The Ultra Zone is a 1999 album

Album

An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...

 from guitarist

Guitarist

A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...

 Steve Vai

Steve Vai

Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....

.

The Ultra Zone is structurally similar to Vai's previous album, Fire Garden

Fire Garden

Fire Garden is a 1996 album from guitarist Steve Vai. This is his fourth solo album, as Alien Love Secrets is an EP.Fire Garden is divided into two "phases"...

, 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

Frank Zappa

Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...

 (on the track "Frank"), and Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stephen Ray "Stevie Ray" Vaughan was an American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan and frontman for Double Trouble, a band that included bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. Born in Dallas, Vaughan moved to Austin at the age of 17 and...

 (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

Real Illusions: Reflections

Real Illusions: Reflections is the first studio album since Steve Vai's 1999 studio release The Ultra Zone. The album was released on February 22, 2005...

; 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

Koshi Inaba

is a Japanese vocalist. His real name is . He graduated from the Faculty of Education at the Yokohama National University, and has a degree in mathematics.- Musical career :...

 and Tak Matsumoto

Tak Matsumoto

is a Grammy Award-winning Japanese guitarist, producer, arranger, composer, singer and songwriter. In addition to guitarist and lead composer for the hard rock band B'z, he has also had a successful solo career.-Background:...

 from the Japanese band B'z

B'z

is a Japanese hard rock duo, composed of and .B'z has released 45 consecutive #1 singles, 24 #1 albums, and sold more than 79 million records in Japan alone...

 on "Asian Sky".

Track listing

All songs written by Steve Vai

Steve Vai

Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....

.

1. "The Blood & Tears" – 4:26 (instrumental)
2. "The Ultra Zone" – 4:52 (instrumental)
3. "Oooo" – 5:12 (instrumental)
4. "Frank" – 5:09 (instrumental) (homage to Frank Zappa
   Frank Zappa
   Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
   
   )
5. "Jibboom" – 3:46 (instrumental) (homage to Stevie Ray Vaughan
   Stevie Ray Vaughan
   Stephen Ray "Stevie Ray" Vaughan was an American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan and frontman for Double Trouble, a band that included bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. Born in Dallas, Vaughan moved to Austin at the age of 17 and...
   
   )
6. "Voodoo Acid" – 6:25
7. "Windows to the Soul" – 6:25 (instrumental, with some small spoken parts)
8. "The Silent Within" – 5:00
9. "I'll Be Around" – 4:57
10. "Lucky Charms" – 6:44 (instrumental)
11. "Fever Dream" – 6:03 (instrumental)
12. "Here I Am" – 4:12
13. "Asian Sky" – 5:34