Recordings" in Angered, Sweden in 1995, where he produced and recorded albums for many bands. In 2007, he moved the studio to Varberg and renamed it "Sonic Train Studios" where he continues to record and produce for various rock and heavy metal bands. He is well known for his signature guitar style incorporating neoclassical elements into his playing, specially by using exotic scales such as harmonic minor, phrygian dominant, and diminished minor scale. His extended theory knowledge enables him to mix these neo-classical scales with others such as blues scale or melodic minor. He has a very distinct guitar tone for his solos, and often incorporates layers of harmonies over his scale runs and phrasing. He frequently uses a mixture of classically-flavored arpeggio sequences and alternate picked scale runs intermixed with melody lines to create his signature style.

Andy LaRocque (born Anders Allhage, 29 November 1962 in Gothenburg, Sweden) is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, and producer, best known as a member of the heavy metal band King Diamond since 1985.