Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force
Yngwie is the Swedish, lightning-fast, guitar shredding egomaniac that
helped change the way people look at metal and is one of the most influential
heavy metal guitarist of the 80's and 90's. His early collaboration with Ron
Keel (who later went to found his band, Keel)
on a short-lived project called Steeler gained Yngwie a name in the early
80's across the globe. Yngwie then joined Alcatrazz
with ex-Rainbow singer Graham Bonnet
for a couple of years before going solo. I personally have been a fan since
those early days and was lucky enough to see Yngwie perform with Alcatrazz
when they opened for Ted Nugent
at Six Flags in Jackson, NJ. I also saw Yngwie a couple years later on his "Rape
and Pilage Tour '85" with Jeff Scott Soto at a small club outside of Philadelphia,
PA. The numerous people who have played on an Yngwie album comprise a virtual
all-star lineup in the field of hard rock/metal and include members of Rainbow,
Loudness, Obsession,
Ozzy, Stratovarius,
Dio, Black
Sabbath, Riot, Talisman and others.
Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force (Polydor) 1984
1."Black Star"
[instrumental] (4:51)
2."Far Beyond the Sun" [instrumental] (5:49)
3."Now Your Ships Are Burned" (4:09)
4."Evil Eye" [instrumental] (5:12)
5."Icarus' Dream Suite, Op. 1" [instrumental](8:30)
6."As Above, So Below" (4:36)
7."Little Savage" [instrumental](5:21)
8."Farewell" [instrumental] (0:48)
I bought this album as
a new release and was BLOWN AWAY! I played this album so many times I wore the
grooves off the vinyl. Had to replace this with a cd. Sure, Eddie Van Halen
had introduced dazzling speed and technique to the realm of heavy metal guitar
and Randy Rhoads' compositions fused heavy metal with neo-classical influences,
but no one did it like Yngwie. This album literally changed the way people looked
at the guitar in heavy metal. Yngwie combined classical chord progressions,
harmonic minor scales, and jaw-dropping, fast picking techniques that included
the sweep-picked arpeggio that few were using yet. This combined with Yngwie's
love of classic bands like Deep Purple and Rainbow, combined for one of the
finest, mostly instrumental heavy metal albums to come out of the 80's and began
the age of the guitar shredder. Add to this the two tracks with vocals that
feature extraordinary vocalist Jeff Scott Soto.
I saw the band on this
tour, although they were playing "new" songs off Marching Out as well. I bought
a t-shirt from this tour that I hung onto until May 2000, when I sold it on
ebay.
Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force - Studio/Live '85 (Polydor) 1985 
SIDE A
1. "Ill See the Light Tonight" (4:24)
SIDE B
2. "Far Beyond the Sun" [live] (5:47)
3. "I'm A Viking" [live] (5:48)
A 12" vinyl single that was released just before "Marching Out" as a teaser
for the new album. I purchased this record originally as a new release right
around the time I saw Yngwie live at a small club in Pennsylvania on the "Rape
& Pilage Tour". The live track presented here were recorded live in Japan
in January 1985.
Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force - Marching Out (Polydor) 1985
1. "Prelude"
[instrumental] (1:00)
2. "I'll See the Light, Tonight" (4:24)
3. "Don't Let it End" (4:07)
4. "Disciples of Hell" (5:55)
5. "I Am a Viking" (5:58)
6. "Overture 1383" [instrumental] (2:59)
7. "Anguish and Fear" (3:47)
8. "On the Run Again" (3:22)
9. "Soldier without Faith" (6:08)
10. "Caught in the Middle" (4:17)
11. "Marching Out" [instrumental] (3:08)
This is Yngwie's finest
moment. There is not a weak song on this disc in my opinion. This is helped
by the phenomenal keyboard playing of Jen Johanssen and the great vocals of
Jeff Scott Soto. Of course Anders Johansson (drums) is no slouch either. This
time 'round, the vocal tracks outnumber the instrumentals. The lyrical themes
are rather dark, but are no where near as important, or as interesting as the
songs themselves. The mixture of Yngwie's guitar technique and charisma is matched
only but the Soto's stunning vocal melodies.
As I said, I saw Rising
Force play much of this material on their "Rape and Pilage Tour 1985." It was
a great show with some great showmen and much of the material for this album
was performed. Following his time with Rising Force, Jens Johansson briefly
joined Dio, and now plays for Stratovarius.
Anders Johansson was last seen with another Swedish band, Hammerfall.
By the way, the cover pictured above, which is the copy I own, is not the original
cover art, but rather the re-issue cover.
Yngwie Malmsteen - Trilogy (Polydor) 1986
1. "You Don't Remember,
I'll Never Forget" (4:29)
2. "Liar" (4:07)
3. "Queen In Love" (4:02)
4. "Crying" (5:01)
5. "Fury" (3:54)
6. "Fire" ( 4:09)
7. "Magic Mirror" (3:51)
8. "Dark Ages" (3:54)
9. "Trilogy Suite Op: 5" [instrumental] (7:13)
Yngwie was still at his
creative best here, although his tendency for commecialism was beginning to
show. Yngwie's compositional skills are at their peak here as well, and even
the medieval imagery in the lyrics contributes to the overall feel of the music.
The last GREAT Yngwie disc for a while.
|
Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force - Odyssey (Polydor) 1988
1. "Rising Force"
(4:25)
2. "Hold On" (5:11)
3. "Heaven Tonight" (4:06)
4. "Dreaming (Tell Me)" (5:19)
5. "Bite the Bullet" [instrumental] (1:36)
6. "Rioit in the Dungeons" (4:22)
7. "Déjà Vu" (4:17)
8. "Crystal Ball" (4:55)
9. "Now Is the Time" (4:34)
10. "Faster Than the Speed of Light" (4:30)
11. "Krakatau" [instrumental] (6:08)
12. "Memories" [instrumental] (1:14)
|
Joe Lynn Turner &
Yngwie Malmsteen 1988 |
I've always been a fan
of Malmsteen, but my main criticism has always been that he plays with total
technique at the expense of hook-laden song writing, and often times emotion
and aggression as well. "Odyssy" while being a good album, suffers
from the same thing. The addition of former Rainbow
vocalist Joe Lynn Turner certainly spices things up a bit. Overall, however,
this album is not Yngwie's finest moment. It is quite obvious that he was attempting
to gain some mainstream radio airplay so that even his shredding guitar solos
are toned down a bit. I suppose this could be considered a good thing but isn't
the dazzling guitar playing the whole reason to listen to Yngwie? Anyhow, I
use to own this one before, but traded it on the PM Board for something I couldn't
find anywhere else. I figured I could always find another copy of this used,
and I did.
Yngwie Malmsteen - Trial By Fire: Live in Lenegrad (Polydor) 1989
1. "Liar" (3:56)
2. "Queen in Love" (3:56)
3. "Déjà Vu" (4:08)
4. "Far Beyond the Sun" (8:17)
5. "Heaven Tonight" (4:29)
6. "Dreaming (Tell Me)" (6:34)
7. "You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget" (6:04)
8. "Guitar Solo (Trilogy Suite Op: 5/Spaseboro Blues)" [instrumental]
(10:16)
9. "Crystal Ball" (6:03)
10. "Black Star" [instrumental] (6:09)
11. "Spanish Castle Magic" (6:44)
Live albums are usually
the end of an era, or the beginning of a new era. "Trial By Fire" marks the
end of an era for Yngwie, and for his form of shred-metal in general. Whereas
in the 80's insane guitar pyrotechnics was considered cool, in the 90's it became
cool to look like a nerd and not play any guitar solos whatsoever. Also, Yngwie
was steeped deep into pop metal scene by this time, which in 1989 was still
considered cool, but would in a few short years be almost completely wiped out
by grunge. Still, for those of us who can appreciate stellar musicianship, razor
sharp guitar licks, and killer vocals, courtesy of Joe Lynn Turner, "Live in
Lenegrad" has held up well over time. There are plenty of self absorbed guitar
solos, but then that's what we all loved about Yngwie to begin with. Actually
my favorite tracks from this disc are the two instrumental "Far Beyond the Sun"
and "Black Star" as well as the outstanding extended version of "You Don't Remember,
I'll Never Forget". This particular live version takes on a Deep Purple vibe.
Also of interest is the ten minute guitar solo and a smokin' version of Jimi
Hendrix's "Spanish Castle Magic."
Yngwie Malmsteen - Eclipse (Polydor) 1990
1. "Making Love"
(4:56)
2. "Bedroom Eyes" (4:00)
3. "Save Our Love" (5:24 )
4. "Motherless Child" (4:01)
5. "Devil in Disguise" (5:45 )
6. "Judas" (4:25)
7. "What Do You Want" (3:58)
8. "Demon Driver" (3:41)
9. "Faultline" (5:07)
10. "See You in Hell (Don't Be Late)" (3:45)
11. "Eclipse" [instrumental] (3:45)
Loads of neo-classical
commercial metal tracks on this disc, but the songwriting begins to suffer on
this one. Yngwie started to write songs that were there simply to either showcase
his guitar playing abilities or to gain him some radio airplay. No doubt that
Yngwie is one of the best, as far as dazzling, lightning-fast technique goes,
but when the songs start sounding like they could have been on Rainbow's
later day offerings, then he just sounds like one of the many, rather than the
originator.
Yngwie Malmsteen - Fire & Ice (Elektra) 1992
1. "Perpetual"
(4:12)
2. "Dragonfly"(4:48)
3. "Teaser" (3:27)
4. "How Many Miles to Babylon" (6:09)
5. "Cry No More" (5:15)
6. "No Mercy" (5:29)
7. "C'Est la Vie" (5:17)
8. "Leviathan" (4:20)
9. "Fire and Ice" (4:28)
10. "Forever Is a Long Time" (4:25)
11. "I'm My Onw Enemy" (6:07)
12. "All I Want Is Everything" (4:00)
13. "Golden Dawn" [instrumental] (1:27)
14. "Final Curtain" (4:43)
With the advent of crappy
grunge/alternative rock that made the lack of talent a cool thing, many of the
80's shred guitarists including innovator Yngwie, were left out in the cold.
After signing a big label contract Yngwie felt the need to play more radio-oriented
pop metal. Unfortunately, the radio wasn't playing this type of music in the
early 90's as the trends had changed, so the album failed to burn up the charts
and Yngwie was dropped by Elektra. Yngwie, in my opinion, always sounded best
when playing the neo-classic metal of his early Rising Force days. The majority
of this album is commercial pop metal. "Cry No More" is the excellent
exception, however, as it contains an arrangement of Bach's "Badinerie"
and some jaw dropping guitar work.
Yngwie Malmsteen - The Seventh Sign (CMC International) 1994
- "Never Die"
(3:29)
- "I Don't Know"
(3:26)
- "Meant to Be"
(3:52)
- "Forever One"
(4:35)
- "Hairtrigger"
[instrumental] (2:43)
- "Brothers"
(3:48)
- "The Seventh Sign"
(6:32)
- "Bad Blood"
(4:25)
- "Prisoner of Your
Love" (4:28)
- "Pyramid of Cheops"
(5:11)
- "Crash and Burn"
(4:06)
- "Sorrow" [instrumental]
(2:03)
'Seventh Sign' starts off
as one would expect any Yngwie album, with fast riffs, solos blazing and neo-classical
melodies. What is surprising about this disc starts at song two, "I Don't Know."
Yngwie drops the fast shred for a Jimi
Hendrix-type song complete with the cry-baby, wah-wah solos. "Never Meant
To Be" continues in a slightly more bluesy mood. Surprising, yet a pleasant
change. I should also make mention that American (ex-Loudness)
vocalist Michael Vescera does a fantastic job on this disc as well. 'Seventh
Sign', along with most of the Malmsteen catalogue has been re-issued with different
cover art by Spitfire. The above cover is the original.
Yngwie Malmsteen - Magnum Opus (Vicery Music) 1995
1. "Vengeance"
(4:49)
2. "No Love Lost" (3:07)
3. "Tomorrow's Gone" (5:20)
4. "The Only One" (4:01)
5. "I'd Die without You" (5:49)
6. "Overture 1622" [instrumental] (2:41)
7. "Voodoo" (6:19)
8. "Cross the Line" (3:32)
9. "Time Will Tell" (5:09)
10. "Fire in the Sky" (4:57)
11. "Amberdawn" (4:25)
This album features ex-Loudness
singer Mike Vescera. I must say that he does a marvelous job and even co-wrote
half the songs on this disc. Overall, however, this disc seems a bit predictable
for Yngwie, finding him once again reaching for commercial success with pop
hard rock numbers and sugar coated ballads (i.e. I'd Die Without You," "Cross
the Line"). Now, I am not saying this is a bad album at all, it's just undistinguishable
from several other albums in my Yngwie collection. Of course Yngwie's neo-classical
guitar riffs abound and the instrumental is awesome, but after repeated listens
I found it hard to come up with anything to say. In other words, nothing stood
out in this disc. One strange thing about this disc is that it is somewhat hard
to find in this form. The Spitfire re-issue is everywhere, but this particular
copy with the original artwork and layout was never given a proper release in
the U.S. as far as I know. Luckily a friend found me this copy. Strange thing
is that the record company address is in New York. They obviously don't have
very strong distribution or marketing here. Let's hope that Spitfire does a
better job for the Swedish guitar virtuoso.
Yngwie Malmsteen - Inspiration (Spitfire) 1996/2000 re-issue
DISC ONE
1."Carry on Wayward Son" (5:09)
2."Pictures of Home" (4:56)
3."Gates of Babylon" (7:12)
4."Manic Depression" (3:39)
5."In the Dead of Night" (6:11)
6."Mistreated" (7:29)
7."The Sails of Charon" (5:05)
8."Demon's Eye" (4:53)
9."Anthem" (4:18)
10."Child in Time" (8:07)
DISC TWO
1.- 6. Interviews and demo material including:
"Merlin's Castle" ('80), "Soft Prelude in G Minor" ('82),
"Haunted" ('78), "Evil" (?), "Voodoo" ('95).
As I have said on previous
"tribute" reviews, I am a sucker for albums like this. How can I resist
one of my favorite artists doing covers of some of my other favorite artists.
It's painfully obvious where Yngwie's "inspiration" comes from with
the inclusion of FOUR songs from Deep
Purple, and one from Rainbow!!!
I've always been a fan of Ritchie Blackmore myself but never considered him
to be the awe inspiring guitarist that Yngwie obviously does. Of course he did
help write one of the greatest albums of all time "Machine Head."
Of the five Blackmore songs, "Gates of Babylon" is probably my favorite
with "Pictures of Home" running a close second. In any case, besides
Ritchie, Yngwie also plays homage to Kansas,
Jimi Hendrix, U.K.,
the Scorpions and Rush. There is a
wide variety of excellent vocalists on this disc that compliment Yngwie's shred
soloing. Original Rising Force vocalist Jeff Scott Soto is by far my
favorite but Rainbow's Joe Lyn Turner
(who sang for Yngwie's "Odyseey) and ex-Uriah Heep vocalist Mark Boals
are excellent as well. Even Yngwie takes a stab at singing on Hendrix's
"Manic Depression." He's not terrible, but he doesn't have the charisma
of all the others. Actually, King's X
have also done a stellar version of this Hendrix
song. Oh, I might also add that the cover art has been changed on this US re-release
as well. The new insert is not bad, but not really any better than the original.
All in all, "Inspiration" is a very enjoyable disc. All hail the king of ego,
and a darn fine guitarist I might add...Yngwie Malmsteen.
Yngwie Malmsteen - Facing the Animal (Mercury) 1997
1. "Braveheart"
(5:18)
2. "Facing the Animal" (4:37)
3. "Enemy" (4:53)
4. "Sacrifice" (4:16)
5. "Like an Angel" (5:47)
6. "My Resurrection" (4:47)
7. "Another Time" (5:02)
8. "Heathens from the North" (3:38)
9. "Alone in Paradise" (4:33)
10. "End of My Rope" (4:23)
11. "Only the Strong" (6:04)
12. "Poison in Your Veins" (4:21)
13. "Air on a Theme" (1:44)
Facing the Animal is a
good Yngwie disc. I've not been to fond of some of the more recent Yngwie albums
but this disc is a return to the heavier sound of the early Rising Force days.
The first four tracks simply shred from beginning to end. Track 5 "Like
an Angel" is a ballad, as the title suggests, but still contains plenty
of cools guitar solos. The thing about Yngwie that has bugged me in the past
is that he seems more concerned with showing off than with writing good material.
While Facing the Animal still has loads of self indulgent Yngwie solos, the
songwriting is much more enjoyable. Also of note, Cozy Powell (of Rainbow
fame) plays drums on this disc. I wonder why he dropped the "J" in
Yngwie J. Malmsteen? How are we suppose to distinguish him from all the other
Yngwie Malmsteens?
Yngwie contributed an excellent
version of "Gates of Babylon" to the Dio
tribute album with Jeff Scott Soto
back on vocals! He also played an awesome version of Aerosmith's
DREAM ON with Ronnie James Dio on "Not
the Same Old Song and Dance-A Tribute to Aerosmith."
and played lead guitar on Queen's "Keep
Yourself Alive" on the "Dragon Attack-a tribute
to Queen" cd.
Yngwie Johann Malmsteen -
Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in E Flat Minor Op. 1 (Pony
Canyon Korea) 1998
1. "Icarus Dream Fanfare"
(5:26)
2. "Cavalino Rampante" (3:57)
3. "Fugue" (3:40)
4. "Prelude to April" (2:43)
5. "Toccata" (3:57)
6. "Andante" (4:21)
7. "Sarabande" (3:23)
8. "Allegro" (1:29)
9. "Adagio" (3:09)
10. "Vivance" (4:50)
11. "Presto Vivace" (3:40)
12. "Finale"x (1:49)
I find it amusing to read
reviews that claim that this disc it is the first album to combine the electric
guitar with a backing orchestra. Deep
Purple were doing this in the early 70's. Aerosmith
played 'Dream On' with an orchestra backing them in the early 90's, and in the
late 90's Metallica played two shows
with a complete orchestra backing them. What Yngwie did succeed in being the
first at was creating the first work of its kind to feature the electric guitar
as the lead instrument in a concerto. A connoisseur of classical music, I am
not, although I do own a few classical tapes by such composers as Bach
and Beethoven. However, it is impossible for me to comment much on this
cd other than to say that I enjoy it, although I can also honestly say it is
selective listening as are my Bach and Beethoven tapes. Perhaps
this will get a little more play than those because of the addition of Yngwie's
shredding guitar solos over the orchestration, but if you are looking for another
Yngwie heavy metal platter, it won't be found here. Still, some guitar fans
and those seeking a refreshing change will dig this disc as I do. Spitfire re-issued
this disc in the U.S. but unfortunately with far inferior artwork, although
the sound quality is equal to that of the imports.
Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force - War to End All Wars (Spitfire) 2000
1. "Prophet Of Doom"
(5:31)
2. "Crucify" (6:44)
3. "Bad Reputation" (4:52)
4. "Catch 22" (4:12)
5. "Masquerade" (4:54)
6. "Molto Arpeggiosa" [instrumental] (4:13)
7. "Miracle of Life" [instrumental] (5:39)
8. "The Wizard" (5:18)
9. "Preludium "(2:26)
10. "Wild One" (5:45)
11. "Tarot" (5:38)
12. "Instrumental Institution" [instrumental] (3:55)
13. "War To End All Wars" (4:15)
Hmmm, not sure why Yngwie
has gone back to the Rising Force moniker as his supporting players include
vocalist Mark Boals, keyboardist Mats Olausson, and drummer John Macaluso, none
of whom were part of the original Rising Force. Perhaps the reason for
the return back to the name is because "War to End All Wars" is made up of the
same strength, aggression, passion and neo-classical heavy metal that those
earlier classics were made of. "War to End All Wars" is packed with Yngwie's
jaw-dropping, lightning-fast guitar shredding. The three instrumentals alone
are worth the price of admission. The other songs are excellent as well, but
to be quite frank, who listens to Yngwie for vocals? Mark Boals is a strong
vocalist with a somewhat operatic voice and does add a flare to the songs. One
song worth mentioning is "Wild One" which is a speed metal number with lyrics
that recall past Malmsteen song titles. Since Malmsteen is such a big Ritchie
Blackmore, fan, I assumed that the U.S. bonus track "Black Sheep of the Family"
was a Rainbow cover, but it's not. Rather, what we are given is a reggae tinged
jam, which sits kind of strange in the midst of all the neo-classical based
songs. The only real negative I have to say about this disc is the production
isn't Yngwie's best. The overall mix is a bit bassy, compared to other discs
on my stereo. Picked up this disc for a mere $7.99.
Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force - Attack!! (SPV) 2002
1. "Razor Eater"
(3:27)
2. "Rise Up" (4:33)
3. "Valley of the Kings" (5:43)
4. "Ship of Fools" (4:16)
5. "Attack" (4;25)
6. "Baroque 'n Roll" [instrumental] (5:56)
7. "Stronghold" (4:18)
8. "Mad Dog" (3:24)
9. "In the Name of God" (3:38)
10. "Freedom Isn't Free" (4:08)
11. "Majestic Blue" [instrumental] (6:03)
12. "Valhalla" (6:44)
13. "Touch the Sky" (5:02)
14. "Ironclad" (4:58)
15. "Air" [instrumental] (2:35)
Yet another stellar Rising
Force efforts from Yngwie. Of course, as with "War to End All Wars" the name
does not mean that there are any original members with Yngwie, but that the
sound returns to the neo-classical stylings of the first few Yngwie albums.
The good thing about dealing with an egomaniac like Yngwie is that we don't
have to worry about him following some stupid music trends. Yngwie continues
to sound like Yngwie without adding in any elements of popular bands from the
time. There are three excellent instrumentals on this disc, all of which are
short but also interesting enough to hold my attention. The vocals, this time
'round, are by Dougie White who has an amazing similarity to first Rising Force
vocalist Jeff Scott Soto. He voice has a rough quality to it, while at the same
time being very melodic. Perhaps one of the biggest surprise songs on this disc
is "Freedom Isn't Free", a song sung by Ygnwie himself. This particular song
is very much inspired by Uli Jon Roth (ex-Scorpions).
Even the vocals have that quality to them, making me check the booklet to see
if Uli was listed as a guest musician on this disc, which he is not. The production
on "Attack!" is a bit better than "War to End All Wars" as well, although I
really think Yngwie might be better of if he had someone other than himself
produce. Still, I can't see any Yngwie fan being disappointed with this release,
I know I am not.
Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Unleash The Fury (Spitfire) 2005
1. "Locked & Loaded"
(3:48)
2. "Revolution " (4:19)
3. "Winds Of War (Invasion)" (5:07)
4. "Crown Of Thorns" (4:26)
5. "The Bogeyman" (3:59)
6. "Beauty And A Beast" (3:20)
7. "Cracking The Whip" (3:52)
8. "Fuguetta" [instrumental] (1:03)
9. "Cherokee Warrior" (5:31)
10. "Guardian Angel" [instumental] (3:22)
11. "Let The Good Times Roll" (4:05)
12. "Revelation (Drinking with the Devil)" (5:38)
13. "Magic and Mayhem" [instrumental] (4:39)
14. "Exile" (3:52)
15 "The Hunt" (4:20)
16. "Russian Roulette" (4:10)
17. "Unleash the Fury" (5:42)
18. "Paraphrase" [instrumental] (3:49)
I have listened to this
new Malmsteen album several times before writing anything about it. What can
I say? Malmsteen is Malmsteen, you either like him or you don't. Malmsteen and
company basically bring about the same high quality, neo-classical heavy metal
that they do on just about every other album. Vocals are once again by Dougie
White who gives a more than commendable performance. Of course, there can only
be one alpha-male here, and we all know that's Yngwie. There is no denying the
he is a virtuosity on guitar, making runs up and down the guitar neck that send
most guitarist running for the hills. Of course, that is why we all listen to
Ynqwie, right? Yngwie rules!
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