Marty Friedman

Marty Friedman earned early renown as one of the most technically ferocious guitarists through his work with the lightning-paced Cacophony ensemble, yet his decade-long role as lead guitarist for Megadeth during the band’s commercial peak brought him the broadest recognition. Born in 1962 and raised near Baltimore, he first picked up the instrument at fifteen while playing in Deuce; shortly afterward his family relocated to Hawaii. There he joined a frequently renamed local group and contributed to three of its albums. Friedman immersed himself in rigorous practice, deliberately studying Asian and Middle Eastern traditions to absorb unfamiliar scales that could expand his solo vocabulary. Although he first linked with the Shrapnel label in 1981, widespread notice arrived only in 1987 when he and Jason Becker released Cacophony’s debut, Speed Metal Symphony. Both musicians used the momentum to issue their long-planned solo projects; Friedman’s Dragon’s Kiss appeared on Shrapnel in 1988 and mirrored the neoclassical intensity of the duo’s joint recordings. After Cacophony’s follow-up, Go Off!, in 1989, the pair parted ways. Friedman entered Megadeth late in 1990 as the group’s third lead guitarist across four albums, yet he stabilized the chair by remaining for ten years. His first recording with the band, Rust in Peace, showcased an immediate technical elevation that still ranks among the most demanding thrash-metal releases. The subsequent Countdown to Extinction became Megadeth’s commercial breakthrough, elevating the group to worldwide arena status. Capitalizing on that visibility in 1992, Friedman surprised metal audiences by collaborating with new-age artist Kitaro on the meditative, Asia-inflected instrumental album Scenes, also issued by Shrapnel. Satisfied with the direction, he pursued it further on 1994’s Introduction, which deepened its Japanese influences. He continued to treat his solo output as a vehicle for non-aggressive music, releasing True Obsession in 1996. Friedman departed Megadeth in 2000, roughly a year after Risk. Music for Speeding followed in 2003; two years later he issued the instructional video 99 Secret Lead Guitar Phrases. Loudspeaker surfaced in early 2006 and Future Addict in 2008. In 2009 he compiled a set of Japanese covers titled Tokyo Jukebox; its sequel, Tokyo Jukebox 2, appeared in 2011, succeeded by the original material of Inferno in 2014. Wall of Sound, issued in 2017, featured guest appearances from Jinxx of Black Veil Brides, Shiv Mehra of Deafheaven, and Jørgen Munkeby of Shining.