Rising Force album "Trial By Fire": prehistory, concerts in the USSR, recording, conflicts in the band

Yngwie Malmsteen - legendary guitar virtuoso, multi-instrumentalist and composer from Sweden and the USA, who was one of the pioneers of neoclassical metal. Born in Stockholm on 30 June 1963, he first picked up a guitar after seeing Jimi Hendrix on TV. Inspired not only by him, but also by classical composers such as Vivaldi, Bach and Paganini, he developed his unique style of playing by utilising technique swiping. For reference, swooping is a guitar playing technique in which the fingers of the right hand are swiftly guided across the strings while the fingers of the left hand release the right fret.

Malmsteen played in various bands such as Powerhouse, Steeler and Alcatrazz before starting his own band Rising Force in 1982. He has released over 40 albums and is considered one of the best guitarists of all time.

"Trial by fire." Yngwie Malmsteen's first live album, which was recorded during a tour of the USSR in 1989. He performed in Leningrad and Moscow with the band Rising Force. The album contains 11 songsincluding a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Spanish Castle Magic". It received favourable reviews from critics and fans and became one of Malmsteen's best performances.

How the concerts were held

Rising Force tours in Leningrad and Moscow took place in 1989 and were part of a world tour "Trial By Fire". Yngwie Malmsteen performed together with Jo Lynn Turner (vocals), Barry Dannelly (bass), Jens Johansson (keyboards) and Anders Johansson (drums). The concerts were attended by thousands of fans and were recorded on video and audio.

В Leningrad the band played at the Leninsky Komsomol DK on 9 and 10 April, and in Moscow - in Olimpiyskiy on 12 and 13 April. Their performances were characterised by the musicians' high level of skill, energy and drive. Yngwie Malmsteen performed his hitssuch as "You Don't Remember", "I'll Never Forget", "Far Beyond The Sun", "Black Star", "Icarus' Dream Suite Op.4".

Recording and album release

Rising Force's "Trial By Fire" album includes. 11 songs. Here are some of them: "Liar" is a song about a liar who deceives his lover, "Queen in Love" is a song about a queen who falls in love with a mere man, "Deja Vu" is a song about a feeling that repeats itself again, "Far Beyond the Sun" is an instrumental composition that demonstrates the craftsmanship Malmsteen on guitar, "Heaven Tonight" is a song about wanting to spend the night with a loved one.

Rising Force's "Trial By Fire" album has received various feedback from critics and the public. On the one hand, it was well received by Malmsteen's fans and lovers of neoclassical metalwho appreciated his technical mastery and energetic performance. This was reflected in the numbers: the album also reached number 31 in the Swedish Albums Chart and number 128 in the Billboard 2001.

Here's what today's listeners think of the album:

"There's an unbelievable guitar work, it doesn't matter to me what the musician used to do it. I give credit for the incredible craftsmanship. "Spanish Castle Magic." - my favourite song, but the rest of the songs are in my heart too. Great album."

On the other hand, Trial By Fire has been criticised for its monotonyand the lack of originality and weak Joe Lynn Turner's vocals. Some critics also felt that Malmsteen was too focused on his guitar and neglected other aspects of the music. All in all, the album can be called controversial and ambiguous in your perception.

Bad end to the tour

After the "Trial By Fire" tour, the band Rising Force disintegrated. To be more precise, not even so: Malmsteen was left all alone, because the other members of the collective simply left him. The reasons for their departure are still not entirely clear, but it can be assumed that they were related to the conflicts between Yngwie and other musicians.

For example, Joe Lynn Turner stated that Yngwie was an "egotist and dictator" who did not give him freedom to create and did not respect him as a singer. Brothers Jens and Anders Johansson also complained The bassist Barry Donway also decided to leave the band because of disagreements with Yngwie. Bassist Barry Donway also decided to leave the band because of disagreements with Yngwie. As a result, Yngwie had to pack up after the tour new composition for the next Eclipse album.

Relationship Yngwie Malmsteen's relations with former band members can hardly be called friendly now, either. Indeed, Yngwie is known for his complex character and arrogance. The only former member of Rising Force with whom Malmsteen has maintained a normal relationship is Goran Edman, who sang on the albums "Eclipse" and "Fire and Ice". They occasionally performers together at concerts and share photos on social media.

Despite all the difficulties, Yngwie Malmsteen is now continues his musical career and performs with various projects. In 2021, he released his 22nd solo album "Parabellum."which received favourable reviews from critics and fans. A year later, he participated in the tribute album "Immortal Randy Rhoads - The Ultimate Tribute", dedicated to memories of legendary guitarist Randy Rhoades.

In 2023. announced new album "Blue Lightning", which will consist of covers of classic blues songs such as "Purple Haze", "Smoke on the Water" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". In addition, Yngwie Malmsteen is planning a worldwide tour in support of their new album, which will begin in March and run through January.