Worst album I've ever bought.

This album was enjoyable for about 3 listens, but it hasn't aged well at all. This is embarrassingly bad stuff. The reason I bought it in the first place was because it was heralded as a "full band effort", rather than just Yngwie shredding fast, and, well, it is that, but the songs are still cheesy, weak, and really forgettable. Also, Yngwie's guitar playing is just as boring as ever. Yeah, he can shred fast, big deal. That's about all he can do. All of his solos sound exactly the same (Yeah, let's do a sappy ballad dedicated to my wife, and then shred over it, that'll sound good!), and his rhythm playing is pretty uninsprired. Also, the singer on this album sounds like a 4th rate Dio ripoff, and Yngwie's vocals sound like Jeff Keith from Tesla with a cold. And if that's not enough, the lyrics are some of the worst I've ever heard ("I'll tear my heart out and serve it to you on a plate"...uh yeah).



I really don't recommend this at all. If you want some good band-oriented shred-type metal, get some Dream Theater or Symphony X. If you want some full-on guitar-oriented stuff, get some Vai or Satriani. This doesn't have you covered either way. The only really good thing about this album is Mats Olausson's keyboard outro in "Braveheart". But that's not really enough to listen to this. Also, Cozy Powell plays drums on it, but it's not his best work by any means (get a Rainbow album instead).



But hey, if you really want this, you're more than welcome to my copy. You can save it from a horrible fate of being burned, smashed, or hurled like a frisbee into a field.

Yngwie YAWNsteen

After listening to this Yngwie's latest "opus", I only have two things to say. First, while the man is a great guitarist, he can't write a song to save his life. Second, this is the reason why I'm so glad the 80's are over. This album is all style and no substance. Time for Yngwie to quit making records, and join the rest of us in the new century.

One of Yngwie's Best-But There's Lot's of Those! 4 Stars.

This is one of his best ... but aren't they all in a way? Even if Yngwie puts out one you hate, you still seem to find something about it that you love. This, in my opinion, is because the guy is a musical madman. I think he can play almost everything except the drums? His choice of seeming to have a different singer on almost every album, at first might have you going, 'What the ?, but then you find it a nice touch becuase the fans can always pick their favorite one [singer]. On this one, I thought Yngwie's best solo was on, Like An Angel (For April), a killer ballad for his wife, April. Stunning playing on his part, and the whole album as always. Mats Leven did a great job on vocals, but my last great impression of an Yngwie singer was, Doug White, on Attack!! You should grab that, if you don't have it yet. Again, no 5 stars because for me, I live for those killer intrumentals that Yngwie throws in there; and on this one, there is only one??? Air On A Theme, great, but not what I was hoping for. Still an essential 4 star rating for any Yngwie J. Malmsteen fan. Cheers from Scraggy's Tomb of Power Metal, USA. Cheers! ... I'm sitting here thinking now, and I could have sworn there was more than one instrumental on this? Late night ... hit me in the head with a review correcting me if I'm wrong.