helterskelter.ca

MALMSTEEN, Yngwie J.
1984 - Rising Force.
1986 - Trilogy.
1992 - Fire & Ice.
way more Helter Skelter.

March 5, 1984 - 2024: 40 years of: Rising Force.

The beacon for classical shred.

Hardrock is about to get electro-shocked. Still under the SoCal ten-finger haze, but this time another seism would be of European decent. World, welcome to the rock-arena, Sweden's secret weapon: Yngwie J. Malmsteen.

Out of STEELER, out of ALCATRAZZ and now solo, Yngwie Malmsteen was / is / will always be the guitar-shredder's shredder. The madness starts here ...and would immortalize Malmsteen on top of the lead-guitar food-chain.

The flamenco guitar-intro opens The Gates, as we head into a collision-course with the "Black Star". Hard-pounding rhythm with keyboard undertones ...and the six-string voice from beyond takes a stand. Immediate explosion, as the Cosmos implodes "Far Beyond The Sun". A vigorous exchange of leads of high speed and high melodies with sulfurous stamina, a fusion of wattage and rock-preaching. An immortal signature-track in the instrumental-hardrock genre ...simply heavenly.

Afire "As Above, So Below" provides, organs, powermetal schemes and the raging vocal acrobatics of a young Jeff Scott Soto. Still under-siege by the spell of the "Evil Eye", crunch-riffing and classical crescendos while Malmsteen proudly displays his total appreciation for Ritchie Blackmore and both Paganini and Beethoven. The elite 8:35sec sweep-screams of "Icarus' Dream Suite Op.4" moves mountain with electric emotions ...and divine might.

PLAY LOUD !

Malmsteen's classical incorporations would color hardrock into a new maelstrom of senses, forever breaking away from Eurometal unisons and US blues-based lead signatures. Armageddon in arpeggios, the Rising Force LP is an immense milestone, a true powerhouse: the birth of neo-classical metal-shred.

1984: one hot calendar-year that would also bring us the Yankee shyboy: Steve Vai. More decibel delights abound as Malmsteen's achievements would stack-up with 1985's Marching Out LP.

Be warned: the fury has been released !

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Rising Force = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTjSKmvzj5o&list=PLD9WLinkyEmiy20ENe0Y2wiqj8ZEFVmVF
some girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLVNGF1gKWQ

November 4, 1986 - 2021: 35 years of: Trilogy.

A Swede virtuoso armed with a Stratocaster ...you know heads are gonna roll !

Three's a charm and 1986's Trilogy LP is pure magic-in-a-box. 41mins of unstoppable hardrock, packaged with some of the crunchiest guitar riffs and wildest leads, ever put to tape. To the untrained-ear a million-notes-per-minutes is just a million-notes-per-minutes, but when done the Yngwie-way ...it turns fret-burnin' into a stringed orchestrated nirvana !

Let's jump right into the heavyrock opener, the classic "You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget". A beautiful keyboard-supported riff that drives the LP into full motion. "Liar" while it's tame title is just that, rips through the skin and explodes open-wide at the lead-breakpoint: unparalleled musicianship !

The royal "Queen In Love", the burning "Fire" and the possessed "Magic Mirror" are grade-A fist-pumping tracks, while "Crying" displays soft and emotional flamenco-guitar, a pattern that is still present today on current Malmsteen recordings. The closing-track, the majestic instrumental "Trilogy Suite Op:5" is an ethereal tour-de-force. The neo-classical offering is all riffs, lead trade-offs, keyboard ambiences and double-bassdrum back-bone rhythms. Bach gone bad: an hybrid of progressive, classical and heavy electric-guitar, all delivered in the name of rock.

Six-string wise, after Van Halen and Rhoads, before Gilbert and Bettencourt ...there was the Hendrix-influenced, PURPLE-fueled and Ferrari-drivin' Yngwie Johan motherfukkin' Malmsteen !!!

In 1986, when hardrock and thrashmetal was the norm, there was little to no place for axe-shredder records, yet Yngwie made room and paved the way for the upcoming wave of shredder-albums of the late 80s to early 90s, gigantic LPs like: Satriani's Surfing With The Alien, Vai's Passion And Warfare and Moore's Meltdown.

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You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGre5aaa9SI
Trilogy = full LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35D4XfpBpS8&list=PLNc-FFHqewsNh-qUDTTXQ--YLJn9k4p8o
Interview in 1986
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3Wupm1GwHQ
Live in Toronto in 1986
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmEvPSuQql4

February 10, 1992 - 2022: 30 years of: Fire & Ice.

Sweet sights and suave sounds.

Our flaming fierce Swedish decibel destroyer strikes back and takes a bite on the turbulent early 90s. After the US-flavored pop / rock adventure of 1990's Eclipse CD, the cool burning grit is back.

The majestic "Perpetual" intro-track and bleeding leads, displays the ultimate master at the pole-position. Hard hitting rocknroll follows on "Dragonfly" and the single "Teaser" ...one of the strongest Sunset Strip-vibed cut of the era.

Another instrumental summoning, "Leviathan" is a direct hailing to the the Gods from above, a key-point in modern rock-ness. The fast-paced double bass-drums of "No Mercy" includes the Johann Sebastian Bach "Badinerie" part from the "Suite No.2" overture. Sassy, epic and classy.

Between good and evil, between fire and ice, Yngwie pushes harder and still stands tall, Stratocaster in hand, on the very top of the shredder food-chain. Say his name and you'll see the light, tonight. More alchemy and more sweeps from this rising force shall arise on 1994's The Seventh Sign CD.

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Teaser = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIkDa1T4orE
Dragonfly = video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLVCDqof2hE
Fire & Ice = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-N76nbBGXw&list=PLMynaxX_I0z_oirmZo8LPTTpslhqIGwce
Interview in Japan in 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7Ohf6UJ1Os
Live in Italy in 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7HNBaormEg
some guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=savPbIFvT8s