Yngwie J. Malmsteen
Eclipse

THE REVIEW

It's 1990, and Yngwie returns to the studio, following up on the compositional and commercial success of the immortal "Odyssey" after a shocking series of personal problems and the departure of the historic members of Rising Force who had assisted him in the eighties.

The result is identified in the release of this "Eclipse", an album heavily criticized by the media and accused of "selling out" by the most narrow-minded fans of the Swede, namely the "metal" faction that hardly remembers the hard-rock origins of a musician raised in a period musically dominated by acts like Rainbow and Deep Purple.

The new lineup benefits from the excellent vocal contribution of Göran Edman, already with J. Norum in "Total Control," the pulsating bass of Svante Henrysson, a versatile musician with a pop-rock background (Roxette), while keyboards and drums rely on the talent-professionalism duo of Mats Olausson and Michael Von Knorring. The rest is entirely entrusted to the maestro who, as usual, takes charge of the entire lyrical-instrumental aspect of the work in question, bringing a breath of pop-infused freshness that surprises, confounds, and, for diehards, disappoints. "Making Love" opens the proceedings, settling on enveloping mid-tempos well supported by vocal melodies both in the verses and in the catchy chorus, while our contributor’s solo input loosens the spiral of hyper-fast notes, revealing itself to be thoughtful and brilliant, but never forgetful, however, of the neo-classical technicism of which Malmsteen is the declared leader. With the subsequent "Bedroom Eyes", blues-rock influences are proposed alongside the captivating whirlwind of the virtuoso, where Edman delivers energetic and engaging tones, giving the piece a quid of power-harmony that is truly enjoyable. The album continues with the tear-jerking "Save Our Love", elegant and refined with a nostalgically classy solo, leading to the "metallic" "Motherless Child" and "Devil In Disguise" where Malmsteen emphasizes the rougher aspect of a record that is certainly much softer in distortions compared to the past. "Judas" confirms the desire to create atmospheres close to the old school hard-rock and classic pop duo, exploding in a harmonically impeccable chorus. Göran and Yngwie create true sonic magic in the subsequent "What Do You Want", splendidly introduced by velvety keys that soar in a flight of emotional bridges and solos where not a single note is wasted, to the detriment of the detractors of the Swede who know very little about him. Emotions continue forcefully in the splendid "Faultline", a true qualitative peak in the choice of marvelous riffs followed by the sly vibe of Olausson's ivory keys and the full-bodied vocal lines of a practically perfect singing. Edman's voice proves to be the right choice for pieces that balance between the gritty bursts of hard'n'heavy and the more romantic and subdued tones, a typical trademark of the acrobatic guitarist. The conclusive "See You In Hell" and "Eclipse" accentuate the influences derived from Malmsteen's neoclassical background, fast and very technical, offering swirling scales combined with the symphonic approach that predominates in the latter, which, for the record, represents the only instrumental track on the work. An episode misunderstood by most, "Eclipse" instead reveals interesting insights into the Scandinavian's style and some compositional changes that pleasantly surprise. Ultimately, a collection of beautiful songs, elegantly produced and enriched by a chillingly professional execution. Rediscover it.