The original 1984 lineup of Malmsteen's band included vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, former Jethro Tull drummer Barriemore Barlow and keyboardist Jens Johansson, with Jacob added as the first touring bassist.
The current lineup includes keyboardist Nick Marino (since 2011), bassist Emilio Martinez (since 2017) and drummer Kevin Klingenschmid (since 2023).
Malmsteen released his debut solo album Rising Force in 1984, which featured vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, keyboardist Jens Johansson and drummer Barriemore Barlow.
[3] Soto left in 1985 and was replaced by Mark Boals,[4] who performed on the 1986 album Trilogy but was fired by Malmsteen before its release after an altercation.
[11] The Rising Force group was rebuilt as an all-Swedish lineup, with new vocalist Göran Edman, bassist Svante Henryson, drummer Michael Von Knorring and keyboardist Mats Olausson, all of whom contributed to 1990's Eclipse.
[12] Von Korring left after the album's release and was replaced by Pete Barnacle on tour,[13] before Bo Werner joined to record 1992's Fire & Ice.
[15] He subsequently enlisted vocalist Michael Vescera, drummer Mike Terrana and bassist Barry Sparks to join Olausson in the Rising Force band.
[20] He returned the following year to release Inspiration, an album of cover versions featuring several former bandmates, including vocalists Soto, Boals and Turner.
[21] Boals returned for the album's tour – which also featured Dunaway and drummer Tommy Aldridge – before Mats Levén took over at the end of 1996.
[23] The drummer was also scheduled to play on the next tour, but was forced to pull out in March 1998 after suffering a foot injury in a "minor motorcycle accident".