MARTY FRIEDMAN-Wall of Sound
Prosthetic Records
Marty Friedman literally pastes a solid wall of sound on his new album with the same title. In terms of wizardry as well as musical extravagance the shred head offers large chops of food for thought geniality. Ever since his rise as a solo recording artist with `Dragon’s Kiss’ and his Cacophony days, leading to his recruitment building towards Megadeth’s glory days alongside Mustaine, Menza and Ellefson. Exploring metal in its purest form, Friedman added his impeccable skills and talent for a decade to build the legacy sprouting two ultimate classics `Rust In Peace’ and `Countdown To Extinction’. His unorthodox style and technique is furthermore crystalized during his return to form as a solo artist and especially on this brand new `Wall Of Sound’ CD. As it switches from his trashy & flashy US & Euro style fret board turbulence galore to his trademark Asian scales fused with Middle Eastern and exotic scales, it becomes clear that Mr. Friedman kicks ass above all!
It all is shot into gear with the crazed out `Self Pollution’ making Friedman’s past as a speed metal head collide with his ethereal time recording `Scenes’ together with Kitaro. The wall of sound is delivered at full shred and steep dives into the atmospheric mid-section, which reappears as a violin intro to ,,Sorrow and Madness’’, performed by Jinxx of Black Veil Brides. The song unleashes an impressive melodic interaction before bursting into flames with Friedman’s furious upstrokes and arpeggios flying all over the place. His fluent melodic style is contrasting with the neurotic frenzy and outbursts of skill and speed, but also creates the impressive turmoil and tension Friedman is praised for. Unlike on `Inferno’ Marty seems to grip back more frequently to the `Scenes’ and `Introduction’ era using ear mingling and drop dead gorgeous melodies, performed close harmony like on the mega melodic, yet intensely driven double bass pumped ,,Streetlight’’, the mesmerizing ,,For A Friend’’, ,,The Soldier’’ and ,,Blackest Rose’’; all displaying Marty’s fine tuning and unearthly sweep picking skills and circle picking. Smooth and slick melodies and harmonies spiced with finger licking great soloing. Comfortable arrangements of keys, piano and string accompany Friedman on his journey to perfection, piling one hymn onto another.
When the speed goes up and the progressive scales are demanding the bumblebee inflight thrive, Friedman unleashes fierce riffs fused with bedazzling appreciated chords blowing the listener away. All executed with persistence and demanding pace combined with out of this world skills setting `Wall Of Sound’ on fire. Check out the high-speed soundscape of ,,Pussy Ghost’’ with its ominous doom-pace that swings moods progresses eclectic and fierce. Though the drums are double bass triggered and the atmosphere is dense, the melody remains intact and towers all mayhem. It’s that same spit ball we get thrown when the vocal (!?) track ,,Something To Fight’’ takes us by storm.
Though high B and E spit into gear frequently, `Wall Of Sound’ really does paw into his melodic past more than ever. Delivering some of Marty Friedman’s best tracks to date ,,Wall Of Sound’’ is intensely harmonic and electrifying grasping. ,,Miracle’’ with its marching section and back and forth shifts in emotion is just gorgeously intense. The tempo fluctuates and a variety of Phrygian scales with altered intense phrasing are fired upon us. Pitching on the high strings to return back to comfort with astonishing pentatonic majors delivered duelling with swirling keyboards and dense string arrangements. The album is closed with the magnificent ,,The Last Lament’’ an impressive tune reviving his mega melodic best and warping us back into the “Introduction” days before picking up power and overwhelming us with power chords and blistering fret board exercises and exotic scales feathering out wide tonality.
`Wall Of Sound’ once again is an impressively melodic exhibition of style and grace fused with Friedman’s high demanding, almost schizophrenic, style of playing. He shifts shape as easily as he shifts gear delivering some of the most impressive guitar exercises known to man. Marty Friedman manages to create a spiritual retreat of relaxation over a metallic framework of grotesque speed and thrash metal, without a straightjacket or flying over the cuckoo’s nest….
Collectors: make sure to get the minty green vinyl edition!
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