Live Review: Yngwie Malmsteen - KK's Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
Support: Andry, Spirit War
2nd August2025
Words & Photos: Tim Finch
One thing that KK’s Steel Mill does perfectly is put on some of the best classic acts in the world, and tonight is no exception as guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen lands in the Black Country as part of his UK tour.
French heavy rockers Spirit War had the daunting task of opening the evening for the guitar legend, yet their compact thirty minute set proved they were more than up to the challenge. With a no-frills, straight-to-the-point delivery, the trio showcased a blend of classic heavy metal grit and melodic sensibility. From the opening riff, it was clear Spirit War came prepared—not to dazzle with pyrotechnics, but to win the audience over with solid songwriting and tight musicianship.
Frontman Markus Fortunato commanded the stage with a grizzled vocal delivery, his bass lines locking in seamlessly with Valentin Leroy’s punchy drumming. The backbone of their sound, however, lay in Nicolas Lebrat’s guitar work, a blend of chugging riffs and melodic leads that paid homage to traditional heavy metal.
Tracks from their debut album Between Dusk And Dawn translated well live, balancing heaviness with accessibility. Their interaction with the crowd was subtle but effective, gradually coaxing head nods and cheers from an audience that, by the end of their slot, had visibly warmed to them.
If Spirit War’s opening set laid the foundation, Andry seized the moment to elevate the atmosphere with a performance that balanced heavy melodic power with a charismatic stage presence. Fronted by vocalist Andry Lagiou, the band wasted no time asserting their identity, launching into ‘Mistress of the Night’; with Andry herself kitted out in PVC cat suit and wielding a vicious looking whip. The band’s sound, a fusion of classic heavy metal with symphonic flourishes.
Songs like ‘Skies’ and ‘Black Hole’ showcased Andry’s knack for weaving atmospheric textures into their sound. Guitar leads soared over a bed of rhythmic precision, while Lagiou’s voice transitioned seamlessly from soaring melodic lines to gritty, impassioned belts.
The highlight of their original material came with ‘Good Trip to Hell’ and ‘Church Bells’, both of which saw the band flex their theatrical edge.
Closing their set with a fiery rendition of Deep Purple’s ‘Burn’, Andry ignited a final surge of energy, paying homage to rock royalty while imprinting their own modern edge onto the classic track. The crowd’s response was immediate and enthusiastic, with cheers and applause affirming that the band had successfully won over even the uninitiated.
Taking the stage with his trademark flourish, Yngwie Malmsteen transformed Wolverhampton’s KK’s Steel Mill into his personal arena of neoclassical mastery. From the first thunderous notes of ‘Rising Force’ and the smoke cannons firing at will, it was clear that the Swedish maestro had no intention of easing the audience into the night. Clad in his signature black leather, Stratocaster in hand, Malmsteen commanded attention .
The early part of the set, including ‘Top Down, Foot Down’ and ‘Soldier’, was a masterclass in controlled chaos. His band provided a tight rhythmic backbone, but this was, as always, the Yngwie show. ‘Into Valhalla’ and ‘Baroque & Roll’ saw him intertwining crushing riffs with delicate flourishes, pivoting from raw power to intricate melody within a single passage.
The mood shifted seamlessly into classical territory with his renditions of Bach’s ‘Badinerie” and ‘Paganini’s 4th’ and ‘Adagio’, which highlighting his dual identity as both metal guitarist and classical interpreter.
A playful and fiery take on ‘Smoke on the Water’ paid homage to his love of Deep Purple, but Yngwie ensured it bore his unmistakable signature, peppering the iconic riff with blistering runs and dramatic pauses.
The latter half of the set felt like a culmination of his career’s various phases: the anthemic ‘Trilogy’, the blues-soaked ‘Red House’ and the haunting ‘Fugue’. ‘You Don’t Remember, I’ll Never Forget’ resonated particularly with the crowd, its melodic hooks providing one of the night’s few sing-along moments amidst the instrumental firestorms.
By the time Malmsteen reached the final notes of ‘Black Star’ there was a palpable sense of awe in the room. This wasn’t just a display of technical brilliance; it was an artist celebrating his own legacy with unrelenting passion.
Photo Credits: Tim Finch Photography
