On his first solo album, 1984's RISING FORCE, Yngwie Malmsteen established himself as one of the definitive hard-rock guitar virtuosos of the era. Notably influenced by classical music, but working in the heavy-metal vernacular, the Swedish six-stringer offers up a propulsive set of songs that showcases his remarkably fleet-fingered playing, as best revealed on the urgent, ominous "Evil Eye." While Malmsteen is capable of emotive power ballads (see the plaintive "Icarus Dream Suite"), he seems most at home when blazing up and down the fretboard, as on "Far Beyond the Sun." Although some listeners may be content with THE YNGWIE MALMSTEEN COLLECTION, any true fan of the renowned shredder needs to own RISING FORCE.
