Album Review - Yngwie Malmsteen - Eclipse

"Eclipse" was different than anything that came before in the world of Malmsteen, and remains a strange entity when you look at everything that came after it. Yngwie gained respect and reputation for his genre shattering "Rising Force" album, catapulting him into shred superstardom. "Marching Out" furthered that pursuit, "Trilogy" sought out mainstream radio play and the presence of Joe Lynn Turner for "Odyssey" clenched it. As his music slowly changed from mainly instrumental fests into poppier rock/metal meshes, "Eclipse" came out of this ambition and hit the market with a certain flair and marketability.

A fourth vocalists in a handful of years, Goran Edman is like bright colour shining amongst a sea of monotones, a vibrant personality to match the direction. His voice thick in Scandinavian accent, alienating the music from its snappy accessibility, yet providing it with more texture than a conventional metal warbler would have brought to the table. The match of sharp songs, blistery guitarwork and Goran's lustful voice shivering and slinking through the songs (or spectrally ominous when called for) is a delight in contrast and a move of genius. Yngwie's music had been streamlined to the point of rock confection, but the guitars and lead voice were surely made of otherworldly stuff.

Boldly opening in the purring power pop and sticky naked delights of the wet dream maker "Making Love", flush with fierce desire and following that up with the self satisfied, confidently sexy "Bedroom Eyes", all giddy and alight with thick bluesy riffs. The disc begins as a heady carnal thing. "Save Our Love" is a fluttery ballad awash in tender sweetness, weeping poignant guitars, burnt pleading vocals and thin crystals of synthesizers. It's so honestly open, like a shock of cold, clear water after the red hot steaminess of the first two tracks.

"Devil in Disguise" has that dark cloak wrapped around it, choral background vocals ringing out like the background music for some gothy vampire movie. Edman's voice punctuating along with the stair stepping, heart beat skipping rhythm section. Acoustic plays against the electric like fire demons flitting around a magnificently smoldering blaze.

"Kiss of Judas" continues the distrustful, betrayed atmosphere. Slathering on the axework, synthesizers ringing in the backdrop, just behind the curtain, and Edman holding court with a masterful persuasion that puts point to the glinting metal pop and poisonous state of mind.

Despite the instant adoration of some of these songs, its the questioning "What Do You Want" that takes the cake. This is an excellent example of all talents coming together for a rather simple, straightforward bit of music and just making magic with it. Goran sounds sincere absolute, his voice liquid velvet, pouring over the music in thick, lush rushes. The guitars bind and twirl their way through the song, relegated to a heavy thick rhythm riff to carry the track and spinning off into tornadic bliss here and there. Wildly restrained for the likes of a guitar god such as Malmsteen. The keyboards provide the majority of groundwork, spilling effortlessly amongst everything else. Those keys lift it, lighten it, make it seem brighter and poppier.

"Demon Driver" is a metallic assault followup, thundering through with muscle and a faster tempo and silly nonsense like "I am the demon driver...demon driver..." A bit of the occult or a sad taste of human nature's reality? These were troubling times for the guitarist, and he never holds back lashing out at all of those that messed with his world. "Faultline" redeems by its pompous, epic, and bleak feel. It's a wasteland apocalypse, a thin veiled threat, a glimpse of never endings and hopelessness. But the music builds and offers an alternative, a way out, the guitars twining in addictive rhythms, vocals sweeping into haughty, winging promise, despite the ominous words. So different, so unique, unlike anything Yngwie has ever recorded really.

And there's a couple of blistery blustery quick paced pieces such as "See You In Hell" (that has the ironic "how are you?" slipped in), the frenzied "Motherless Child" and an instrumental as well that's surprisingly short and shares its name with the album's title. Yngwie's seething frustration and pointed anger leak out amongst the tracks here and there, giving flavour and necessity behind the facade of his music.

Those that dismissed him as a robotic entity spinning off heartless, anaseptic riffs (though begrudgingly admitted to be mind boggling even by his most devout skeptics) should be flogged to shame with copies of this album (and the equally emotionally charged "The Seventh Sign" and "Fire and Ice"). Anger is a viable emotion. Yngwie expresses it effortlessly. This is fact, deal with it.

"Eclipse" is an album that marked the transition between pop and more serious affairs, standing inbetween with its myriad of triumphs and base, instinctual pleasures. There's not another Yngwie disc out there that sounds quite like it, and he certainly never quite had an ace in the hole like Edman was here. He wasn't just a singing tool (as many of his singers seem to be) but an asset that gave additional life to his compositions. Unfortunately, sales were low in the States as interest in guitar driven metal began to wither away, which has led to this being somewhat of a forgotten oddity that has been relegated to "back of the closet" status, sadly enough.

Written by Alanna
Thursday, March 19, 2009
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Ratings

Alanna: 8/10

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