Marty Friedman has announced a new solo album, Drama, arriving May 17th. The former Megadeth guitarist has also offered up the lead single and album opener “Illumination.”
The six-and-a-half minute instrumental showcases Friedman’s many six-string talents, from jazz runs to neo-classical flourishes. A mellow, extended intro leads up to the track’s climatic guitar fireworks, with Friedman’s elegant solos backed by an ensemble that includes typical rock instrumentation, as well as cello and violin.
Friedman self-produced Drama, which was partially recorded at Newsin Audio Design in Italy, where Friedman had access to a plethora of vintage guitars and tones. Recording engineers include Luigi Stefanini, Frank Rosato, Takao Nakazato, Atsuo Akabae, and Kenjiro Naka. Alexander Backlund and Jay Ruston mixed the tracks, while Koji Tanaka handled the mastering at Victor Creative Media in Tokyo.
Of the 12 tracks on the album, two include vocals (“Dead of Winter” featuring Chris Brooks and “2 Rebeldes” featuring Steven Baquero Vargas), holding to the same pattern as Friedman’s other, mostly-instrumental solo albums. Drama will be his first full-length effort since 2020’s Tokyo Jukebox 3.
According to his press release, Friedman plans on touring extensively in support of Drama — including in the US — though dates have yet to be announced. For more on the guitar legend, revisit our 2023 interview.
You can pre-order Drama on CD and 2-LP vinyl via Frontiers Music. Stream “Illumination” and see the album art and tracklist below.
Drama Artwork:
Drama Tracklist:
01. Illumination
02. Song for an Eternal Child
03. Triumph (Official Version)
04. Thrill City
05. Deep End
06. Dead of Winter
07. Mirage
08. A Prayer
09. Acapella
10. Tearful Confession
11. Icicles
12. 2 Rebeldes (Dead of Winter) [Spanish Version]
13. Mirage (Guitar Karaoke Version) [Japan-only Bonus Track]