Search - Alcatrazz :: No Parole From Rock & Roll

Outstanding

Peter | San Francisco, California United States | 12/31/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like Martin Popoff, the witty and highly knowledgeable author of the informative Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal, I have to concede that this is one of my 25 all time favorite metal albums. Notwithstanding obvious similarities with Rainbow, Alcatrazz proved to be innovators in their own right by taking the strongest musical and lyrical elements of that band along with incorporating their own ambitious concepts with the result that Ritchie Blackmore's contemporary albums with Joe Lynn Turner appeared comparatively bland and unadventurous.
Popoff is exactly right in contending that Graham Bonnet exerted a strong influence on Yngwie on this masterful album as the latter's riffs and solos are more distinguished than those of the Rising Force era. For example, "General Hospital" features a haunting opening riff and an unusual chord progression which suggests that Graham influenced Yngwie to allocate more focus to the unpredictable tempo changes than would ordinarily be featured on Yngwie's subsequent catalogue. Whereas on future songs like "Dark Ages" where it is clear that Yngwie cannot wait to solo immediately following the second chorus, on "General Hospital" he exhibits unconventional patience and commences the solo at a junture elevating the track to a higher dramatic plane.
Along with a stronger sense of timing, Yngwie's solo for this mesmerizing song likewise exhibits superior composition, for instead of typically performing fretboard runs with wild abandon, he cleverly starts at a moderate speed reflecting the chuggish tempo of the track before escalating to a lyrical, plaintive string bending wail which brilliantly complements Graham's ominous tale of forced incarceration in an imprisoning hospital which easily could have been located in the historical Alcatraz.
Similarly distinctive melodic soloing is featured on "Jet to Jet," which, in addition to featuring obligatory shredding, also includes a discernible melody on the high E string reminiscent of the Scorpions' tracks "Virgin Killer" and "He's a Man/ She's a Woman." Indeed, of all Yngwie's albums, his solos on No Parole have the strongest Uli Roth influence in emphasizing musical correlation to the songs' structure while aptly displaying his mind-blowing technique which still remains astonishing despite the proliferation of subsequent neo-classical guitarists.
Naturally, "Kree Nakoorie" and "Bigfoot" are the album's high points in powerfully showcasing the equal songwriting contributions of Graham and Yngwie. While the exceptional solos undoubtedly represent Yngwie's individual output, the slow, majestic verses and sophisticated mythological lyrics unmistakably reflect Graham's influence which together produce an outstanding collaboration.
Although this partnership proved to be sadly ephemeral, the fact that Yngwie's ensuing albums never fully recaptured the unique atmosphere of No Parole invites speculation as to how much stronger his solo catalogue would have become had he been amenable towards working with a significant collaborator (and by that meaning more than periodically allowing a temporary vocalist to co-write lyrics.) In any event, No Parole stands as one of the landmark metal albums of the 80's, a true artistic product from an underappreciated supergroup."

Not bad

Ian | Buffalo | 08/27/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This album has a suprisingly high amount of stars backing it up.

I always found that it was a patchy affair with one good song followed by a very average effort.

Admittedly it does have some great moments as well.

I enjoy hearing Malmsteen within the framework of a band,he sounds free to do what he pleases but he does not smother the album with his guitar workouts.

He is a great guitarist but he is far easier to stomach like this than in full Mozart Guitar master phase.

Graham Bonnet puts in a solid vocal performance,for the time period it is a good album but it is not great."

A milestone in the history of Power Metal

Fredrik Bendz | Sweden | 09/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is great! The style is typically Yngwie Malmsteen flavored with Graham Bonnet's vocals. I'm not a particular fan of Bonnet's singing style but the album is a precursor to modern Power Metal so one has to see it from that light. If you, like me, are particularly fond of Yngwie's first solo albums (e.g. Marching Out and Trilogy) you gonna love this one!



All songs are really good, from the first track (Island in the Sun) to the last (Suffer Me) and the guitar play is just amazing. In my opinion, there is no Yngwie Malmsteen album where the guitar playing can beat the one on this album. Just listen to the intro of "Bigfoot"!



Another thing I like with this album is the lyrics. They're all very political and critical of society. Most lyrics are (critical) about drugs, war and colonialism. One example from "Too Young to Die, Too Drunk to Live":



Daddie's princess fixes her hair, powders

her nose from the inside

Smokes in the car, drinks her last beer,

soon she'll be ready for one more day



Some lines from "Hiroshima Mon Amour":



They all said it would end the war

and we thanked Christ for the bomb,

and the priests and witches all agreed

they should die to keep them free.



To sum up: If you like Yngwie Malmsteen, great guitars and conscious lyrics this is the perfect album. Expect a record that sounds very much like Yngwie always do, but yet unlike any other albums you have ever heard.



I even play this album more often than "Marching Out". That says a lot about how much I like it."