This week we'll be testing the patience of the listening ears. A thanks to Gnosis for softening up the Moonies with their show this week
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Actually, it should be rather enjoyable. Expect this theme to appear once every 2-3 months.
Here we go:
1) Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin III
A fine start to the show.
2) Queensryche - Suite Sister Mary - Operation:Mindcrime
A concept album of epic proportions. This one and "Empire" are two of the best records I've hever heard. Geoff Tate can SING.
3) Mago De Oz - Requiem - La Leyenda De La Mancha
Sent to me by the Teerminator. Picked this one due to the combination of prog and metal elements.
4) Budgie - Breadfan - Never Turn Your Back On A Friend
A classic. Metallica's version is my favorite Metallica tune!
5) Groves - A Prayer - Branch Upon The Ground
Carl Groves (Salem Hill) put out a solo record where he plays every instrument. And unlike others that try that, he can play. This tune is atypical in style to the rest of this fine CD.
6) Deep Purple - Bloodsucker - In Rock
Dripping with suggestive vocals ("Got a long story that I want to tell to a rhythm that I know so well"), this song rivals "Whole Lotta Love" for sexual heat.
7) Judas Priest - Sinner - Sin After Sin
Priest in the early part of their career was a hard rock titan. No frills, just good, prog metal. Simon Phillips on drums, produced by Roger Glover (an unintentional seguway).
8) Steve Vai - The Riddle - Passion And Warfare
A great CD. Stu Hamm on bass!
9) Black Sabbath - Sabbra Cadabra - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Sabbath is a bluesy, hard rocking band. They're not metal IMHO. Always will be a special band. And this tune I picked because of the presence of Rick Wakeman.
10) Savatage - Gutter Ballet - Gutter Ballet
This band could have went places. Think all you hear from metal is chicks and booze? Check out these lyrics... "Kill the Unicorn, just to have its horn, soon he's just a fantasy". Like Queensryche, their stuff is very political. This tune is a great look at the homeless.
11) Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Far Beyond the Sun - Rising Force
This has some ridiculous guitar work in it.
12) Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears - No More Tears
Ozzy always has the best musicians with him, like Alice Cooper used to have. A neat middle section makes this tune a killer. Saw him on Regis today...got to prop him up to talk. Very sad.
13) The Cult - Soul Asylum - Sonic Temple
After the alternative grooves of "Love", and the raw power of "Electric", Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy work another winner in this one. None of the annoying oversinging on this cut.
14) Tool - Stinkfist - Aenima
The main riff sounds like a giant who is rumbling through the house. Maynard's expressive vocals really accentuate the vitality of this band.
15) Dream Theater - Under A Glass Moon - Images And Words
Tight.
16) Dio - The Last In Line - The Last In Line
A classic - one of my favorite tunes.
17) Spiral Architect - Insect - Spiral Architect
The bass of Lars Norberg is amazing. This band sounds like Gentle Giant meets Judas Priest. Thanks to Tommy for playing this on his show, I bought it right away!
18) Braindance - Compund Fracture - Fear Itself
Saw them at the 1994 Progscape in Baltimore. A bit intimidating at first, but a talented bunch from NYC. Features some vocals in the extreme low end of the scale, and a wicked female guitarist (Vora Vor). A long tune with intricate passages.
19) I Mother Earth - Levitate - Dig
Another band I lost track of later in their career. This sounds a bit like Tool, but the rest of their stuff is different. An interesting record.
20) Voivod - Astronomy Domine - Nothingface
Montreal rockers Piggy, Blacky, Away, and Snake regale us with their take of the Floyd classic. They've also done "21st Century Schizoid Man" (then again so did April Wine). Usually their records alternate - one time it's growling death metal, another time it's BOC on speed.
21) Living Colour - Pride - Time's Up
These guys can jam.
22) Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind
Where Eagles Dare
Revelations
Flight of Icarus
Die With Your Boots On
The Trooper
Still Life
Quest For Fire
Sun And Steel
To Tame A Land
From 1983, this CD is still among my favorites. Iron Maiden, Priest, Sabbath - the holy trinity of heavy metal. Through three singers, Maiden has always been consistent. They still are amazing at their advanced age, and are the tightest hard rock outfit you'll ever hear (illustrated nicely on the opening track). Steve Harris's outstanding bass coupled with the octave layering of the guitars is special. Up the irons!
Have fun!