Yngwie Malmsteen - The Seventh Sign

"The Seventh Sign" is an inspiringly good Yngwie outing. However, when I first acquired this piece, it seemed to be anything but. The over-the-top aggressive vocal style and the handful of true 'metal' tracks made me shy away in a hurry, since at the time I was on a strict diet of Def Leppard and Yngwie's poppier discs like the superb "Odyssey" and the without a doubt, mainstream bound "Eclipse". "The Seventh Sign" was an entirely different animal indeed, but as my tastes changed, the contrasts in themes and moods and the sincerity of the album won me over in a big way. This was the 'debut' of the skilled and versatile, Michael Vescera as frontman in Malmsteen's ever changing roster of vocalists. His pipes are clean and bursting with emotion, not able to contain it, he just spills over, with ear piercing highs and sinister growling lows. Vescera does ballads not only with class and style, but also with conviction. He paints the world that has been created for him with true passion, making the listener not only hear the music but feel it straight down to the soul. Being the perfect compliment for the Maestro's axework which is typically pristine with its signature sound and bubbling with spirit or pain. Mike Terrana, drummer extraordinaire, not sure if it was the mix or perhaps a bit of luck, but by the sound of "...Sign", he is the best drummer to have lent his skin pounding talent to the Malmsteen musician circus, with one glaring exception, which is legend Cozy Powell, who is greatly missed. Terrana's track record has been exceptional, as he has lent his skills to such artists as Axel Rudi Pell, John West, Gamma Ray, Artension, Tony MacAlpine and others. And let's not forget Mats Olausson, the only musician to have stayed aboard beyond a couple of albums. His keyboard playing is fantastic as usual, and really shines on the ballads, when gentle piano comes into play. The production on this thing was absolutely phenomenal, it simply blew me away at first, even though the album itself was not exactly my cup of tea at the time. Malmsteen produced it himself, with painstaking details coming through so crisp and clear as a bell, enriching the intensity ten fold. I simply don't understand why he would let anyone else do the job after this album turned out so fabulously in sound.

Some songs have a certain purity about them. After you walk away you will have felt Yngwie's anger, frustration and a heart that has been given in the depths of true love (well true at the time at any rate).

1.] "Never Die" starts the album with a bang, blistering and explosive vocals and the overblown brisk guitar to match it, sonically illustrate a tale of immortality. Outbreak of a demonic voice uttering spoken words followed by a wicked laugh adds a sinister touch.
2.] "I Don't Know" Picks up where the prior tune left off, with cranky wah-filled riffage and a vicious take on the strive for changes in life in this crazy world.
3.] "Meant to Be" puts the emphasis on the word soaring. Gorgeous song, even though it is much too heavy to put its finger on the word 'ballad', although its in-between state only helps carry it along as being a unique tune in its own right, somewhat in the same league as "The Only One", which did not see the light of day til its future 'birth' on "Magnum Opus". While the lyrics get a little repetitive toward the end, just listening to Vescera spiral that chorus downward ("We're walking through fire, we're stronger that steel") and putting the rough slant on the word "steel", makes up for any lyrical drawbacks. The guitar solo puts the 'b' in beauty, up-tempo but still breathtaking.
4.] "Forever One" Even six years later, hearing this song again sends tears streaming down my cheeks. It's tender sentiments meant as much to me then as they do now. From its opening cascade of acoustic notes, it grabs you and never lets go. The fast paced skin pound serves as the explosion into Vescera blasting out the chorus with his golden pipes that seem to never have a cap on range. He twists his voice around with as much vibrato as Yngwie bends those strings on that Stratocaster of his. Mike was without a doubt at the top of his world here, with astounding vocal abilities, and a much noticable improvement from his Obsession days.
5.] "Hairtrigger" A departure from the past two romantic romps into the fields of everlasting love and desire, "Hairtrigger" is back on track in the blistering department. Yng simply rips on this tune of sworn vengance. There is nothing quite like crushing those who have wronged you and with the almost gruesome guitars and screechy vocals, this fact is proven once again, driven like a stake into the ground. Terrana's drumming is totally crushing, providing a thundering backdrop to Malmsteen's fierce axeslinging which takes on a satisifyingly hellish twist of its own.
6.] "Brothers" A wistful, cascading waterfall of notes, start at the very top of the world and crash down again, little droplets fall into the great layered depth of the electric ocean waiting below. Bubbling up smoothly to the surface, as sorrowful notes rain down, piercing the quiet flow, which turns to boil, imbedded with feeling. The word pretty just doesn't do this instrumental justice, yet it fits like a glove all the same..
7.] "Seventh Sign" Our guitar hero's fascination with the apocalypse was bound to pop up sooner or later in a musical format, and the subject matter is quite fitting in what can only be described as an epic in the truest sense of the word. The horror of the end rushing forth due to the world's inhabitants blind neglect and overall lack of humanity. The chaotic performances solidfy the tragic truthfulness of the dark themes within. The frantically contained guitar riffs, edgily claw like an enraged wildcat struggling for untamed freedom from caged captivity.
8.] "Bad Blood" With a bluesy dripped howl, "Bad Blood" swaggers on to the scene. A well deserved nod to Mike Vescera for making this thing fly as well as it does. He throws himself into the vocal role, flaunting a slight snarling sneer to his voice, obnoxiously loud, a decoy to cover up the emotional damage that has been done in this lyrical 'story' of a snap in the middle, when a soul given totally in love pops the comforting bubble of deceit to find nothing but a clever strung web of lies within, and the cold icy nothingness left in the wake of realization. Bristling and driving, Yngwie's blues drenched, vibrato filled tone matches Vescera's passionate delivery and more. Wailing confidently loud and bold, the gripping chorus swollen with the satisfaction of revenge.
9.] "Prisoner of Your Love" The loving bond of maritial commitment is told in this polished ballad. Its inner core of sweetness can only be compared to cubes of sugar dissolving into the rich brew surrounding it, spreading seamlessly into every bit of space it carresses. "Prisoner" has a down-to-earth, genuine quality that the other two ballads, although quite beautiful in their own right, still lack, yet retaining a sleek, sophisticated side quite suited for play on even the most finicky radio stations. Yngwie casts his magical spell during the majestically flowing guitar solo, each note ringing out with an otherwordly fashion. Vescera puts every ounce of his being into the vocals, as if it was his heart that was on the line.
10.] "Pyramids of Cheops" Intro being an extended haunting splash of sitar, one by one the pieces of the instrument puzzle fall into place, beginning with drums so forceful with crushing sound, it feels like a pyramid dropping onto the earth. Glorious explosions of electric guitar sear right through every remaining bit of silence. From here it launches into a full scale pounding, unleashing the demon in Vescera, to share the center stage . The lyrics as well as the prominent Egyptian flavor, serve as a modern nod to Rainbow's 70s classic epic tale "Stargazer".
11.] "Crash and Burn" "C&B" sees Yng lashing out at the big suits at his former music labels who have given him the shaft on more than one occasion, not living up to their promises, and throwing the guitarist's talent out the window in favor of the next money magnet, flash in the pan, teenage boy band. Filling every inch of musical space with vibrant rage, its refreshing to listen and feel such a flurry of negative emotion, being brought down with sonic force and fury.
12.] "Sorrow" This one gives me the rich feeling of floating like a gossamer winged butterfly, lamenting over its final days as a brilliantly coloured and lively creature upon earth. A simplistic and soothing, short acoustic instrumental finishes the album off with not only grace, but reluctant sadness.