Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

HARLOT “Room With A View” (1989)

Harlot is Danish answer to Da Vinci, Treat, or Dalton. Most of them are probably unknown except inside the melodic rock community, but “Room With A View” is a long forgotten gem, a beautiful creation, that deserves to be recognized more by public. “Room With A View” is lush with keyboards, a mix of slow tempo to fast-paced tracks, and a soaring tenor vocal. If you love bands like Journey or Foreigner, I bet this one will be sheer enjoyment.

The first track, “Now I See”, is a great one but I don't think it really fits here. Despite the slow pace, it's too long and doesn’t pick up the momentum like “So Much For Happy Endings”. That one has a lot of energy and the arrangement is just stunning. “Out All Night” is also tremendous, but it's a mid-tempo tune, so if you're looking for a heavier and faster one, try “Kecia” or “Dancing On Dynamite”. Avoid “Invisible Ones” because it's kind of average - promising at first, but falling short.

“Metropolis Children” reminds me of Foreigner, especially the keyboards. The verse is much better than the chorus but overall it is still a top-notch tune. “Bring Home Your Love” is an enchanting piano ballad; if you know Australia's Air Supply you’ll note this song has a similar vibe with vocals even sounding like Russell Hitchcock.

This disc used to be hard to get but I believe there's a re-mastered version out there, even though it's kind of difficult to find as well. Rock Candy or Yesterrock should have done a proper reissue of this. I love this CD - it has the necessary heavier edge as in hard rock but not too harsh. Songs are mostly beautiful with a couple of acceptable fillers. Recommended!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

BADLANDS “Voodoo Highway” (1991)

After their underrated eponymous debut that was cheered by traditional hard rock fans, Badlands continued on the same path with "Voodoo Highway". But this time they recruited Jeff Martin from Racer X to fill in the drummer spot after Eric Singer left the band to join Kiss. At that time, only a few knew that Ray Gillen had a dispute with Jake E. Lee regarding the musical style - Gillen wanted them to be more commercial while Lee insisted they stick to their bluesy roots. Later we found out that "Voodoo" favored Lee's intention and Gillen was fired soon after.

If you like 70s-driven blues rock with an 80s wild-and-wacky jam flair, and influences such as Led Zeppelin, early Whitesnake, Aerosmith, and Bad Company, then you'll love this album for sure. Lee's guitar even sounds like vintage 70s. The album fires off with a straightforward burning hard rocker, "The Last Time". This is my favorite song along with other fantastic numbers such as "Soul Stealer" with a flaming intro, Zeppelin-esque riffings, and Gillen's signature scream, "Silver Horses" with an awesome guitar charge, an outstanding cover of James Taylor's "Fire And Rain", and "Heaven's Train", which features Lee's top-notch riffin' and Gillen's AeroTyler's rappin' style.

Probably you still remember Bo Bice from American Idol, who surprised the audience by picking a Badlands's song, "In A Dream". Now you can hear the original version with Gillen's magical voice here accessorized by Lee's lazy dobro pick. "Three Day Funk", "Whiskey Dust", and "Show Me The Way" are also well-composed songs worth checking out.

Since I'm not really a big fan of blues and they don't have anything commercial that fit onto a Billboard chart (which I think is still an important aspect), this record is something that I only enjoy occasionally as it depends heavily on my mood. Sadly, Gillen passed away too fast too soon. "Voodoo Highway" together with their debut, are essential early 90s records for fans of genuinely talented bands rooted deeply to the classic rock sound.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

FIREHOUSE “Firehouse” (1990)

Firehouse is a part of the last wave of glam metal bands that struggled and survived the grunge invasion, thanks to their double-platinum eponymous debut that put them on the map and won the Best New Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Band of 1991 at American Music Award. Their musical direction is pure melodic hard rock with some sleaze and blues, mostly displayed by the strength of sing-along choruses, memorable riffs, and an overall happy vibe. Singer C.J. Snare has a very unique and terrific high pitch vocal, similar to Mark Slaughter or Michael Sweet's squeal, and Bill Leverty puts out some beautiful guitar work all over the songs.

While they started off bumpy with a weak song, "Rock On The Road", the next three tracks are enough to get a high rating. "All She Wrote" is a great uptempo classic, "Shake And Tumble" unleashes a nasty groove, and "Don't Treat Me Bad" is an awesome slab of catchy hard rock. "Lover's Lane" is a bad-ass rocker with a really great riff, "Don't Walk Away" is a good bluesy experiment, "Helpless" is probably unknown to many but a wonderful closer with a big chorus, and "Love of A Lifetime" is a timeless ballad and everybody knows this song. However, in my opinion, the true gem of this album is "Overnight Sensation", from the Snare's screamintro to the commercial and bombastic chorus, this song came out as the champion.

The production level is quite thin, so you have to crank up the volume for maximum pleasure, but the details are crisp and clear, so it's still an acceptable situation. With a couple of decent tracks and the unnecessary instrumental fill of "Seasons of Change", this album still stands high above par. An essential album to have if you're fond of a high quality melodic hard rock output, a classic!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

VYPER “Prepared To Strike” (1984)

Vyper is an obscure melodic metal quintet in the vein of Ratt, Dokken, and Keel, who produced two albums under Greenworld/Kondor records in the early 80s. The first one is the "Afraid of The Dark" EP and the other one is this full length studio effort, "Prepared To Strike". What was once sold on the market for a ridiculous price can now be obtained for a reasonable price - two records packed in one album reissued on Retrospect in 2005.

Looking at the original year of its release, you know what to expect. Roaring guitars, some high pitch screaming, thick harmonies, wild solos, and stuffs like that. Christy Black sure can't lie about Ratt's influences here, as his voice is reminiscent of Stephen Pearcy most of the time. And some tracks like "I'm Not Waiting" or "Can't Stop Dreamin'" are definitely in the same league with songs from "Out of The Cellar".

"Diamonds" is a purely explosive heavy metal tune with some great riffage all over the song, but "Dealer" is even better. The song is probably the heaviest track here and Black's hellish scream is the song's highlight. "Cold As A Stone" is flashy commercial melodic rock and had potential to become a major radio hit. "She's Nasty", "Drivin' Me Insane", and "Time Flies" from the EP are also personal favorites.

But I must admit not all tracks are listenable. "Daddy's Girl" or "Nighttime Is Wild" might be acceptable fillers, but "Runnin' With The Pack" or "Climbing Up The Walls" are totally confusing and capture the band at their worst. Such a shame they didn't last for at least another couple of albums like Icon or Hurricane for example. Though most of the songs aren't as great as the first class melodic metal heroes like Dokken or Ratt, "Prepared To Strike" is pretty awesome and undoubtedly a keeper in my book.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

GREAT WHITE “…Twice Shy” (1989)

The fourth album, "...Twice Shy", strengthened Great White's position by claiming double platinum in 1989 thanks to their huge hits, "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" and the ballad, "The Angel Song", which raced the ladder of Billboard Hot 100 back in the days. Musically, Great White stripped down most of their rocking tracks and introduced a more laid-back release compared to their prior albums, but tracks like "Move It" or "Baby's On Fire" still rolled highly, rocking with style, and Mark Kendall's soulful solos with Russell's roaring vocals were paired perfectly.

"House of Broken Love", a bluesy ballad with such a passionate intro tells the story about a failed relationship from both Kendall and Russell's point of view. The emotion he poured into his singing is just flawless, and this track is definitely one of the best they ever made, but I always have a thing about Great White's ballads - they really know how to make a great one. The Ian Hunter cover, "Once Bitten, Twice Shy", is another hot track for the money. These tracks alone make the album worthwhile. I have to admit that despite the commercial success, this album has too many fillers, including the unnecessary "Heart The Hunter" and "She Only".

"…Twice Shy" isn't really essential since you can find all the great tracks in their greatest hits compilation except for the piano ballad, "The Angel Song". But if you like a relaxing rock and roll show with ballads for the cold and lonely night, this album can be bought cheap easily, so grabbing one won't cost you any harm.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

STEELHEART “Tangled In Reins” (1992)

Steelheart was heralded with explosive fame after their big international hits, “I’ll Never Let You Go” and "She's Gone" spread like crazy across the planet. "Tangled In Reins" was their second attempt to emulate the debut's success. Although the effort wasn't very fruitful, Steelheart secured a safe position in the Asian region with their sophomore ballad, "Mama Don't You Cry", which conquered many charts there. This album's style is sleazier and catchier but slightly inferior in song quality compared to their debut.

"Loaded Mutha" was given the chance to open the album…this Whitesnake-ish track puts Matijevic's magical vocal to the front. A great track but the next one is even better: "Sticky Side Up" is definitely a party soundtrack - just check out the naughty words of ‘watches me drown in your lovin' cup', as the music arouses to make you bang your head. "Late For The Party" and "Dancin' In The Fire" are in the same vein and both are also my fave tracks. "Love 'Em And I'm Gone" copied Dr.Feelgood's groovy rhythm and overall is a good track, while "Steelheart" contains one of Matijevic's insane screams. "Mama Don't You Cry" is a touching ballad dedicated to his mother, and I love how the emotion is pouring down like a hard rain…such a beautiful tune.

A very good album and probably their last greatest piece before Matijevic was involved in a tragic accident while performing live. The comeback album is far from the first two, and although not as great as the debut, "Tangled In Reins" is a worthy buy in my book.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

SARAYA “Saraya” (1989)

Formed in 1987 by singer Sandi Saraya and keyboardist Gregg Munier (RIP), the band's name eventually changed from Alsace Lorraine to Saraya and their eponymous debut was released in 1991. Their guitarist, Tony "Bruno" Rey, was formerly in Danger Danger briefly and supplied his guitarworks in several songs on their debut before being replaced by Andy Timmons. Saraya's musical direction is melodic rock, probably closer to AOR. Sandi's vocal is at times comparable to Lita Ford and she's a well-respected female singer with a pacifying and elegant voice.

Their first single, "Love Has Taken Its Toll", received decent MTV rotation back then, but in my opinion, this song doesn’t shine enough to be their number one single because the second track, "Healing Touch" is a better pick. "Runnin' Out of Time" has a sweet guitar lick and roaring rhythm, this is the heaviest tune of the album. "Fire To Burn" is a good rocker though it seems to lack something memorable. "St. Christopher's Medal" is a very good emotional ballad with an uncliched lyric. And the crème-de-la-crème of the album is "Back To The Bullet", a superb song with passionate vocal and heavenly chorus - I can guarantee this song will stick in your head and make you hum for days.

This album has some big moments but also has some low points. The sound production is acceptable and every instrument is pretty clear. The original album has been out-of-print for some time, but they have recently released a remastered version. If you're looking for a good female-fronted melodic rock act, Saraya can be a nice choice.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda



DOKKEN “Back For The Attack” (1987)



The release of "Back For The Attack" was preceded by the single "Dream Warriors", which was written for the movie "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3". Dokken remixed the single and put it together with the rest of the twelve tracks and launched the album in late November, 1987. This is the last studio album they made before breaking up and Don went on to release his solo album, George formed Lynch Mob, and Jeff eventually played with MSG.



Most of the material here is softer than their previous albums with the exception of "Kiss of Death" and "Mr. Scary", two songs that are insanely heavy and have that trademark Lynch shredding. "Heaven Sent" has a gloomy intro and a good bridge but lacks a powerful chorus – it was one of their singles but it is inferior to other midtempo goodies such as "Night By Night", "So Many Tears", or "Stop Fighting Love". The other soundtrack single, "Dream Warriors", is utterly beautiful, comprised of a haunting intro, an exploding rhythm, emotional vocals and a superb chorus. Out of the 60 minutes of music here, several numbers fail to match the strength of the standouts, such as "Lost Behind The Wall", "Burning Like A Flame", or "Sleepless Night".



As it holds the record for being Dokken's highest charting release, "Back For The Attack" is accessible and could be a good entry point for new listeners as well as an admirable record for long-time fans with Don's prime vocal condition and George's unmerciful solos as the album's highlights. Though I don't consider this their masterpiece and my all time favorite, this is an essential album among Dokken's catalog.



Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda



TESLA “Bust A Nut” (1994)



"Bust A Nut" was released in a weird year for hard rock. Many glam bands decided to split up or went into a completely different direction as grunge had taken over the world in 1993, but Tesla is one of the few that stayed true to their roots. Their faith, however, wasn't fully supported by their label as "Bust A Nut" was their last album with Geffen before the band split up to go their separate ways (Tesla reunited in 2000).



On this album, Tesla played their classic style, but the band smartly incorporated some thrashy elements and dark alternative moments. Among the fourteen tracks, I vote for these tracks as their best: "The Gate/Invited", a complex rocking tune with a catchy acoustical part and nicely done chorus; "Solution", with its head-banging chorus and thrashy riffs; "Need Your Lovin", a commercial power ballad that became their second single; "A Lot To Lose", another great ballad and the third single; and "Rubberband", a slow/fast typical Tesla track like their classic tracks "Getting’ Better" or "Heaven's Trail".



Some fillers such as "She Want She Want", "Earthmover", or "Mama's Fool" (ironically, their first single!) should have been removed, but this doesn't stop me from rating this album a solid 4/5 score. The production is also great. Tesla never disappoints me and this fourth album is another piece of evidence that Tesla still kicks it with lots and lots of high quality songs. An underrated album that should be at home in any hard rock fans' CD rack!



Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda



MR. BIG “Lean Into It” (1991)



What makes this record personally memorable to me is that this is the first rock tape I bought along with Scorpions' "Crazy World" back in 1992. I bought it solely because of the mega-hit "To Be With You" that had been heavily played on TV and radio. My first impression is that I'm quite shocked to listen to tracks like "Daddy Brother" or "Alive And Kickin'" - very loud and noisy! There's something great about this album that makes me want to play that tape over and over again until it’s worn out. I was twelve back then and here I am playing this disc again 20 years later in my car this morning, and it's still as great as ever as it was in 1992.



"Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy" is an explosive opening with Paul Gilbert ripping his guitars with an electric drill, the technique he had started using back in his days with Racer X (which was also later applied by Eddie Van Halen in “Poundcake”). "Alive And Kickin" has a punchy chorus and Eric Martin sounds awesome here, one of my fave singers with many capabilities. The commercial hard rock of "Green Tinted Sixties Mind" blasts in with the quick-tapping that young guitarists always want to learn to play. "Lucky This Time" is a blissful midtempo ballad, a great track on par with the other hits, "Just Take My Heart" and "To Be With You". Those last two are timeless classics, songs that I still like to strum on my acoustic in the living room.



The other tracks are also very strong, such as "Voodoo Kiss" with an infectious guitar lick and that 70s Aerosmith boogie; "My Kinda Woman" is a song that Tesla should have recorded in 1987; the lazy bluesy "A Little Too Loose"; and the groovy "Road To Ruin". Perhaps only "Never Say Never" is the weakest but that track alone still good enough to compete with the other average band's strongest track.



Putting aside the priceless nostalgic value, "Lean Into It" definitely has the power to stand the test of time and to claim the status of best album Mr. Big ever made. The virtuosity of each member is undefeatable, the songwriting is top notch, every little thing about this album is perfect. A true five stars!



Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda



WILDSIDE “Under The Influence” (1992)



Another sensational band that came very late to the scene, unlucky to be shuffled out of business. They thought they could try to ride the wave with a grungy sophomore release (which no one actually gives a damn about it), but their debut “Under The Influence” is widely regarded as one of the most underrated gems in glam rock history.



Singer Drew Hannah reminds me of early Vince Neil with a slight Stephen Pearcy or even Axl Rose touch, and though he's retired from this business and focusing on the porn industry, he's remembered by the fans as the gifted kid with a superb voice. Dokken, Motley Crue, and Skid Row are probably the closest comparison of Wildside's music, and try cranking out "Hang On Lucy" as loud as you can - the youthful era of Crue's riffs are obvious on the arrangement, a truly magnificent track to open the album.



"Lad In Sin" is a sleaze beauty, "Hair of The Dog" is like a lost GNR track from the height of the 80s, "Heart-n-Soul" and "Clock Strikes" are brilliant midtempo tunes, "Kiss This Love Goodbye" is the best power ballad of the album, but the other songs such as "Just Another Night" and "Looks Like Love" are actually great as well. In fact, all the songs here are enjoyable but I must admit 2-3 songs are slightly weaker than the rest.



I remember hunting this disc down for several years with no luck, but eventually the lucky day came when I snatched a Japanese copy for a reasonable price. Well, my point is if your lucky day arrives, don't hesitate - it really doesn't come every day. Great fun disc and highly recommended for fans of latter-day glam metal!



Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

SHY “Unfinished Business” (2002)

The similarity of Tony Mills' melodic screech with TNT legend, Tony Harnell - and with him joining TNT to replace the mighty Harnell - sparked my curiosity on Shy's back catalogue. Honestly, I didn't expect this 2002 release to be one of their best, but in fact it is! Jumping back to 1990 after “Misspent Youth” - a disappointing album according to the band - Shy still kept a lot of rough diamonds in the vault and when the opportunity arose in 2000 to do a new recording under Z Records, Mills and Harris decided it's time to finish the unfinished business.

"Skydiving" is an explosive melodic blast…you just can't believe there's a song like this in the year 2002. The soaring vocal, the thrilling guitar, it's basically like TNT in their golden years. "Change of Direction" didn't change anything, still grand and gorgeous. "Breakaway" is as strong as "Skydiving", another champion of the record and a huge contender to be the song of the year. "Mary-Anne" is another wow - power ballads have never been this good - it has that unimaginable beauty.

"Heaven Tonight", "Can't Stop Lovin' You", and "No Other Way" aren't slowing down and still racing to the top. Check out also the superb solos in "Whole Lotta Feelings", the song itself might not be as good as the others, but that solo guitar is killing everything. "Storyline" is another brilliant ballad in shape of classic Journey. I've told you before but now I need to tell you again, Shy didn’t spend two years recording this album for nothing: they managed to put out a ten-out-of-ten album in my book. Like my French friend said, "fantastique!"

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

SHARK ISLAND “Law of the Order” (1989)

Gazzarri's was a popular nightclub in Sunset Strip (demolished in 1995 and replaced by Key Club) which was a home to many big names such as The Doors, Van Halen, and Motley Crue, long before they were discovered. Shark Island was one of the home bands in the 80s that has been highly praised for their energetic and bombastic live performances. Richard Black, the lead singer, was the trump card of the band – he was the champion that was responsible for introducing the seductive snake dance and tight bike pants (soon to be copied by Axl Rose), he had a large range of vocal capability.

If only this album came out earlier, Shark Island could've been big in LA, but fate wasn't on their side. Not only did it fail commercially, but Richard Black's name faded away like an ash in the sand. But one thing for sure, "Law of the Order" was immortalized by many glam freaks as one of the most fantastic albums of 1989, unleashing excellent tracks from "Paris Calling" to the spectacular "Shake For Me", and from the emotional ballad of "Why Should I Believe" to the mid-tempo "Bad For Each Other".

A tremendous unnoticed album of the 80s, two thumbs up!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

KISS “Crazy Nights” (1987)

It's 1987 and pop-metal began spreading like a disease. Bon Jovi and Poison took over the world and Kiss kept up with the competition by releasing "Crazy Nights", which favors the current wave of the time. The result somehow is not disappointing as they achieved platinum status a year later, and three of their singles received heavy rotation on MTV and radio.

"Crazy Crazy Nights" has its own charming shout-along chorus and really could turn your party into a wild wild night. "I'll Fight The Hell To Hold You", "My Way", and "Turn On The Night" are rough-edged melodic rockers and were infectious at the same time - you gotta love ‘em all. "Hell or High Water" sounded 70s but with a major 80s upgrade. "Reason To Live" is the contender to match their massive classic ballad, "Beth". Paul sung his heart out and with the heartbreaking lyric "you can love and get burned, if it has to be", this track is achingly beautiful.

I think the real power behind this album is Paul Stanley, who wrote all of my favorite songs along with Desmond Child and Diane Warren, and carved out the three successful singles while Gene Simmons put out some inferior songs such as "No,No,No", "Good Girl Gone Bad" and "Thief In The Night". Bottom line, this is a great commercial and fun album to enjoy!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

BON JOVI “New Jersey” (1988)

Bon Jovi labeled their fourth album “New Jersey” out of pride for their home state. Though it seems hard to beat the victorious 30 million sales of "Slippery When Wet", this album carved another important record for being the only hard rock album in history that spawned five singles on the Top 10 of Billboard Hot 100.

Among the singles that conquered the charts, I don't like "Lay Your Hands On Me" as I found it's too boring and disposable. "I'll Be There For You" is a decent generic ballad, but "Bad Medicine" and "Born To Be My Baby" are essential upbeat rockers. And the heart-throbbing backstreet ballad, "Living In Sin", is legendary and I consider it as one of their greatest piece ever penned.

After the previous "Wanted Dead or Alive", Bon Jovi had a big interest in the wild west cowboy theme, reflected on tracks such as "Blood On Blood", "Ride Cowboy Ride", and "Stick To Your Guns". The list of great songs here goes on with the anthemic "Wild Is The Wind" and the acoustical outro of "Love For Sale".

"New Jersey" is a crucial part of Bon Jovi's growing phase and a huge nostalgic memory to many. Remember when hair was long and the hysterical shout of "when you get drunk, I'll be the wine" with guitars on your lap and the neighbor’s girl secretly falling in love with you. Whether you like it or not, Bon Jovi played an important role in bringing many new fans to the rock/metal community, and "New Jersey" is their one thing to blame.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

EVERY MOTHER’S NIGHTMARE “Wake Up Screaming” (1993)

"Wake Up Screaming" was the second release by Every Mother's Nightmare The record has an intriguing cover portraying a baby surrounded by poisonous snakes – looks more like a thrash album than a glam one. Almost everybody played grunge in 1993, but EMN didn't want to tune down their guitar and still insisted on throwing some swaggering sleaze riffs with raspy screams - unsticking themselves from the trend.

"House of Pain" and "Closet Down The Hall" are entertaining openers, each with a gloomy nuance and thumping beat. EMN wrote some good power ballads here such as "I Needed You", "Already Gone", "I Hate Myself", and the magnificent "If I Had My Way". Surprisingly, there are a lot of addictive headcrusher tracks here as well from "Tobacco Road" and "Cryin' Shame" to midtempo commercial rocker, "Slip and Fall".

Unfortunately, the sound production is awfully horrible - you have to crank up to an extremely loud volume to enjoy, yet the drums still sound distant and buried. But overall, I will say this is a very good album judging by the year of its release: a good vocal, a great guitar, a jawdropping album!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

DANGEROUS TOYS "Dangerous Toys" (1989)

Hailing from Texas, the tale of Dangerous Toys begins in 1981 when Scott Dalhover, Mike Watson, and Tim Trembley formed Onyxx. In 1987, Trembley recruited Jason McMaster from Watchtower to become their singer and changed their name to Dangerous Toys. The new band landed a deal with CBS to release their debut in 1989. Ironically, Trembley eventually left the band, to be replaced by Danny Aaron. This album was well-received and certified Gold in the USA.

The music of Dangerous Toys fell into the sleaze glam category - they played a mean stab of animalistic hard rock like dynamite ready to explode - this is the type of music your mama will hate. The first single, "Teas'n and Pleas'n", is a good starter and it gets better with "Scared", a groovy song with catchy chorus. My other favorites here are "Take Me Drunk", "Outlaw", and the peak of the album, "Queen of The Nile", probably the most commercial composition featuring a shaky, stomping chorus.

Jason McMaster's vocals remind me of Axl Rose a bit and the band plays quite tight here. Even though Dalhover and the rest of the gang ain't virtuosos, they made a great record and this is an exciting album if you want to just go crazy and have a couple of drinks on your Friday night.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

RATT "Out Of The Cellar" (1984)

From the frantic prowling of "Wanted Man" to the blasting celebration of "Round and Round", Ratt epitomized the glam metal breakthrough in 1984. The twin guitar attack of DeMartini-Crosby and the slutty sleazy voice of Pearcy established a new genre called Ratt n' Roll. "Lack of Communication" has their trademark dirty rhythm and "Back For More" is so freakishly addictive, you’ll want to keep coming back for another listen. Other worthy tracks that were estranged and buried six feet under are "The Morning After", "She Wants Money", and "Scene of The Crime".

Going triple platinum is not an easy task but they sealed it - and thankfully they went big and positioned many newer bands…otherwise glam wouldn’t have lasted that long. Seeing Crosby's long time girlfriend Tawny Kitaen crawling in her lusty torn lingerie actually made it easier to spot this record in the local store. A truly influential album that you have to buy and listen to before you die!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

COLD SWEAT "Break Out" (1990)

Cold Sweat was a major surprise to me when I first heard them years ago. Their only album, "Break Out" was released in 1990, a year when so many average bands were competing in the market. Fortunately, Marc Ferrari and the gang put out an extraordinary, classy album. Almost everything here deserves applause, from the gritty superior voice of Rory Cathey, the mind-boggling song composition, the killer shredding riffs of Ferrari and Gamans, and the balanced variety of musical styles.

"Four On The Floor" opens big with an up-tempo and cracking rhythm, a great verse, and a wonderful chorus. "Cryin' Shame" displays a bluesy attempt for the band, and a good one. "Waiting In Vain" is the mandatory ballad but this one is truly beautiful. "Take This Heart of Mine" and "Let's Make Love Tonight" are both sparkling commercial gems with punchy, sing-along choruses. Cold Sweat also explored some melodic heavy metal territory, just like the old days of Keel and Dokken, and it's portrayed in the tracks "Riviera / Long Way Down", "Fistful of Money", and "Jump The Gun".

Cold Sweat is totally underrated and they deserved a much better appraisal than what they got. If you're a big fan of glam, I don't think you should miss this one, and if you're a fan of traditional heavy metal, I’m still pretty sure the band has a lot to offer you as well. A superb release!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Classic melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

NIGHT RANGER "Midnight Madness" (1983)

Kelly Keagy probably never had a thought that a simple story about his younger sister which was lyrically portrayed in "Sister Christian" could have propelled Night Ranger's name to the sky and boosted "Midnight Madness"' sales to their biggest selling album of all time. But this album is not all about that ballad; in fact, there are several real rockers that will steal your attention such as "(You Can Still) Rock In America", a classic concert anthem with Fitzgerald's fingers dancing swiftly on his keyboard and the Watson/Gillis duo unleashing superb rhythm and solos. "Why Does Love Have To Change" is an underappreciated huge melodic rock tune - check out the beat-pumping chorus after the grandeur verse…simply stunning. "Chippin' Away", a song that's rarely seen in their set list, carries big potential behind its back as well.

Going back to that ballad, I always think that "When You Close Your Eyes" is far superior compared to "Sister". With its killer arrangement and memorable chorus, this track is a sure winner, but nevertheless, both served as the important keys of this album. Two tracks that I think are subpar here are "Touch of Madness" and "Let Him Run", but "Rumours In The Air" and "Passion Play" are among the highlights and serve as great examples of Night Ranger's capability of molding fine compositions.



Night Ranger's first three records are undoubtedly their best and since their formation in 1980, the band hasn't been able to produce any better output than this, and that also includes Jack Blades' side project, Damn Yankees. But I always look out for their latest release as I'm secretly hoping that they will be able to push their limit and boundaries and knock this album down from the top, a respectable position of what I called 'their best album to date'.



Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.