"Steroidhead" sees FRIEDMAN backed by some notable young musicians -- Keshav Dhar and Anup Sastry (Skyharbor). Says FRIEDMAN, "I love working with innovative, risky and borderline crazy musicians, and the guys on 'Steroidhead' certainly fit that description. Each track on the album has a separate dream team on it, so it feels like a constant barrage of fresh interpretations of my music."

Due in May, "Inferno" -- the cover art for which appears above -- is FRIEDMAN's first solo album of original material in four years, and his first recording in more than a decade that will be released worldwide simultaneously. Featuring what he describes as the heaviest, most intense playing of his career, the album will feature guest appearances by several artists influenced by FRIEDMAN, including Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom), flamenco/metal acoustic duo Rodrigo y Gabriela and Revocation's David Davidson. In addition, "Inferno" includes FRIEDMAN's first songwriting collaboration with Jason Becker since the pair played together in Cacophony, the pioneering duo of guitar mayhem.

In other news, FRIEDMAN will appear at this week's NAMM trade show in Anaheim, Calif., where he will officially introduce his new Paul Reed Smith MARTY FRIEDMAN Signature Model guitar. He will also play a brief solo live set at the Roland/Boss booth and perform at the "Randy Rhoads Remembered" NAMM after-party/concert.

His complete NAMM schedule is as follows:

Wed., Jan. 22

• 3:30 p.m. -- Roland/Boss press conference (booth 302A on Level 3)

​Fri., Jan. 24

• 10:30 a.m. -- Paul Reed Smith guitars press conference (booth 210A/B on Level 2)
• 1:30 p.m. -- signing at Majik Box pedals (booth 4394 in Hall C)
• 2 p.m. -- signing at Engl amplification (booth 5284 in Hall B)

​Sat., Jan. 25:

• 12:30 p.m. -- Q&A at Paul Reed Smith guitars (booth 210A/B on Level 2) 
• 1 p.m. -- signing at Paul Reed Smith guitars (booth 210A/B on Level 2)
• 4 p.m. -- live performance at Roland/Boss (booth 302A on Level 3)
• Sometime after 8 p.m. -- "Randy Rhoads Remembered" live performance (The Observatory, Santa Ana, Calif.)

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More information on "Inferno" will be revealed in the coming weeks.