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Rating: One of the most explanatory works in the career of the Swede "Odissey" was released back in 1987 following the epic and dark "Trilogy," bringing Malmsteen and his delirious six-string to climb the Asian charts with the 80s jewel "Heaven Tonight".
Assisted by professional and talented musicians, Yngwie produces one of the most successful episodes of his long career gifting us twelve tracks full of emotional strength, abundant technicism, and a couple of ballads from a true hard-rock anthology.
Jens and Anders Johansson, already present in the three previous works, delight the palate of lovers of structured instrumentals by providing superb performances on keyboards (the former) and drums (the latter). The change behind the microphone surprises where the sharp voice of Mark Boals is replaced by the rich and emotional voice of a simply stunning Joe Lynn Turner. Although never too highly regarded by the guitar hero, he delivers a perfect performance, skillful in channeling a disruptive energy in the faster tracks and at the same time capable of offering us subdued melancholic notes in the more thoughtful pieces.
The chapter related to the acrobatic soloism of the Stockholm axeman deserves a special mention for its quality and mastery. All the solos, I emphasize, fit beautifully within each of the proposed tracks, effluvium of notes with sidereal speed but with a finely classical melodic flavor, a recognizable trademark of the Nordic guitarist and, for this reason, admired and barbarically cloned by many others in the years to come.
The opener "Rising Force" unleashes a sharp and effective opening riff followed by mid-high energetic vocals to then generate a sonic war between Yngwie's guitar and Jens's ivory keys, a pentatonic whirl creating neoclassical magic par excellence. "Hold On" shines with graceful harmonies, wraps in a sinuous mid-tempo, light yet compelling in the sad guitar notes that, like soft brush strokes, paint the painful lament present in the lyrical spirit. A vocal performance of tearful theatricality is coupled with a solo balancing sentimentality and scratching technicism to close one of the best chapters of the platter.
The already mentioned "Heaven Tonight" disguises the twisted dynamism of the Swede in a brilliant hit-song, perfect for the charts of the time and partially reminiscent of what Europe offered in the eighties, while the definitive masterpiece arrives with the tremulous acoustic notes of the ballad "Dreaming". Malmsteen's riffs weep, emptying a swirling melancholy into Turner's vibrant vocals, introducing us to a section of apocalyptic and impeccable solos, a true display of overwhelming talent.
Dazed by the crackling of intoxicating scales in the instrumental "Bite The Bullet", we delve into the abrasive riffs of the robust "Riot In The Dungeons". Here, the keyboards create a dark background where Joe explodes in a rampant and aggressive verse, assisted by Yngwie's riffing that serves as an engine for a warlike chorus close to the Ronnie Dio period Rainbow. It's needless to underline that the solo aspect burns with classical passions even in this track, an inseparable fusion of notes shot at insane speeds between keys "drunk" with unstoppable symphonies and guitar scales that astonish with such a display of technique paired with a truly intense feeling. The oblique riffing of "Deja Vu" leaves room for new flights of fancy from a six-string now the absolute protagonist, which even in the classic-power anthem "Faster Than The Speed Of Light" dispenses virtuosity to no end, supported by a confident, powerful yet skillfully harmonious vocal.
The twins "Crystal Ball" and "Now Is The Time" bring gusts of 80s hard-rock, light and agile in melodies at the edge of the radio-friendly. Noteworthy is the keyboard work in the latter while our neoclassical solos shine bright in the former, equipped with a chorus meant to explode into a refrain forged to imprint itself in the mind at the speed of light. But it is in the finale that Yngwie plays his trump cards, expressing in multiplied power those that are the cornerstones of the proposal he advocates, and which he will continue unperturbably in the future, oblivious of the fiercest criticisms. Indeed, "Krakatau" incorporates in six minutes of sound madness all the peculiarities of Malmsteen's musical thought: sober and intricate riffs, progressive solos, dark at times but always very melodic, keyboards with atmospheric-symphonic ambitions ready to unleash scales unachievable for talent and execution speed and a feeling of baroque solemnity paired with rough heavy-metal plots to leave one stunned.
The aforementioned sonic storm loosens its grip and immerses itself in the sweet notes of the acoustic sadness of "Memories", enchanting us with velvety grace and lowering the curtain on what represents, in my opinion, the composer's peak of the guitar hero in 24 years of honorable career.
There are few words left to say except the incredible urgency to press the "Play" button for the umpteenth time in the past 16 years...
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