by Andy Hinds

Cacophony guitarist Marty Friedman unleashes his virtuosic six-string fury on the excellent Dragon's Kiss, which may be the most definitive sampling of Friedman's talents available. Spiking his supersaturated heavy metal sensibilities with texture, imagination, and a flair for the exotic, Friedman proves to be a distinctive modern metal soloist. This all-instrumental offering marks the end of Friedman's more indulgent, progressive solo artist phase, as he was recruited to join Megadeth's ranks shortly after its release.