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Rising Force (1984)
Released in November 1984, Rising Force is the first full-length from Yngwie Malmsteen. He is a skilled guitarist. This isn’t up for debate. But as far as being a great songwriter, that’s another matter entirely. From my perspective, most of this album is pretty forgettable.
There’s only one proper song here, “As Above, So Below,” and it just so happens to be the best thing on the record by far. The other vocal track feels like the singing was slapped on after the fact, like it was an afterthought. The rest of the album is mostly just instrumentals—Yngwie shredding away and showing off. One really strong instrumental would be fine, maybe two depending on the length of the record. Even still, unless it's something epic and memorable, like "The Call of Ktulu", or an atmospheric piece to accentuate the overall mood of the album, then it can often just feel like underdeveloped fragments. That’s not what you get here.
"Black Star" is a decent track and there are a couple riffs here and there that could have been something, but most of this stuff is pointless as anything but maybe background noise. It’s also surprisingly soft a lot of the time, drifting more toward rock than metal.
The only thing that saves this L.P. from being totally worthless is the epic and memorable “As Above, So Below.” It’s focused, structured, and Jeff Scott Soto’s vocals really elevate it. It’s the one moment where Yngwie’s playing actually serves the song rather than the other way around and his solos actually make more of an impact. Even a few more songs like this would have made Rising Force much more worthwhile. As it stands, there's only one that is worth coming back for which is a shame. These guys had the right ingredients to make something quite good but chose a different path.
There’s only one proper song here, “As Above, So Below,” and it just so happens to be the best thing on the record by far. The other vocal track feels like the singing was slapped on after the fact, like it was an afterthought. The rest of the album is mostly just instrumentals—Yngwie shredding away and showing off. One really strong instrumental would be fine, maybe two depending on the length of the record. Even still, unless it's something epic and memorable, like "The Call of Ktulu", or an atmospheric piece to accentuate the overall mood of the album, then it can often just feel like underdeveloped fragments. That’s not what you get here.
"Black Star" is a decent track and there are a couple riffs here and there that could have been something, but most of this stuff is pointless as anything but maybe background noise. It’s also surprisingly soft a lot of the time, drifting more toward rock than metal.
The only thing that saves this L.P. from being totally worthless is the epic and memorable “As Above, So Below.” It’s focused, structured, and Jeff Scott Soto’s vocals really elevate it. It’s the one moment where Yngwie’s playing actually serves the song rather than the other way around and his solos actually make more of an impact. Even a few more songs like this would have made Rising Force much more worthwhile. As it stands, there's only one that is worth coming back for which is a shame. These guys had the right ingredients to make something quite good but chose a different path.
(29 Apr. 2025)
Marching Out (1985)
Yngwie Malmsteen's second album, Marching Out, was released in September 1985. Unlike Rising Force, this one focuses more on traditional songs and isn’t just a mess of pointless instrumentals. It features three of the strongest tracks Yngwie ever wrote: “I’ll See the Light Tonight,” “On the Run Again,” and the epic “I Am a Viking.” This is just great ‘80s heavy metal.
What really puts these songs over the top is Jeff Scott Soto’s vocal performance. The guy has a powerful voice with a lot of feeling, and his tone matches the music perfectly. Just listen to the high notes he hits on “I Am a Viking”, they’re soaring and packed with conviction. It’s not just about range; it’s about sounding like he actually means it. That kind of delivery gives the song real weight and cuts through all the guitar acrobatics. It's easily one of the best things Yngwie ever put his name on.
The rest of the album doesn’t quite measure up, even if there are decent riffs and vocal lines scattered throughout. Some parts feel too soft or off-putting, and Yngwie occasionally slips in unnecessary wankery that doesn’t add much to the song. That said, tracks like "Disciples of Hell", "Anguish and Fear" and "Soldier Without Faith" aren't bad, just not as memorable as the standouts.
For one reason or another, these guys had a falling out, and Soto went on to work with other bands like Panther and Kuni. While Marching Out is not without its flaws, it is leagues better than Yngwie's debut and the highlights are too good to ignore. Definitely give this a listen if you're into '80s heavy metal.
What really puts these songs over the top is Jeff Scott Soto’s vocal performance. The guy has a powerful voice with a lot of feeling, and his tone matches the music perfectly. Just listen to the high notes he hits on “I Am a Viking”, they’re soaring and packed with conviction. It’s not just about range; it’s about sounding like he actually means it. That kind of delivery gives the song real weight and cuts through all the guitar acrobatics. It's easily one of the best things Yngwie ever put his name on.
The rest of the album doesn’t quite measure up, even if there are decent riffs and vocal lines scattered throughout. Some parts feel too soft or off-putting, and Yngwie occasionally slips in unnecessary wankery that doesn’t add much to the song. That said, tracks like "Disciples of Hell", "Anguish and Fear" and "Soldier Without Faith" aren't bad, just not as memorable as the standouts.
For one reason or another, these guys had a falling out, and Soto went on to work with other bands like Panther and Kuni. While Marching Out is not without its flaws, it is leagues better than Yngwie's debut and the highlights are too good to ignore. Definitely give this a listen if you're into '80s heavy metal.
(30 Apr. 2025)
Trilogy (1986)
Yngwie Malmsteen's third album, Trilogy, was released in November 1986. It’s a noticeable step down from Marching Out, weighed down by a lot of filler. That said, a few tracks manage to stand out. “You Don’t Remember, I’ll Never Forget” is solid, though the heavy use of keyboards and soft parts occasionally veer into early Bon Jovi territory. “Liar” picks up the pace with more energy, mostly thanks to new vocalist Mark Boals, whose performance also helps elevate the otherwise average “Magic Mirror” which features some decent '80s rock riffs.
The real highlight is “Dark Ages,” a slow, doom-tinged track that ranks among Yngwie’s best. The riffs have this epic, otherworldly quality that almost pulls you into another realm, and the vocals are soaring, dramatic, and filled with emotion. There’s a somber undercurrent to the whole thing that gives it even more depth. It’s the kind of song that proves Yngwie could deliver something truly powerful when everything clicked. It feels fully realized in a way that much of the rest of the album doesn’t.
The rest is sub-par, and it's a little baffling how an album can contain both genius and mediocrity, but here it is. If nothing else, give Triloogy a listen for “Dark Ages,” but don’t get too attached to the vocalist, as he left after this record. Apparently, people had a difficult time getting along with Yngwie (as well as trouble getting paid), which resulted in a revolving door for the vocalist spot. It's too bad that he was so difficult to work with as the constant lineup changes affected the overall quality of later releases. Unlike black or death metal which can more easily get away with changing vocalists since they sound so similar, traditional heavy metal kind of lives or dies by how good the singing is.
The real highlight is “Dark Ages,” a slow, doom-tinged track that ranks among Yngwie’s best. The riffs have this epic, otherworldly quality that almost pulls you into another realm, and the vocals are soaring, dramatic, and filled with emotion. There’s a somber undercurrent to the whole thing that gives it even more depth. It’s the kind of song that proves Yngwie could deliver something truly powerful when everything clicked. It feels fully realized in a way that much of the rest of the album doesn’t.
The rest is sub-par, and it's a little baffling how an album can contain both genius and mediocrity, but here it is. If nothing else, give Triloogy a listen for “Dark Ages,” but don’t get too attached to the vocalist, as he left after this record. Apparently, people had a difficult time getting along with Yngwie (as well as trouble getting paid), which resulted in a revolving door for the vocalist spot. It's too bad that he was so difficult to work with as the constant lineup changes affected the overall quality of later releases. Unlike black or death metal which can more easily get away with changing vocalists since they sound so similar, traditional heavy metal kind of lives or dies by how good the singing is.
(30 Apr. 2025)
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