Malmsteen, Yngwie Hell Or High Water

When we think of the greatest guitar players of all-time, specifically the crème de la crème musicians who invented a whole new style and sound on the instrument, Yngwie J. Malmsteen is a name that sits comfortably alongside game-changers like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and Edward Van Halen. His latest magnum opus, and fourth effort with Mascot Label Group, is titled Hell Or High Water. The nine tracks that make up his latest triumph were crafted meticulously and purposefully, away from the distractions that stall the creative process in the modern age. This is something he first tried with 2021's Parabellum - mainly because of the state of the world at that time - and the results were so strong, he decided to stick with this as his modus operandi moving forwards. And just like its predecessor, Hell Or High Water sounds like an undivided and all-consuming observation by its mastermind creator. All these years on from his early albums like Rising Force and Marching Out, Yngwie J. Malmsteen looks and sounds more determined than ever. If the music feels good to him, that's enough - anyone else liking it is a bonus. And this is precisely the creative fortitude and single-mindedness that turned him into a household name among the guitar community. There is no such thing as half measures or compromise in his world. Here is an artist that will be forever bound to authenticity and creative honesty, and Hell Or High Water is all the proof one needs.