2 weeks ago, we took a look at the vocal groundwork layed down by Iron Maiden and their frontman Bruce Dickenson. This week, it’s time to examine the instrumentation side of Power Metal’s origins. For those who are newer to this sub-genre, it’s not just the voice that makes the music. It’s the people behind the instruments that make it as well. From the drums, to the guitar, to even the keyboard, you need a strong band behind your back to ride out on the battlefield. There were many individuals & groups that helped create Power Metal’s distinct sound, but it was one lone Swedish man that really planted the seeds. 1 lone Swede that brought such a mastery of the guitar to the table, every Power Metal band since has tried to emulate in some way. That’s right, I’m talking about Yngwie Malmsteen!
I briefly made mention of this man when I did my overview on Alcatrazz over a year ago, and I’ll repeat myself here: Yngwie has an ego that’s higher than Willie Nelson with a vault of weed, but the man can sure as hell play the guitar! There haven’t been many people who can play as fast or as harmonious as Yngwie, but there’s been many who have come close. His contributions to music are legendary, whether it’s towards Neo-Classical, Hair Metal, or the subject of the coming months. With that said, let’s take a look at his crowning achievement of the 80s, Odyssey, and see just what he contributed. Let the review begin!
Background
About half through the tour for his 3rd album Trilogy, then singer Mark Boals walked out due to drugs issues that Yngwie was going through, only to be replaced by original singer Jeff Scott Soto, who was fired shortly afterwards. A beacon of hope would arrive in the form of Joe Lynn Turner, who was previously the singer for the classic band Rainbow, and who would later go on to front the equally classic Deep Purple. Joe brought an incredible force to the band with his voice, which complemented Yngwie’s guitar work very well. However, even with this beacon of hope, dark times were coming for the mighty Swede.
Let’s start off with the car accident: on June 27th, 1987, Yngwie was having a drunken joy ride in his cream colored V12 Jaguar E-Type (Ironically, the same car was used in a music video for his 3rd album), and had the misfortune to wrap the damn thing around a tree! This event was just one thing on the 2-year long shitstorm list that was to come his way. After the accident he had actually died for a moment, only to be comatose for a week due to brain swelling. From there it was a hard 6 weeks of physical therapy, and in the process it was discovered that his right hand couldn’t hold a guitar pick properly. Not long after his mother would pass away back in Sweden due to illness, and his brother would die not long after that. On top of that (Weeks before might I ad), the infamous 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake struck L.A., wrecking his incredible mansion. Once the therapy was finally done, Yngwie was afraid to pick up a guitar because he thought that he didn’t have him in it anymore. However, with the record company (Polydor Records) knocking down his door, and the discovery that his longtime manager stole all his cash, the Swede pulled up his bootstraps, went back into the studio, and on April 8, 1988 (More irony: this album was released a year after I was born), Yngwie & his band released their comeback album, Odyssey.
Odyssey would go on to be Yngwie’s highest charting album, staying at the number 40 spot on the US Billboard 200 for a solid 18 weeks, and it would reach the top 50 in at least 5 other countries as well. Reviews were generally mixed between good & okay, with those on the okay side of things citing Yngwie’s trama from the car accident, along with a few other personal issues he went through. Regardless, Odyssey would go down in his discography as once of his most commercially successful albums of all time.
Basic Description
Badass.....but maybe a little goofy.
Alright, let’s get the badass part out of the way. Yngwie’s guitar work is some of the most famous there is in the world of Heavy Metal, and even beyond in certain cases. This guitar adonis is capable of going the traditional metal route, the pop stylings of Hair Metal, proto & full-blown Power Metal, and trudges through the realm of Neo-Classical, all at the drop of a hat. As he plays, he never seems to skip a note, and when a song has multiple guitar styles, his ability to transition between styles is seamless. It really comes across as if Yngwie has complete control over the axe, it’s power & fury utterly tamed. Joe Lynn Turner is pretty badass in his own right. As I listened to Odyssey, I was surprised by how similar his voices was to Bruce Dickenson. He’s not quite as capable of reaching the operatic heights that Bruce can, but he makes up for it by being a little more smoother with his voice. He can register pretty high with the volume of his vocals, but it’s obvious by listening to Odyssey that he tries to be a little more versatile when he sings.
Now here’s where I talk about the goofy side of Odyssey. Despite Joe Lynn Turner’s voice, and despite Yngwie bringing in that Power Metal/Neo-Classical, this record is still mainly Hair Metal at the end of the day. Now, I love me some Hair Metal. Always have, and I always will. However, when the over-the-top fantasy nature of Power Metal mixes with the excessive nature of Hair Metal, you get an album that I can only describe as a explosion of WTF & awesome. Yngwie and the rest of the band look like they come out of an Aqua Net factory, but despite the look, the musical talent easily shines through the fumes!
Best Track
Odyssey is jam-packed with a selection of some of the best Hair Metal tinged Power Metal tracks ever put to a tape/record/cd (Take your pick), so picking out what would be considered this album’s best track is something of a crime. Instead, I’ll be talking about my 2 favorite tracks off of Odyssey, and the first is the infectious Deja Vu. A song that never lets up, Deja Vu shows off how fast & rhythmic Yngwie can be on the guitar, as well as the man’s musical knowledge and depth. Joe Lynn Turner does a good job as well, matching his voice up to Yngwie’s singing, keeping up with the pace of the guitars, and not skipping a beat in the process. It’s an impressive feat if I say so myself.
Deja Vu
My second favorite track would have to go towards the Hair Metal-inclined Now Is The Time. The instrumentation is fantastic, and the vocals are great as well, but it’s the lyrics that attract me to the song. These are some of the goofiest things I’ve ever heard in my entire life, and I was resisting the urge to laugh constantly as I listened to this whole song. Don’t believe me that this song has funny lyrics? Here’s just the first bit:
*Hold on tight/In the heat of the night/Baby there can be no escape*
If you can resist having a laughing fit, try listening to the whole thing.
Now Is The Time
Worst Track
Kinda like Powerslave from 2 weeks ago, Odyssey was crafted with such care & quality that there really isn’t much to complain about. That being said, the three instrumentation tracks aren’t quite as great as everything else. One of them was fine (Krakatau), but it’s the tracks Bite The Bullet & Memories that really come across as time-wasters. Running at 1:35 & 1:14 respectively, these two songs really seem to exist just to full out space on the album, and are rather forgettable in the long run (Although the overall quality is still good).
Other
If you’re interested in listening to Odyssey, check out the link below:
Odyssey
Overall Opinion & Rating
Odyssey is a textbook example of classic 1980s Heavy Metal. Even though it was released towards the end of the decade, and Hair Metal’s popularity by that point was wearing thing, Yngwie & Joe Lynn Turner went out to prove that their style of music was still top notch, and boy oh boy did they succeed! Even nearly 30 years after this album’s release, Odyssey more than adequately proves it’s worth, and acts as another gateway into the realm of Power Metal. Definitely a record to have in your collection!
Odyssey gets a 9 out of 10.
So that was part 2 of our look into the origins of Power Metal. Now that I’ve talked about the story’s behind the vocal work & instrumentation, it’s time to take a look at the final piece of this outrageous puzzle. So I’ll see you in 2 weeks, when we’ll look at what actually puts the power.......in Power Metal. Until then, may you embark on your own incredible odyssey.
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