98. Shining Black - 'Shining Black'

A collaboration between Mark Boals, vocalist with walking ego Yngwie Malmsteen and guitarist Ölaf Thorsen of cult Italian power metallers Labyrinth. This is a lot better than it deserves to be. It’s big, bold and highly melodic. It’s music for windswept mountain-scapes and for halls of noble heroes. Unashamedly self-indulgent it may be, it is also really rather good.