Yngwie J. Malmsteen (English pronunciation: /ˈɪŋveɪ ˈmɑːlmstiːn/ ING-vay MAHLM-steen; born June 30, 1963) is a Swedish virtuoso guitarist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and bandleader. Malmsteen became known for his neo-classical playing approach in heavy metal music, which became a new musical style in the early 80s due to his work and that of other virtuosos. He is considered by many to be one of the most technically gifted hard rock guitarists of all time and is considered to be a pioneer of shred guitar.

The moniker 'Rising Force' came to prominence on March 5, 1984 at the release of the album of the same name, distributed through Polydor Records. Malmsteen's band featured a mix of instrumental songs and energetic metal tracks, with Jeff Scott Soto notably on vocals, and became a critical and commercial success. In particular, Malmsteen's band was nominated for 'Best Rock Instrumental Performance' at the 1986 Grammy Awards. While the reception of their work waxed and waned throughout the 80s, they still earned a considerable fan response.

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