Underrated/Overlooked Albums

[SoundMaster]

also...


Badlands - Badlands. Best record in 1989. Period.

Savatage - Streets. Sure, Oliva's voice is painful, but there's tons of emotion in this classic!

Danzig - II Lucifuge. His best, IMO.

 

[zeppelin]

You really think so? I can't think of this album as underrated. Put it this way: the day it came out, me and three other friends drove from school into the city centre to buy it, and we all went to the independant record shop that was giving away free posters with each purchase. In all the time I've been listening to Metal, I can't think of any album that had that response on the day it came out, let alone all the people buying it afterwards, talking about the album and the subsequent videos. Not even the nu-metal albums for posers.

Round here it wasn't a big thing at all, normally my friends would call and tell me how great it is and ask me what I think of it, no one said a word. An album of this caliber should have rocked the world imo.

 

[zeppelin]

"The Last Temptation" is one of the best conceptual albums and one of the greatest achievements of Alice Cooper (I even have the comic that came with it ). "Hey Stoopid" probaby has the best "band" Alice ever assembled after the original line-up.


Now onto my list:

Alice Cooper Muscle Of Love
Angra Fireworks
Anthrax State Of Euphoria
Armored Saint Symbol Of Salvation
Black Sabbath Technical Ectasy
Black Sabbath Cross Purposes
Deep Purple The House Of Blue Light
Dickinson, Bruce Skunkworks
Dream Theater Falling Into Infinity
Heavens Gate Menergy
Iron Maiden Somewhere In Time
Judas Priest Turbo
Kreator Endorama
Megadeth So Far, So Good, So What?
Meliah Rage all albums
Metal Church Hanging In the Balance
Motorhead Rock'N'Roll
Nazareth Cinema
Rainbow Stranger In Us All
Riot The Brethren Of The Long House
Rush Counterparts
Saxon Dogs of War
Scorpions Fly To The Rainbow
Shadow Gallery Carved In Stone
Skyclad Oui Avant-Garde A Chance
Solitude Aeturnus Downfall
Steel Prophet Into The Void (Hallucinogen Conception)
Thin Lizzy Renegade

Did yours came with a comic? I totaly agree on the band lineup in Hey stoopid, I think Slash played the title song if I'm not mistaken.
Great list, I"ll check out Muscle of Love and agree on So Far So Good and Turbo

 

[Wyvern]

Did yours came with a comic? I totaly agree on the band lineup in Hey stoopid, I think Slash played the title song if I'm not mistaken.

Actually not. A friend (or ex-friend I can't pinpoint his status yet ) who has a used bookstore, got the three parts of the comic and gave it to me long ago. Is pretty cool stuff on Marvel Music by Neil Gaiman and Michael Zulli.

I don't understand why not make a great HM record like the last two were... Or are Maiden scared that Bruce could make their latest effort laughable with his new release?
I'd really like a HM hat-trick by Bruce...

Back From The Edge and Inside The Machine are my personal favs from that album, great melodic songs. The style is very interesting, could be generally described as "alternative", but that doesn't do it justice...

Agree on both. First the album can't be called alternative to me is modern rock (not mallcore, just not OS). And second considering that "Accident Of Birth" and "Chemical Wedding" are better than all Iron Maiden albums since "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son" up to this day. I don't get why Bruce let his solo career go (except the money thing) and that if he made another one he will probably put his Maiden mates to shame IMO.

 

[tedvanfrehley]

GREAT THREAD! Great albums, guys. I will list these:

VAN HALEN - Women and Children First - People (especially metal fans) tend to write Van Halen off after the first album. This one is pure rock. This album contains a lotta songs that the radio never got ahold of like TAKE YOUR WHISKEY HOME and ROMEO DELIGHT and the very metal/punk sounding LOSS OF CONTROL!

WASP - The Last Command - I looooooooooooved this thing as a kid and still do.

LONDON QUIREBOYS - A Bit of What You Fancy

METALLICA - Load - Yeah, it changed their direction but songs like AINT MY BITCH still kick my ass.

 

[wdiv]

also... Dio - Magica (Possibly my favorite Dio album!)

 

[zeppelin]

Here's another one: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell(1994), Also didn't create alot of hype but a great Floyd album non the less, Floyd without Waters still rules, I find it less depressing and Gilmore's voice fit's the songs perfectly, my fav's are Coming Back to Live, High Hopes, Great Day For Freedom.

 

[Bryant]

Agree on both counts with a big yeah! Martin actually spent more time in Black Sabbath as vocalist than Dio did (check for yourselves).

And as for Howe is my preferred and best (and I'll not twist my arm on this) Metal Church era. He's a really charismatic, powerful singer and to me is a big loss that he never pursued his career with another band.


Definitely. Of course we have had this conversation (the regs here) many times, but I don't mind putting an exclamation on just how big I thought Metal Church (especially Howe era) was to metal. I thought they were the perfect blend of power aqnd thrash and they didn't mind expressing their opinions about different issues. Great band.


Bryant

 

[Ayeka]

Round here it wasn't a big thing at all, normally my friends would call and tell me how great it is and ask me what I think of it, no one said a word. An album of this caliber should have rocked the world imo.

Oh aye...fair cop.

I forgot: First two Michael Schenker Group albums. I will plug these at every opportunity until everyone in the world owns them!

 

[SoundMaster]

Here's another one: Pink Floyd - The Division Bell(1994), Also didn't create alot of hype but a great Floyd album non the less, Floyd without Waters still rules, I find it less depressing and Gilmore's voice fit's the songs perfectly, my fav's are Coming Back to Live, High Hopes, Great Day For Freedom.

One of the best albums, ever.

 

[Wyvern]

One of the best albums, ever.

I second that. Waters or no Water TDB is goddamn good album. To me as a band was a much decent swang song than the overhyper-awful "The Final Cut".

Check 'What Do You Want From Me', 'A Great Day For Freedom', 'Keep Talking' and 'High Hopes', those are superb! (the rest are just wonderful ).

 

[HailIron]

Here are a few in my opinion

Exodus- Immpact is Immenent
King Diamond- House of God
Mercyful Fate- Dead Again
Overkill-W.F.O
Pink Floyd- Atom Heart Mother
Megadeth- So Far, So Good, So What
Anthrax- Fistful of Metal
VoiVod- Nothingface
Kinghorse- Kinghorse
Death- Leporsy

 

[Seth'Peth]

Agreed on In the Shadows; awesome album.

Apart from Sad Wings, Judas Priest's 70s material doesn't get nearly enough credit. Their first five are all fucking great, even Rocka Rolla.

W.A.S.P.'s K.F.D. sounds WAY different from most of their other stuff, but it's a very good album.

Absolutely agree with the Priest comment. Everything they did through "Hell Bent for Leather" was excellent! Not to say their stuff after that wasn't...

Love "Rocka Rolla"...that's a good pick for this thread, get's a bad rap for some reason.

Seth

 

[Seth'Peth]

Anthrax-Sound Of White Noise
Anthrax-State Of Euphoria
Helloween-Pink Bubbles Go Ape
Armored Saint-Raising Fear
Dio-Strange Highways
Savatage-Sirens
Overkill-Taking Over
Black Sabbath-Anything after the Dio era
Judas Priest-Jugulator
Judas Priest-Ram It Down
Deep Purple-The House Of Blue Light
Megadeth-Youthanasia
Pantera-Power Metal
Rush-Presto

Big Overkill fan here...but I'm partial to "Feel the Fire" and "The Years of Decay". Everything else kicks ass too!

Seth

 

[marv the mailman]

[

My overlooked gems:


KING DIAMOND - "House Of God"
Sure, "Them" and "Abigail" are probably his most respected works, but how about "House Of God"? This release easily ranks among his very best, both by songs and story... Ingenious!



I agree 'house of god' is a great disc

 

[marv the mailman]

how about either of the Down cd's, both are great IMO, and Raven 'all for one'

 

[Wyvern]

Absolutely agree with the Priest comment. Everything they did through "Hell Bent for Leather" was excellent! Not to say their stuff after that wasn't...

Love "Rocka Rolla"...that's a good pick for this thread, get's a bad rap for some reason.

Seth

I agree on the rep, is like if word of mouth had put the album in the dark. I would say absolutely ignorance, in the sense of being absolutely overlooked without even bother to check, and that started the chain reaction.

When I started with JP I did it with SFV and DFOTF, needless to say crazy about the band I started to build the back collection. I remember when I found both "Rockarolla" and SOD on vinyl (made in Spain) with the original artwork. And I do remember that even if the debut wasn't remotely like their mid-80s albums was really cool rock (and still is). When the song 'Rocakrolla' started was so damn catchy that stuck like gum in a shoe. It's still one of my faves throughout the years (along with 'Cheater' and 'One For The Road'), the album was also pretty prog at moments. I guess the band in its inception was tossing the coin if they wanted to follow Deep Purple onto Yes, or Deep Purple into Black Sabbath. I guess the lately happened and we have the Metal Gods.

Some 5-6 years ago I finally found the reissues on CD of both albums (property of Gull Records) with the original artwork too, and I know that now 30 years after its release "Rockarolla" still as good as it was on its day...and maybe better

Two faced liar, full of fire
But I know the flame is mine
Rocka rolla woman for a rocka rolla man
You can take her if you want her
If you think you can

 

[SickBoy]

I second that. Waters or no Water TDB is goddamn good album. To me as a band was a much decent swang song than the overhyper-awful "The Final Cut".

Yeah, I never could get into Final Cut...
TDB on the other hand, just slid into my ears!

Check 'What Do You Want From Me', 'A Great Day For Freedom', 'Keep Talking' and 'High Hopes', those are superb! (the rest are just wonderful ).

High Hopes is one of the most wonderful songs I've ever heard, shivers go down my spine as I write this... The single (Take it Back) was also great!

 

[Seth'Peth]

I agree on the rep, is like if word of mouth had put the album in the dark. I would say absolutely ignorance, in the sense of being absolutely overlooked without even bother to check, and that started the chain reaction.

When I started with JP I did it with SFV and DFOTF, needless to say crazy about the band I started to build the back collection. I remember when I found both "Rockarolla" and SOD on vinyl (made in Spain) with the original artwork. And I do remember that even if the debut wasn't remotely like their mid-80s albums was really cool rock (and still is). When the song 'Rocakrolla' started was so damn catchy that stuck like gum in a shoe. It's still one of my faves throughout the years (along with 'Cheater' and 'One For The Road'), the album was also pretty prog at moments. I guess the band in its inception was tossing the coin if they wanted to follow Deep Purple onto Yes, or Deep Purple into Black Sabbath. I guess the lately happened and we have the Metal Gods.

Some 5-6 years ago I finally found the reissues on CD of both albums (property of Gull Records) with the original artwork too, and I know that now 30 years after its release "Rockarolla" still as good as it was on its day...and maybe better

That's pretty much my experience too. I liked the late '70s, early '80s stuff...but didn't go nuts over the band till I was finally introduced to the early albums. Then I started to appreciate everything they'd done more.

I agree that they were quite prog at the beginning. Them, Rush, Sabbath, DP, Maiden...all had a big part in making prog metal what it is today.

Seth

 

[Wyvern]

Yeah, I never could get into Final Cut...
TDB on the other hand, just slid into my ears!

God knows I tried TFC over and over to and finally I sold it. I kept "The Wall" on the basis of good memories and some good songs, but was already poppier IMO than "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason" or "The Division Bell" are.

For me Pink Floyd as a real band goes from "Atom Heart Mother" to "Animals"

@ Seth'Peth: that has been also my experience with many other bands. Which is good since many are discouraged by a first hearing and never check back or further.