Search - Yngwie Malmsteen :: Angels of Love

A Masterpiece of Ambience and Musicianship

C. M. Gillum | Michigan | 04/17/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yngwie has been a household name for years when it comes to anything related to guitars. His earlier works such as Rising Force or Trilogy have become classics and are considered by many to be the definitive of musicianship and guitar artistry. If you are one of those people then you might as well not read any of the reviews including my own, as this album will please you. Any others whom maybe skeptical please continue reading.



This album as you should and probably already do know is predominantly acoustic. Which means if you are a fan of Yngwie's earlier riffing and faster paced Metallic sound then there is a 50/50 chance this album might be a bit of a disappointment. Now don't think this isn't an amazing album because it is honestly one of the best acoustic albums I have heard. There are electric guitar pieces but they are sparse and more a part of the background to help create a dynamic contrast to the acoustic guitars, rather then the rip roaring leads Yngwie is better known for.



The all around pace of the album is slow and at times has a haunting ambiance untouched by fellow guitar legends. There is quite a bit of orchestral/keyboard work in the background giving the songs more structure rather then just having the guitars alone, this I am thankful for. I love good guitar playing, but I enjoy it more when it is accented by some kind of backdrop. Being a long time fan of Malmsteen and his various works I can honestly say this is one of my favorite releases by him in some time.



I highly recommend this album to all of the Malmsteen fan base, but as I noted be cautious as fans of the Metal side of his music may be put off. Furthermore fans of acoustic and guitar playing in general will be impressed by his skills on this release and should also be able to appreciate this. However new fans should look into his earlier releases before delving into Angels Of Love, start with anything from the 80's and make your way towards his more recent releases. All in all and giving my honest and completely unbiased opinion; This album ranks up there with his earlier works as far as overall musicianship goes.



Thank you for reading and I hope that I have encouraged you to purchase this or other of Yngwie Malmsteen's various releases. I enjoy the feedback so if my review helped you or at least intrigued you please let me know by clicking the button below, again thank you for reading.



-A Loyal Malmsteen Fan"

Typical, but in a good way.

S. Bronder | Columbus, OH | 03/12/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a long time fan I was pretty excited to see my copy from Amazon show up in my mailbox today. Since then I have listened to this a few times over and must say it's about exactly what I expected when I read what the album was supposed to be.



Ten tracks, all recorded acoustically... well, sort of! Yngwie pulls out the electric here and there to help in the layering of tones.



If you are a fan, I would certainly suggest you pick this up as it's great to see Yngwie shed a different light on his music. There is a lot of great guitar work and some really nice arrangements of tracks we all know and love. As a bit of a surprise, he actually seems to hold back on the Nylon shredding when it seems appropriate (which is not always the case). This adds a lot of dimension to the music on this record. He lets the the arrangement take over with a lot of very fat keyboard tones while he masterfully crafts his guitar into this sound stage."

Angel Flying High

Mr. A. D. K. Ogston | 03/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Music is about textures, and colours both dark and light, and subtleties that the musician throws in for good measure, and who hopes that the listener will pick up on.



Well you cannot miss it on Angels of Love.



The new album is a step away from the usual heavy rock affair. It has a more melancholy feel to it, but with the trademark licks and runs that we all associate Yngwie with.



Yngwie shows that he is master musician, and that he can put his mark to any style, and so this is the case with the new album.

Again the production of the album is well done, and it is good to hear Michael Troy, I look forward to hearing his keys on the next heavy rock album!!



So it is with Sorrow that I have to end this review...



Enjoy."