Best Of Yngwie Malmsteen 1990-1999, The [Digipak]

Even though the '90s are considered by many longtime Yngwie Malmsteen fans as not necessarily his musical or creative peak (the '80s are usually given the nod), you have to give credit to the Swedish guitar shredder for sticking to his guns throughout the '90s. When just about every veteran rocker was trying to fit in with the musical climate (whether it be donning flannel during the grunge years or donning baggy jeans during the rap-metal years), Malmsteen paid no mind -- continuing merrily on his classic metal path. Since his albums were uneven during this period, the 14-track Best of Yngwie Malmsteen: 1990-1999 will come in handy to casual admirers, who aren't going to track down Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra in E Flat Minor Op. 1 anytime soon. Standouts here include "Brothers," a live reading of "Rising Force" (which contains some musical bits reminiscent of early Metallica -- themselves admirers of Malmsteen early on), as well as the biggest surprise of them all, a metal-ized cover of ABBA's "Gimme Gimme Gimme." If you're a newcomer to Malmsteen, your best bet would be to start with a compilation of his '80s work (namely 2005's 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection: The Best of Yngwie Malmsteen). But as a follow-up purchase, Best of Yngwie Malmsteen: 1990-1999 certainly makes sense. ~ Greg Prato|