Cacophony was an American heavy metal band formed in 1986 by guitarists Marty Friedman and Jason Becker,[1] and signed to Shrapnel Records.
[2] They released two studio albums and remained active until 1989, after which both guitarists forged their own solo careers and joined other bands.
(1988),[1] were showpieces of the kind of highly technical playing typical of the 1980s shred era, with songs featuring fast tempos, melodic solos, exotic neoclassical scales and dual guitar harmonizations.
[3] In a 2009 article by Guitar World magazine, Speed Metal Symphony was ranked ninth in a list of all-time top ten shred albums.
[1] Becker's time with Roth was abruptly cut short due to an onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative disease that rendered him completely unable to play and, soon afterwards, move or speak.