YNGWIE MALMSTEEN – Trilogy - The Metal Channel

While I consider Yngwie’s first three efforts excellent, I believe Trilogy is the culmination of Yngwie’s sound and undoubtedly his best effort.

When I was growing up the guitar legends were: Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen) and Yngwie Malmsteen. While all four hold strong connections to heavy metal, I believe Yngwie personifies metal underground/underdog mentality best. Seemingly arriving out of nowhere, his personal drive and ambition forced him into the spotlight and continue to keep him there.

Yngwie Johan Malmsteen (Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck) is a Swedish heavy metal guitarist who became known in the ‘80s for his neoclassical playing style. He has released a whopping twenty-two studio albums in his forty-plus year run.

Yngwie’s illustrious career really began in 1982 when Shrapnel Records (Mike Varney) heard a demo tape of Malmsteen and brought him to the US to record with the band Steeler. After contributing on the band’s 1983 debut release, Yngwie left the group and joined Alcatrazz where he recorded two records No Parole from Rock ‘n’ Roll (1983) and Live Sentence (1984). A dispute with Alcatrazz vocalist Graham Bonnet ended Malmsteen’s tenor with the band.

Not easily thwarted, Malmsteen’s response was to release his first solo album Rising Force (1984). The debut record won the Guitar Player’s award for Best Rock Album of the year and was nominated for a Grammy Award for ‘Best Rock Instrumental’.

Yngwie’s follow up 1985’s Marching Out garnered similar attention and really set the stage for Yngwie’s pinnacle achievement, Trilogy. While I consider Yngwie’s first three efforts excellent, I believe Trilogy is the culmination of Yngwie’s sound and undoubtedly his best effort.

Trilogy was released in 1986 through Polydor Records and is dedicated to the memory of the late Swedish prime minister Olof Palme, who was assassinated on February 28th, 1986.

Yngwie’s compositional and lyrical skills were described as being at their peak on Trilogy. His guitar work was jaw-dropping fast and technically demanding. As if the contributions weren’t enough, it’s worth noting that Yngwie also played bass on this album.

Trilogy was the first offering that really redefined my expectations towards guitarists. The first two records seemed to set Yngwie’s mind-blowing solos to music but with Trilogy we got real songs!

Yngwie shines simply because he’s not the sole focus of the music. When given the opportunity to pick and choose his spots, the music excels. This gives me more than enough time to further appreciate other aspects of his unique guitar playing, such as speed and technical difficulty and not just take it for granted. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of guitar players who possess admirable qualities, but few are able to turn a song into a magical experience. Highlight Tracks for me are: “You Don’t Remember, I’ll Never Forget”, “Queen in Love”, “Fire” and “Magic Mirror”.

Many forget Yngwie nearly died in a near fatal car crash, smashing his Jaguar into a tree. The accident put him into a coma for a week and forced him to cancel the rest of the Trilogy tour.

Thankfully, the injuries were not severe and Yngwie was able to continue his career, releasing the album, Odyssey, his most successful record to date.

Yngwie Malmsteen’s impact on metal is far reaching. I believe it’s about more than just his amazing guitar skills. It’s about desire and personal drive. From a cassette tape prodigy to a multi-record juggernaut, his achievements are truly admirable.