Review by Krys on July 14, 2014.

Marty Friedman is mostly known for his work in Megadeth but for me he's the reason I picked up the guitar. It was when he was in Cacophony and put out his solo albums, shredding in friendly solo competitions with his pal Jason Backer. Sadly that didn't last long due to Jason's health problems but that's when he joined Megadeth and took that band to another level releasing their best material to date. Why 'redhead' couldn't make it work? They could still be one of the best bands in the world…

So, after stepping out from metal circles and years of releasing albums on Japanese market, Marty is back with Inferno and proves that metal fire still burns with flames hotter than my back side after a night on the Mexican riviera. From the aptly titled opener Friedman starts on a high note with galloping tempos and nonstop unique, Friedman-style leads and solos. Resin takes it a step further before he kicks back and ventures into cooperations with other artists exploring all sides of music spectrum. What a ride! Starting with Mexican flavor of Rodrigo y Gabriela through Jørgen Munkeby mind-blowing saxophone duet, David Davidson vocals on Sociopaths, Alexi Laiho & Danko Jones touches on Lycanthrope and last but not least Horrors co-written by Jason Becker, just to name a few. I swear that last cooperation took me back on a trip to the past where I could hear aura of Dragon's Kisses trying to rediscover notes and learn one passage after another until my tape couldn't handle it anymore and I couldn't hear the pitch of the notes. But it's not the number of featured artists that is listed on Inferno that blows my mind, it's Marty's ability to write music for every style from classical, jazz to metal, and still preserving the characteristics of each featured artist while adding his touch and making a hit out of it. He's not just a guitar shredder like many out there, he's a musician, composer and student of the music art. What sets him apart is simple fact that he makes Music with capital M and doesn't try to break records with number of notes in a bar. Look for fret-board masturbation elsewhere. Oh, and did I mention solos? Marty's style, full of melody, hooks and technique that will make you cry thinking of your guitar proficiency.

Note to guitar enthusiasts: search the net and watch Jason's videos where he explains the art of guitar playing, some of those lessons go well beyond just technics and explain why speed is not everything, in contrast to popular beliefs.

Brilliant songwriting, flawless technique and of the charts replay value makes Inferno one of my albums of the year. I think I'll close it up with repeat of my opening paragraph. Why 'redhead' couldn't make it work? Imagine just what could have been?

Rating: 9 out of 10