MARTY FRIEDMAN: 'Loudspeaker' To Receive U.S. Release In March

Shrapnel Records has set a March 13 release date for the new solo album from former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman, entitled "Loudspeaker".

According to a press release, "Loudspeaker" is an album that will change all preconceptions about instrumental albums. It is an emotionally fueled work of genius, mixed with brilliant guitar solo mastery that has become Marty Friedman's signature.

"Loudspeaker" features guest appearances by Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Mick Karn and Billy Sheehan. "For me it was a big experiment," Friedman explains. "I knew they were amazing, butI wanted to get these guys to play the most aggressive way they could because as a fan I really wanted to hear them like I never heard them before — in a full metal context."

"Loudspeaker" is an aggressive, passionate and absorbing collection of that exposes the beauty and the beast in Friedman's personality. Friedman reveals his true diversity with the hypnotic opening strains of "Stigmata Addiction" to a poignant rendering of "Coloreas Mi Vida". The album continually travels between moments of claustrophobic density "Black Orchid" to the razor-sharp shred of "Elixir".

Marty Friedman began his career as a Shrapnel solo recording artist and later joined forces with Jason Becker to form the unrivaled dual guitar unit CACOPHONY, who have a strong influence on today’s top guitarists. Amassing worldwide acclaim as a guitar superstar, he came to the attention of MEGADETH and the rest is history. Racking up sales of over 10 million records with MEGADETH, Friedman continued to record solo records, often embarking on adventurous musical forays far removed from his work with MEGADETH, including an album with Golden Globe winner Kitaro. Now "Loudspeaker" is exactly the kind of record that Friedman fans have been waiting for. It is heavy, melodic and digs down deep to his roots, and in spots reminiscent in style of his best-selling Shrapnel solo record "Dragon's Kiss".

In a bold move, Friedman left the legendary MEGADETH to pursue new musical goals and has succeeded tremendously. Friedman's many accomplishments make him currently the only musician to be a fixture in the top class of the Japanese domestic as well as international music scene. His music performance (songs from "Loudspeaker") on national TV with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, to charting high with his own music and with Japan's top artists, has spurred Friedman into new celebrity territory.

Now residing in Tokyo, Friedman has become a television celebrity appearing as a regular on five major networks, he can be seen on mainstream hit TV programs almost every day in Japan. "It's all these insane experiences the last couple years in Japan that couldn't be musically farther from my roots that make it so rewarding to make an all-out aggressive album now," explains Friedman.