# Nita Strauss > Wednesday, October 14, 2026: Nita Strauss. Arena-sized shred with a showwoman's instinct for the big moment. The 10 greatest solos, the gear and a quiz. Canonical URL: Arena-sized shred with a showwoman's instinct for the big moment 2000s–present · Alice Cooper · The Iron Maidens · Femme Fatale · American ## Nita Strauss Arena-sized shred with a showwoman's instinct for the big moment Nita Strauss grew up in Los Angeles and fell hard for the electric guitar as a teenager, drawn in by the virtuoso rock players of the eighties and the flash of instrumental shred. She built her technique through relentless practice and cut her teeth in the city's club scene, taking on hired-gun and tribute work that demanded she learn other players' parts note for note while developing a stage presence all her own. One of her longest early gigs was with The Iron Maidens, an all-female tribute to Iron Maiden, where she spent years handling the twin-guitar harmonies and galloping solos of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. She also played in a reunited lineup of the hard-rock band Femme Fatale and toured as a sidewoman for Jermaine Jackson, a mix of jobs that sharpened both her reading of a song and her versatility. In 2014 she joined Alice Cooper's touring band, stepping into a role previously held by Orianthi. Cooper's theatrical show gave her a nightly spotlight, including a featured solo spot, and she appeared on the live release A Paranormal Evening at the Olympia Paris. In 2018 she released Controlled Chaos, an all-instrumental debut, and became the first woman to receive an Ibanez signature guitar, the JIVA10. The role made her one of the most visible hard-rock guitarists touring the world's arenas. In 2022 she stepped away from Cooper to tour with Demi Lovato during the singer's rock-leaning era. Her second solo album, The Call of the Void, arrived on Sumerian Records in 2023 and paired her playing with a roster of guest vocalists. Its single Dead Inside, featuring David Draiman of Disturbed, climbed to number one on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, a milestone for a female solo artist. The album showed she could write songs as well as solos. ## The 10 greatest Nita Strauss solos 1. [Pandemonium](https://greatestsolos.com/song/nita-strauss-pandemonium/) — Nita Strauss · solo by Nita Strauss · 2018 2. [Dead Inside](https://greatestsolos.com/song/nita-strauss-dead-inside/) — Nita Strauss · solo by Nita Strauss · 2021 3. [Our Most Desperate Hour](https://greatestsolos.com/song/nita-strauss-our-most-desperate-hour/) — Nita Strauss · solo by Nita Strauss · 2018 4. [The Wolf You Feed](https://greatestsolos.com/song/nita-strauss-the-wolf-you-feed/) — Nita Strauss · solo by Nita Strauss · 2023 5. [Mariana Trench](https://greatestsolos.com/song/nita-strauss-mariana-trench/) — Nita Strauss · solo by Nita Strauss · 2018 6. [Victorious](https://greatestsolos.com/song/nita-strauss-victorious/) — Nita Strauss · solo by Nita Strauss · 2023 7. [Poison](https://greatestsolos.com/song/alice-cooper-poison/) — Alice Cooper · solo by John McCurry · 1989 8. [Alegria](https://greatestsolos.com/song/nita-strauss-alegria/) — Nita Strauss · solo by Nita Strauss · 2018 9. [Summer Storm](https://greatestsolos.com/song/nita-strauss-summer-storm/) — Nita Strauss · solo by Nita Strauss · 2023 10. [Surfacing](https://greatestsolos.com/song/nita-strauss-surfacing/) — Nita Strauss · solo by Nita Strauss · 2023 ## The sound Strauss plays in the modern shred tradition: fast, precise alternate picking, sweeping arpeggios, wide legato runs and liberal use of the locking tremolo for dives and flutters. What sets her apart from purely technical players is her sense of melody and drama; her instrumentals are built like songs, with memorable themes that return and build. Her tone is a tight, saturated high-gain sound with a singing lead voice, and years of arena work have made her phrasing bold and legible from the back row. On stage she treats a solo as a performance, blending precision with headbanging showmanship. - **Ibanez JIVA10** (guitar) Her signature superstrat, introduced in 2018 as the first Ibanez signature model for a female guitarist. - **Ibanez JIVA Jr.** (guitar) A more affordable version of her signature design for younger and budget-minded players. - **Ibanez superstrats (pre-signature)** (guitar) She played Ibanez shred-style guitars for years before the JIVA line existed. - **DiMarzio Pandemonium pickups** (guitar) Her signature pickup set, voiced for high-gain rhythm crunch and fluid leads. - **Locking tremolo system** (effect) Central to her dive-bombs and whammy flourishes on stage and record. ## Covers - **The Trooper**, originally by Iron Maiden A staple of her tribute-band years, trading twin harmonies with faithful precision. - **Aces High**, originally by Iron Maiden She tackled the song's rapid-fire leads nightly as part of the Maidens' set. - **School's Out**, originally by Alice Cooper Playing it in Cooper's own band, she added modern bite to a rock standard. - **No More Mr. Nice Guy**, originally by Alice Cooper Her guitar work gives the vintage riff a heavier, contemporary edge. - **Celtic Invasion**, originally by CFO$ She played Becky Lynch's entrance theme live, turning a wrestling walk-out into a guitar event. ## Timeline - **1986** Born in Los Angeles - **2009** Plays in The Iron Maidens, the all-female Iron Maiden tribute (approximate start) - **2014** Joins Alice Cooper's touring band - **2017** Records Cooper's Paris Olympia show with the band - **2018** Releases instrumental debut Controlled Chaos; Ibanez JIVA10 signature launched - **2019** Performs Becky Lynch's entrance live at WrestleMania 35 - **2022** Leaves Cooper's band to tour with Demi Lovato - **2023** Releases The Call of the Void; Dead Inside tops the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart ## Facts 1. She was the first female guitarist to receive a signature model from Ibanez. 2. Her debut album Controlled Chaos contains no vocals at all. 3. She replaced Orianthi in Alice Cooper's band in 2014. 4. She spent years playing in The Iron Maidens, an all-female tribute to Iron Maiden. 5. Dead Inside, featuring David Draiman, reached number one on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. 6. That chart-topper made her one of the very few female solo artists ever to lead that chart. 7. She played live during a WrestleMania 35 entrance for Becky Lynch. 8. She toured with Demi Lovato in 2022 during the singer's return to rock. 9. The Call of the Void was released on Sumerian Records. 10. She has a signature DiMarzio pickup set called the Pandemonium. --- GreatestSolos ranks the greatest guitar solos by consensus across published lists. 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