Yngwie Malmsteen "Inspiration (Japan, Pony Canyon, PCCY-01009)"

Inspiration is the ninth studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released on 14 October 1996. It is a tribute album consisting entirely of covers of various bands who influenced Malmsteen. Featured on vocals are Jeff Scott Soto, Mark Boals and Joe Lynn Turner, all of whom performed on Malmsteen's first four studio albums.

Tracklist:

1. Carry On Wayward Son (Kansas cover) 05:09
2. Pictures of Home (Deep Purple cover) 04:56
3. Gates of Babylon (Rainbow cover) 07:12
4. Manic Depression (Jimi Hendrix cover) 03:39  
5. In the Dead of Night (U.K. cover) 06:11
6. Mistreated (Deep Purple cover) 07:29
7. The Sails of Charon (Scorpions cover) 05:05  
8. Demon's Eye (Deep Purple cover) 04:53
9. Anthem (Rush cover) 04:18  
10. Child in Time (Deep Purple cover) 08:07   
11. Spanish Castle Magic (Jimi Hendrix cover) 03:07  

Time:  01:00:06  

Jens Johansson performed keyboards on "Gates of Babylon", but credit was mistakenly assigned to David Rosenthal.

Rereleased in '97 as "Expanded Version of Inspiration", including one bonus CD.

Recording information:

Produced by Yngwie Malmsteen, 

Co-produced by Chris Tsangarides.

Recorded at Studio 308, Miami, Florida.

Drums recorded at Heptagon Studios, Malmo, Sweden.

Mixed at Criteria Studios, Miami, Florida.

Chris Tsangarides – engineering

Keith Rose – engineering

Yngwie Malmsteen "Rising Force (Germany, Polydor, 825324-2)"

Rising Force is the first studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released in late 1984 through Polydor Records. This was originally planned as an instrumental side-project of his then-current band Alcatrazz, but due to singer Jeff Scott Soto's appearance on the album, Malmsteen opted to release it as a solo album. It reached No. 14 on the Swedish albums chart and No. 60 on the US Billboard 200, and received a nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1986 Grammy Awards. The album is regarded as a landmark release in the shred and neoclassical metal genres.

Steve Huey at AllMusic gave Rising Force four stars out of five, calling it "a revelation upon its release" and "The true inauguration of the age of the guitar shredder." He praised Malmsteen's technique and "blinding virtuosity", as well as highlighting his "obsessions with Bach, Beethoven, and Paganini".

In a 2009 article by Guitar World magazine, Rising Force was ranked first in the all-time top ten list of shred albums. The staff wrote: "Yngwie J. Malmsteen was, is, and always will be the greatest shredder of all time. Hell, he invented the genre with his 1985 [sic] debut."

"Black Star" and "Far Beyond the Sun" have endured as two of Malmsteen's most popular songs, as well as being staples of his live setlist. In a 2008 Guitar World interview, Malmsteen said of the two songs: "I'll probably play 'Far Beyond the Sun' and 'Black Star' until the day I die."

Tracklist:

1. Black Star 04:51   
2. Far Beyond the Sun 05:49
3. Now Your Ships Are Burned 04:09
4. Evil Eye 05:12
5. Icarus' Dream Suite Op. 4 08:30
6. As Above, So Below 04:36
7. Little Savage 05:21
8. Farewell 00:48

Time:  39:16  

Recording information:

Produced by Yngwie J. Malmsteen.

Recorded at The Record Plant, L.A., on 48 tracks and computer mixed with Q-Lock.

Engineered by Lester Claypool and Peter Vargo.

Yngwie Malmsteen "Marching Out [2007 Reissue, Remastered, Mini-LP, SHM-CD, Japan, Universal Music K.K., UICY-93548]"

Marching Out is the second studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released on 19 August 1985 through Polydor Records. The album reached No. 52 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for 28 weeks,  as well as reaching the top 30 in two other countries.

"On the Run Again" is a remake of "Victim of the City", a song written in 1983 by Malmsteen's earlier band Steeler, which was later released on their 2005 compilation album Metal Generation: The Steeler Anthology.

Steve Huey at AllMusic gave Marching Out 3.5 stars out of five, calling it a "worthwhile listen" but being somewhat critical of Malmsteen's lyrics and the songs' fantasy-oriented subject matter. Malmsteen's guitar work was described as "slightly more raw and aggressive" than his 1984 debut album Rising Force.

Track listing

All music is composed by Yngwie Malmsteen. Lyrics as indicated.

1. "Prelude" (instrumental) 1:00
2. "I'll See the Light, Tonight" Malmsteen, Jeff Scott Soto 4:27
3. "Don't Let It End" Malmsteen, Soto 4:09
4. "Disciples of Hell" Malmsteen 5:53
5. "I Am a Viking" Malmsteen 6:00
6. "Overture 1383" (instrumental) 2:58
7. "Anguish and Fear" Malmsteen 3:50
8. "On the Run Again" Soto 3:25
9. "Soldier Without Faith" Malmsteen 6:10
10. "Caught in the Middle" Malmsteen, Soto 4:20
11. "Marching Out" (instrumental) 3:10

Total length: 45:22

Music video:

• I'll See the Light, Tonight

Recording information:

Recorded at Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles and Skyline Studios, Topanga, California.

Yngwie Malmsteen "Marching Out (Germany, Polydor, 825733-2)"

Marching Out is the second studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released on 19 August 1985 through Polydor Records. The album reached No. 52 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for 28 weeks,  as well as reaching the top 30 in two other countries.

"On the Run Again" is a remake of "Victim of the City", a song written in 1983 by Malmsteen's earlier band Steeler, which was later released on their 2005 compilation album Metal Generation: The Steeler Anthology.

Steve Huey at AllMusic gave Marching Out 3.5 stars out of five, calling it a "worthwhile listen" but being somewhat critical of Malmsteen's lyrics and the songs' fantasy-oriented subject matter. Malmsteen's guitar work was described as "slightly more raw and aggressive" than his 1984 debut album Rising Force.

Track listing

All music is composed by Yngwie Malmsteen. Lyrics as indicated.

1. "Prelude" (instrumental) 1:00
2. "I'll See the Light, Tonight" Malmsteen, Jeff Scott Soto 4:27
3. "Don't Let It End" Malmsteen, Soto 4:09
4. "Disciples of Hell" Malmsteen 5:53
5. "I Am a Viking" Malmsteen 6:00
6. "Overture 1383" (instrumental) 2:58
7. "Anguish and Fear" Malmsteen 3:50
8. "On the Run Again" Soto 3:25
9. "Soldier Without Faith" Malmsteen 6:10
10. "Caught in the Middle" Malmsteen, Soto 4:20
11. "Marching Out" (instrumental) 3:10

Total length: 45:22

Music video:

• I'll See the Light, Tonight

Recording information:

Recorded at Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles and Skyline Studios, Topanga, California.

Yngwie Malmsteen "Rising Force (2008 Reissue, Limited Edition, Remastered, Mini-LP, SHM-CD, Japan, Universal Music K.K., UICY-93547)"

Rising Force is the first studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released in late 1984 through Polydor Records. This was originally planned as an instrumental side-project of his then-current band Alcatrazz, but due to singer Jeff Scott Soto's appearance on the album, Malmsteen opted to release it as a solo album. It reached No. 14 on the Swedish albums chart and No. 60 on the US Billboard 200, and received a nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1986 Grammy Awards. The album is regarded as a landmark release in the shred and neoclassical metal genres.

Steve Huey at AllMusic gave Rising Force four stars out of five, calling it "a revelation upon its release" and "The true inauguration of the age of the guitar shredder." He praised Malmsteen's technique and "blinding virtuosity", as well as highlighting his "obsessions with Bach, Beethoven, and Paganini".

In a 2009 article by Guitar World magazine, Rising Force was ranked first in the all-time top ten list of shred albums. The staff wrote: "Yngwie J. Malmsteen was, is, and always will be the greatest shredder of all time. Hell, he invented the genre with his 1985 [sic] debut."

"Black Star" and "Far Beyond the Sun" have endured as two of Malmsteen's most popular songs, as well as being staples of his live setlist. In a 2008 Guitar World interview, Malmsteen said of the two songs: "I'll probably play 'Far Beyond the Sun' and 'Black Star' until the day I die."

Tracklist:

1. Black Star 04:51   
2. Far Beyond the Sun 05:49
3. Now Your Ships Are Burned 04:09
4. Evil Eye 05:12
5. Icarus' Dream Suite Op. 4 08:30
6. As Above, So Below 04:36
7. Little Savage 05:21
8. Farewell 00:48

Time:  39:16  

Recording information:

Produced by Yngwie J. Malmsteen.

Recorded at The Record Plant, L.A., on 48 tracks and computer mixed with Q-Lock.

Engineered by Lester Claypool and Peter Vargo.