Perpetual Flame [SHM-CD] [w/ DVD, Limited Edition]

I will first say the soings and songwriting is what you would expect from Malmsteen, nothing really new, just more of the same. Guitar solos and a abundance and great as always, and Tim Ripper Owens is awesome on this cd!!! BUT......WHY DOES YNGWIE INSIST ON PRODUCING HIS OWN CDS, HE IS NOT A PRODUCER, HE IS A HORRIBLE PRODUCER, he makes his own instrument outstand everything else, the drums are muffled, vocals are lost and muffled, ,..thje drums sound like there in a garbage can. I dont know why yngwie chooses to produce, just spend some of that millions and hire a producer and finally get a good review on your albums. Where are the bonus material, no bonus track, no nothing, pin, button,...... actually this cd is missing a track VS. the European and American versions, this is odd. all in all the cd is good, the SHCD version is a upgrae from the regular cd version, more clarity in the mix!!!!

Usually when you get a CD from Japan it will have a bonus track or two, perhaps a sticker, poster, etc. No bonus tracks; actually there's 11 tracks (1 less than the USA version; the track "Four Horsemen (OF The Apocalypse)"is missing. Why?). Ripper Owens does a great job on vocals but is sometimes buried in a poor mix. The DVD is 12 minutes long and has Yngwie answering questions about the new CD. Nothing else, no Ripper. Very disappointing.

I'm giving this version of the disc a 3, but I would give the American version a 5. The album itself is great, but being used to bonus items with the Japanese versions of Yngwie's discs, I was shocked to find that "Four Horsemen (Of The Apolcalypse)" was dropped from the Japanese version. I've always picked up the Japanese import in order to get all of the tracks, but in this case the Japanese version is inferior and is missing a song. I'm going to have to hold on to the American version so I can have the album in its complete form. The DVD is another disappointment. A couple of minutes is all they could slap on there? Nothing else? The Japanese versions are usually vastly superior, but in this case it falls way short. Not having a bonus track is disappointing, but isn't that big of a deal. Having a song missing however makes this disc one that will never get played by me again. I'll stick with the full American version.