There are men, there are kings, and then there are Guitar Heroes – a special class of supernatural beings that Twitch streamer CarnyJared certainly belongs to. After nine months of toil, Jared recently was able to complete the world's first full combo of 'Through the Fire and Flames,' what's considered to be the rhythm game series' most difficult song, at 200% speed on PC clone Clone Hero.
In a recent interview with esports personality Jake Lucky, Jared says the achievement has always been "seen as the most highly coveted world record," so he's always dreamed about nabbing it.
"Especially at 200," he continues. "That was the speed that I really wanted, because I see it as the ultimate world record for ['Through the Fire']." He originally obtained the world record at 180% speed in 2024, but it wasn't enough – he's spent the nine months since his last 'Through the Fire and Flames' achievement working his way toward 200%.
Anyone observing Jared's winning attempt could see why the feat took as long as gestating a human baby. As the notoriously demanding 'Flames' begins to pick up like a gust of wind, notes begin to flood Guitar Hero's virtual fretboard, and Jared's eyes narrow.
A "full combo" requires a player to hit every single note that shoots their way, so Jared begins to slap his fingers – sometimes using both hands – against his plastic guitar's neck in a way that I never knew was anatomically possible. Moving methodically, Jared finishes 'Through the Fire and Flames' with the solemnity of a monk before realizing what he's done and erupting into a giant "YES! YES! YEEES!"
Jared tells Jake Lucky during his interview that just learning how to play 'Through the Fire and Flames' at the intense 200% speed was a challenge, even though he'd ostensibly already mastered the song at 180%.
"To put it to an actual number," Jared says about his 200% speedrun training period, "it was five hours, basically, five days a week [...] for nine months. I restart runs at a different rate every single day, but I would say [it took] above 50,000 attempts." Never give up.
