When it comes to what's hot in sample libraries and virtual instruments, metal music is one of this year's most popular genres to hit the sample-based musician's playing field. Joining the slew of companies releasing dark, metal-heavy sound collections is Prominy -- a Japanese company that has just announced the availability of V-Metal (Mac / Win), an realistic-sounding, dark-powered virtual electric guitar instrument and sound library for Kontakt.

In making V-Metal, Prominy sought out the true metal sound of an ESP Alexi Blacky with EMG humbucker pickups and captured over 19 GB of sounds (approximately 26,000 samples) from it. According to Prominy, V-Metal enables you to compose and create very realistic metal guitar tracks that imitate real guitar playing.

V-Metal features at a glance:

• Real-time playability – V-Metal SPM (Super Performance Multi)
• Fretboard monitor
• Auto stroke detection
• Cricket
• Feedback
• Real-time legato slide / hammer-on / pull-off / trill / tremolo
• Real sampled chords
• Double-tracking
• Assignable key switch
• Lower note samples (low C – low D#) are included
• Direct signal from the guitar (amp simulator is not included in the product)
• V-Metal uses the Lossless Sample Compression format NCW with real-time encoding
• After installation, data size is approximately 10.4 GB (equivalent to 19 GB of WAV files)
• Requires Kontakt Player 5 (included)

Until December 29, 2011, V-Metal, which is powered by Kontakt Player 5, will be available at the introductory price of $199 instead of the regular price of $299. Current registered Prominy users can purchase V-Metal for $179.

For more information, please visit the Prominy Web site at prominy.com.