Rising Force
XII
Sep 17, 1995
Yes! I just got _Magnum Opus_, Yngwie's latest release. This issue has
plenty of juicy MO details.
As usual, this issue is quite delayed :) but I spent a month in Europe (and
contacted a few of you there) - does that get me off the hook? Also, I
moved again, this time permanently, to California. Which means I can
resume taping Rising Force Collections for you. The offer still holds -
send me a postcard, and get a tape in return. More details at the end.
--Yngwie: Magnum Opus----
MO was first released in Japan on June 21 on Pony Canyon Record PCCY-00772
Vengeance
No Love Lost
Tomorrow's Gone
The Only One
I'd Die Without You
Overture 1622
Voodoo
Cross The Line
Time Will Tell
Fire In The Sky
Amberdawn
Japanese bonus track
Cantabile(Op.10 No.3 RV428"Il Cardellino") - VIVALDI
From: Malmsteen's Militia <http://pd.net/yngwie>
Lead Vocals--Michael Vescera
Developed a keen interest in computers and can be seen carrying a
laptop computer around with his other gear.
Keyboards--Mats Olausson
Produced Shotgun Messiah's first album in Sweden. Before joining
Yngwie, he recorded with Silver Mountain in Sweden.
Bass--Barry Sparks
Selected as Yngwie's touring bassist for the Seventh Sign tour (Yngwie
himself played bass on the album).
Drums--Shane Gaalaas
Hired to replace drummer Mike Terrana near the end of the Seventh Sign
tour (Terrana returned to work with Tony McAlpine).
From alt.music.yngwie: Michael [email protected]>
According to Yngwie himself, MO will be US released October 3rd.
I just got my Japanese import. He must have gone to the crossroads and
renewed his contract; this features songs which rival Metallica for
heaviness, yet his solos are cleaner, crisper, faster, and more melodic
than in years! Sounds like the band enjoyed making this one; the singer
reminds me of Dio! This is a CD much needed in these times of musical
poverty in the US. I must admit, for the first time in my life, I have
quit listening to radio for about 1 year now (of course maybe thta is a
sign of getting old}.
From: Stratos [email protected]>
Noise Int. released Magnus Opus in Europe. I found it here in Germany.
I don't know about you but I feel that Yngwie should have worked a bit
more on the songs. Well Vengeance , Fire in the Sky and Amberdawn sound
great but the others...hmm, I don't know.
From Brian: [email protected]>
MO is terrific -- _Seventh Sign_ was a step in the right direction but MO
may well be his best since _Trilogy_!
[Check out Brian's Yngwie page
<http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~bdp/yngwie/yngwie.htm> -Ig]
From: [email protected]>
This album has some new things going and quite some things from the very
early Malmsteen albums. The opening track "Vengeance" is the best fast &
heavy tune. Yngwie has made in years. "No Love Lost" is almost my fave
song. A bit different from the usual Malmsteen type nice vocals! Two
instrumentals, one powerballad which is not too mellow, heavier and
slower tunes and lots of catchy choruses. Solowise I can say only one
thing: He is not slowing down. Sounds are much better than on the last
album, I think he took the noisegate back. The singer sounds more and
more Ronnie Dio.
--Yngwie Spotlight----
This issue I introduce hopefully a regular feature - an Yngwie spotlight
from Terhi Keskitalo. Terhi is studying musicology doing research on
Yngwie, and lives in Finland, where Yngwie is quite popular.
From Terhi: [email protected]>
The more I listen to MO the more I love it! There are two
instrumentas on the album: In the Ouverture 1622 he plays Mozart. He
starts with the 25th Symphony, I'm just checking that on the Rising Force
Collection.
[Michael Harris did Mozart's 25th, one of the best pieces on my Rissing
Force Collection -Ig]
Yngwie plays only partly only the main theme and then there is
very heavy parts on the song, too. Amberdawn is another instrumental
piece. It's very sensitive, but not too sensitive. It's quite simple and
have only two themes, but it's very beautiful.
Somebody has said that Yngwie made again the same kind of record. I
disagree. I think that he has made great melodies (again). They are
really interesting sung by Mike of course. (Yngwie sings background
vocals, too). For example the song Voodoo has really powerful chorus (or
prechorus.). Melodic lines are really something.
I didn't like for example _Odyssey_ so much because I thought it wasn't
heavy enough. THIS IS HEAVY, this is a good continuation to _7th Sign_.
There are many really heavy songs but suddenly there is a song The Only
One. It's something I couldn't expect. When I heard it the first time I
had to sing with immediately. And it was something I remembered at once.
If you hear this, you can't be mistaken. Of course you hear immediately
that it's Yngwie's music. He has his own style. BUT! I think that he has
been able to develope his songwriting again. He has new things in his
music, but of course there are things by which you know this stuff. I
don't think he's repeating himself. I loved the first three albums. Then
(IMO) _Odyssey_ had great things, but I didn't like the singer Joe Lynn
Turner. IMO he might be a good pop singer but not heavy metal singer (I
noticed that already when he sang in Rainbow.). As I said I didn't feel
it hard enough. Then Yngwie's music started its development again.
_Eclipse_ had the right direction and last year when I got the _7th Sign_
I was really happy. Like Yngwie says it's kind of adventure. This album
has nothing like the song "7th Sign", but this whole album in its
entirety..THIS IS POWERFUL. I can't wait to hear him live again.
I can't say a lot about his guitar playing, I'm not a guitarist. I have
concentrated on his melodic-harmonic systems and of course his
neoclassical and classical stuff. I don't know what the other Yngwie
listeners say about this album, you know everybody can't have the same
kind of taste, but I love this. I can't stop listening to this.
I don't know if I've ever felt any album this deeply. (well it has
surely happened with EVERY (yes EVERY) Yngwie album, but I'm living NOW
in this moment. :)
--Yngwie news----
From: Malmsteen's Militia [email protected]>
Here's the official Yngwie Web page address: http://pd.net/yngwie
The text-only version can also be accesssed at that address. Enjoy!
[This is a really well done page, along with some soundbites from
obscure Yngwie tracks :) -Ig]
Yngwie & the band are in Japan now (arrived 9/4), and the first concert
of their 17-concert tour of Japan begins on Friday the 8th. The tour is
sold out, and "Magnum Opus" is still high on the International pop
charts. After Japan, the band flies to England (first week in October)
for the second phase of the world tour. From England, they go to Europe
and Scandinavia, plus (we hope!) Greece. More tour news coming soon on
our Web page.
One of the best things we did when we were in Stockholm was visit the
Hall of Knights (near the Opera House). The Malmsteen family crest can
be viewed along the wall of tiles presenting the coats of arms of
families knighted by the kings of Sweden. The date on the Malmsteen tile
is 1622.
[This is a fun pilgrimage for an Yngwie fan. Also, if you're in
Stockholm, check out int the Hard Rock Cafe a blue Yngwie guitar -Ig]
From: Jens [email protected]>
I'm planning to play on a few songs on Yngwie's next project, which
is supposedly a "cover" CD (covering songs that he thinks has
influenced him...) It'll probably be postponed a while now while
Yngwie is on the road. He also played on the next Johannson Brothers
album. Well, at least technically... I hope he managed to send the
multitrack tape off before he left for his tour. :) last I talked to him,
he was packing to go to Japan, and he said he would mail it from LA on a
stopover for press there.We'll see what happens!
[Check out Jens' homepage - he's got some interesting old Yngwie
pictures -Ig]
From: Ulf [email protected]>
On Septemmber 4th, Malmsteen was in the Swedish version of "Rich and
famous"(Or whatever its name is in the USA :-) ) I have never seen him so
relaxed and calm before. Maybe because they were recording for Sweden and
the reporter was from Sweden?:-) It was a quite short interview. But, he
did mention how much he loves Sweden, How he admire hand-made things like
Rolex and Ferrari:-) and he gave a strong message about don't drink and
drive. Amberdawn and the polecat Nicolo were also visible. No music talk
at all. He was playing some acoustic guitar with Amberdwan sitting by his
side listening.
From alt.music.yngwie-malmsteen:
Has anyone visited the village of Aberyngwie in Wales? It consists of
about 20 isolated farms and half a dozen houses in the main street. It
has one pub/bar called The Yngwie Arms named after the stream which runs
through the village. It is too small to be on most maps, but if you visit
Wales these are the directions: travelling north on the A5 from langollen
to Llandud no, after about 25 miles take the B543 to Hafod-Dinbych and it
is about a mile further on from there. In the summer you will always bump
into an Yngwie fan and the scenery is worth the trip alone.
[It'd be even better as Amberyngwie :) -Ig]
From: Nigel [email protected]>
If you know of a way of getting the video _Live at the Budokan_ cheap,
PLEASE tell me! I still haven't found it here in Canada yet, and I have
only seen it on import lists for around $90.
From: Tim [email protected]>
Does anyone know of an Yngwie song called "Broken Glass"? I heard
somewhere that it's the bonus track on the import version of 'Fire &
Ice'. Any truth to this?
--Tony MacAlpine-----
From: Janell [email protected]>
From interview with Tony MacAlpine after Milwaukee concert (from Wisconsin
music paper ROCK CENTRAL May 1995 issue):
- Before MacAlpine played guitar, he studied piano at Springfield
Conservatory of Music and University of Hartford.
- Soon to be released album is RETURN TO INSANITY (his last on Shrapnel
label)
- When asked if he is compared to Yngwie, MacAlpine said: "I think the
only person that really compares Yngwie to other players is himself.
He likes to compare people to himself." The interviewer mentioned he
laughed as he said this.
--Misc----
Check out sound samples from Kevin Ferguson's _Strad to Strat_ project
<http://www.teleport.com/~kevinf/strdstrt.html> (One song was included on
the Rising Force Collection.) The rest include Bach an Paganini.
From: Perry [email protected]>
A short note about some strains of neo-classicism in *heavier* bands:
there are some standout passages on Death's latest album "Symbolic" on
the tracks "Without Judgement" (around 2:37 into this song) "Crystal
Moutain," and "Misanthrope." The new second guitarist on this album is
Bobby Koelble. Previously, Andy La Rocque lent his hand to Chuck
Schuldiner for "Individual Thought Patterns," making for some blazing
fretboard work.
From: Christian [email protected]>
I would like to ask the list if somebody knows about some newer stuff by Uli
J. Roth? The latest I could find was a great song called "Amadeus" on a "Heavy
Metal Guitar" sampler (including songs of MSG, Racer X, J. Becker, Steve Morse
etc...). This sampler was edited around 1991 by the German folk (!) guitarist
Peter Bursch and it included a booklet about the different styles and some
background info.
Are there any bootlegs of Cacophony, J. Becker or M. Friedman?
--Mastermind----
From Bill [email protected]>
MASTERMIND has signed with DUTCH EAST INDIA TRADING Co. for the North American
release of MASTERMIND III "Tragic Symphony". Dutch East India is the nation's
largest independent distributor and the album will be available at the retail
level, so ask your local CD store to order it. We are now working on the
possibilities for a promotional tour of the USA to support this release.
[Email Bill for the latest news and details. -Ig]
--Type O Negative----
From: Janell [email protected]>
There are some neoclassical sounds on Type O Negative's Bloody Kisses.
[I saw them open up for Queenryche, and did not catch any neoclassical
sounds :(But many times these things are buried deep in CDs :) -Ig]
--Jason Becker----
From: Phil [email protected]>
Do you know what's up with Jason Becker lately? Will the album he's been
working on ever be released, and do you know of a title, if so? How
is he doing? Does the address you printed in the "Open Letter from Jason
Becker" still hold, if we want to send him a note?
[Mike Varney has not responded to my questions lately, so unfortunately
I don't have any news. -Ig]
--Lionsheart----
I recently came discovered a really great song by Lionsheart. It's called
"Portrait", on their first album. It reminds me of the Trilogy sound.
The rest of the album has a couple of good songs, but don't think match up.
The singer also reminds me of Dio, but it is Steve Grimmett, from Grim
Reaper. Thanks to Zaini [email protected]> for sending it to me.
--Joe Stump----
From _Night of the Living Shred_ liner notes: Joe Stump
I really couldn't care less when guitar magazine writers say that this
kind of playing [neo-classical shred] is dated and out of fashion. It is
a style of guitar I've been playing for a very long time and will
continue to play. If I wanted to be fashionable, I'd grow a goatee, put a
sock on my head, and forget how to tune and play my guitar. No thanks.
--Steve Blaze----
From: Chara [email protected]>
Steve Blaze from Lillian Axe is working on a solo project, _Near Life
Experience_. If you want to send a message to Steve send them to
[email protected]> I send his mail to him about every other week (he's not
on-line in person yet). Take care and feel free to e-mail me anytime! I
love to talk about Axe!
--Rainbow----
From: Janell [email protected]>
Ritchie Blackmore'e new Rainbow album STRANGER IN US ALL is reported to
have a version of "Hall of the Mountain King" (quoting Grieg's "In the
Hall of the Mountain King" and "Morning Mood"). It's due in Europe 9/95
and Japan 10/95. Reviews say it's mostly recycled riffs, and the Grieg
track even has lyrics of all things.
--Accept----
From: Tim [email protected]>
Accept's "Sodom & Gomorra" from _death Row_incorporates parts of "Sabre
Dance" by Khachaturian. They even mentioned this in a little article about
the band that appeared in this month's issue of _Illinois Entertainer_, a
free monthly music mag that usually pays little attention to heavy metal
of any kind. Pretty darn cool.
--Farewell----
My address is
Igor Sinyak
119 Easy St #3
Mountain View, CA 94043
USA
Send your postcards to get the Rising Force Collection. You can read
reviews in past issues of Rising Force. Of course, we can trade tapes as
well.
Until next time,
Rise on!
