Since my jazz/classical topic went over about as well as a Lead Zeppelin, I thought I'd try to redeem myself. What are some of the best melodic rock albums that are widely unknown that you think even some of those here might not know about? What are the diamonds in the rough? I'll take a shot with some of mine. Some of these, most of you will know about, but for the benefit of those who don't, it's worth mentioning them! White Sister - s/t - Maybe it's just me, but I still like this as well as any House of Lords album! Blue Tears - s/t - I don't know if anyone, including Def Leppard, has matched the combo of power and incredible melody and harmony found on this one. Sounds a lot like Bon Jovi and Def Leppard, but maybe better... BB Steal - On the Edge - this is really a nice little album. Sounds like a cross between Def Leppard and INXS if you can believe that... Phil Collen and Pete Woodroffe aided in the production of this one. Aldo Nova - Subject - again, maybe it's just me, but I thought this was by far and away the best Aldo Nova album. Tokyo Blade - Night of the Blade - this has always been one of my favorite cult classics. Glen Burtnick - Heroes and Zeroes - everyone who enjoys AOR should have this album! Some Christian artists (people seem to assume that Stryper was the best Christian AOR had to offer - they definitely were NOT - all of the following are way above Stryper IMO): Shout - In Your Face and It Won't Be Long - both very good albums by the group fronted by Ken Tamplin. Tamplin's voice is so classic, he was asked to be the singer for both Foreigner and Van Halen at different times. X-Sinner - Get It - compares to AC/DC Back in Black and Def Lep High and Dry. Though it is not quite as good as those, it comes close! Nouveaux - Beginnings - this again has a Def Leppard influence, but with more harmonies, and the singer sounds like the Christian singer Michael W. Smith. Very good stuff, a little on the lighter side. Guardian - Fire and Love - classic AOR! http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6416#msg-6416Wed, 22 May 2013 15:58:06 +1000 Phorum 5.2.16 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6538#msg-6538 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6538#msg-6538 Big Dog NoticeboardSun, 01 Oct 2000 03:11:09 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6475#msg-6475 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6475#msg-6475
Robin Zander-S/T: An excellent release. A little more mellow than Cheap Trick, but some real good stuff nonetheless. There are some very evident John Lennon influences here. Robin gives a great vocal performance.

War and Peace-Time Capsule: A lot of you guys probably know about this one, but it is just so damn good. Jeff Pilson has to be the best singing bass player not named Glenn Hughes. He isn't a finesse guy, but he sure does get the job done. Super-catchy songs!

Voodoo X-Vol. 1 The Awakening: A great album from the future Crown of Thorns boys. Beauvoir sounds excellent as always. A wonderful diverse album.

Slik Toxic-Doin' The Nasty: Man, this mother cranks!!! Lead throat Nicholas
Walsh screams like a MoFo. And incidentally he can cut it live too.

Shotgun Messiah-Second Coming: Tremendous straightforward rock album. Singer Tim Skold has a wonderful combination of power and finesse, and guitarist Harry Cody can crank it out with the best of them. I have heard this album cut down on this board before and can't for the life of me understand why.

Kik Tracee-No Rules: What an album!!! One of my all-time favorites. Stephen Shareaux is an absolute marvel. What a magnificent voice! Another musically diverse album that can't possibly get the credit it deserves. Where are you Stephen? Your fans need more!!!

Baton Rouge-Shake Your Soul / Lights Out on the Playground: These albums are finally getting their due with the recent success of vocalist Kelly Keeling. Shake Your Soul with its 80's party rock style, and Lights Out with its smooth bluesy tones.

Zakk Wylde-Book of Shadows: Zakk sings his heart out on this mostly-mellow Southern rock jem. I wish he was still producing this kind of album, not his terrible Black Label Society/Rob Zombie music.
]]> Rob NoticeboardSat, 30 Sep 2000 02:16:57 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6453#msg-6453 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6453#msg-6453
Lynx-s/t.
This release featured and was produced by Don Cromwell, who would go on and form Ransom (with Tommy Girvin I think). The lead singer was Robert 'Berre' Bergen, a locally well-known bass-player (in the Dutch-speaking rockband 'De Kreuners' ; nothing to with crooning, mind you) with a huge set of pipes.
Stylewise, the Lynx album is comparable with Ransom, so if you like one, get the other.

A gem I found in a bargain bin is
Black Cat Moan-s/t
From scandinavian origin, I think, an album in the vein of Soul Kitchen. A bit southern rockish and VERY good.

EZ Livin'-s/t
Featuring former and current Bonfire-axeman Hans Ziller and later Bonfire skinpounder Bam Bam. Very much in an up-tempo Bonfire style, not overly well produced but catchy as hell.

Red Fun-s/t
Featuring Europe stringdude Kee Marcello ; nothing like Europe though ; huge party rock with slight scandinavian influences... enormous!

Trilogy-Lust Provider
This one features another Europe member - drummer Ian Haughland. It's harder and rawer than Europe though. One or two lesser tracks, but the rest is rocking big time (except for the balladz of course). I think Nikolo Kotzev (Brazen Abbot) produced this.

There you have'em.
Happy Hunting!

Sven
NP: Firehouse - s/t]]> Sven NoticeboardFri, 29 Sep 2000 17:25:50 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6451#msg-6451 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6451#msg-6451
Heavy Bones - s/t
Loudness - Soldier Of Fortune
Katmandu - s/t
Trouble Tribe - s/t
Slammin' Gladys - s/t
Sweet F.A. - Stick To Your Guns
Trixter - Hear
220 Volt - Eye To Eye]]> Dan NoticeboardFri, 29 Sep 2000 15:38:12 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6433#msg-6433 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6433#msg-6433They also had a song on the Street Survivors compilation. (featuring LA's best unsigned bands) Another cool band "Fire" (featuring Mike Guy of House of lords fame) also had a song on it. They should have been huge as well.
Tomorrow's Child were from Los Angeles, but didn't sound like Crue or Ratt. The guitarplayer Rik Schaffer is great. Very smooth sound, almost a bit similar to Mark Knopfler.

/Daniel


]]> Daniel NoticeboardFri, 29 Sep 2000 08:27:07 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6427#msg-6427 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6427#msg-6427Diving For Pearls - s/t
Michael Morales - Thump
St. Paul - Down To The Wire
Psuedo Echo - Race
Aviator - s/t
White Sister - Fashion By Passion
FM - Indiscreet
Xenon - Simple
Night Ranger - Big Life (an album I once dismissed but now find it to be quite the monster)

This list could go on and on...
]]> sfk kurt NoticeboardFri, 29 Sep 2000 04:33:00 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6422#msg-6422 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6422#msg-6422
Doctor Rock & The Wild Bunch-Stark Raving Mad--Harem Scarem style rock (includes Harry Hess and Pete Lesperance)
Lenita Erickson-S/T--She is sort of a female Rod Stewart-type. This one even has her doing a duet with the great Eddie Money.
Moon Dog Mane-Turn It Up--Southern rock from ex-Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon.
Jesse Strange-S/T--Firehouse/Danger Danger-style hard rock from 1992.
Outlaw Blood-S/T--Marti Frederikson's band. The mighty Jeff Paris produced this project.
Romeo's Daughter-S/T--Female-fronted AOR produced by "Mutt" Lange and John Parr.
Tim Feehan-Full Contact--High class AOR features Mark Spiro and James Christian.
Chrissy Steele-Magnet To Steele--She rocks harder than most women. The album was produced by the late Brian MacLeod and the aforementioned Tim Feehan. Features Mark Slaughter and songs written by "Mutt" Lange and Mike Reno (Loverboy)
Tangier-Stranded--Southern-fried rock like Cinderella.
Saints & Sinners-S/T--Canadian rock produced by Aldo Nova. Includes songs written by Aldo, Jesse Bradman, Rachel Bolan (Skid Row), and Jon Bon Jovi.
The Law-S/T--Paul Rodgers' band from early 90's. Features a killer version of Def Leppard's Miss You In A Heartbeat and Bryan Adams' Nature of the Beast.

Most of these any many others never got the recognition they deserved for various reasons. For those of you who may not have any of these in your collection, you might want to track down some of this stuff if you're into it. Some of these are getting pretty hard to come by anymore.

Robert]]> Robert NoticeboardFri, 29 Sep 2000 03:48:47 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6419#msg-6419 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6419#msg-6419
AIDEAN - PRomises. A german band who just rereleased their only 1988 LP. Great MElodic rock!!!

ALEX]]> alex siedlre NoticeboardFri, 29 Sep 2000 03:04:46 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6416#msg-6416 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6416,6416#msg-6416Since my jazz/classical topic went over about as well as a Lead Zeppelin, I thought I'd try to redeem myself.

What are some of the best melodic rock albums that are widely unknown that you think even some of those here might not know about? What are the diamonds in the rough? I'll take a shot with some of mine. Some of these, most of you will know about, but for the benefit of those who don't, it's worth mentioning them!

White Sister - s/t - Maybe it's just me, but I still like this as well as any House of Lords album!

Blue Tears - s/t - I don't know if anyone, including Def Leppard, has matched the combo of power and incredible melody and harmony found on this one. Sounds a lot like Bon Jovi and Def Leppard, but maybe better...

BB Steal - On the Edge - this is really a nice little album. Sounds like a cross between Def Leppard and INXS if you can believe that... Phil Collen and Pete Woodroffe aided in the production of this one.

Aldo Nova - Subject - again, maybe it's just me, but I thought this was by far and away the best Aldo Nova album.

Tokyo Blade - Night of the Blade - this has always been one of my favorite cult classics.

Glen Burtnick - Heroes and Zeroes - everyone who enjoys AOR should have this album!

Some Christian artists (people seem to assume that Stryper was the best Christian AOR had to offer - they definitely were NOT - all of the following are way above Stryper IMO):

Shout - In Your Face and It Won't Be Long - both very good albums by the group fronted by Ken Tamplin. Tamplin's voice is so classic, he was asked to be the singer for both Foreigner and Van Halen at different times.

X-Sinner - Get It - compares to AC/DC Back in Black and Def Lep High and Dry. Though it is not quite as good as those, it comes close!

Nouveaux - Beginnings - this again has a Def Leppard influence, but with more harmonies, and the singer sounds like the Christian singer Michael W. Smith. Very good stuff, a little on the lighter side.

Guardian - Fire and Love - classic AOR!

]]> DD Dave NoticeboardFri, 29 Sep 2000 02:25:45 +1100