On Marching Out, Yngwie Malmsteen makes an irresistible case for inclusion in the elite category of all-time most influential heavy metal guitarists.
Building a golden bridge across the bay between classical music and heavy metal, Malmsteen unleashes a set filled with magical guitar moments: I'll See The Light, Tonight, Disciples Of Hell, and, particularly, Anguish And Fear set a new standard for what a classically-inspired electric guitar can accomplished when married to a metal ethic. Close behind are supporting tracks like I Am A Viking and Overture 1383, simultaneously providing depth and demonstrating Malmsteen's creative range.
Providing good support are the band, on this outing given the name Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force. Jens Johansson on keyboards and Anders Johansson on drums are both active and energetic enough to keep pace with Malmsteen's soaring guitar. Less impressive is Jeff Scott Soto on vocals: he has a great high octave range, but his faux-epic delivery gets tired quickly.
Genius guitarists can get self-indulgent or over-reliant on their talent to the point of getting lost in blind alleys. On Marching Out, Malmsteen avoids all traps and delivers one of the landmark heavy metal albums of the 1980s.
Band:
Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Guitars
Jens Johansson - Keyboards
Anders Johansson - Drums
Marcel Jacob - Bass
Jeff Scott Soto - Vocals
1. Prelude - n/a (short)
2. I'll See The Light, Tonight - 10
3. Don't Let It End - 7
4. Disciples Of Hell - 10
5. I Am A Viking - 9
6. Overture 1383 - 8
7. Anguish And Fear - 10 *see below*
8. On The Run Again - 6
9. Soldier Without Faith - 7
10. Caught In The Middle - 8
11. Marching Out - 7
Average: 8.20
Produced and Mixed by Yngwie J. Malmsteen.
Engineered by Lester Claypool.
All Ace Black Blog Heavy Metal CD Reviews are here.
