Well as it's nearly the end of the year I thought I'd chronicle my choices for album of the year in a few different categories - here goes! BEST HARD ROCK: Danger Danger: Return of the Great Gildersleeves. Superlative songwriting, arrangements, mature lyrics, brilliant melodies. BEST AOR ALBUM:Heartland:As it Comes. Fantastic songs, great vocals, impeccable arrangements, and crucially for new fans of the band top notch songs across the board, no filler. BEST PROGRESSIVE ROCK ALBUM: Lana Lana:Secrets of Astrology and Dream Theater:Scenes From a Memory. The former in particular left me gobsmacked - a fantastic female vocalist with a dual guitar Malmsteenish approach to the songs. BEST MELODIC POWER METAL: Rob Halford:Resurrection and Iron Maiden:Brave New World. Other great melodic rock cds simmering beneath the surface: EMERALD RAIN:The Age of Innocence - yes it sounds like Harem Scarem but it's heavier and it's damn good. TEN:Babylon - The new Whitesnake. To all those who say they are derivative, I say so what they are one of the best guilty pleasures out there! MARVELLOUS 3:Ready, Sex,Go. Although just out, I think this is a cracking cd and definently an improvement on their earlier product, especially the songwriting.A heavier approach as well, which pleases me! However, I still prefer the new Journey, Heartland, D2 and House of Shakira! BEST ALL ROUND: For my money a tie between DANGER DANGER and HEARTLAND. Both feature impeccable vocalists and both releases have a real consistency of songs except for the opening track on Gildersleeves. That's my verdict! WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK!CHEERS KAOS! http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,6993#msg-6993Sun, 19 May 2013 10:09:23 +1000 Phorum 5.2.16 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,7181#msg-7181 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,7181#msg-7181
And to say, if you dont like this, you dont like AOR?!? Me thinks you're the one with rocks in your head. Sorry to upset you, but to me this album has a good chunk of filler...though their filler is better than most.
]]> sfk kurt NoticeboardTue, 17 Oct 2000 01:59:05 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,7163#msg-7163 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,7163#msg-7163 KAOS FAN NoticeboardMon, 16 Oct 2000 15:31:13 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,7050#msg-7050 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,7050#msg-7050
Secrets of Astrology is an awesome CD. By far my favourite of the year. And what a voice! I am really disappointed in the Dream Theater release though. I just can't seem to get into it that much. It is good but lacking something...

>TEN:Babylon - The new Whitesnake. To all those who say they are derivative, I >say so what they are one of the best guilty

Got to agree. This CD gets better and better with every listen. And Don Airey on keys!

Mike
]]> Mike NoticeboardThu, 12 Oct 2000 12:06:45 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,7017#msg-7017 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,7017#msg-7017 Carl NoticeboardThu, 12 Oct 2000 05:34:14 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,6999#msg-6999 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,6999#msg-6999>impeccable arrangements, and crucially for new fans of the band top notch songs
>across the board, no filler.

I know you are a BIG fan of them, but this album to me is just like their rest. Some real killers and loads of filler.

My best AOR album this year is split between T-Bell and Kharma and Journey's Arrival (if it ever gets released!).
]]> sfk kurt NoticeboardWed, 11 Oct 2000 22:11:12 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,6993#msg-6993 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,6993,6993#msg-6993BEST HARD ROCK: Danger Danger: Return of the Great Gildersleeves. Superlative songwriting, arrangements, mature lyrics, brilliant melodies.
BEST AOR ALBUM:Heartland:As it Comes. Fantastic songs, great vocals, impeccable arrangements, and crucially for new fans of the band top notch songs across the board, no filler.
BEST PROGRESSIVE ROCK ALBUM: Lana Lana:Secrets of Astrology and Dream Theater:Scenes From a Memory. The former in particular left me gobsmacked - a fantastic female vocalist with a dual guitar Malmsteenish approach to the songs.
BEST MELODIC POWER METAL: Rob Halford:Resurrection and Iron Maiden:Brave New World.
Other great melodic rock cds simmering beneath the surface:
EMERALD RAIN:The Age of Innocence - yes it sounds like Harem Scarem but it's heavier and it's damn good.
TEN:Babylon - The new Whitesnake. To all those who say they are derivative, I say so what they are one of the best guilty pleasures out there!
MARVELLOUS 3:Ready, Sex,Go. Although just out, I think this is a cracking cd and definently an improvement on their earlier product, especially the songwriting.A heavier approach as well, which pleases me! However, I still prefer the new Journey, Heartland, D2 and House of Shakira!

BEST ALL ROUND: For my money a tie between DANGER DANGER and HEARTLAND. Both feature impeccable vocalists and both releases have a real consistency of songs except for the opening track on Gildersleeves.
That's my verdict! WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK!CHEERS KAOS!
]]> KAOS FAN NoticeboardWed, 11 Oct 2000 16:42:28 +1100