Blue Lightning (Yngwie Malmsteen album)

Blue Lightning
Studio album by
Released29 March 2019[1]
Length58:07
Label
ProducerYngwie J. Malmsteen
Yngwie Malmsteen chronology
World on Fire
(2016)
Blue Lightning
(2019)
Parabellum
(2021)

Blue Lightning is the twenty-first studio album released by Yngwie Malmsteen in 2019.

Background

The album features cover songs of the classic rock music that Yngwie has been influenced by throughout his career, as well as tracks that explore his blues roots for the first time. As with his previous release World on Fire, he did not employ a dedicated vocalist; instead, Yngwie performs the lead vocals himself. Of the fourteen tracks, including bonus tracks, ten are covers and four are original compositions ("Blue Lightning," "1911 Strut," "Sun’s Up Top’s Down," and "Peace, Please"), with "1911 Strut" and "Peace, Please" being instrumental pieces. The album was released worldwide on 29 March 2019.[2]

The obi strip commentary on the Japanese edition describes it as: "A masterful work completed as the king retraces the roots of classic rock. An artistic creation in which rock and blues captivate through his passion and guitar technique. This is the first new album in roughly two years from Yngwie Malmsteen, one of the leading guitarists in the metal scene. Alongside original compositions written by confronting his roots in blues and classic rock, the album also includes cover songs personally selected by Yngwie. A powerful work filled with the spirit of a master, expressing historic rock classics through his passionate guitar playing and vocals."

Track listing

Blue Lightning track list
No.TitleWriter(s)Original artist/albumLength
1."Blue Lightning"Yngwie J. Malmsteen(original)4:52
2."Foxey Lady"Jimi HendrixJimi Hendrix Experience/Are You Experienced4:51
3."Demon's Eye"Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, Ian PaiceDeep Purple/Fireball3:50
4."1911 Strut" (instrumental)Malmsteen(original)2:41
5."Blue Jean Blues"Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank BeardZZ Top/Fandango!7:01
6."Purple Haze"Jimi HendrixJimi Hendrix Experience/Are You Experienced3:56
7."While My Guitar Gently Weeps"George HarrisonThe Beatles/The Beatles5:50
8."Sun's Up Top's Down"Malmsteen(original)4:04
9."Peace, Please" (instrumental)Malmsteen(original)3:44
10."Paint It Black"Jagger-RichardsRolling Stones/Aftermath4:08
11."Smoke on the Water"Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, Ian PaiceDeep Purple/Machine Head3:18
12."Forever Man"Jerry Lynn WilliamsEric Clapton/Behind the Sun2:49
Blue Lightning Bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Original artist/albumLength
13."Little Miss Lover"Jimi HendrixThe Jimi Hendrix Experience/Axis: Bold as Love3:13
14."Jumpin' Jack Flash"Jagger-RichardsRolling Stones/Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)3:50

Personnel

  • Yngwie J. Malmsteen - guitar, bass, vocal, keyboard, Hammond B3
  • Lawrence Lannerbach - drums

Charts

Chart (2019) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[3] 85
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[4] 38
French Albums (SNEP)[5] 103
Italian Albums (FIMI)[6] 96
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[1] 35
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[7] 35

References