Marching Out is a direct continuation of the 1984 debut's style, though this time there aren't nearly as many instrumentals, and sadly the number would continue to drop with every progressing album. Malmsteen's playing on the follow-up to the epochal Rising Force is slightly more raw and aggressive, but the most notable difference is the addition of lyrics on many of the songs. By his own admission, Malmsteen isn't much of a lyricist, and his frequent use of occult and pagan imagery (demons, Vikings, and so on) isn't as effective at producing a dark, gothic mood as his compositions and guitar playing are. Still, those aspects of the album are vital and stimulating, making Marching Out a worthwhile listen. Overall, Marching Out is an excellent album and my personal favorite of the early Malmsteen albums.