I had known of Yngwie Malmsteen for years, but I had never picked up any of his work. I had been told by people that he was a boring guitarist with no feeling and no passion.. A meeting with a friend who lived upstairs from me in my apartment changed that. He played me some of Yngwie’s finest works and I was amazed? If that is boring, then some of those damn critics need to get their ears checked! The fire, the fury, the beauty of his leads and the melodic crush of his rhythm work changed my opinion of him. I went out and bought Marching Out and was blown away! The next album I bought is the album I am reviewing here, his 2003 tour-de-force appropriately titled Attack!!.

Attack!! is Yngwie’s debut on Epic/Red Ink Records, which makes it his first major label release in the States since Fire & Ice in 1992. The title of the album is very fitting, because 5 seconds into the opening track “Razor Eater”, he starts his howitzer-like attack with his fingers on the strings, and on you, the listener. The opening riff had me checking my body for blood stains! And the attack never lets up! From the odd-meter and the awesome riffs of the opening cut, to the heavy chords of songs like “Stronghold”, “Rise Up”, “Mad Dog” and “Vahalla”, it is a all out assault on the senses from the first note to last. Helping to lead the attack are a first rate core of musicians (of course! It’s Yngwie!) led by former Rainbow vocalist Dougie White, former Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian, and drummer Patrick Johansson. White’s soaring and powerful vocals give The Maestro yet another amazing frontman in the tradition of past Yngwie cohorts Jeff Scott Soto, Mark Boals, Goran Edman, Michael Viscera and Jorn Lande. Sherinian’s virtuoso keyboard work and Johansson’s heavy drumming round out the sound on this kick-ass album.

The highlight of the record is definitely the title track, and like the rest of the album, it lives up to it’s name. It is one of the most brutal and heavy songs Yngwie recorded, and it left me rocking and reeling from Yngwie’s one-two punch of heaviness and melody. Few guitarists can claim to walk that line as expertly as the Maestro himself. And in the continuing tradition of great instrumental compositions, he throws out two masterful works on this album: “Baroque & Roll”, which to me is one of his best instrumentals ever, and the beautiful “Majestic Blue”. He is one of the few artists who can do instrumentals that can leave me in awe every time.

However, there are two low points: The instrumental “Air” is one of his weaker ones, but still good, and the song “Freedom Isn’t Free”. Yngwie mans the vocal mike on this bluesy hard rocker, which I love, but his voice is a laugh riot! His bellowing of “YOUKNOWWHATI’MTALKINBOOOOUUUUUT!!!” makes me laugh every time I hear it. He should leave the singing to his talented vocalist, Mr. White!

The production on the album is also top-notch. The guitars and drums sound rich and heavy, and the vocals sound clear and powerful. It is a definite step up from the muddy production that marred the otherwise great album War To End All Wars.

All in all, ATTACK!! is another must have for Yngwie fans, and an album that should not be missed by long hungry-for-awesome-guitar-solos metal fans here in the USA! Just make sure you buy a bullet-proof vest before giving this bad-boy a spin! You may end up in the hospital because Yngwie takes no prisoners!

Reviewer:  Matt "Snowy Owl" Bankes

   (4 out of 5)
 

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