Uderrated Gems

[TheWhisper]

I've just recently started posting here on the OS forum, mostly post on the Progpower USA forum, and a few others, but having just turned 40 I thought the Old School forum was a good place for me. Anyway, if this kinda thread has been brought up before...my appologies. Give me your 'underrated gems', meaning albums by artists that are usually over looked when discussing their 'best' work.

I'll start with one of my fave artists Alice Cooper. Everyone always mentions Billion Dollar Babies, Killer, Nightmare, etc., but one of my fave Coop' albums is 'From the Inside'. It is often forgotten, but has been a fave since the day I brought it home.

 

[SoundMaster]

Sabbath's "Technical Ecstasy".

It's really not that bad, nor is it far removed from their first 6. The only really 'out of place' track is "Rock n Roll Doctor".



Queensryche's "Tribe".

Steller release from Seattle vets sees a dark, heavy vibe rising to the surface. Much different in sound from their classic era, but great songs nonetheless.

 

[Wyvern]

I'll start with one of my fave artists Alice Cooper. Everyone always mentions Billion Dollar Babies, Killer, Nightmare, etc., but one of my fave Coop' albums is 'From the Inside'. It is often forgotten, but has been a fave since the day I brought it home.

Welcome to UMOS and a fellow Coop lover, hell yeah! :hotjump: Do you like his last album? I consider of of the best of the year, totally a comeback to the classic era.

My underrated gems...hmm:

Iron Maiden - "Killers"
Anthrax - "Spreading The Disease"
Black Sabbath - "Headless Cross"
Blue Oyster Cult - "Cultusaurus Erectus"
Cathedral - "Caravan Beyond Redemption"
Alice Cooper - "Goes To Hell"
Deep Purple - "The House Of Blue Light"
Dream Theater - "Falling Into Infinity"
Metal Church - "Hanging In The Balance"
Rainbow - "Strangers In Us All"
Riot - "Through The Storm"
Skyclad - "Irrational Anthems"
Solitude Aeturnus - "Downfall"

NP: Joe Satriani - 'The Souls Of Distortion'

 

[#1_Droogie]

Sabbath's "Technical Ecstasy".

It's really not that bad, nor is it far removed from their first 6. The only really 'out of place' track is "Rock n Roll Doctor".

to be honest, I can't stand the last two ozzy albums. Compared with such a masterpiece as Sabotage, they look like Sabbath "black albums" so to speak. Maybe if Sabotage wouldn't have been so damn good, I don't know.

 

[Wyvern]

I love "Technical Ectasy", but being into Ozzy era I don't consider it underrated, but a gem? Oh yeah a goddamm gem!!!! Has only one filler and that's even a good song , the rest are

 

[TheWhisper]

Welcome to UMOS and a fellow Coop lover, hell yeah! :hotjump: Do you like his last album? I consider of of the best of the year, totally a comeback to the classic era.

My underrated gems...hmm:

Iron Maiden - "Killers"
Anthrax - "Spreading The Disease"
Black Sabbath - "Headless Cross"
Blue Oyster Cult - "Cultusaurus Erectus"
Cathedral - "Caravan Beyond Redemption"
Alice Cooper - "Goes To Hell"
Deep Purple - "The House Of Blue Light"
Dream Theater - "Falling Into Infinity"
Metal Church - "Hanging In The Balance"
Rainbow - "Strangers In Us All"
Riot - "Through The Storm"
Skyclad - "Irrational Anthems"
Solitude Aeturnus - "Downfall"

NP: Joe Satriani - 'The Souls Of Distortion'

'Dirty Diamonds' was a bit of a disappointment for me, however I really liked 'Eyes' a great deal. I see 'Goes to Hell' on your list...another fave Coop album of mine.

 

[Wyvern]

'Dirty Diamonds' was a bit of a disappointment for me, however I really liked 'Eyes' a great deal. I see 'Goes to Hell' on your list...another fave Coop album of mine.

I liked both, but the 'Ballad Of Jesse Jane' owns me for the whole year and beyond It has the same tongue-in-cheek humor in the lyrics as 'The Song That Didn't Rhyme' or 'Give THe Kid A Break' as examples. The music is awsome but even I who doesn't care much for lyrics bow in reverence to the words of the Coop.

NP: Morrigan - 'The Bitch Will Burn At Night'

 

[nyhc7163]

dehumanizer from sabbath. I feel it's a good solid album and being a re-union of sorts for the second incarnation of the band-it seemed a bit over looked imo.

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

I'll start with one of my fave artists Alice Cooper. Everyone always mentions Billion Dollar Babies, Killer, Nightmare, etc., but one of my fave Coop' albums is 'From the Inside'. It is often forgotten, but has been a fave since the day I brought it home.

First of all, welcome over to UMOS Whisper. Glad to have ya. Second, HELL YEAH! From the Inside is my FAVE Cooper album and yet it is relatively unheard of by the masses. I still listen to that one quite regularly as I can only go so long without hearing my personal favorite track, Millie and Billie. But that whole album rocks and is quite fun (and funny) to listen to.

And to offer up a different "under-rated gem", I'd have to go with KISS - Music from The Elder. That is also my favorite KISS album, but hardly anyone except KISS fanatics even knows it exists. But, can you imagine KISS doing a concept album? It's there on The Elder. And I think it's some of the best songwriting they've ever done.

 

[ElectricWiz]

I most definately add Never Say Die! to Soundmaster's Technical Ecstacy suggestion. A fine record.

Bruce Dickinson's Skunkworks is never mentioned, and while it's not Chemical Wedding, I think it's really good.

I'm not a fanatic, but not enough people seemed to get into that latest Voivod record in my eyes. I thought it was really good!

Also, I agree with whoever put House of the Blue Light on here. It was worth it for Spanish Archer alone, but is generally very good all the way through. Kind of a mix between Perfect Strangers, and Rainbow's Straight Between the Eyes (for its commercial bent).

 

[T_man357]

AC/DC - Flick Of The Switch
D.R.I. - Thrashzone
Suicidal Tendencies - Controlled By Hatred, Feel Like Shit Deju Vu

 

[TheWhisper]

First of all, welcome over to UMOS Whisper. Glad to have ya. Second, HELL YEAH! From the Inside is my FAVE Cooper album and yet it is relatively unheard of by the masses. I still listen to that one quite regularly as I can only go so long without hearing my personal favorite track, Millie and Billie. But that whole album rocks and is quite fun (and funny) to listen to.

And to offer up a different "under-rated gem", I'd have to go with KISS - Music from The Elder. That is also my favorite KISS album, but hardly anyone except KISS fanatics even knows it exists. But, can you imagine KISS doing a concept album? It's there on The Elder. And I think it's some of the best songwriting they've ever done.

Jacknife Johnny is my personal fave off 'From the Inside'.

I LOVE 'Music From the Elder' album! Good one...very underrated. I'm just glad you didn't say 'Unmasked'.

 

[Wyvern]

Bruce Dickinson's Skunkworks is never mentioned, and while it's not Chemical Wedding, I think it's really good.

It's even underrated by Bruce himself. He never talk about it, sometimes he has stated his dislike, and didn't include a single song in the live album.
I like it a lot, I consider it intelligent, mature, dynamic and fresh. Songs like 'Back From The Edge', 'Headswitch', 'Solar Confinement', 'Inertia', 'Dreamstate', 'Inside The Machine' are excellent tunes, frankly I hardly find a filler in the bunch.

Also, I agree with whoever put House of the Blue Light on here. It was worth it for Spanish Archer alone, but is generally very good all the way through. Kind of a mix between Perfect Strangers, and Rainbow's Straight Between the Eyes (for its commercial bent).

It was me I think is criminally underrated, DP never play any song live. And has lots of kickass songs: 'Bad Attitude', 'Strangeways', 'Mitzi Dupree', 'The Unwritten Law' and the most awsome competitor to 'Highway Star', the most excelent 'Dead or Live'

NP: Nazareth - Talkin' 'Bout Love

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

I LOVE 'Music From the Elder' album! Good one...very underrated. I'm just glad you didn't say 'Unmasked'.

Uh, I'm pretty glad I didn't say Unmasked as well!

NP: Alice Cooper - From The Inside in honour of Whisper's thread.

 

[Fangface]

I'll stick to classic bands

Black Sabbath - Born Again (the music was 100% Sabbath, only the vocals weren't... and Gillan rules!), also Dehumanizer
Judas Priest - Sin after Sin (killer drumming on this one! and varied material as usual)
Dio - Strange Highways (I know many Dio fans don't like it but I do!)
Mercyful Fate - Time (more melodic than the usual MF stuff, still great to me)
Thin Lizzy - Renegade (keyboards, yeah... so what? )
Riot - Narita (why is it not as "cult" as Fire Down Under? I still wonder... classic early US Metal!)
Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Grey (slow, dark, atmospheric... and unique)

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Riot - Narita (why is it not as "cult" as Fire Down Under? I still wonder... classic early US Metal!)

Probably because Fire Down Under was so great. Narita was good, but they lacked the songwriting maturity on that album. They were getting close, but it all came to a head on FDU. That remains my favorite Riot album to this day.

Born Again, now that's an under-rated gem! I've been searching for it used for about six months now, and not only have I not found it used, I haven't found it new either. Nobody stocks that cd...even when the Sabbath section hogs up a whole column on their shelf.

NP: Beyond Twilight - Devil's Hall of Fame

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

I have to go "Raise Your Fist & Yell" by Alice Cooper!! And totally agree on From The Inside as well, great album!!!

KISS - Crazy Nights, Asylum & Hot In The Shade. Their best era!!!! I actually do think Unmasked is underrated, and a better album than Dynasty for sure. And I think Destroyer is criminally OVERRATED and my least favourite make-up album.

Ratt - Detonator. Desmond Child!!!! My favourite Ratt album (*just* ahead of Invasion of your Privacy) but a totally overlooked one.

 

[ElectricWiz]

It's even underrated by Bruce himself. He never talk about it, sometimes he has stated his dislike, and didn't include a single song in the live album.
I like it a lot, I consider it intelligent, mature, dynamic and fresh. Songs like 'Back From The Edge', 'Headswitch', 'Solar Confinement', 'Inertia', 'Dreamstate', 'Inside The Machine' are excellent tunes, frankly I hardly find a filler in the bunch.




It was me I think is criminally underrated, DP never play any song live. And has lots of kickass songs: 'Bad Attitude', 'Strangeways', 'Mitzi Dupree', 'The Unwritten Law' and the most awsome competitor to 'Highway Star', the most excelent 'Dead or Live'

NP: Nazareth - Talkin' 'Bout Love

Actually, I have an MP3 tucked away somewhere of them doing Bad Attitude live. It was some outdoor show, that's all I can tell you about it for sure. Right before they start playing it Ian Gillan recites the poem "Teddy Bear's Picnic," to the crowd. I'm not joking about a bit of this.

 

[ElectricWiz]

I'll stick to classic bands

Black Sabbath - Born Again (the music was 100% Sabbath, only the vocals weren't... and Gillan rules!), also Dehumanizer
Judas Priest - Sin after Sin (killer drumming on this one! and varied material as usual)
Dio - Strange Highways (I know many Dio fans don't like it but I do!)
Mercyful Fate - Time (more melodic than the usual MF stuff, still great to me)
Thin Lizzy - Renegade (keyboards, yeah... so what? )
Riot - Narita (why is it not as "cult" as Fire Down Under? I still wonder... classic early US Metal!)
Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade of Grey (slow, dark, atmospheric... and unique)

Judging by conversations we've had here in the past, lots of people will agree with you on Born Again. Including me. I think it's an amazing album. It was much derided early on, but these days I run into a lot of people who dig the hell out of it.:hotjump:

 

[Infernali1]

Definitely agree with comments about Born Again. I think Flick of the Switch awas way better than For Those About to Rock that preceded it.

For some reason I can't find anyone who likes Diamond Head's Canterbury or Kiss's Music From the Elder albums. I think both are really good. OK, the DH album is verging off metal territory at times but I think it was panned in metal cos they didnt know how to take it. Other albums I think are under rated:
Sword - Metalized
Accept - Accept