JOURNEY - Frontiers (1983)

Remastered with bonus

One of the best albums from the kings of rockin'AOR (my fav is Raised On Radio), this great song collection catapulted Journey to mainstream.
Recently remastered last year with 4 bonus tracks, sounds better than ever.
A must have.
If you like it, BUY IT.

1. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
2. Send Her My Love
3. Chain Reaction
4. After The Fall
5. Faithfully
6. Edge Of The Blade
7. Troubled Child
8. Back Talk
9. Frontiers
10. Rubicon
11. Only The Young (Bonus Track)
12. Ask The Lonely (Bonus Track)
13. Liberty (Bonus Track)
14. Only Solutions (Bonus Track)

Steve Perry vocals
Neal Schon guitar, vocals
Steve Smith drums
Jonathan Cain guitar, keyboards, vocals
Ross Valory bass, vocals


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HAYWIRE - Bad Boys (1986)

You will love this album at first listen.
Canadian AOR from the golden era.
Loverboy, Honeymoon Suite style, short and catchy songs like fresh air in your ears.
Terrific guitar-keyboard assemble, perfect.
No fillers, good production, their best album without a doubt.
Out of print.

1. Bad Boys
2. Standin' in Line
3. She's Not (The Kind of Girl)
4. Holding You
5. Out of My Head
6. When You Fall Out of Love
7. 3 Wishes 8. Girl in Love
9. Shot in the Dark
10. Crazy

Paul MacAusland vocals
Dave Rashed keyboards, backing vocals
Marvin Birt guitars, backing vocals
Ronnie Switzer bass
Sean Kilbride drums


RE-posted HERE
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FORCEFIELD II - The Talisman (1988)

Cozy Powell & Tony Martin


Cozy Powell & Ray Fenwick studio only project, features the tremendous Tony Martin on vocals, one of the best voices in this genre.
Neil Murray of Whitesnake play bass.
The cover of Deep Purple's "Black Night/Strange Kind of Woman" is pretty nice.
Really Good traditional Hard Rock.
Highly Recommend album.
Out of print.


1. The Talisman 5:29
2. Year of the Dragon 3:34
3. Tired of Waiting For You 4:05
4. Heartache 4:15
5. Good Is Good 4:48
6. Carrie 3:47
7. Without Your Love 4:25
8. I Lose Again 6:25
9. The Mercenary 7:06
10. Black Night/Strange Kind of Woman 5:47
11. I Lose Again (instrumental version) 6:17

Cozy Powell - drums
Tony Martin - lead and backing vocals
Neil Murray - bass
Ray Fenwick - guitars
Jan Akkerman -electric and acoustic guitars
Lawrence Cottle - bass
Chris Cozens - keyboards
Barry St. John - backing vocals



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MIDNIGHT SUN - Nemesis (1999)

This is the first MS album with the Starbreaker, Allen & Lande mastermind Magnus Karlsson on guitar. Brillant as usual.
Pete Sandberg (Alien) does a great vocal performance, and the rhythm section and keys kill your ears and senses.
No fillers, all tracks are good, including Europe's cover "Seven Doors Hotel".
Hard to find CD.
If you like Allen-Lande albums, must have this one.

Nemesis
You And I
Mortal Man
Resurrection
King Of Broken Hearts
Conqueror
Watch Out
Dreams
I Don´t Know
Conceal
Living On The Edge
Ave Maria
Seven Doors Hotel
Innocent

Pete Sandberg: Lead & Backing Vocals
Magnus Karlsson: Guitars & Backing Vocals
Reingold: Bass, Keyboards, Additional guitars & B. Vocals
Jamie Salazar: Drums, Percussions & Backing Vocals
Additional Musicians:
Berrit Hessing: Cello
Hal Johnston: Guitar
Henrik Hanson: Keyboards
Jens Friis Hansen, Inger Ohlen: Backing Vocals



MIDNIGHT SUN - Nemesis

LINE OF FIRE - Line of Fire (2005)

One of the best 2005 melodic hard rock releases.
From a small label, but with excellent crisp production, this band knows how to write and play.
"Paradise" is the horse battle track of this album, a melodic heaven.
Unknown and hard to find CD.
Recommended listen
If you find it, BUY IT.

1. Faith in Fire 4:27
2. Live and Let Go 4:23
3. Fade 4:34
4. Paradise 4:56
5. Remind Me 4:04
6. Morning Light 4:08
7. Can't You See 3:39
8. Salvation's Edge 4:16
9. Falling Down (Hear My Prayer) 5:00
10. Time To Say Goodbye 3:39

Shawn Pelata vocals
Nikki Dimage guitars, bass, keyboards, backing vocals
Ed Darst guitars
Cliff Paul bass
Justin Collins drums

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HOUSE OF LORDS - The Lost Tapes (2001)

Fan Club Only CD Release


House Of Lords - The Lost Tapes, contains 7 unreleased songs which they wrote for the "The Power & The Myth" album.
The approach of this stuff is similar to earlier HOL material: Hard Rock with balls!
Why they change the direction later (The Power & The Myth is proggie and experimental and disappointed the fans) is a total mystery.
"Havana" appears as bonus in the P&M japan release.
Killer tunes, my favs are "Shotgun Doctor" and "Someday",witch feature an awesome chorus.
A++ sound, like an official release. HQ rip 320Kbps.
A collector's item, a must have.

1.Shotgun Doctor
2.Hero's Song
3.Angel Of The City
4.Love Can Build A Bridge
5.After The Love Is Gone
6.Someday
7.Havana


HOUSE OF LORDS - The Lost Tapes
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SHAW-BLADES : High Enough (New-Acoustic Studio Version 2007)

What a classic tune.

Composed by Tommy Shaw & Jack Blades for the first Damn Yankees album.

Fantastic New Version.

Re-recorded acousticly by the duo between the Shaw-Blades "Influence" new 2007 album sessions.

Also appears in the new "Metal Mania Stripped Vol.3".

CLASSIC.

DOWNLOAD

STAN BUSH - In This Life (2007)

Stan Bush truly is a melodic rock legend.He has co-written with many of top songwriters like Jonathan Cain (Journey), Jim Vallance (Bryan Adams; Aerosmith), and Paul Stanley of Kiss.
Stan's songs have received covers from many notable bands. "Love Don't Lie" was covered by House of Lords, and "Slave To Love" was recorded by Quiet Riot, among others.
"In This Life" is his 10th studio album and this time Stan was able to reach a whole new level as a world-class songwriter/recording artist.
As guest appears guitarist Rocket Ritchotte (DAVID LEE ROTH, RICK SRINGFIELD), songwriters on the album include Stan, the producer an guitarist Holger Fath and Curt Cuomo (KISS, EDDIE MONEY) while the musicians that helped Stan in the recording include drummer Matt Laug (ALICE COOPER, RICHARD MARX, EDDIE MONEY, ANASTACIA etc.) and Lance Morrison on bass guitar (ALANIS MORRISSETTE, DON HENLEY etc).
I'm talking to you, melodic rock/AOR fan.
You better listen this album now, A CLASSIC IN THE FUTURE.
One of the BEST albums of the year, without a doubt.
If you like it, BUY IT.

1. I'll Never Fall
2. I Got A Thing For You
3. I Can't Cry
4. In This Moment
5. Waiting For You
6. The First Time
7. Long, Long Way
8. Over You
9. Take It All The Way
10. In This Life
11. Southern Rain

Stan Bush (vocals)
Rocket Ritchotte (guitar)
Lance Morrison (bass)
Holger Fath (guitar)
Matt Laug (drums)


IN THIS LIFE

MICHAEL BOLTON - Everybody's Crazy (1985)

The man started his career rockin' hard, and this is his best album.
Pumpin' bass and keyboard lines, strong guitars and a very powerful and emotional vocals.
The drums on this album are bombastic, just the way I like, perfectly recorded by the genius producer Neil Kernon who has worked with Queensryche, Dokken and a lot more...
One of the best '80s AOR album.
If you like it, BUY IT.

1. Save Our Love
2. Everybody's Crazy
3. Can't Turn It Off
4. Call My Name
5. Everytime
6. Desperate Heart
7. Start Breaking My Heart
8. You Don't Want Me Bad Enough
9. Don't Tell Me It's Over

Michael Bolton vocals
Bruce Kulick guitar
Dennis Feldman bass
Mark Mangold keyboards
Mark Raddice keyboards
Peppy Castro backing vocals
Terry Brock backing vocals
Neil Kernon additional keyboards
Doug Katsaros add. keyboards


Re-Posted HERE
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STEVE PERRY - Greatest Hits Digipack Release (2007)

Remastered with spectacular new sound and bonus tracks directly from Steve's personal vault.

6 Bonus tracks, 1 exclusive only in this digipack release.

A must have.

If you like it, BUY IT.

1. Oh Sherrie

2. Foolish Heart

3. She's Mine

4. Strung Out

5. Go Away

6. When You're In Love* (prev. unreleased)

7. Against The Wall* (previously unreleased)

8. Forever Right Or Wrong [Love's Like A River]

9. Summer Of Luv* (previously unreleased)

10. Melody

11. Once In A Lifetime, Girl* (previously unreleased)

12. What Was

13. You Better Wait

14. Missing You

15. I Stand Alone

16. It Won't Be You (writing demo version)

17. If You Need Me Call Me* (unreleased demo version)

18. Don't Fight It (with Kenny Loggins)* (exclusive bonus track)

STEVE PERRY GH

LAST AUTUMN'S DREAM - Saturn Skyline (2007)

IMHO this is the best L A D album ever. Even better than the debut.
This time the guys have listened the fans and the production is TOP class.
The songs are a perfect blend of power and harmony.
ROCKS as hell, as never before.
I never was a big fan of Mikael Erlandsson vocals, but this time the guy DID IT. GREAT vocal work and awesome musicianship as usual .
One of the albums of the year without a doubt.
If you like it, BUY IT.

1. For The Young & The Wild
2. After Tomorrows Gone
3. Pages
4. Rock´n Roll Is Saving My Soul
5. I Know A Lot About Love
6. Critical
7. Supersonic
8. Frozen Heart
9. American Girl
10. Domino
11. Still On The Run
12. Skyscraper (Japan bonus track)

This is the Japan Release. In the rest of the World the bonus is the song "Rocket Of Love"

Mikael Erlandsson (vocals, keys)
Andy Malecek (guitar)
Marcel Jacob (bass)
Jamie Borger (drums)



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STATETROOPER - Statetrooper (1986)

Gary Barden's band (ex MSG).

Tight production, big voice,the double guitar attack is great, the sound is decidely British.

Their live version of MSG's "Armed And Ready" is fantastic.

This album become a cult classic.

If you like it, BUY IT.

01.Shape Of Things To Come

02.Set Fire To The Night

03.Dreams Of The Faithful

04.Stand Me Up

05.Veni, Vidi, Vinci

06.Last Stop To Heaven

07.She Got The Look

08.To Late (Live) *

09.Armed And Ready (Live) *
* Recorded live at the Marquee Club, London.

Gary Barden (Vo)

Martin Bushell (G)

Jeff Summers (G)

Steve Glover (Key)

Jeff Brown (B)

Bruce Bisland (Dr)

Re-Posted HERE
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JOSHUA - Surrender (1985) [Original edition]

There were several versions of this released.
Here it is the original, a nice vinyl rip.

Killer hard rock/AOR album. Reminds me a lot of ICON.

Remember Kerrang Magazine? In '85 this album was nº1 for weeks on their ranking kickin' out Metallica, AC/DC, Judas Priest albums.

Another gem out of print.

1. Surrender Love

2. Heart Full Of Soul

3. Your Love Is Gone

4. Hold On

5. Back To The Rock

6. Rockin' The World
7. Stay Alive

8. Loveshock

9. Rockin' The World (Reprise)

Joshua Perahia guitars, vocals

Ken Tamplin guitars, vocals

Patrick Bradley keyboards, vocals

Loren Robinson bass, vocals

Jo Galletta drums

Jeff Fenholt lead vocals

re-posted HERE

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RENEGADE - Back From The Dead (2001)

Canadian MelodicRock/AOR GEM recorded 88/89


When putting this CD on, I was immediately remembering how good the 80s sounded.
This Canadian RENEGADE take us back to a time when AOR ruled the airwaves in Northern America.
In Canada there were a lot of AOR bands and most of them were quite popular too, just to name a few, I could mention LOVERBOY, HAYWIRE, HONEYMOON SUITE, BYSTANDER, SHERIFF, ALDO NOVA, WORRALL,TRIUMPH, ZAPPACOSTA and a lot more.
Back in the late 1980s almost every Canadian rock band was playing a typical sort of Canadian AOR style, and of course many of the independent scene from that period never got that big and that’s a pity, because for example this RENEGADE had the perfect AOR sound to become HUGE!

In 2001, the CD ‘Back from the dead’ was released as CD, containing material recorded during 1988 and 1989 when RENEGADE was very much alive and kicking, but it had to wait for over a decade to finally press it onto CD.
Well, what can I say, AOR never sounded better than in the 80's, and this RENEGADE proves that fact on the CD ‘Back from the dead’ which is basically a 1989 recording.
With the exception of a few releases (PRIDE OF LIONS, BLIND ALLEY), nowadays the ‘new’ AOR doesn’t sound as good as it once sounded in the heydays of the 1980s. Just listen how perfect this CD sounds, man, this is the way AOR should sound, emotional and just perfectly performed catchy AOR.
Sadly only 8 songs are included on ‘Back from the dead’, but for the fan of 80s Canuck AOR this is a complete must!
Vocals are high class (a la MIKE RENO, MICKEY THOMAS) and the songs are all very sensational pure AOR.

The album starts with “Standing out in the rain”, a lovely uptempo AOR piece that sounds like the perfect mix between HONEYMOON SUITE, BYSTANDER and the very first HAREM SCAREM.
Up next is the terrific midtempo AOR ballad “The best of me” with it’s catchy harmonyvocals during the chorus reminding me of ALIAS.
More uptempo AOR can be heard in the fantastic “Sign of the times” that sounds like a mix between AIRKRAFT (their last record) and AVIATOR.
The high quality AOR/rock basically continues on the next song “Prisoner of your heart” which sounds a lot like LOVERBOY (‘Lovin’ every minute of it’ period).
The CD continues with the great uptempo melodic rocker “Big city night” which is pure fun 1980s and sounding like HONEYMOON SUITE in their heydays.
Those 5 mentioned songs are lovely pure 80s AOR and of a very high level! Concluded, this is a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED CD to everyone into classic 80's AOR!
192 Kbps


1. Standing Out in the Rain
2. The Best of Me
3. Sign of the Times
4. Prisoner of Your Heart
5. Big City Nights
6. After the Smoke Clears
7. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
8. Betrayal

Marti Sippola vocals
Jim Buckshon bass, keyboards, drum programming, backing vocals
Geralso Dominelli guitar, vocals
Kenny Geatros guitar
John Tompkins keyboards


UPDATED HERE
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TOMMY FUNDERBURK - Anything For You (2005)

Vocalist Tommy Funderburk may not have the most recognizable name, but to die-hard devotees of the AOR scene, he is somewhat of a vocalist God.
His work in the band King Of Hearts is some of his best loved work – that project also featured Kelly Keagy (Night Ranger) and Bruce Gaitsch (Richard Marx).
He also sang lead vocals on the Boston album Walk On.
And I should add some of his studio credits with artists such as Motley Crue, Whitesnake, Richard Marx, Rick Springfield, Starship, REO Speedwagon, Coverdale/Page,Blue Murder, among 1000 others, making their backing vocals sound fantastic.
Tommy has one of those angelic AOR voices that you could listen to for hours. His slightly higher range and blissfully melodic tone is perfection for this genre. It's only a shame he doesn't make more records as a frontman.
One of my fav vocalists of all time, strongly recommend this to fans of James Christian, House Of Lords, REO Speedwagon, etc, and melodic rock/AOR fans with taste.
To me, one of the best albums in my collection...
If you like it, BUY IT.

1. Learning How To Love 4:21
2. Remember Our Love 4:53
3. Anything For You 5:11
4. Only You Can Give Me 4:03
5. To Say You Love Me 4:21
6. You Got The Love 4:22
7. Skin 3:33
8. The Garden 3:49
9. Second Chance 4:02
10. Say A Little Prayer 5:05

Tommy Funderburk Vocals
Fabrizio V. Zee Grossi Bass, Keyboards, Producer
JM Scattolin Guitar
Phil Brown Guitar
Rob Vanni Guitar
Amy Rothstein Keyboards
Joachin Cannaiuolo Drums
Biggs Brice Drums


ENJOY