The Ultra Zone

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The Ultra Zone
Studio album by Steve Vai
Released	September 7, 1999
Recorded	1998 - 1999
Genre	Instrumental Rock
Length	68:45
Label	Epic
Producer(s)	Steve Vai
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Steve Vai chronology
Fire Garden (1996)	The Ultra Zone (1999)	The Seventh Song (2000)

The Ultra Zone is a 1999 album from guitarist Steve Vai. This is his fifth full-length album, as Alien Love Secrets is an EP.

The Ultra Zone is structurally similar to Vai's previous album, Fire Garden, in that the first half of the album consists mainly of instrumentals, and the second half mainly of vocal songs; however, unlike Fire Garden, The Ultra Zone is not formally divided into two "phases".

The Ultra Zone is notable for its tributes to two legendary guitarists: Frank Zappa (on the track "Frank"), and Stevie Ray Vaughan (on the track "Jibboom").

Also notable is the fact that this was Vai's last studio album of original material until 2005's Real Illusions: Reflections; in the years in between, he released several compilations of his material, as well as a live album.

This album includes the participations of Koshi Inaba and Tak Matsumoto from the Japanese band B'z on "Asian Sky".

[edit] Track listing

1. "The Blood and Tears" (instrumental) – 4:26
2. "The Ultra Zone" (instrumental) – 4:52
3. "Oooo" (instrumental) – 5:12
4. "Frank" (instrumental) – 5:09
5. "Jibboom" (instrumental) – 3:46
6. "Voodoo Acid" – 6:25
7. "Windows to the Soul" – 6:25
8. "The Silent Within" – 5:00
9. "I'll Be Around" – 4:57
10. "Lucky Charms" (instrumental) – 6:44
11. "Fever Dream" (instrumental) – 6:03
12. "Here I Am" – 4:12
13. "Asian Sky" – 5:34