Marty Friedman – Loudspeaker

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Mascot Records
Produced by Marty Friedman & Allen Isaacs

The ex-Megadeth guitarist’s fifth instrumental solo album is another melodic shred record in the same vain as previous album Music For Speeding, but is overall a much more well-structured, mature affair than its predecessor.

Marty has never been more free to really shred. Despite being in one of the greatest and most technical thrash metal bands of all time, playing on most of their best albums, I think we all know front-man Dave Mustaine reserved most of the tastiest lead guitar for himself and certainly Marty was forced to play by Dave’s rules. Now it’s Marty’s show, and proves beyond doubt that he’s right up there with Paul Gilbert as one of the best shredders around.

Opening with Elixir, featuring bass-virtuoso Billy Sheehan, Marty sets one foot firmly in Megadeth territory. This is the only time he does this however, with a sharp riff that would fit nicely on their early records. Street Demon starts like it’s going to be Anarchy In The UK style punk, but soon gets into gear as a grooving metal monster.

Black Orchid, with a guest appearance by John Petrucci of Dream Theater, also starts out with a punk-influenced riff, which recurs later on, with passages of sublime shred from both players in between. Sheehan returns for the chugging Paradise Express which sees Marty go for the lead melody approach instead of full-blown shred, making this one the most melodic and beautiful track so far. The pace picks up with Sekai Ni Hitotsudake No Hana (which is actually written in Japanese on the track list, the translation comes from the English version of Marty’s website) which, although being faster than Paradise Express, adopts the same approach of melody over speed, similar this time to a slower and more traditional Joe Satriani song, and it’s this tactic that makes this album so capable of repeat listening where so many guitar instrumental albums find their way onto the scrap heap.

Glycerine Flesh, with keyboards provided by Stratovarious/ex-Dio/ex-Yngwie Malmsteen and highly in-demand progressive keyboard player Jens Johanssen, takes more of an ’80s rock approach but loses none of Marty’s melody or speed. Stigmata Addiction brings the heaviness back, with a chugging main riff and lots of wailing solos. The progressive turn it takes half way through is magnificent. Steve Vai‘s appearance on Viper is suitably ferocious but is less technically adventurous than we’re used to from him on his own records (i.e. less weird sounds, more straight-up lead guitar) and is much more in-keeping with Marty’s established style on this album.

Static Rain (another translation, this time actually printed on the cover) is more of the same, before the laid-back lead guitar shred-fest of Coloreas Mi Vida, featuring the beautiful voice of Geri Soriano-Lightwood. Closer Devil Take Tomorrow is a true lead-guitarist’s ballad, with drawn-out soloing over a slow power-ballad backing. The perfect ending.

Along with Gilbert’s recent Get Out of My Yard this is one of the most listenable and enjoyable instrumental records of the year (there have been a few, and not all of them that good, Citriniti).

“ melody over speed ”

Tracklist: Elixir / Street Demon (Santa Rosa Wrecking Crew Mix) / Black Orchid / Paradise Express / Sekai Ni Hitotsudake No Hana / Glycerine Flesh / Stigmata/Addiction / Viper / Static Rain / Coloreas Mi Vida / Devil Take Tomorrow

Written by Andy Lye
More: Albums, Instrumental, Marty Friedman