Marty Friedman Albums (7)
'True Obsessions [Shrapnel'
Release Date 9/24/1996
Tracks 10
Label Shrapnel
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The fourth solo release from Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman finds the guitarist mostly repeating the same formula that worked so well on Introduction. This time around, though, there is less emphasis on new age stylings in favor of a more rock-oriented approach. "Rio" is impressive, and the session's best track, "Intoxicated," offers a glimpse of what Friedman sounds like without the metal riffing. ~ Robert Taylor, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Guitarist Marty Friedman surprised the metal and guitar community with the release of his fine new age-influenced Scenes. On that release, he proved that he wasn't just another shredder, but rather an intelligent and sensitive player with strong compositional skills. With Introduction, Friedman continues to build on this formula, but with more maturity and musical diversity. Themes are not just introduced and abandoned in favor of gratuitous technical noodling, rather the compositions are thoughtfully explored and brought to a natural conclusion. Tracks such as "Arrival" and "Bittersweet" both contain beautiful melodies that would fit perfectly on a movie soundtrack. In fact, the compositions on this session are so good that Mr. Friedman could easily put down his guitar in favor of a pen, as it is his gift of composition that differentiates him from his peers. An unexpected masterpiece in a genre that could use more releases such as this. ~ Robert Taylor, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The second release from guitarist Marty Friedman revealed a level of depth and maturity that equally surprised Megadeth and guitar-shred fans everywhere. While his 1988 debut Dragon's Kiss eluded to some of what is heard here, it was essentially just another shred fest. The Eastern influence, which Friedman so embraces, is authenticated here by the excellent production of Kitaro and the dreamy contributions of Kitaro keyboardist Brian BecVar. Most of the selections are taken at a relaxed pace, including "Triumph," which is a reworking of "Thunder March," a Friedman staple. Megadeth drummer Nick Menza appears on a few tracks, but this is mostly an acoustic guitar/keyboard session. The compositions do not stand out as much as they later would on his masterpiece Introduction; rather, the allure here is the dreamy ambience. This recording marked the true arrival of one of the most important and original guitarists to emerge from the neo-classical genre. ~ Robert Taylor, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Cacophony guitarist Marty Friedman unleashes his virtuosic six-string fury on the excellent Dragon's Kiss, which may be the most definitive sampling of Friedman's talents available. Spiking his supersaturated heavy metal sensibilities with texture, imagination, and a flair for the exotic, Friedman proves to be a distinctive modern metal soloist. This all-instrumental offering marks the end of Friedman's more indulgent, progressive solo artist phase, as he was recruited to join Megadeth's ranks shortly after its release. ~ Andy Hinds, All Music Guide
