Odyssey

Odyssey is the fourth album on which Yngwie Malmsteen’s fluent guitar meets more song-focused writing. Fast phrasing and classical scales remain, yet the whole moves forward on the strength of melody — a record from the period when technique and broad appeal were most beautifully balanced. Joe Lynn Turner’s soaring voice adds openness and accessibility to the guitar’s dazzling technique. From the catchy hook of the big hit “Heaven Tonight” to the lyricism of “Dreaming (Tell Me)” and the speed of “Rising Force” and “Bite the Bullet,” the faces of the songs are very wide-ranging. Keeping the guitar’s flair while greatly raising the songs’ polish and clarity, the album became one of the biggest commercial successes of Yngwie’s career. It is significant for carrying neoclassical metal to a wider audience — a catchy, fulfilling melodic-metal record in which technique and songcraft coexist at a high level.