Cacophony - Go Off!


Year of Release: 1988
Label: Shrapnel Records
Catalog Number: SH 1040
Format: CD
Total Time: 00:00:00

This was Cacophony's second release. Go Off! was right on the heels of Speed Metal Symphony, the previous year's release. I noticed a clearer focal point with the arrangements musically and there is a noticeable improvement in Peter Marino's vocals on this album. It was an all around better effort from the Cacophony camp. The dynamic duo of Jason Becker and Marty Freidman really show how they used the first album as a period of experimentation and development to move into a more mature interlude on the following release. This is the result of all that hard work and musical risk taking.

"Stranger" is the epitome of the rock music of the day, dominated by blaring guitars and hard-edged vocals. The difference in this music compared to the mainstream music that was rolling in truckloads of cash was the stretching out of Becker and Freidman as legitimate guitar heroes based on their pure talent and nothing else. They did it all with abandon and with the intent of showing what true maestros of music that they were. They didn't care about having a hit single or any of that corporate crap that ruined so many artists' careers. Listen to the dark "Black Cat" and if you aren't a believer after that song, pack it in and turn on your top-forty AM radio station. That song ends on a soft note as it fades out with a nice acoustic guitar. Don't relax, as the next song "Sword Of The Warrior" is back full force with plenty of gloom and doom to drive you back down to reality and make you realize that they mean business. I also should mention the standup support by the other members of the band - Jimmy O'Shea (bass), Peter Marino (vocals), and Kenny Stavropoulos (drums). Without that foundation the castle that Jason and Marty built wouldn't be standing for long. The last track "Images" closes out the album leaving it up to Becker and Freidman to take you on an out-and-out musical magic carpet ride. There are moments of savagery and beauty, giving more strength and justification to all of their work.

This was Cacophony's final album, but there was more to come from Mr. Becker soon after the group's demise.


Tracklisting:
X-Ray Eyes / E.S.P. / Stranger / Go Off! / Black Cat / Sword of the Warrior / Floating World / Images

Musicians:
Jason Becker - guitar
Marty Friedman - guitar
Jimmy O'Shea - bass
Peter Marino - vocals
Kenny Stavropoulos -drums

Discography:
Speed Metal Symphony (1987)
Go Off! (1988)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin US

Added: August 16th 2001
Reviewer: Keith Hannaleck

Artist website:
Hits: 3493
Language: english

  

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