Song
Wolves At The Door
Artist
Yngwie Malmsteen
Yngwie Malmsteen backstory
Fret-burning Swede Yngwie Malmsteen has been blazing a trail for six string-innovation for more than 40 years.
And the 57-year-old shows no signs of hanging up his beloved Strats any time soon.
New album Parabellum is the follow-up to 2019’s Blue Lightning and sees Malmsteen deliver one of his most purposeful and upbeat records in decades.
Bursting onto the early 80s scene with Steeler and Alcatrazz, it wasn’t long before the classically trained hard rock hero struck out alone.
And 1984’s Rising Force did what it said on the tin — announcing Malmsteen as one to watch alongside Steve Vai and Joe Satriani.
Odyssey, featuring Joe Lynn Turner, tapped into the hair metal trend and the 1988 record started a run of three successive top 60 UK chart albums.
But if Malmsteen’s commercial appeal waned in the UK and Europe following 1992’s Fire & Ice, his status as a cult hero in Japan gathered pace.
And a run of 14 consecutive top 20 albums in the Land of the Rising Sun only ended with 2005’s Unleash The Fury.
In Yngwie Malmsteen’s own words:
“I can assure you that, while it may seem as if there are keyboards, everything has been done by myself on guitar.
“Even what sounds like a piano intro to Wolves At The Door has been played on guitar.
“The song references 19th century classical master Paganini.
“It’s the sort of thing I love to do. It’s my way of paying homage to him.
“And here it works very well within the flow of the track.”
The verdict on Wolves At The Door
Vintage Malmsteen? You bet. A magical mix of classically-influenced chords and hard rock wizardry represent a robust return to form.
Wolves At The Door is a wild ride through the ages for die-hard Malmsteen devotees.
But even after all of these years, Stockholm’s finest still finds room to evolve.
And the lead single from upcoming album Parabellum is no lazy rehash of glory days gone by.
One of four tracks from the new record to feature vocals, Malmsteen might have been better bringing in a recognised singer.
But a less than convincing stint behind the mic is a minor misstep: Wolves At The Door is all about peerless musicianship and that signature tone.
Malmsteen has always relied on his fingers to do the talking and this reassuringly classy single is six minutes of six string storytelling at its most compelling.
What’s next for Yngwie Malmsteen
Parabellum is released on July 23 with social edition double vinyls available now.
Malmsteen is planning shows towards the end of 2021.
Check out www.yngwiemalmsteen.com for the latest news.
