Neo-classical guitarist Chris Impellitteri has once again dismissed suggestions that he is an Yngwie Malmsteen clone.

In a new interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green, Impellitteri discussed the comparisons, saying that he views himself as much more of a child of players like Al Di Meola blended with Eddie Van Halen.

Impellitteri addressed the issue in several interviews over the years, including an October 2022 conversation with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com where he reiterated his respect for Malmsteen and acknowledged that they were lumped together as part of a group of shredding guitarists who rose to prominence on the Los Angeles scene in the late 1980s.

Despite being grouped with other players like Paul Gilbert, Tony McAlpine, Vinnie Moore, Michael Angelo Batio, Jason Becker, Impellitteri has maintained that he is his own player and influenced by a wide range of guitarists, including Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Tony Iommi, and early Yngwie Malmsteen.

He emphasized the band aspect of IMPELLITTERI and how Graham Bonnet's involvement fueled comparisons to Ritchie Blackmore, but ultimately said that he never felt any rivalry with Malmsteen or his peers.