# Go Off!

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This article is about the Cacophony album. For other uses, see [Go off](/source/Go_off_(disambiguation)).

***Go Off!*** is the second and final studio album by [heavy metal](/source/Heavy_metal_music) band [Cacophony](/source/Cacophony_(band)), released in 1988 through [Shrapnel Records](/source/Shrapnel_Records). About two years after the album's release, guitarist [Jason Becker](/source/Jason_Becker) was diagnosed with [ALS](/source/Amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis), which eventually led to his near-total paralysis.[1] Also two years later, guitarist [Marty Friedman](/source/Marty_Friedman) joined the band [Megadeth](/source/Megadeth).[2] The album was re-released on CD in 1991.[3]

## Critical reception

In a contemporary review, Wolfgang Schäfer of *[Rock Hard](/source/Rock_Hard_(magazine))* was not overly impressed by the album but remarked how Friedman and Becker refrained "from superfluous solo escapades", making the music more accessible and fueling the suspicion that [Mike Varney](/source/Mike_Varney) wanted "to repeat the success of the dissolved [Racer X](/source/Racer_X_(band)) with this band."[4]

Andy Hinds at [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) found *Go Off!* an improvement on their 1987 debut album *[Speed Metal Symphony](/source/Speed_Metal_Symphony)* and compared the "slightly more song-oriented approach" to contemporaries Racer X. He praised Friedman and Becker's technical craft as "a very interesting listen at times" and that "there are even some beautiful moments, like the outro of the title track", while also noting an element of restraint in their playing compared to *Speed Metal Symphony*. However, much criticism was directed at singer Peter Marrino, with Hinds lambasting his vocals as "annoying" and the lyrics "ridiculous".[5]

[Martin Popoff](/source/Martin_Popoff) reviewed positively the album and considered it "too crazy, professional and intense for its day", becoming "a cult classic" and "a mid-years progressive metal cornerstone." He was also critical of Marrino's vocals, but praised [Deen Castronovo](/source/Deen_Castronovo)'s performance as "possibly his chopsiest of a long career."[6]

## Personnel

**Cacophony**

- Peter Marrino – vocals
- [Marty Friedman](/source/Marty_Friedman) – guitar, producer
- [Jason Becker](/source/Jason_Becker) – guitar, producer
- Jimmy O'Shea – bass
- Kenny Stavropoulos – drums (credited but does not play on the album)
- [Deen Castronovo](/source/Deen_Castronovo) – drums

**Production**

- Steve Fontano – producer, [engineer](/source/Audio_engineer)
- Joe Marquez, Scott Tatter, Michael Rosen – engineers
- Dino Alden, Marc Reyburn – assistant engineers
- George Horn – [mastering](/source/Mastering_engineer) at [Fantasy Studios](/source/Fantasy_Studios), Berkeley, California
- [Mike Varney](/source/Mike_Varney) – executive producer

## References

1. Ruhlmann, William. ["Jason Becker Biography"](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jason-becker-mn0000179636/biography). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. [All Media Network](/source/All_Media_Network). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170821213800/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jason-becker-mn0000179636/biography) 2017-08-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2017-08-23.

1. Huey, Steve. ["Marty Friedman Biography"](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/marty-friedman-mn0000858493/biography). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. [All Media Network](/source/All_Media_Network). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170821215304/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/marty-friedman-mn0000858493/biography) 2017-08-21 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2017-08-23.

1. Henderson, Paul (5 March 1991). "Speed Metal Symphony review". *Q Magazine*. **55**: 84–5.

1. Schäfer, Wolfgang (1988). ["Review Album: Cacophony - Go Off!"](https://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=6311) (in German). *[Rock Hard](/source/Rock_Hard_(magazine))*. No. 32. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170823115627/https://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=6311) 2017-08-23 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2017-08-15.

1. Hinds, Andy. ["Cacophony - Go Off! review"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/go-off!-mw0000201034). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. [All Media Network](/source/All_Media_Network). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170816064616/http://www.allmusic.com/album/go-off%21-mw0000201034) 2017-08-16 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2017-08-23.

1. Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). *The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties*. [Burlington, Ontario](/source/Burlington,_Ontario), [Canada](/source/Canada): [Collector's Guide Publishing](/source/Collector's_Guide_Publishing). p. 65. ISBN 978-1894959315.

## External links

- [Jason Becker & Marty Friedman on making Cacophony's *Go Off!*](https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/cacophony-go-off) at *[Guitar World](/source/Guitar_World)*
- [Story Behind The Song - Cacophony's Go Off!](http://www.martyfriedman.com/info_archive_detail.php?id=13&det=78) at martyfriedman.com
- [In Review: Cacophony "Go Off!"](http://www.guitar9.com/gooff.html) at Guitar Nine Records

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Go Off!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Off!) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Off!?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.