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19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yngwie Unleashes the Fury of the Perpetual Flame, October 16, 2008
Master guitar god, and one of the founding fathers of the neo-classical metal movement, Yngwie Malmsteen got Tim "Ripper" Owens for vocal duties. Best choice for singer Yngwie could have made. Never caving-in to pressure, and always staying true to his signature sound and style, fans and critics alike know what to expect from a Yngwie release. Yngwie is going to sound...well, like Yngwie, always holding true to his integrity.
"Perpetual Flame" is composed of 12 melodic tracks, clocking in at just under 70 minutes, and is pure guitar genius. Some tracks, such as "Four Horseman" are heavy with rolling double bass and extremely fast-paced riffs. Yngwie's strongest performance, is without question, "Heavy Heart." It is one of Yngwie's finest instrumentals to date, opening with classical guitar over-dubbed with layered electric. An amazing composition that takes the listener away from their surroundings, as they get caught up in the musical moment. Another instrumental track that cannot go without mention is "Caprici Di Diablo." It's 4 minutes and 27 seconds of pure shredding technique and bliss.
If anyone needs confirmation that the fire does indeed still burn then the first thirty seconds of the albums opener "Death Dealer" will confirm it in huge great neon letters. Teaming up with ex-Judas Priest singer Tim "Ripper" Owens for the first time has proved to be something of a match made in Yngwie heaven. If ever a vocalist could deliver the sheer passion and power alongside his guitar then Tim has to be that man.
Tim complements his sound best
Death Dealer
This song comes with all the classical undercurrent that has become his trademark. The first scream from Owens marks his arrival in real style.
Damnation Game
This song has an opening riff to match its title that continues the pace of the first song without pausing for breath.
Live To Fight
This song is dark and sinister and it starts off with a Black Sabbath style bell tolling in the distance.
Red Devil
This song is more of a straight-on heavy rock number, that has the Ripper in great form. The rest of the band is equally as good and is made up of Yngwie on bass also and Derek Sherinian played keyboards and Patrick Johnsson continued as drummer.
The Touring lineup is as follows Yngwie Guitars/Vocals, Tim Owens Vocals, Michael Troy on keys, Bjorn Englen on bass, and Patrick Johnsson as drummer.
Four Horsemen
This song has Yngwie riding his Fender at characteristically breakneck speed.
Priest Of The Unholy keeps the pace going with a tight sound and good vocals to match.
Be Careful What You Wish For
This song keep the pace and momentum from the last song going.
Caprici Di Diablo
This song is an instrumental and is loaded with classical overtones and sounds physically impossible to play. It goes without saying that Yngwie somehow pulls it off with all his usual lightning speed. I guess that's why Yngwie is one of if not the best ever on the guitar.
Lament
This song has that richness of sound and remarkable precision that is so familiar to fans of Yngwie. It too is an instrumental in the classical tradition and with the same complexity as its predecessor. It follows on superbly with the pair marking an album highlight.
Magic City
This song has Yngwie once again singing on the album and is a fairly good song and at least Yngwie can sing better the Zakk Wylde.
Eleventh Hour
This song has The Ripper, back on vocals with a lusciously eastern vibe. It has you dreaming of minarets, sand, heat, and mystery.
Heavy Heart
This song takes us back into the instrumental as only, and I mean only, Yngwie can play them. The atmospheric "Heavy Heart" ends the album magnificently and is probably one of Yngwie best instrumentals to date.
This album is an example of what a guitar driven album should be like lot's of big solos and big sound and tight and clean vocals and this album is also another example of Yngwie's undeniable mastery of the guitar. The instrumental tracks will underline just how on fire Yngwie is.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of Yngwie's best albums!, October 17, 2008
When I heard about Tim Owens being engaged as a vocalist for Yngwie's new album I said to myself: Finally! He finally got the singer who is as good vocally as Yngwie is as a guitarist. It's a perfect match! The songs are great, the solos are mindblowing, Ripper is in a dangerous form. And for the ones who want to listen to different things, go listen to pop music. I DON'T want Yngwie to do anything different (as new metal crap or emo) because of someone's changing musical taste. Way to go! And yes, he may be narcistic and arrogant, but it doesn't matter. He is one of the best guitarists alive! He doesn't care what all the losers think!
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Still The King Of Shred, October 14, 2008
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Perhaps the same can be said of guitarists as well. But when you know as many tricks as Yngwie does, and can perform them as well as he does, well...don't fix what ain't broke. "Perpetual Flame" is Yngwie's first new album in more than three years, but was worth the wait. While Yngwie himself has been consistently mind blowing over the course of his career, some of his vocalists have not. Not to say they were bad, but just didn't seem to fit in with Yngwie's style, at least to my ears. "Perpetual Flame" still finds Yngwie in top form, but finally adds a vocalist who sings as aggressively as Yngwie plays, Tim "Ripper" Owens. Musically, "Perpetual Flame" is similar to Yngwie's last few studio offerings. But "Ripper" Owens vocal style is such a good match to Yngwie's musical style that the whole album sounds more alive and fresh than some previous releases. Well worth the price of admission. Play Loud!
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by Yngwie J. Malmsteen 
