Facing the Animal

Facing The Animal
Studio album by Yngwie Malmsteen
Released 23 February 1997[1]
Recorded Studio 308 and Criteria Studios in Miami
Genre Neoclassical metal, heavy metal
Length 59:33[2]
Label Pony Canyon
Producer Yngwie Malmsteen, Chris Tsangarides
Yngwie Malmsteen chronology

Inspiration
(1996)		 Facing the Animal
(1997)		 Double Live
(1998)
Alternative cover
United States edition

Facing the Animal is the tenth studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released on 23 February 1997 through Pony Canyon (Japan) and Mercury Records (United States). The album reached No. 20 on the Finnish albums chart and No. 39 on the Swedish albums chart.[1]

Although credited to Malmsteen, "Air on a Theme" is an arrangement of the second movement (Largo) of Antonio Vivaldi's "Piccolo Concerto in C Major (RV443)", whilst "Braveheart" contains a riff from Gary Moore's "Over the Hills and Far Away". Facing the Animal features one of drummer Cozy Powell's last performances before his death in April 1998.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [3]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave Facing the Animal three stars out of five, saying that "much of the record is stronger than anything Malmsteen has recorded in years" but also calling it "predictable, from the rockers to the power ballads".[3]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Yngwie Malmsteen. 

No. Title Length
1. "Braveheart"   5:19
2. "Facing the Animal"   4:37
3. "Enemy"   4:53
4. "Sacrifice"   4:19
5. "Like an Angel – For April"   5:47
6. "My Resurrection"   4:48
7. "Another Time"   5:03
8. "Heathens from the North"   3:39
9. "Alone in Paradise"   4:33
10. "End of My Rope"   4:24
11. "Only the Strong"   6:05
12. "Poison in Your Veins"   4:23
13. "Air on a Theme"   1:43
Total length:
 59:33
Japanese edition bonus track
No. Title Length
14. "Casting Pearls Before the Swine"   3:57

Personnel

Chart performance

Year Chart Position
1998 Finnish albums chart 20[1]
Swedish albums chart 39[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Facing the Animal (album)". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  2. ↑ Facing the Animal (CD edition "Dream Catcher CRIDE 2").
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Facing the Animal - Yngwie Malmsteen". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2014-01-17.

External links