Marty Friedman "Introduction"

Martin Adam "Marty" Friedman (born December 8, 1962) is an American guitarist, known for his tenure as the lead guitarist for heavy metal band Megadeth which spanned nearly the full decade of the 1990s. He is also known for playing alongside Jason Becker in Cacophony until 1989, as well as his 13 solo albums and tours. Friedman has resided in Tokyo, Japan since 2003, where he has appeared on over 700 Japanese television programs such as Rock Fujiyama, Hebimeta-san, Kouhaku uta gassen and Jukebox English. He has released albums with several record labels, including Avex Trax, Universal, EMI, Prosthetic, and Shrapnel Records.

Introduction is the third studio album by guitarist Marty Friedman, released on November 8, 1994 through Shrapnel Records (United States) and Roadrunner Records (Europe), one week after his band Megadeth released Youthanasia. It is also the second album to feature Megadeth bandmate Nick Menza on drums. It was also a family affair, with Nick's father Don Menza playing shakuhachi.

Robert Taylor at AllMusic gave Introduction 4.5 stars out of 5, calling it "An unexpected masterpiece in a genre that could use more releases such as this." The album was described as having built on the formula set out in Friedman's previous album, Scenes (1992), 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."

Track listing

All tracks are written by Marty Friedman.

1. "Arrival" 4:52
2. "Bittersweet" 5:27
3. "Be" 4:51
4. "Escapism" 9:14
5. "Luna" 5:17
6. "Mama" 3:55
7. "Loneliness" 4:08
8. "Siberia" 4:20

Total length: 42:04

Recording information:

Recorded at Total Access Recording Studios, Redondo Beach, California, November / December 1993

Additional tracking at Alex Wilkinson's Studio, Shadow Hills, California

Mastering at Rocket Lab, San Francisco, California

Various Artists "Metal Massacre II (1994 Reissue, Remastered, Metal Blade Records, 3984-14042-2)"

Metal Massacre is a series of compilation albums released through Metal Blade Records. It is famous for "shedding light" on bands such as The Obsessed, Trouble, Overkill, Metal Church, Metallica, Slayer, Virgin Steele, Hellhammer, Voivod, Armored Saint, Lizzy Borden, Possessed and more.

In 1981, Brian Slagel, founder of Metal Blade Records, decided to put out a compilation of unsigned, underground metal bands. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s he continued to release more volumes of the compilations. Metal Massacre XII was released in 1995 and was the final Metal Massacre album until Metal Massacre XIII, released 11 years later in 2006. Metal Massacre XIII differed from the previous releases which featured primarily unsigned bands, containing mostly established bands on the Metal Blade roster.

Metal Massacre II – 1982

1. "Lesson Well Learned" – Armored Saint – 2:51
2. "Mind Invader" – 3rd Stage Alert – 3:51
3. "Rivet Head" – Surgical Steel – 3:03^
4. "Shadows of Steel" – Obsession – 4:31
5. "Scepters of Deceit" – Savage Grace – 3:45
6. "No Holds Barred" – Overkill* – 4:12
7. "Lucifer's Hammer" – Warlord – 3:18
8. "Such a Shame" – Trauma** – 2:53
9. "It's Alright" – Dietrich – 3:26
10. "Inversion" – Molten Leather – 4:04
11. "Kings" – Hyksos – 6:11
12. "Heavy Metal Virgin" – Aloha*** – 3:01

^ Surgical Steel featured Jeff Martin and Greg Chaisson who reunited in Badlands in the early 1990s.

* The Overkill on the compilation is not the same as the East Coast Overkill on Vol. 5.

** Trauma featured Cliff Burton who later became the bassist for Metallica.

*** Aloha featured Marty Friedman, later of Cacophony and Megadeth fame.

Tourniquet "Where Moth And Rust Destroy"

Where Moth and Rust Destroy is an album by Tourniquet. The title is a reference to Matthew 6:19. All guitar solos on this album were performed by former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman except tracks 4 and 7 which were done by Bruce Franklin.

Phantom Blue "Built To Perform"

Built to Perform is the second full-length album by American heavy metal band Phantom Blue. In contrast to the first album's glam metal sound, Built to Perform displays a more raw, heavy metal sound. It also features songwriting credits by all five of the band members plus former member Nicole Couch, who left prior to the album's release. The album includes the band's cover of Thin Lizzy's "Bad Reputation."

Veteran producer Max Norman oversaw the album's production, while Marty Friedman (who was then with Megadeth) and John Norum (of Europe) contributed as guest guitarists. Norum and guitarist Michelle Meldrum eventually married in 1995. "My Misery" was co-written by West Arkeen, known for his collaborations with Guns N' Roses.

Released by Geffen Records, this was the band's only album under a major record label.