2017 Recordings Review: MARTY FRIEDMAN - Wall Of Sound

MARTY FRIEDMAN - Wall Of Sound

CD ℗ 2017 Aug. 4

1. Self Pollution
2. Sorrow And Madness (ft. Jinxx of Black Veil Brides)
3. Streetlight
4. Whiteworm
5. For A Friend
6. Pussy Ghost (ft. Shiv Mehra of Deafheaven)
7. The Blackest Rose
8. Something To Fight (ft. Jorgen Munkeby of Shining)
9. The Soldier
10. Miracle
11. The Last Lament

Marty Friedman redefined his music every single time he put out a new record. The only common denominator to all of his projects was his insistence on quality. This unflinching dedication gained him a Brobdingnagian amount of respect from the fans and critics alike. Therefore, the news of his upcoming album was received, with high expectations. And yet, even under such pressure, he deliver something out of ordinary.

So what does the new album sound like? The answer is not simple. It isn't, because it's a crash course to sum up everything Friedman did in the last 35 years. To fully understand the gravity of this monster released, you have to know the path he took to get here. However, you don't have to be aware of every nook in his career to simply enjoy the music of the Wall Of Sound. If you want to put it in a comic book terms, Wall Of Sound is Marty Friedman's Justice League.

For those who are new to Marty Friedman's repertoire or even Instrumental music in general, Wall Of Sound offers something for everyone. If you enjoyed his previous solo records, you'll find his skills are better than ever. If you long for the oriental melodies fused into his music from the early days of Vixen and Hawaii, you better put down whatever you're doing and prepare your consciousness to transcend into a place only his music can give you an access to. If you liked the melodic bits of the J-Pop from Tokyo Jukebox, you'll be glad to know, his pockets are full of coins. If you were amazed by the synchronized twin guitar harmonies in Cacophony, few friends came along to recreate that feeling. And if you need vocal tracks to remind you of his Megadeth days, look no further, for he has one of those, as well. As you can see, it's all here, in a juxtaposition of the past served in an abundance of musical spectrum, expertly cooked into a dish of an advanced delicacy.

RATING: 8 Instruments combined from 10 Layers

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by RJhog (Admin) on August 27, 2017 at 3:47pm

Twenty seconds of the song (approximately 1:45 to 2:05) remind me of Ace Frehley's '78 solo instrumental Fractured Mirror. It's something about that guitar tone and melody really takes me to that song and a good place.

That being said, I'm not much of a instrumental album kind of guy, though I do own a few of them. I can't say that I ever spin any of them.

The review seemed to cover everything well, and for those that like instrumental albums, this may be the one for you. Good job Yng.