rising force

Yngwie  (pronounced "ING-vay") Malmsteen marched forth with revolutionary rising force and lightning virtuosity in the incendiary neo-classical shredding of this groundbreaking metal opus.   Born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck in Stockholm, Sweden, he was inspired to play the guitar after seeing a TV special about Jimi Hendrix in 1970.  He was playing in a band by the age of ten and had changed his name to Yngwie Johan Malmsteen (taking on his mother's maiden name) by the age of twelve.  He became influenced by the music of 19th century violinist and composer Niccolò Paganini as well as the guitar style of Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore.  Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records heard Malmsteen's demo 'Powerhouse' and invited the eighteen year old guitarist to the US.  Malmsteen played for a few months with Steeler before moving on to Alcatrazz.  


'Rising Force' was conceived as a side project while on break from touring with Alcatrazz.  Malmsteen arranged and produced the album himself at the Record Plant in Los Angeles with engineering by Lester Claypool and Peter Vargo.   'Rising Force'  features Yngwie Malmsteen on guitar, Moog Taurus, and bass; Jeff Scott Soto on vocals; Jens Johansson on keyboard and harpsichord arrangement;  and Barriemore Barlow on drums.  It was released at first only in Japan on Polygram; but it sold so well as an import that they decided to release it domestically.  

Malmsteen escaped from Alcatrazz after 'Rising Force'  was officially released.   He would admit:   "I wanted to leave Alcatrazz a lot sooner than I actually left. There was always a subliminal disliking between me and the rest of the guys in the band. We couldn't agree upon things and my influences and beliefs were totally different from theirs. We tried to be as nice as we could to one another, but it was an uncomfortable atmosphere. They probably feel the same way about me...If guitar players just listen to other guitar players it's almost impossible to avoid sounding like them.  I try to achieve a style that is a lot different from what other guitarists sound like. If you listen to other instruments like violin, flutes or keyboards you will break away from the clichés of guitar playing...Classical is the peak of the development of music and Bach is the most influential classical composer of all. Beethoven, Chopin and Liszt all took from Bach. Mozart even took from Bach; he was a little kid when Bach died. Classical is the source of music; it's like a religion, almost.  Paganini is probably my biggest classical influence. I got turned on to him through a tv show in Sweden. This guy was playing Paganini and I freaked, so I went out and bought Paganini's 'Twenty-Four Caprices', which is my all-time favorite thing to listen to. Paganini did with his instrument what few people have ever come close to doing. He was a rock and roller -- very wild and very extreme...I’d rather have people dislike my style than change it.  If someone says, ‘Hey, Yngwie, you play too damn much’ –- I don’t care. They way I play is the way I like to play. If people like it – great. If they don’t, it’s still fine with me...I want to say something very clearly. I understand that I’m a self-confident person who might come off with the wrong attitude sometimes, but I don’t mean to. I just believe in certain things and I know exactly what I want. I’ve always sacrificed things in order to become the best musician I could be. My will power has always been very strong. If I want something, I’ll get it. I’ve had no trouble keeping my head on my shoulders; nor do I have any chips on there.”


'Rising Force' went to number sixty in the US, nineteen in Japan, and fourteen in Sweden.  It won the Guitar Player Magazine's award for Best Rock Album and was nominated for a Grammy for 'Best Rock Instrumental'.  







http://www.yngwiemalmsteen.com/






'Rising Force' 
full album:









All tracks written by Yngwie Malmsteen.

1. "Black Star" 4:53
2. "Far Beyond the Sun" 5:52
3. "Now Your Ships Are Burned" 4:11
4. "Evil Eye" (based on Johann Krieger's "Bourree") 5:14
5. "Icarus' Dream Suite Op. 4" (based on "Albinoni's Adagio") 8:33
6. "As Above, So Below" 4:39
7. "Little Savage" 5:22
8. "Farewell" 0:49

Yngwie Malmsteen - Rising Force live





01:05 As Above so Below
05:05 I'll See the Light Tonight
09:40 Far Beyond the Sun
19:07 I am a Viking
23:27 On the Run Again
27:17 Little Savage
34:26 Guitar Solo
48:20 Black Star