Uderrated Gems

[Narcosynthesys68]

MF 9 is the Shit... All Evil and just Kick Ass!!

Kinda like King Diamond's latest, The Puppet Master! Great Stuff!

I forgot about Riot! Thundersteel and Privilege both Rock!

 

[Wyvern]

But of course... it has the delightful "Roses on White Lace"

In my eyes blood drops look like roses on white lace :hotjump:

Love that song along with 'Prince Of Darkness', 'Time To Kill', 'Gail' and 'Step On You' made that album one of the lowest points in the Coop career a fave of mine (maybe because was the second one I bought )

NP: Stream Of Passion - I'll Keep On Dreaming

 

[DumbAss]

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

.

There is a long list of Underrated Alice Cooper Albums.

 

[Wheezer]

After reading back through this thread there seems to be quite a few underrated gems that aren't underrated around here.

 

[Wheezer]

In my eyes blood drops look like roses on white lace :hotjump:

The concept oriented second half of that album just kills. Coop did a few mini-concepts on a few albums. Nightmare has Years Ago, Steven, The Awakening, Escape. Even Love it to Death's last four seem to be somewhat conceptual. At least loosely tied together.

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

As for underrated gems. I think Savatage's 'Poets and Madmen' is damn good. A matter of fact I listened to it today and forgot how good it was. I kind of shelved it for a while and it was refreshing to hear it again today. It seems alot of fans didn't like that album.

That's one thing I never understood, Ron. People were lining up to hate that album. In fact, I was one of very few who gave it a postitive review on Amazon back in 2003 (more postitive reviews have popped up since then). I just don't get it. Even the naysayers who didn't like the mellower, more dramatic direction of DWD and WoM bashed it despite the return of Jon on vocals and a much heavier, straight forward direction of the music.

Personally, Poets is my favorite Savatage of all time. It is my #1 life preserver when I'm drowning in my sea of CDs. Whenever I get to a point where I'm just not sure what I want to listen to...just know I want something I'm really going to enjoy...I turn to Poets and Madmen. That album NEVER fails to deliver for me. The riffs on it are godly. I consider it the perfect blend of crunch, prog, and pomp.

I am assuming that the negative reviews of this album come from people who failed to give this disc the few extra spins necessary, and not from people whose heads are so far in their holes that all they can hear is their hollow heartbeat. -- from my review on Amazon

 

[Wyvern]

The concept oriented second half of that album just kills. Coop did a few mini-concepts on a few albums. Nightmare has Years Ago, Steven, The Awakening, Escape. Even Love it to Death's last four seem to be somewhat conceptual. At least loosely tied together.

Actually since "Welcome To My Nightmare" the Steven alter ego has appeared time and again trough several records. As for conceptual album "Goes To Hell" reigns supreme among the Coop material, followed by "The Last Temptation" (which I had along the comic and it's so cool to read it while listening to the album )

WARRIOR fighting for the earth! Let the banging begin!

The whole band is underrated IMO, although the samples I heard from their last album with Marc Storace on vocals didn't got me. But the first two albums and even the one with Rob Rock are highly underrated.

NP: Presto Ballet - 'Seasons'

 

[TheWhisper]

After reading back through this thread there seems to be quite a few underrated gems that aren't underrated around here.

That's because the people here have such impecable tastes.

 

[JonnyD]

firstly I agree with everybody about "Raise your Fists...." great fucking album!!! but here are a few of my own

Iron Maiden - XFactor ... ppl have been trashing this album for years ... but it was THE album that finally got me into Iron Maiden ... I have never been a big Bruce fan... but Blaze!!! Damn that man has a great Voice!! that and "Fortunes of War" was the first song I ever learned how to play on Bass!

Motley Crue - S/T ... Probably one of their Best and most Mature albums ... I love Motley Crue and this album is Truely an Underated Gem

Winger - Pull ... Forget the S/T and That peice of Garbage "In The Heart of The Young" This is the real shit here!!! This is without a boubt their best album!!! and nobody knows it

Welcome to the Board Whisper! its nice to see another PPUSA attendee in here!

EDIT: oh and heres one other
Judas Priest - 98' Live Meltdown ... the Ripper albums may not be all that great ... BUT Tim Owens got me into Priest with this live album!! I do believe it is HIGHLY underrated

 

[Fangface]

As for underrated gems. I think Savatage's 'Poets and Madmen' is damn good. A matter of fact I listened to it today and forgot how good it was. I kind of shelved it for a while and it was refreshing to hear it again today. It seems alot of fans didn't like that album.

Apart from one song or two Poets and Madmen is still an outstanding album to me "Commissar", "Morphine Child", "Surrender", "Back to Reason", etc... classic Savatage here!

But at the same time I thought Born Again was being underrated...


Wheezer said it all :

After reading back through this thread there seems to be quite a few underrated gems that aren't underrated around here.

So true!

 

[JonnyD]

As for underrated gems. I think Savatage's 'Poets and Madmen' is damn good. A matter of fact I listened to it today and forgot how good it was. I kind of shelved it for a while and it was refreshing to hear it again today. It seems alot of fans didn't like that album.

I agree with you 1,000%!!!! I LOVE P&M I personally think it Blows all there Post Criss stuff away!!! ... I thought it was going to be the beginning of greater things to come ... sadly that hasnt happened... But I do believe it left the door open for atleast 2 future Underrated Gems "Tage Mahal" and "Chris Caffery's Faces"!

 

[Wheezer]

As for conceptual album "Goes To Hell" reigns supreme among the Coop material, followed by "The Last Temptation" (which I had along the comic and it's so cool to read it while listening to the album )

I had forgotten about Goes to Hell. Yeah, you're right about that one being the ultimate Coop concept album. I should prolly get some of Alice's latter day material. He fell out of favor with me around the time of Trash. Although I did see him on that tour. That was a banner night. A friend and I went to see Coop and then blasted across town to catch Frehley's Comet at a bar. We walked in just as Ace was taking the stage.

 

[Wyvern]

I had forgotten about Goes to Hell. Yeah, you're right about that one being the ultimate Coop concept album. I should prolly get some of Alice's latter day material. He fell out of favor with me around the time of Trash.

Actually since I started all mixed up with the Coop, "Trash" came early for me compared to some other material, but frankly is among his weakest material (say late 80's).

To me Alice has some definitive eras:

1. Primitive: first two albums
2. Classic (Gold): from "Love It To Death" to "Muscle Of Love"
3. Silver: from "Welcome To My Nightmare" to "Lace & Whiskey"
4. Black hole: up to before "Constrictor" (I don't like this time)
5. Silly/cheap: up to "Hey Stoopid"
6. Modern: from "The Last Temptation" up to "Dirty Diamonds"

In all eras some underrated albums will show, material worth to have will appear in all too, it's just a matter of seeking and listening.

NP: Megadeth - Something I'm Not

 

[Wheezer]

To me Alice has some definitive eras:

1. Primitive: first two albums
2. Classic (Gold): from "Love It To Death" to "Muscle Of Love"
3. Silver: from "Welcome To My Nightmare" to "Lace & Whiskey"
4. Black hole: up to before "Constrictor" (I don't like this time)
5. Silly/cheap: up to "Hey Stoopid"
6. Modern: from "The Last Temptation" up to "Dirty Diamonds"

That's pretty much where I divide them although I'd include Lace and Whiskey in the black hole. Constrictor and Raise Your Fist I consider the comeback era and then it falls off after those two. I'll have to give Last Temptation a listen.

 

[Wyvern]

I'll have to give Last Temptation a listen.

Please do, I'm sure you''ll enjoy it. The material is way more mature and polished than the 80's stuff, Steven is the main caharacter which ties the album with "Welcome To My Nightmare", and the music is not as "industrialized" as the next to albums. Besides the keyboards are by Derek Sherinian and even the hit 'Lost In America' worth the money just by the lyrics.

NP: Stream Of Passion - 'Deceiver'

 

[TheWhisper]

'The Last Temptation' is great album...can not recommend it highly enough! Songs like 'Lullabye', and the ballad 'It's Me', bring back memories of classic Alice.

 

[Priest of Evil]

Slighty of the topic of albums but there a song that every speed/thrash fan should hear and it's called Seven Doors Hotel. Penned by Europe the mighty cheesters but this song is just so incredible, I used to play it alot at a Metal Club I used to run a few years back and alot of the guys into more extreme metal were asking me "who was this wicked band?" So there ya go, an underrated and lost in time gem!

 

[JonnyD]

I'll have to give Last Temptation a listen.

BRENT!!! Definately pick this one up!!! its a fantastic album!!! and if you can find the comic series that went with it! all the better!

I would also suggest "Brutal Planet" and "Dragontown" both are as heavy as a ton of bricks!

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

Slighty of the topic of albums but there a song that every speed/thrash fan should hear and it's called Seven Doors Hotel. Penned by Europe the mighty cheesters but this song is just so incredible, I used to play it alot at a Metal Club I used to run a few years back and alot of the guys into more extreme metal were asking me "who was this wicked band?" So there ya go, an underrated and lost in time gem!

Yeah, that song is from the first Europe album. It didn't get much exposure and was actually unavailable to Americans for most of the 80s. I think I finally got it when Columbia re-issued it following the commercial success of The Final Letdown...er I mean Countdown. Unfortunately, Europe had already risen and plummeted by then.

I actually like all the Europe albums except for Final Letdown. The first one was really aggressive hard rock, Wings of Tomorrow was also heavy, but a bit more mature and melodic. John Norum's guitar solos are godly on these albums. Then the two they put out in the 90s had their moments for sure. They went back to having a harder edge by then.

 

[Wyvern]

BRENT!!! Definately pick this one up!!! its a fantastic album!!! and if you can find the comic series that went with it! all the better!

I would also suggest "Brutal Planet" and "Dragontown" both are as heavy as a ton of bricks!

I mentioned before but indeed, the comic it's great. And makes a nice companion to read it along while listening to the album.

"Brutal Planet" and "Dragontown" should be mentioned since are AC albums closest to modern sound (industrial/mallcore) and yet Alice was intelligent enough never to cross the line and sold out. Both have his mark in music and of course in lyrics (very clever ones by the way), and they worth if only by It's The Little Things and Disgraceland.

NP: Helloween - 'The King For A 1000 Years'