Instrumental Best [IMPORT]

Yngwie Malmsteen

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 15, 2004)
• Original Release Date: February 3, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Pony Canyon Japan
• ASIN: B0001LUGG6
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #185,166 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Japanese exclusive compilation featuring 15 instrumental tracks by the guitar virtuoso. Canyon. 2004. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Recycled, February 28, 2004

By	eveoflove (North York, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Instrumental Best (Audio CD)

Made in JAP in 2004, Serial# PCCY-01689, Playing Time 62:41

This 15-track CD is a compilation of previously released material covering the 1994 to 2000 era, but features instrumental-only tracks (actually, track 9 isn't instrumental due to the over-and-over chanting of the word "Takada"...)

The japanese market has been very good to Yngwie, and this compilation obviously demonstrates that fact (check out how many compilations of his material have been released over there... astonishing!)

The CD covers a wide spectrum of intensities, but excludes tracks from the earlier part of his career (the "Polydor" era), which is a shame... tracks from the early albums like "Trilogy" and "As Above, So Below" would have been fantastic additions to this CD.

What stands out most (at least to my ears) on this compilation is the SUPERB remastering work that was done to the material taken from the "War To End All Wars" album... I quite honestly couldn't believe how bad the original version sounded, despite Yngwie's phenomenal guitar work.

So this CD is for completists, as it unfortunately contains NO unreleased material... basically a purse-snatcher (hence the removal of 1 star!), but with fantastic content.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Aaahh, those pesky licensing issues, May 22, 2008

By	Paul Lawrence "'EJL'" (Australia) - See all my reviews

Best of albums are great excuses for generalised comments about an artist. They also allow fans to bemoan song selection! And you don't have to be an Yngwie devotee such as myself to spot the biggest problem here and that is it only contains songs from The Seventh Sign album onwards. A huge blow.

What is here is great stuff and it's kicked off by the track Brothers with Yngwie really making his guitar bleed. Dawn continues the albums mellow start and as the album unfolds it becomes apparent that Yngwie has a broader pallette than he's given credit for. Also what occurs is the realisation that his later albums through the 90's and 00's are in possession of many fine instrumental moments.

Of course this is all instrumental and that's an issue - no vocals so vastly reduced connectivity unless your a guitarist. Also regardless of the precise playing and the Euro goth twinges adorning this release there is no Black Star. Not Trilogy Suite Op.5. They do cheat a bit to get around licensing issues by using a live version of Far Beyond The Sun but it's not as good as the version from the old Live in Leningrad set.

A good album for fans such as myself but newcomers would be better off getting the Yngie Malmsteen Collection and/or Best 90-99 if they want to go the compilation route. Or better yet grab Marching Out and Trilogy.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No vocals = Best of Yngwie, March 1, 2004

By	"musicholic" (Detroit MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Instrumental Best (Audio CD)

I've been waiting for Yngwie to release a record like this. He should also release one of his earlier non-vocal work with songs like "Leviathon" & "Eclipse". Yngwie has always been held back by sub-par vocalists & lyricists and should try his hand at all-instrumental records like his symphonic cds but more rock structured. If you are only going to buy one Malmsteen cd this should be the one.