''Speed Metal Symphony'' is the first studio album by the American heavy metal band

Cacophony Phonaesthetics (also spelled phonesthetics in North America) is the study of beauty and pleasantness associated with the sounds of certain words or parts of words. The term was first used in this sense, perhaps by during the mid-20th century and ...

, released in 1987 through

Shrapnel Records Shrapnel Records is an American record label founded in 1980 by record producer Mike Varney. History Guitarist Marty Friedman (formerly of Megadeth and Cacophony), one of the label's most successful artists, first appeared on the album ''Unsu ...

Critical reception

In a contemporary review, Frank Trojan of ''

Rock Hard "Rock Hard" is a single by the Beastie Boys, released by Def Jam Records on 12" in 1984. The track contains samples from the AC/DC song "Back in Black", which was used without obtaining legal permission, causing the record to be withdraw ...

'' magazine found ''Speed Metal Symphony'' "much harder and faster" than the works of

Tony MacAlpine Tony MacAlpine (born August 29, 1960) is an American musician and composer. In a career spanning four decades, he has released twelve studio albums. MacAlpine is best known as an instrumental rock and heavy metal solo guitarist, although he has ...

Vinnie Moore Vincent Moore (born April 14, 1964) is an American guitarist and a member of the British hard rock band UFO. Biography Moore was born in New Castle, Delaware. He began his professional career at age 12 after receiving a guitar as a Christ ...

Yngwie Malmsteen Yngwie Johan Malmsteen ( ; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, 30 June 1963) is a Swedish guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical playing style in heavy metal, and has released 22 studio albums in a career spanning ov ...

, "which means that some tracks are speed kills with super solos". He added that, although "the pure instrumentals are, unfortunately, again the usual mixtures of classic elements and endless revival on well-known riffs and standards, Cacophony could appeal to a bigger circle by their rough, and sometimes also partly speedy way of playing, than just pure guitar freaks." The album was re-released on CD in 1991. Andy Hinds at

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

called ''Speed Metal Symphony'' "tough to digest". He noted its technical complexity and lack of production quality, while suggesting that it is "some of the most indulgent music ever recorded." Praise was nevertheless given to the skill of guitarists

Jason Becker Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Medea. He was ...

and

Marty Friedman Marty Friedman (born December 8, 1962) is an American guitarist, best known for his tenure as the lead guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth from 1990 to 2000. He is also known for playing alongside Jason Becker in Cacophony from 1986 until ...

, though Hinds suggested that both their subsequent solo releases ('' Perpetual Burn'' and ''

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) and Roadrunner Records (Europe). Critical reception In a contemporary review, Holger Stratmann of ''Rock ...

'', respectively) were superior. Canadian journalist

Martin Popoff Martin Popoff (born April 28, 1963) is a Canadian music journalist, critic and author. He is mainly known for writing about the genre of heavy metal music. The senior editor and co-founder of ''Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles'', he has additionally ...

defined the album "an expertly played, mostly instrumental affair" and "a slightly less arch and arcane version of Yngwie's debut", criticising Peter Marrino's vocals "buried in the mix" and not "up to standards" of the other musicians. In 2009, ''

Guitar World ''Guitar World'' is a monthly music magazine for guitarists – and fans of guitar-based music and trends – that has been published since July 1980. ''Guitar World'', the best-selling guitar magazine in the United States, contains original art ...

'' magazine ranked the album ninth on its list of the all-time top ten shred albums.

Track listing

Personnel

Cacophony *Peter Marrino –

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

–

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...

and

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...

s, bass, producer *

– lead and rhythm guitars *Atma Anur –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

Production *Steve Fontano –

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...

*Dino Alden – assistant engineer *George Horn – mastering at

Fantasy Studios Fantasy Studios was a music recording studio in Berkeley, California, at the Zaentz Media Center, known for its recording of award-winning albums including Journey's ''Escape'' and Green Day's ''Dookie''. Built as a private recording studio for ...

, Berkeley, California *

Mike Varney Mike Varney is an American record producer and music publisher. He is the founder of the Shrapnel Label Group, which includes Shrapnel Records, Tone Center Records, and Blues Bureau International. He also has a 50% stake in Magna Carta Record ...

–

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...

References

External links

Story Behind The Song - Cacophony's Speed Metal Symphony
at martyfriedman.com

at Guitar Nine Records {{Authority control Cacophony (band) albums Jason Becker albums Marty Friedman albums 1987 debut albums Shrapnel Records albums Albums produced by Mike Varney