Yngwie Malmsteen's public profile never quite recovered from the grunge fallout, but that didn't mean that his music declined with his popularity. Granted, Magnum Opus and Inspiration were a little weak, but Seventh Sign showed signs of life. That record found
Malmsteen exploring the blues, but
Facing the Animal occasionally finds him capturing that energy in his familiar neo-classical metal style. Everything on the record is predictable, from the rockers to the power ballads, and while a few cuts sound a little tired, much of the record is stronger than anything
Malmsteen has recorded in years -- and for dedicated fans, that's good news. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine