Lords of Metal
Arrow Lords of Metal

MARTY FRIEDMAN announces new album 'Drama', shares 'Illumination' single

13-03-2024

Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman will release his new solo album, “Drama”, on May 17 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Recorded in Italy, “Drama” showcases Marty‘s unique touch, for the first time using both vintage and modern guitars. The album’s first single “Illumination” can already be streamed below. Marty paints atmospheric elements with a modern and exotic flair, promising “an unforgettable musical experience”.

Watch “Illumination” below.

“Drama” track listing:
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)
12. Mirage (Guitar Karaoke Version) (bonus track Japan)

Recording lineup:
Marty Friedman – Guitar
Wakazaemon – Bass
Gregg Bissonette – Drums
Mika Maruki – Piano, Keyboard & Synth
Hiyori Okuda – Cello
Miho Chigyo – Violin

Vocals on “Dead Of Winter”Chris Brooks (LIKE A STORM)
Vocals on “2 Rebeldes”Steven Baquero Vargas
Bass on “Mirage”Or Lubianiker
Rhythm guitar on “Thrill City”Naoki Morioka
Keys and synth on “Sanctuary”Takuro Iga
Drums on “Thrill City”Chargeeeeee

Marty previously talked about his next solo LP in October in an interview with Chris Akin Presents. At the time, he said: “I’ve been recording my upcoming album for almost a year now. And it’s gonna be finished by the end of the year, and it’s gonna come out in the spring of 2024. And boy, it’s an ambitious one. But, of course, I say that every time. But every time I have to top the one that was before it, so the task keeps getting more and more insane. And right now I would say I’m about 75 percent done with that.”

As for some of the other projects he is currently involved with, Marty said: “I’m editing my autobiography, which will come out also next year. And also, I just did the most exhaustive instructional video series for TrueFire — the most exhaustive one they’ve ever done and the most exhaustive one I’ve ever done by far. It’s the deepest dive into just the way I see music, which apparently is not the same as how others see it. Not that it’s better or worse, but it’s just completely different. So for the first time ever, including any of my other instructional things, for the first time ever, I’ve really actually worked hard on it and created this thing. And I did it at the end of the tour, the U.S. tour that I did earlier this year, and now it’s just about finished. [We’re] just putting the last edits on and just about done with that. So, it’s kind of a lot of post-production work at this point.”

Marty‘s latest album, Tokyo Jukebox 3, came out in April 2021 via The Players Club/Mascot Label Group. The record, which was made available in Japan in October 2020, is the third in a series that began with “Tokyo Jukebox” in 2009, and then “Tokyo Jukebox 2” following in 2011. The trilogy presents Friedman‘s inspired performances to Japanese repertoire he’s chosen to cover.

Social media