Marty Friedman has been making a bit of a comeback as of late with some new solo material that “keeps up with the times,” so to speak and maintains his signature sound and phrasing. This album is packed with dynamics, melody, and aggression. I had the pleasure of seeing him on tour for this album in Chicago, and I can honestly say, for instrumental prog/shred, He has to have one of the tightest, high energy bands I’ve seen. They play as if they were playing a packed arena. Now let’s get to the album shall we?

Self Pollution: opens the album with some pretty cool riffing. Something that stands out about this album is that although it is a “Guitar Virtuoso” album, it has riffs for days. It’s very focused on composition. This track kind of throws a little bit of everything at you to give you a taste of what’s to come.

Sorrow and Madness: is easily one of my personal favorites. This track is loaded with melody and dynamics. The composition is very moving. And Marty’s signature sound is very apparent here, all those beautiful bends from out of the key that go into the key. Lots of emotion here.

Streetlight: Also packed with incredible dynamics, really shows that in a short period of time tons of versatility and ground is, has, and will be covered on this album.

Whiteworm: is an absolute rocking track, loaded with some flashy playing. It also has some very cool Latin vibes at certain points with the melody and rhythm. It has a very pretty chorus theme with a bit of an 80’s neo classical feel. Definitely a fun track.

Pussy Ghost: kind of changes things up with almost a black metal/death metal set of progressions. It’s a bit darker and atmospheric, but really interesting. It’s harmonically a bit reminiscent of some of the Cacophony material that was released way back.

I won’t give anymore away here, but I will say this. Go listen to this and buy it. It will be worth your time. I also recommend seeing him live, if you get the opportunity because it will be an enjoyable experience.

In the overcrowded metal scene the emerging Chicago based instrumental quartet Zaius deserves to be on your radar as the debut album “Of Adoration” showcases stellar musicianship and intriguing songwriting skills that should not be ignored.

“Phaneron” opens the album with a refreshing modern sound supported by eclectic instrumental passages that channel the ethereal quality of post-metal as well as an undisputable fascination for slick tempo variations with a slight prog orientation. The main core here is rather melodic as elegant distorted guitars maintain polished tonalities but don’t necessarily refrain from occasional heavier accents resulting in an entertaining music blend.

“Sheepdog” begins with a heavier approach yet guitars maintain a charming clarity which inevitably favors a crescendo of convoluted melodic patterns that stand out particularly when the rhythmic section slows down evoking a comfortable serenity.

“Seirenes” is a refined sonic shape-shifter but certainly focuses largely on dreamy melodic guitars that eventually pick up higher dosages of distortion yet never truly leave behind the emotional kaleidoscope that the whole instrumentation strives to maintain through all kind of fancy prog tempo signatures.

“Colin” essentially doesn’t diverge from the mood that characterizes the whole album as guitars effortlessly shift from crunchy somber tones to mellower clean melodies always keeping a balanced harmonious flow and often leading to the exploration of hazy melancholic soundscape.

It must be noted that despite the instrumental complexity on “Of Adoration” there is a profound sense of relaxation in the smooth variations and sound clarity that bear the trademark of atmospheric post-metal and Zaius confidently demonstrates to have a precise music pathway in mind.

Emerging sludge rockers The Ditch And The Delta unleash the debut album “Hives In Decline” delivering all kinds of crazy heavy moments and crafting mind-bending grooves.

Those who are not familiar with the essential madness of sludge might find the title track hostile or just enigmatic as The Ditch And The Delta experiment with atmospheric tones, depressing vibes and borderline aggressive rhythmic blasts to generate interest and curiosity but also focus on a monolithic combo of guitars & bass with some hypnotizing quality.

“Fuck on Asphalt” definitely has a more straightforward rhythmic assault where steady guitars keep a properly sludge attitude that rightfully gives way to a series of wild and slightly discordant guitar solos.

The brief instrumental “Dry Land” showcases melodic craftsmanship as guitars acquire smooth sonic warmth with remarkable southern rock edge.

“Dread Spectacle” closes the album maximizing the experimental aspects and spicing up the monotone guitar riffing with sudden melodic breakdowns, dissonant tempo variations and dramatic vocals.

Lovers of sludge metal subgenre will find some entertaining ideas through the sonic exploration on “Hives In Decline” even if The Ditch And The Delta often go beyond such traditional elements attempting to channel a higher degree of unrestrained creativity.