Malmsteen, Yngwie J: Marching Out

What classes an album as a classic? In my opinion Marching Out by Swedish guitar legend and neo-classical metal master Yngwie J Malmsteen is everything that makes a classic, or is that neo-classic? The release also made a significant contribution to metal music and with an appeal that has never diminished over the years. This was Malmsteen at his best after the totally excellent debut Rising Force he followed that with Marching Out in 1985. Marching Out was a different beast, as the instrumentals were cut back to two with "Overture 1383" and "Marching Out", and there was much more emphasis on vocals and hooks this time which would have increased the appeal of Ynqwie's material thus creating a much larger fan base. But that's not to say this meant the guitar work was dialed right back as there is still plenty of exciting performances on here.

It was many years ago back in the '80s when I first heard Marching Out on something called a cassette tape, as it was well before compact discs were available. I was totally hooked and Marching Out still remains in my top all time releases. Malmsteen would continue to deliver so many more releases, but nothing reached the consistently high levels that he did on his first two recordings, especially Marching Out.

Marching Out featured one of the best, you could say a dream line-up, that was ever assembled, as there was vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, the late Marcel Jacob on bass and the super talented Johansson brothers Jens on keys and Anders on Drums. This album has so much metal magic with everything that you could ask for and more. Sure, Malmsteen's captivating guitar playing was the focal point for so many, but Marching Out really was also a great effort by those other musicians involved as they all played their parts to perfection and that's what helps to make this album so very good.

Yngwie and Jens made for a lethal and exciting combination, and it may be a big call but I strongly feel that no other duo of similar stylings has matched what these two achieved during their time together. They provided so much inspiration to other musicians, and any release that they performed together on was a compulsory purchase. Their classic trade offs and solos really were something else such as on the slaying metal of "Anguish An Fear" and "Caught In The Middle".

There are so many memorable tracks including "I'll See The Light Tonight", which is not a song you can put on quietly as it begs to be cranked up to the max as they unleash that almighty power. "Disciples Of Hell" is another killer tune, "On The Run Again" may not be the most technical of Malmsteen's songs but it is just so catchy and "Soldiers Of Faith" is a fantastic song that builds into something special.

Marching Out still remains an amazing release today and a true metal classic.

Track list:
1.Prelude
2.I'll See The Light Tonight
3.Don't Let It End
4.Disciples Of Hell
5.I Am A Viking
6.Overture 1383
7.Anguish And Fear
8.On The Run Again
9.Soldier Without Faith
10.Caught In The Middle
11.Marching Out

Added: January 16th 2013
Reviewer: Scott Jessup
Score:
Related Link: Artist Website
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Language: english

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