Martone's leads are dazzling, in particular on one of the album's standout cuts, the 11:20 "7th Dimension," which ventures into Return To Forever territory. Brother Paul Martone provides solid keyboards, but Dave's guitar is generally the focus here. Special note should be made of drummer Daniel Adair, who is incredible. He doesn't overuse the double basses to annoyance and is fancy in the right places without overplaying. Other stellar tracks include "Fish To L.A." with its soaring melodic melody and complex picking, very Frank Gambale-ish (one of Martone's influences) and the Satriani-meets-The Dregs flavored "Free Bop."

If there's any complaint to be found with "Zone", it's that the album is maybe a little too diverse (although this writer personally likes all the different styles). A couple of tracks ("The Fan," "Victoria") are in the smooth-jazz style of Larry Carlton and The Rippingtons, and it's hard to imagine someone liking these who also is into the raw metallic opener, while the acoustic solo guitar pieces go off in yet a third direction. Dave Martone was reportedly set to release a solo album, and that might be a good idea, to keep future releases more ensemble-oriented and saving the acoustic solo things for that avenue.

Overall, Martone's "Zone" is a killer release of stunning musical virtuosity, great songs and solid production. If you're into the artists in the styles mentioned, I doubt you'll be disappointed.