Some tend to be critical of the lyrics, but to be honest, are lyrics the be all and end all of a song? Not everyone can write meaningful lyrics, or want to make a statement with their songs, be it political or empirical. Personally, I love these songs, lyrics and all. The best part of them for me is that they are almost anthemic in their theme and performance. And when you are in your teenage years, sitting around listening to this album with a few beers, there is nothing better than singing, "I'll see the light tonight! Flashing through the sky!" and "Nobody knows who's the disciples of hell!" and "I am a Viking! I'm going off to war!". They are just great songs, which you sing at the top of your voice, before sitting back and listening to Yngwie and his guitar weave a spell through the midsection of the songs.
Some tend to be critical of the structure of the songs, not focusing on the lyrics, but on the way the song is structured and put together, with guitars and vocals and other instruments lacking a formatted wherewithal, in essence feeling as though they are all over the place. Some may argue that this is artistic licence. In my opinion, that has never bothered me, even while I can see why some people would not enjoy it at all. I'm not sure how Yngwie wrote these songs, whether by riff or bridge or lyrics. I know he always seems annoyed when people ask him about why his albums don't seemed to be well planned. I would argue that it appears everything is planned, from opening riff to introductory vocals, then solo spot, where keyboards and guitars sometimes trade riffs, and sometimes harmonise together. They tend to be different from a normal song structure, but what is so wrong with that? Yngwie has always done things on his terms, and that applies here as well.
From the superb opening of "I'll See the Light, Tonight", into "Don't Let it End" and the brilliant "Disciples of Hell", Yngwie and his band mates are right on song. Jeff Scott Soto stars on these opening tracks, his soaring vocals adding to the spectacle of each song. "I Am a Viking" sounds like you are on the ocean, rolling with the waves on one of those dragon boats, Yngwie's guitaring is superb here in its illustration. Yngwie still has his instrumental break with "Overture 1383", to remind his fans he can still do it all without vocals. "Anguish and Fear" and "On the Run Again" continue the high standard that has already been set.
If I was to critically assess a song like "Soldier Without Faith" I could probably hack it to pieces and find all the things that would be wrong with it to the casual listener. But I don't want to do that, because I have been listening to this album pretty much since its release in 1985, and it is a piece of the framework, just part of the furniture of the album, and each piece makes up the brilliance of the whole. "Caught in the Middle" hails from Yngwie's days in the band Steeler, while the album concludes with the instrumental piece and title track "Marching Out", allowing Yngwie to take centre stage for the finale of the album.
For me this album has little or no weak points. Building on the strengths that came from the first album, and making it more accessible to the masses by having lyrics on the majority of songs here, this is a showcase of talent. Jeff Scott Soto soars on vocals, emoting in all of the right places to make songs such as "I'll See the Light, Tonight" and "I Am a Viking" such brilliant pieces. The brothers Jens Johansson on keyboards and Anders Johansson on drums are also perfect, combining together to help contribute to a wonderful album. And of course Yngwie, who just shreds on guitar in a way no one did before he came along. His rolling guitar riffs can both send a song careering along at a fearful pace or sedately move from intro to conclusion without missing a beat.
Marching Out represents to me one of the peaks of Yngwie J. Malmsteen's career, and always holds a place close to my heart from the era it came from.
Rating: Is this your idea of destiny? 'Cause if it is, just set me free. 5/5
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