Rising Force
Rising Force is the first studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released on 5 March 1984 through Polydor Records.[1] The album reached No. 14 on the Swedish albums chart,[1] No. 60 on the US Billboard 200,[2] and received a nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1986 Grammy Awards.[3] It is regarded as a seminal release in the shred and neoclassical metal genres.[4][5][6]
Rising Force | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 5 March 1984 | |||
Studio | Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 39:33 | |||
Label | Polydor | |||
Producer | Yngwie Malmsteen | |||
Yngwie Malmsteen chronology | ||||
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Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Martin Popoff |
Steve Huey at AllMusic gave Rising Force four stars out of five, calling it "a revelation upon its release" and "The true inauguration of the age of the guitar shredder." He praised Malmsteen's technique and "blinding virtuosity", as well as highlighting his "obsessions with Bach, Beethoven, and Paganini".[5]
In a 2009 article by Guitar World magazine, Rising Force was ranked first in the all-time top ten list of shred albums. The staff wrote: "Yngwie J. Malmsteen was, is, and always will be the greatest shredder of all time. Hell, he invented the genre with his 1985 [sic] debut."[6]
"Black Star" and "Far Beyond the Sun" have endured as two of Malmsteen's most popular songs, as well as being staples of his live setlist. In a 2008 Guitar World interview, Malmsteen said of the two songs: "I'll probably play 'Far Beyond the Sun' and 'Black Star' until the day I die."[8]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Yngwie Malmsteen.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
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 Adagio in G minor) | 8:33 |
6. | "As Above, So Below" | 4:39 |
7. | "Little Savage" | 5:22 |
8. | "Farewell" | 0:49 |
Total length: | 39:33 |
Personnel
- Yngwie Malmsteen – guitar, Moog Taurus, bass, arrangement, production
- Jeff Scott Soto – vocals
- Jens Johansson – keyboards, harpsichord arrangement (track 7)
- Barriemore Barlow – drums
- Lester Claypool – engineering
- Peter Vargo – engineering
Chart performance
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1985 | Swedish albums chart | 14[1] |
Billboard 200 | 60[2] |
Awards
Event | Award | Result |
---|---|---|
1986 Grammys | Best Rock Instrumental Performance | Nominated[3] |
References
- "Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force - Rising Force (album)". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2014-11-19.
- "Rising Force - Yngwie Malmsteen | Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2014-11-19.
- "28th Grammy Awards - 1986". Rock On The Net. Retrieved 2014-11-19.
- Huey, Steve. "Yngwie Malmsteen | Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2014-12-24.
- Huey, Steve. "Rising Force - Yngwie Malmsteen". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2014-11-19.
- Guitar World Staff (2009-07-09). "Top 10 Shred Albums of All Time". Guitar World. Future US. Archived from the original on 2011-05-28. Retrieved 2014-11-19.
- Popoff, Martin (2005-11-01). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
- Lalaina, Joe (2008-11-17). "Yngwie J. Malmsteen: King's Diamonds". Guitar World. NewBay Media. Retrieved 2014-11-19.
External links
- Rising Force at yngwiemalmsteen.com
- In Review: Yngwie J. Malmsteen "Rising Force" at Guitar Nine Records