Fire and Ice (album)

Infobox Album | Name = Fire & Ice
Type = Album
Artist = Yngwie J. Malmsteen


Released = March 31, 1992
Recorded = Criteria Studios, Miami, FL (Mixed at Electric Lady studios)
Genre = Neo-classical metal
Length = 64:07
Label = Elektra
Producer = Yngwie J. Malmsteen
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:n3rc287c05oa link]
Last album = "The Yngwie Malmsteen Collection"
(1991)
This album = "Fire & Ice"
(1992)
Next album = "The Seventh Sign"
(1994)

"Fire & Ice" is an album by Yngwie J. Malmsteen, released in 1992.

Background Information

Yngwie Malmsteen left Polydor records in the 1990/1991 season, signing a new contract with Elektra/WEA Entertainment in 1991. At the time, Elektra was signing metal acts and then destroying them to clear the way for "alternative" music Fact|date=December 2007. As a result, this album was poorly promoted by the record label, whose corporate officers were engaged in a boardroom war to choose a leader of the company that did not end until mid-1994. The label from 1991-1993 was chaired by Bob Krasnow, Anita Baker, and Natalie Cole, thus making the label very chaotic. When a final leader, Sylvia Rhone, was chosen, she set out to remove all 80's bands from the label by bankrupting them, thus hurting Malmsteen's career.

The album was to be Malmsteen's last major commercial outing. It was his third and last attempt (starting with 1988's "Odyssey" on Polydor) at scoring a hit album with late 80's/early 90's American hairspray audience. The album was awkward, featuring a keyboard-driven single in a post-Nirvana '90s world. The album, apart from the song "Teaser", however, was more closely rooted in neo-classical metal than any album he'd done since 1986's "Trilogy" (also on Polydor). It featured three stunning neo-classical instrumentals, as well as several good neo-classical metal pieces. Being a more commercial album, it featured bright, clear production as well, which is still credited by fans to this day.

ales

The album did fail to achieve gold status in the U.S., although it has been certified 3x platinum in Japan, where Malmsteen continues to sell out huge venues today. Part of this can be blamed on the lack of promotion by then-label president Anita Baker, who was more concerned with resigning Anthrax to the label at the time.

The other factor to consider is the rise of grunge, which destroyed the remnants of eighties metal, Malmsteen's sales included. By '92, Nirvana was the top new American rock band, and they, for the most part, completely eradicated shred guitar's mainstream fanbase in America.

Track listing

tracklist

lyrics_credits = yes
music_credits = yes

title1 = Perpetual
lyrics1 = (instrumental)
music1 = Yngwie Malmsteen
length1 = 4:12

title2 = Dragonfly
lyrics2 = Göran Edman, Malmsteen
music2 = Malmsteen
length2 = 4:48

title3 = Teaser
lyrics3 = Edman, Malmsteen
music3 = Malmsteen
length3 = 3:27

title4 = How Many Miles to Babylon
lyrics4 = Edman, Malmsteen
music4 = Malmsteen
length4 = 6:09

title5 = Cry No More
lyrics5 = Edman, Malmsteen
music5 = Malmsteen
length5 = 5:15

title6 = No Mercy
lyrics6 = Malmsteen
music6 = Malmsteen
length6 = 5:29

title7 = C'est La Vie
lyrics7 = Edman, Malmsteen
music7 = Malmsteen
length7 = 5:17

title8 = Leviathan
lyrics8 = (instrumental)
music8 = Malmsteen
length8 = 4:20

title9 = Fire & Ice
lyrics9 = Edman, Malmsteen
music9 = Malmsteen
length9 = 4:28

title10 = Forever Is a Long Time
lyrics10 = Edman, Malmsteen
music10 = Malmsteen
length10 = 4:25

title11 = I'm My Own Enemy
lyrics11 = Edman
music11 = Malmsteen
length11 = 6:07

title12 = All I Want Is Everything
lyrics12 = Malmsteen
music12 = Malmsteen
length12 = 4:00

title13 = Golden Dawn
lyrics13 = (instrumental)
music13 = Malmsteen
length13 = 1:29

title14 = Final Curtain
lyrics14 = Malmsteen
music14 = Malmsteen
length14 = 4:43

Bonus track (Japan)

tracklist

lyrics_credits = yes
music_credits = yes

title15 = Broken Glass
lyrics15 = Malmsteen
music15 = Malmsteen
length15 = 4:02

Personnel

*Yngwie Malmsteen – all electric and acoustic guitars, sitar, Taurus bass pedals, backing vocals, producer
*Göran Edman – lead vocals
*Mats Olausson – keyboards
*Bo Werner – drums and backing vocals
*Michael Von Knorring – drums on "Leviathan"
*Svante Henrysson - bass, cello
*Lolo Lannerbäck – flute