NJCat_11
An acquired taste.
This is by no means Yngwie J. Malmsteen's best release but it certainly isn't his worst either. This album is full of blisteringly technical guitar licks and solos, often making allusions to classical composers such as Paganini.
The songs here are only slightly under-developed (something typical of most his work) but the real downside to this album is Malmsteen's tone. It is almost always too deep with the bass or too excruciating with the treble, and sometimes both at once. If you can get past that (and you definitely can) then what awaits you is very good material. As for the singer Mark Boals, the vocals are no different from past albums, as he sings much in the vein of Jeff Scott Soto.
My personal favorite tracks on the album are: "Crucify", "Catch 22", "Molto Arpeggiosa", and "Miracle of Life"; although all the songs tend to blend together due to their similarities.
Not a bad album, but certainly no Rising Force.