YNGWIE MALMSTEEN -

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN'S RISING FORCE - UNLEASH THE FURY - SPITFIRE
Unstoppable guitar extraordinaire is back with a vengeance again with his latest with Rising Force unleashing of fancy fretboard workings with Unleash The Fury. A powerfully charged album bestowing classical touches along with rock music elements adding power driving grooves only a mastermind of this kind can create. From the beginning track Locked & Loaded with swift harmonic chorded blends to the melodic graces of Winds Of War (Invasion) vocalist Doogie White displays competent approaches more that meeting the musical expectations of what Mr. Malmsteen creates. Musical highlights of songs of interest are Cracking The Whip, The Bogeyman to the instrumentals of Paraphrase and Fuguett (Bach variation theme) for which this song has renaissance style soloing one can hear the plucked chords strummed with personal feeling. Overall, this album shatters any of the guitar hero claims for Yngwie Malmsteen rules supreme, but not being too overly cocky about his musical goods he truly delivers what he generates musically. If there was one negative thing that can be mentioned about this CD it would have to be the standstill of tastes. Each of his musical projects can be a bit repetitive sound-wise but as the music industry booms so do the artists of the past reclaiming the bygone days of glory claiming new fans along the way. Compelling, refreshingly serious this album speaks volumes. - Jussi

YNGWIE JOHANN MALMSTEEN - CONCERTO SUITE FOR GUITAR AND ORCHESTRA DVD - EAGLE VISION
Recorded in 2001, this is the North American release of a concert that features Yngwie and the New Japan Philharmonic. Yngwie has arranged everything for this and has done so it is performed as a purely classical number. It is pointed out that this has absolutely nothing to do with rock, heavy metal or any band fronting an orchestra, that Yngwie’s electric - and for a few minutes acoustic - guitar acts merely as a piece of the orchestra. All that is kind of fitting, in one sense because he does manage to make it work as a part of the whole, but at the same time the guitars do seem to drown out the whole. That though may be the way the DVD has been recorded and produced.
Don’t look for any bonus material on this. The only 'extra' is a very brief interview which does not even feature the star in front of a camera, but only his voice, as if a radio or telephone interview was included to provide the mandatory bonus tag. - Anna Tergel

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN - ANGELS OF LOVE - RISING FORCE  
I feel very awkward reviewing this, because this album has put me in a terrible catch-22. I have no idea how I'm going to finish this review without looking like a jerk. I really don't ...
Let's start out describing the album, no opinions at all. Angels Of Love is the abso-Swedishly legendary Yngwie "fucking fury" Malmsteen's new album after 2008's Perpetual Flame. It is an all-acoustic rendition of his best ballads and love songs, played only with acoustic guitar, keyboards, and string and choir arrangements. Apparently it's "showing the tender, delicate version of his classic songs which will appeal to all adult consumers who are into romantic/new age and instrumental songs as well as Yngwie Malmsteen fans and rock music fans alike," or so the press release says. Whatever.
My problem is this - the songs on this album are very pretty, and I could see being into them in a sad mood. And I definitely respect Yngwie for doing something other then just cranking out neoclassical power metal with insane guitar solos like he's been doing the last 25 years. And I like that he has depth, and "a tender side", and stuff. And the chick on the cover is seriously hot. But on the other hand, I enjoyed this album less then any album I've heard in a long time. Seriously, I almost turned off Angels Of Love and put on Rising Force so many times during the listening that it must have set some sort of record.
So what do I do? They're definitely good songs, no doubt about it. Every song is really pretty actually, but they're more on the sad side of pretty. For The Love Of God by Steve Vai is supposed to be like the number one shred ballad and I like several songs on here more than that one. Honestly, every song is well-written, interesting, and pretty. But I just simply did not like it at all, and even in a sad mood, I wouldn't see myself going to this. If I bash it I look like a jerk because I'm bashing Yngwie for trying something new, and if I say it's really good, then I cover up my true feelings, which are that it's just not that good.
Here's what I will say. If you are not into sad, gentle music, like most metalheads, then steer clear. If you are not into Yngwie Malmsteen, then definitely steer clear. But if you like classical guitar and sad music, then this is something to check out. Honestly, I don't really feel qualified to review this - I'm a metal reviewer, and this isn't really metal. It comes down to that, really. As an album, this is good. As a metal album, this fails. So maybe buy it if you're a guitar nut or in a sad mood (or if you can't resist the cover), but otherwise, this is not something a metalhead is gonna be interested in. And I'm a metalhead.
Good job, Yngwie. You are a serious artist. Now get back to shredding. - Max V.