Avenged Sevenfold guitarist Synyster Gates is a very, very talented fella. Weather you like the band or hate ’em (and I know there are MANY of you in the latter camp), you can’t deny the guy’s got hella chops on both the technical and songwriting fronts.

How’s this for chops? Gates his been studying jazz, classical and flamenco guitar techniques in recent years, and in a new interview with Ultimate Guitar he revealed that he’s very interested in some day recording and releasing a solo jazz album:

You started exploring jazz in recent years. Is there any other genre that wanted to explore but didn’t get the chance to? “Yeah. Classical and flamenco. I’m really starting to kind of get into that. I’m working on my Rasgueado, like whips and all that kind of crazy stuff. “I have some really cool ideas – ideas I’m really excited about doing for the next album with some really cool rhythmic Rasgueado-style type of things. I just don’t know how to do it yet.” Will you ever record your own jazz solo album? “Yes, I will.” When? “That I don’t know.”

It’s a fair assumption that if Gates isn’t already working on a solo album it’s gonna be quite some time until one sees the light of day: the two-year anniversary mark of Avenged Sevenfold’s most recent album The Stage is approaching, which means it’ll soon be time for the band to start thinking about a new record of their own (and on top of that, they’re touring right now). Still, I’m tickled by the idea of Gates someday releasing a jazz record! I love it when metal artists branch out, and he’d definitely be on the shortlist of metal guitarists that could knock such an endeavor out of the park.

‘Til then, here’s Avenged Sevenfold’s “Sidewinder,” a track on which Gates’ dad Brian Haner Sr. — a noted guitarist as well — also appeared.