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Perpetual Flame

Yngwie Malmsteen - Perpetual Flame Audio CD

A fair review of the Yngwie Malmsteen "Perpetual Flame" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Yngwie Malmsteen reviews here, or go back to the Yngwie Malmsteen tabs.

Band: Yngwie Malmsteen
Title: Perpetual Flame
Rating:

Release Date: 2008-10-14
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Death Dealer 2: Damnation Game 3: Live to Fight (Another Day) 4: Red Devil 5: Four Horsement (Of the Apocalypse) 6: Priest of the Unholy 7: Be Careful What You Wish For 8: Caprici di Diablo [Instrumental] 9: Lament 10: Magic City 11: Leventh Hour 12: Heavy Heart

Great Playing, Kind of Boring after all this Time.
I have every single thing he has ever published, and the truth is that I was somehow disappointed with this album. I am an Yngwie die hard fan, and I have been so for more than 23 years.

After so much time, it seems like Yngwie has lost his creativty, and is just digging through his "Riff chest" bringing stuff left over from other albums. Almost all of the songs could be found in any other of his last 4 or 5 albums.

The playing is great! He is Yngwie after all!, but just there is no more surprising playing, new kinds of music, or things you have not heard from him before.

Don't buy this album if you have never heard Yngwie before, because definitely is not his best work at all. Go for the 80's and 90's stuff, or buy a Gratest Hits Album to really appreciate his work.

I have always said that, whenever Yngwie plays Heavy metal, instead of showing off his virtuosism, that is where his good music comes. This album is pure show off playing with lack of punch, and not so much the great "Blow you away" NeoClassic Heavy Metal he has delivered in the past.

Perpetual Flame keeps the Rising Force legacy burning
No other can fly through guitar licks so quickly and smoothly. The Good
The opening licks of "Death Dealer" make it clear that this is an Yngwie Malmsteen affair. The vocal wails of Tim "Ripper" Owens ring out loud and clear throughout the track. The opening riff of "Damnation Game" is right from the 80s playbook of Malmsteen. I swear I've heard a variation of it on a past song. Owens delivers and over-the-top vocal performance here. He mixes the very lows with the glass -shattering highs. "Red Devil" unleashes the fury (sorry Yngwie) with chunky riffs and killer melodies. Malmsteen literally makes his axe gallop on "Four Horsemen (of the Apocalypse). " Rapid-fire guitar runs mixed with pounding drums and fevered vocals kick the energy level up to 11 on "Be Careful What You Wish For. " "Caprici Di Diablo," "Lament, " and "Heavy Heart" are typical Yngwie instrumental show-off tracks.

The Bad
The CD photos! Someone tell Yngwie it's not 1982.

The Verdict
Yngwie Malmsteen has always had a revolving door of vocalist throughout the years, and former Judas Priest vocalist Tim Owens makes a great addition to that troop. Although Owen's can hit some high notes, he's not on the same high register as Doogie White or Jeff Scott Soto (or the smooth tones of Joe Lynn Turner). Malmsteen brings the key down lower enough for Owens to shine.

Over the years Malmsteen has refused to change his style. That a good thing for his fans, not so much to stay relevant in the music industry. But who cares. Perpetual Flame keeps the Rising Force legacy burning with blistering licks and riffs, catchy choruses, and undeniably catchy hooks.

malmsteen has another classic here!!!!!
and the whole thing is not a rush job,its done right. this cd is great. and it has great playing and sound. the singer is very good and malmsteen is awesome on this cd. malmsteen wrote all the songs and composed them also. this is really one of his best ever,and i think most people will agree.

It's a Monty Python thing
A string of classical music guys for starters, Blackmore and Hendrix for seconds and - outside the musucal realm - Enzo Ferrari and Monty Python. Malmsteen is one of those brutally honest characters who totally owns up to his influences. And it's an obscure Monty Python sketch that came to me upon listening to this album, one where a droning monotone declares 'here comes another one/just like the other one. . . . here comes another one/here comes a bunch of 'em. . . '

In short this album is consistent Malmsteen. All music + lyrics written by the master blaster fretman. A bunch of instruments like bass and sitar played by him and he does lead vox on Magic City. The mixing + engineering and production are by him with a bit of a hand from Keith Rose and Roy Z. And ultimately I guess if its your name on the cover then you might as well have the gazongas to shoulder most of the work. So respekt. As for his guitar playing itself it's still brilliant within the mans limited hard rock neoclassical moats 'n' moors milieu. My fave displays of mind bending virtuosity are to be foind on the tunes Red Devil and Priest of the Unholy though truth be told the guy seems to have been somewhat inspired on this release as he revisits biting soloing styles more reminiscent of his best works from the '80's.

Of course the songs are still mostly 2nd rate speed metal. Few real riffs as per usual, teflon coated production and a song about his Ferrari (yes really!). Malmsteen has publicly stated that Dougie White did a great job on the two previous studio efforts but for this album he wanted a more powerful singer to be able to get over the songs he'd written for this album. Therefore this weeks vocalist is Tim 'Ripper' Owens who is a quality vocalist but seems mixed a touch back. But fair play to the guy - he does a good job of sounding like most other Malmsteen singers.

If you like Malmsteen then buy this album because just like Facing the Animal it's a constant song based effort and this one has better solos.

Oh yeah and speaking of consistency he still hasn't tired of putting himself on the cover. What's that - 15 out of 16 albums or something like 18 out of 21 releases or whatever it is?.

GREAT CD, EVEN BETTER LIVE!!!
Play loud!!!. The last time I saw Tim "Ripper" Owens was in Judas Priest, He's a great frontman for Yngwie, especially on tracks like "Death Dealer", "Damnation Game", "Red Devil", and "The Priest Of The Unholy", but my personal favorite is "Magic City", Yngwie brings the vocals and the melodic shreds on this track.

You can see a complete list of all Yngwie Malmsteen discography, or go back to the Yngwie Malmsteen tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.