A good blend of commercial rock and classicalized rock

This was the last big studio release by Yngwie J. Malmsteen. Clearly wanting to return to his classical, Blackmore-influenced music, Yngwie still manages to throw in a few radio-friendly songs. Production quality is a bit too "bright", but it fits for the material here.



The most commercial song on the disc is "Teaser", which could have been written by Joey Tempest's Europe. The vocal, especially the chorus, sounds so much like Europe's style that I'm surprised that Tempest never filed a copyright suit.



The least commercial track, barring the instrumental works, is "Final Curtain". Complete with a HUGE orchestral rhythm section that doesn't sound a bit out of place here; the thunder at the end brings out the strength of the song.



True, there's no "I'll See the Light Tonight" or "Soldier without Faith" here, but the Yngwie stamp is undeniable and definitely solid.

A likeable album

Released in 1992, Fire and Ice is Yngwie Malmsteen's sixth studio album. The material is in a hard rock musical direction. Overall, I consider the songwriting to be good, the musicianship to be accomplished, and the sound quality to be worthy. There are 14 tracks; of these 14 tracks, three of them--"Perpetual," "Leviathan," and "Golden Dawn"--are instrumentals. Also, some of the compositions on this album contain a string section. Malmsteen is a proficient guitar player, while Goran Edman sings smoothly, and the keyboard work of Mats Olausson is skilled. Songs that I find to be favorites are "How Many Miles to Babylon," "Cry No More," "C'est la Vie," and "I'm My Own Enemy." The epic, impressive "How Many Miles to Babylon" is a stately piece featuring a pretty introductory section consisting of Malmsteen's guitar work, a string section, and flute instrumentation. The elegant, plaintive "Cry No More" displays a beginning that is striking and attractive, nice vocals from Edman, and charming, polished guitar playing from Malmsteen. The majestic "C'est la Vie" presents a regal refrain, gratifying singing from Edman, and sitar work from Malmsteen. The pleasing, melancholy "I'm My Own Enemy" exhibits industrious vocals from Edman. An example of another track that I like is the fast-paced "Forever Is a Long Time"--it sports a remarkable, medieval-sounding ending passage; a string section is also utilized on this song. The CD insert includes the song lyrics, four color photos of Malmsteen, and another color photo of him and his band. There is a color photo on the back of the CD jewel case. The album cover illustration is creative. The disc is almost 65 minutes. Fire and Ice is a refined, majestic piece of work, and I recommend it.

More Ice Than Fire

While I love Yngwie's music, I have to say I was a little disppointed in this CD. I really wanted to like it and I've given it a spin on repeated occasions to see if it would grow on me, but I find it somewhat difficult to listen to. It doesn't have the same vibrance as many of the Maestro's other releases. As always, technically, Yngwie doesn't disappoint and Goran Edmond shines on the vocals just as he did on Eclipse, but I often find myself getting bored while listening to this CD. It's not a bad CD and not a total waste of money, but I think it will appeal more to die-hard fans and not to the masses. Even though I am a die-hard fan, this CD stays on the shelf more than it gets put in the CD player. Definitely not one of Yngwie's best.