Marty Friedman’s presence in the world of music, the world of guitar, and Japanese pop culture is mystifying, bizarre, and nothing short of inspiring. His latest solo album is Drama where he only slightly revisits the atmospheric elements of his 1992 release Scenes, elevating them to a modern and exotic collection of epic, extravagant, and unapologetically emotional mini-symphonies.
From his groundbreaking beginnings with Cacophony, alongside fellow guitarist Jason Becker, to his pivotal role in propelling Megadeth to its peak of popularity with his breath-taking range and unorthodox melodic sense, Friedman’s solidified his status as a unique guitar icon.
Out now as a digital single is ‘A Prayer’, taken from the Drama album – And it includes a ‘Guitar Karaoke’ version of the track as a B-Side. You can can also check out the video here at RAMzine. available below.
“‘A Prayer’ was one of the first songs I wrote for Drama,” Friedman revealed. “It is an unapologetic tearjerker, and it set the melancholy tone for the entire album. I always wanted to do a full album of wistful songs like this, but only recently have I developed the ability to put together elaborate arrangements like this that sound deceivingly simple and uplifting.”
Drama is out now, via Frontiers Music Srl and can be ordered here. The guitarist is supporting the album with a Live Drama 2025 US tour. There’s also a brand-new full autobiography, Dreaming Japanese, available worldwide by Simon and Schuster and via the following vendors: Amazon, Barnes & Noble and dreamingjapanesebook.com.
Recorded in Italy, where Friedman had access to a treasure trove of vintage guitars along with his modern signature models, Drama is described as “a pure, uplifting musical experience” and features the tracks: ‘Illumination’, ‘Song for an Eternal Child’, ‘Triumph (Official Version)’, ‘Thrill City’, ‘Deep End’, ‘Dead of Winter’, ‘Mirage’, ‘A Prayer’, ‘Acapella’, ‘Tearful Confession’, ‘Icicles’, ‘2 Rebeldes (Dead of Winter) (Spanish Version)’ and ‘Mirage (Guitar Karaoke Version)’ a bonus track in Japan.
