Marty Friedman
Music for Speeding

The title says it all about the album: "Music For Speeding".

Indeed, while listening (not just hearing) to this blessed album, you get the feeling of breaking the sound barrier with your imagination, becoming a ray of sunshine, not for the sun, but for the challenge of the endeavor and being aware of navigating the void and the whole.

That's how I would define "Music For Speeding", the fifth album by Marty Friedman, ex Megadeth, who in this album wanted to show us that Japan, Tibet, and a katana don't encapsulate all of his passion.

If I really have to speak to the technicians, it's worth saying that this album is fast, intriguing, and at the same time, undulating and relaxing instrumental. It can be classified as Heavy Metal (sometimes even progressive) with strong electronic influences, probably thanks to an excellent synthesizer.

It starts right away with a typical awakening from sleep... I'm talking about "Gimme a Dose", an excellent song that outlines more or less the entire album, devoted to power and simultaneously to reflection.

The next one, "Fuel Injection Stingray", is very, very nice... there are a couple of solos that leave you stunned, accompanied by a genius-measured synthesizer. Excellent dose of power... uh ancient. Yes, yes, I think the adjective that best represents this song is ancient.

"Ripped" is truly one of the best on the album, with a pounding drum breaking the ice. After a couple of minutes, you feel an integral part of the song. Perfect time changes and cohesion among a good 3 guitars. Around ¾ of the track, you can also find a nice rock and roll guitar riff. Between a walk by the sea and in a house on fire.

"Its the Unreal Thing" is a truly unreal thing!!!!! Probably the most aggressive and heavy of the album. With a truly fearsome base rhythm!!! And with a first-rate drum. Bass used with a certain discretion. Beware that power is abundant here!

At first glance, "Cheer Girl Rampage" seems like a '90s song for middle school girls. But underneath, it probably hides the most varied and open song of the entire album. Describable as a march of soldiers in the middle of a cheerleader party, quite curious...

The sixth track is "Lust For Life", classifiable as "the wedding track" that any class guitarist has always made. Excellent in my opinion.

"Love sorrow" is another ballad, but much deeper and more passionate than the previous one. It probably talks about a love disappointment, but the whole song presents itself as a carefree journey, without a hint of agony. Excellent theme changes: from metal to natural symphony, classic guitar and blues structures, background keyboards from God!!

And after a break, we return to the path that characterizes "Music for Speeding". I'm talking about the lush "Nastymachine", in my opinion, the best of the album. 4 and a half minutes of speed, passion, and reflection. With a well-used bass,... minute-long solos without interruption. If I really had to describe it, I would define it as a journey through a red desert, on a blue night with a yellow moon. Note that around ¾ of the song Mriedman uses the Shamisen: an ancient 3-string Japanese instrument (coincidence)... enjoy it.

"Catfight" is the most ambiguous in my opinion. A mix of power and technique, but at the same time reflective. After 3 years I still can't classify it well. Excellent drums. A world of its own...

The tenth is "Corazon De Santiago" the reflective, the deep of this stunning album... rhythm on classical guitar and solos on electric guitar. Very difficult to appreciate, but still of very high level... with a shining glow at the end.

Honestly, I am not very experienced in music theories, chord progressions, scales, arpeggios... But I think "0-7-2" has a lot of theory. I believe (I hope) that these 3 little numbers are the theoretical or structural basis of the whole song, but who can tell... I only managed to distinguish two pianos and two violins. What do you hear?

Plunging into a four-dimensional space and riding a sound wave. In my opinion, this is the definition of the penultimate track: "Salt in the Wound". I hate 2/3-minute songs, I prefer to delve into a banal 10-minute one rather than a serious 3-minute one. Nonetheless, this track is of very high level. Well structured and with all the nuances of a classy instrumental. Oh, I almost forgot... two minutes.

To close with seriousness "Novocaine Kiss" best represents the interiority of "Music for Speeding". I don't know, but to me, it makes me think of an endless ocean. The most poignant and melancholic of the album... around three minutes in comes one of the most beautiful and profound solos by our beloved mane, with an extraordinary climax at the end, truly goosebumps-inducing.

I hope you find this album quite interesting. And above all, I hope you liked this review... no, because I wanted to change my approach a bit compared to the previous ones. Using syntax that I don't use often.