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I gave this album a listen for a laugh when it came out, and was horrified to discover that I liked some of it. I didn't buy it because the cover was way too embarrassing to take to the counter at the record store, and I've bought albums by The Judds. Decided to give it a listen again today on this beautiful Sunday and enlighten you wonderful people with my findings.

Death Dealer - Pretty typical Yngwie Riff, but when Ripper's scream comes in there's a certain "Hmmm this might not suck" energy. Not the catchiest song ever, but it rocks nonetheless. The solo just sounds like an Yngwie solo.

Damnation Game - Fuck, this is good! Sounds more like "Priest hiring Yngwie" than Yngwie hiring a Halford imitator. All of these songs are twice the length they need to be. The riff is a small hint of what kind of guitarist Yngwie could have been if he wrote songs instead of guitar instructional videos. The solo just sounds like an Yngwie solo.

Live to Fight Another Day - Yngwie is doing that thing where he plays a nylon guitar with a pick and it sounds really weird. In the verses he's doing a chug-chug, chug-chug, chug-chug riff... sounds stupid on a strat. This song sucks. I'm only two minutes in, but I'm going skip ahead because this fucking thing is six minutes!! Solo probably just sounds like an Yngwie solo, but we'll never know.

Red Devil - Another song with an acceptably simple riff and lead guitar line! Another kickass song - verses sounding like Priest again. Maybe the best song on the album. There's a dumb around of sweep picking towards the end. The solo just sounds like an Yngwie solo.

Four Horsemen - Back to a riff with a bunch of notes and - you guessed it - made for a forgettable song. Sitting in the room as this shit was being tracked much have been TORTURE. The solo just sounds like an Yngwie solo.

Priest of the Unholy - Opens with one of those Nightwish/Trans Siberian Orchestra-sound keyboard parts. This one sounds like Priest alright - but in a bad way this time. The solo just sounds like an Yngwie solo.

Be Careful What You Wish For - This one sounds like a Dream Theater/Yngwie collaboration. That is not a good thing. The solo just sounds like an Yngwie solo.

Caprici Di Diablo - A shitty instrumental that has 10x the plays of all the other songs on the album. Gotta be all Japanese people. The solo just sounds like an Yngwie solo.

Lament - Another instrumental. Sometimes there are multiple sweeps going on at once. The solo just sounds like an Yngwie solo.

Magic City - Uh... this is like a neroclassical blusey rock ballad with Yngwie singing lead. He recycles the melody from Death Dealer, but instead sings "MAGIC CITY IS MY HEART". This is STRANGE and SEVEN MINUTES! The solo just sounds like an Yngwie solo.

Eleventh Hour - I am really over this album by now, but we're back to another forgettable song with Ripper singing that is eight minutes!! They do some Kashmir bullshit at some point. The solo just sounds like an Yngwie solo.

Heavy Heart - How I feel having listened to most of this thing. The solo just sounds like an Yngwie solo.

So yeah, there are three solid songs to be found. They apparently did another album together, but after hearing this one.... I think I'm good. I will however leave you with this gem of a non-album track: Yngwie and Rippers cover of Michael Jackson's Beat it! https://youtu.be/45O3D5dCehA?si=xE6Td2slczTv4tbb

I'm going to maintain that Ripper got showed the door after two albums with Yngwie because he was too good. It might not be the actual reason, but it's the one I'm going with. I think it's telling that Yngwie hasn't had a proper frontman that would take attention away from him since Ripper was let go.

I remember this one coming out and listening to a few tracks. I was not impressed. Yngwie is the kind of artist with a long career and a few good tunes without a real killer album. Over the years he became increasingly generic. I lost interest a long time ago.

Last Malmsteen album I cared for.

I like both of the Ripper/Yngwie albums.

Funny thing is that Ripper didn't participate in the 2nd one, those were leftovers from the Perpetual Flamer album:

Owens: I had been asked in an interview about Yngwie releasing an album, and I didn't know about it. The songs that were left after "Perpetual Flame" (in 2008) weren't actually leftovers. They were extra material. I actually like "Relentless" better than "Perpetual Flame". But Yngwie releases a lot of instrumentals, so I didn't know if those songs were going to be released. I actually leave the DIO DISCIPLES tour and go on tour with Yngwie.
https://blabbermouth.net/news/ex-judas- ... ostradamus

Psychobolia.com wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 4:35 am I like both of the Ripper/Yngwie albums.

Funny thing is that Ripper didn't participate in the 2nd one, those were leftovers from the Perpetual Flamer album:

Owens: I had been asked in an interview about Yngwie releasing an album, and I didn't know about it. The songs that were left after "Perpetual Flame" (in 2008) weren't actually leftovers. They were extra material. I actually like "Relentless" better than "Perpetual Flame". But Yngwie releases a lot of instrumentals, so I didn't know if those songs were going to be released. I actually leave the DIO DISCIPLES tour and go on tour with Yngwie.
https://blabbermouth.net/news/ex-judas- ... ostradamus

That somewhat explains the acoustic album he released in between the two.

I've always loved Priest of the Unholy