AMG Review of Trial by Fire: Live in Leningrad

Robert Taylor
All Music Guide

An extended live set that concluded Yngwie's reign as one of the premier guitar heroes of the 80's. The set is comprised of many of his "hits" along with his two legendary guitar performances, "Black Star" and "Far Beyond The Sun." There is also a self-indulgent, cliché-infected guitar solo that must have excited every thirteen year old in the building. Malmsteen's playing on this set is decent, but time has not been good to this recording. It was recorded during the heyday of Hair Metal and the genre's influences can be heard throughout this session. The weak Pop songs that plagued Malmsteen's releases after Rising Force mar too much of this session to recommend it to anyone who is not exclusively infatuated with guitar pyrotechnics or 80's Metal.