Dragon's Kiss
Dragon's Kiss is the first studio album by guitarist Marty Friedman, released on August 8, 1988 through Shrapnel Records (United States)[1] and Roadrunner Records (Europe).
| Dragon's Kiss | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 8, 1988 | |||
| Recorded | Prairie Sun Recording Studios in Cotati, California | |||
| Genre | Instrumental rock, neoclassical metal | |||
| Length | 36:06 | |||
| Label | Shrapnel | |||
| Producer | Marty Friedman, Mike Varney | |||
| Marty Friedman chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 8/10[3] |
| Rock Hard | 8.0/10[4] |
In a contemporary review, Holger Stratmann of Rock Hard did not recommend the album, but considered it as "quite good" in mixing "speed and folkloric influences from his old days in Hawaii" with "the typical and probably indispensable nature of the Shrapnel horde."[4]
Andy Hinds of AllMusic considered Dragon's Kiss an excellent album, and wrote that it "may be the most definitive sampling of Friedman's talents available."[2] Martin Popoff in his Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal described Dragon's Kiss as "a structured album of artful instrumental rock that kills all that came before" and "ushered in a new classy, mature era in shred records."[3]
The album was re-released on CD in 1991.[5]
Track listing
All music is composed by Marty Friedman, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Saturation Point" (Friedman, Jason Becker) | 4:53 |
| 2. | "Dragon Mistress" | 3:41 |
| 3. | "Evil Thrill" | 5:31 |
| 4. | "Namida (Tears)" | 2:47 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Anvils" | 2:38 |
| 6. | "Jewel" (Friedman, Becker) | 4:05 |
| 7. | "Forbidden City" | 8:18 |
| 8. | "Thunder March" | 4:13 |
| Total length: | 36:06 | |
Personnel
- Musicians
- Marty Friedman – guitar, bass, keyboard[6]
- Jason Becker – additional guitar solos (tracks 1, 3,[6] 6)
- Deen Castronovo – drums
- Maija – piano (track 1)[6]
- Production
- Marty Friedman – producer
- Dino Alden – engineering, mixing
- George Horn – mastering at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California
- Dave Stephens Graphics – graphic design
- Pat Johnson Studios – photography
- Ross Pelton – Deen Castronovo photo
- Mike Varney – executive production
References
- "Discography: Solo Album". Marty Friedman Official Website. Archived from the original on 2017-08-21. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
- Hinds, Andy. "Marty Friedman - Dragon's Kiss review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 2017-08-21. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
- Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 127. ISBN 978-1894959315.
- Stratmann, Holger (1988). "Review Album: Marty Friedman - Dragon's Kiss". Rock Hard (in German). No. 28. Archived from the original on 2017-08-21. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
- Henderson, Paul (5 March 1991). "Speed Metal Symphony review". Q Magazine. 55: 84–5.
- Friedman, Marty (7 September 2002). "Story Behind The Song - Dragon's Kiss". Marty Friedman Official Website. Archived from the original on 2017-08-21. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
External links
- In Review: Marty Friedman "Dragon's Kiss" at Guitar Nine Records