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I'm actually glad that Tim limited his jaunts into the upper octaves. I was worried that he was going to be too screechy, but he sang with power and melody through the entire album. Not much going on in the scream department (though he throws in a few effectively here and there), but this is definitely his best SINGING performance ever. Anything screechier wouldn't have fit the music. Yngwie's best singers have always been singers, not just "vocalists." (And there is a HUGE difference between and singer and a vocalist.)

I would give it an 85. Most of the point deduction comes from a less than effective track order. "Caprici" and "Lament" coming back to back disrupts the flow. Tracks 1-8 flow nicely into each other, but the final tracks don't.

Yngwie's one lead vocal performance on "Magic City" was his best yet as well, and it turned into a quality track.

Favorite Tracks: "Be Careful What You Wish For" and "Four Horsemen (of the Apocalypse)"

I've had a chance to listen to some of this and I like what I hear. Some of the songs on this album remind of ones very similar to those on an album like "Marching Out". I think the track Malmsteen sings on is filler and should have been left off. Ripper's vocal approach is also very similar to Mark Boals. I hope they do Alchemy and Trilogy stuff on tour. Ripper will do those songs proud. There also doesn't seem to be as much keyboards this time around.

Another case of not utilising the talent that surrounds you, good album but could have been much more.

I agree. Tim just doesn't sound passionate and powerful like he did in Judas Pries,Iced Earth and even with his own band Beyond Fear.

He sounds like he's not putting enough into his vocals as he should. Not saying he should be doing falsetto all the time but Tim's got such a passionate and powerful voice in his mid range as well as his higher register he just didn't utilize it on this album.

Don't know if its Malmsteen's doing but Yngwie has a great singer in his arsenal he needs to use him to his full potential.

This album could have been one of best albums to come out in 2008 and I was so hoping to give this a much higher rating but it's still a decent album just not a great album as it should have been.

I bought this CD right when it came out without hearing it. I was a bit disappointed because Ripper seems subdued on this CD. This CD could of been much more if Ripper was allowed to be Ripper. I was not looking for an exact Beyond Fear, IE or JP performance. A bit more power in his vocals would made this CD much better. It is like having a fast car sports car and not being able to run it at it full potential or playing thru a killer tube guitar amp at level 2 and not being able to crank it!!!. I agree with some of the previous users in that Ripper is not utilized to his full potential. I wonder if Yngwie had anything to do with it?

>Ripper seems subdued on this CD

Maybe it's because he's actually singing. Yngwie doesn't need a growler, or a screamer, or a shrieker. He needs a singer, and that's what Tim did, and did very well.

It's by far the best Yngwie since Oddysey. Tim sounds incredible, and songs like Be careful what you wish for, Death dealer and Damnation day are incredible. But the problem is the song order, and that the instrumentals are not really memorable, neither magic city. If wasn't for these fault, it will be in my top 5 metal of this year.

I forgot all about this one. I'm all over it.

I thought Priest of the Unholy was the best song on the album. Great vocal performance by Tim and intense guitar playing at the end there.

Death Dealer, Damnation Game were also solid. Good CD, but not enough to make my top 5 Power Metal/Heavy Metal list this year.