Well, it’s not as bad as War To End All Wars. That record should have been titled Album To End All Careers. But somehow the great fret-fiddler Yngwie J Malmsteen continues on.
It’s hard to tell who is the most delusional. Yngwie himself for releasing this as is; his record label for actually paying for it to be manufactured or some of his fans who are reacting as if this album is the greatest slice of majestic, audio grandeur and shredtastic splendor since Les Paul took craft lessons in Jnr High.
Ok, so it’s not all bad….well it is if you were rating audio quality alone. I’m not sure where this was recorded. It sounds like it was recorded in my grandmother’s 1922 outhouse and pieced together on a 1981 Acorn BBC Micro 6502.
I just cannot understand how and artist, his manager wife and record label could all agree this was release ready. The production quality and muddy mix are just rotten.
To the songs themselves – well, the boy can play – no doubting that ever. And before the fanclub hit me up with death threats and witty insults about what really constitutes greatness, please be advised I have most of the Swedish Frethogger’s albums and I remain a strong fan of several in particular.
There are some good and bad here. The title track World On Fire is a great 1 minute idea that goes for 4 and a half and most of the instrumentals that follow are simply retreads of past work.
I’m being strangely hypnotized by Yngwie’s vocals on Lost In The Machine. Is he employing mind control to keep fans under influence? I don’t mind that song at all, except for the quality and the fact the vocals sound like they were sung into a Coke can rather than a microphone.
Largo and No Rest for the Wicked are simply the same riff as each other, just played faster and Duf 1220 is the most accurate song title on the whole album.
I really do like Yngwie. I think he’s doing an ok job, but his organization is one that cannot be criticized. I’m on their shit list because of my last few reviews – but that’s just part of the job.
This review won’t help of course. What he needs to do is embrace those that want to work with him. There are a number of great musicians from his past that that would happily collaborate with him. But no one wants to work for him.
Hopefully he can find the financing to hire a producer or at least a professional mix engineer, get a vocalist on board to work together and collaborate on some great songs that aren’t all widdling and get back to what really made Yngwie Malmsteen albums of the past so enjoyable. He needs an A&R guy to tell him what works and what doesn't. Givie me a call mate!
