Hear Yngwie Malmsteen's Heavy Metal Cover of Michael Jackson's "Beat It"

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We know this is totally random, but we thought we'd share Yngwie Malmsteen's cover of Michael Jackson's "Beat It." The track, which you can check out below, is from Malmsteen's late-2009 studio album, High Impact.

"It was a tribute to [Jackson], but I’ve always liked the song," Malmsteen said in a "Dear Guitar Hero" feature that appeared in Guitar World. "It’s my heavy metal version of the song, with de-tuned guitars and Ripper Owens on vocals.

"Unlike the original, I begin with a guitar solo, and there’s another solo in the middle of the track. It’s not too much like the original. I played it my own way, like I did on my Inspiration album, where I covered songs from other artists." Thoughts?

Damian Fanelli
Damian Fanelli
Editor-in-Chief, Guitar World

Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.