Rising Force
| Rising Force | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1984 | |||
| Studio | Record Plant, Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 39:33 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Producer | Yngwie Malmsteen | |||
| Yngwie Malmsteen chronology | ||||
| ||||
Rising Force is the first studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released in late 1984 through Polydor Records.[1][2][3] This was originally planned as an instrumental side-project of his then-current band Alcatrazz, but due to singer Jeff Scott Soto's appearance on the album, Malmsteen opted to release it as a solo album.[4][5] It reached No. 14 on the Swedish albums chart[1] and No. 60 on the US Billboard 200,[6] and received a nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1986 Grammy Awards.[7] The album is regarded as a landmark release in the shred and neoclassical metal genres.[8][9][10]
Critical reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 5/10[11] |
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".[9]
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."[10]
"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."[12]
Track listing[edit]
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[edit]
- Yngwie Malmsteen – guitar, Moog Taurus, bass, arrangement, production
- Jens Johansson – keyboards, harpsichord arrangement (track 7)
- Barriemore Barlow – drums
- Jeff Scott Soto – vocals
- Lester Claypool – engineering
- Peter Vargo – engineering
Charts[edit]
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[13] | 19 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[14] | 14 |
| US Billboard 200[15] | 60 |
Awards[edit]
| Event | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 Grammys | Best Rock Instrumental Performance | Nominated[7] |
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force - Rising Force (album)". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ "JSS Biography".
- ^ "Yngwie Malmsteen's Solo in "Jet to Jet" by Alcatrazz". August 2020.
- ^ "What Happened to Yngwie Malmsteen- News & Updates". 26 October 2016.
- ^ "Sound Advice: Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force with the Raskins, Crooked Rook and 80 Proof (May 20)".
- ^ "Rising Force - Yngwie Malmsteen | Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ a b "28th Grammy Awards - 1986". Rock On The Net. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ Huey, Steve. "Yngwie Malmsteen | Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ^ a b c Huey, Steve. "Rising Force - Yngwie Malmsteen". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ a b Guitar World Staff (9 July 2009). "Top 10 Shred Albums of All Time". Guitar World. Future US. Archived from the original on 28 May 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ Popoff, Martin (November 1, 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 208. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
- ^ Lalaina, Joe (17 November 2008). "Yngwie J. Malmsteen: King's Diamonds". Guitar World. NewBay Media. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force – Rising Force". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "Yngwie Malmsteen Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
External links[edit]
- Rising Force at yngwiemalmsteen.com
- In Review: Yngwie J. Malmsteen "Rising Force" at Guitar Nine Records
