Hard Rock and Metal Music

Essencial. If you belong to kissarmy you have to got it. Simple as: You wanted the best, you got the best.

MY girlfriend love this product very well shipped got it earlier than expected thanks so much it made her day

This box set is great has demos, previously unreleased songs, live versions and of course the normal songs all on 5 disks.

Highly recommend this Kiss item. Any true fan will want this. I was amazed that most of the music that didn't make it to their albums actually sounds like a cross between the Beatles and Led Zep. Great music and a must have!

I just read an interview with Gene saying that Kiss would release another box set of rarities. I wonder why they just didn't put everything in one set. This set is a waste for the most part. It does have some really interesting live cuts, demos, and alternate takes. But for the most part it is a best of collection. The problem is that the people that would buy this are Kiss fans and already have all the hits from the albums and multiple greatest hits packages over the years. This box set should have just been the rare bits and pieces.

Made in EU in 1996, Serial # EXP-029, Playing Time 48:24

Yes, it comes as a picture disc... but what we have here is some cover band performing tracks originally played by Steppenwolf; since there are absolutely no credits on the CD, perhaps it features a former band member? No matter, this is NOT Steppenwolf... doesn't even sound like Steppenwolf!

There have been "versions" of this material (even one with the official Steppenwolf logo!) under various titles (even one called "Born To Be Wild"). [...]

Track listing is as follows:
1) Born To Be Wild ("Steppenwolf")
2) Magic Carpet Ride ("Steppenwolf The Second")
3) Monster ("Monster", performed as mixed for single version)
4) America (nothing to do with the track of the same name on "Monster")
5) Power Play ("Monster")
6) What Would You Do ("Monster")
7) The Paymaster (origin unknown)
8) Back Home (origin unknown)
9) Draft Register (sic, "Draft Resister" from "Monster")
10) From Here To Eventually (actually "Rockbuster", origin unknown)
11) Three Stripes (origin unknown)
12) Suicide (nothing to do with the track of the same name on "Monster")

I've included above the albums that contained the ORIGINAL versions, just to make sure nobody confuses this release with their 1st album. The versions here aren't bad, but it's NOT Steppenwolf.

Caveat emptor!

Once upon a time, Steppenwolf was considered one of the heaviest bands around next to the Stones, Who, Jimi Hendrix, and Iron Butterfly.

Time hasn't been as kind to Steppenwolf compared to the rest of those bands, but *forget* about what time says we should and shouldn't remember. We should remember whatever music is GOOD to us, and that my friends, is where I step in and show my support for Steppenwolf's debut.

It's kind of a mystery why so many people have fallen in love with "The Pusher". It's a great song, but the rest of the album I believe is superior.

We all know that OTHER big hit so I won't mention that one. Those of you who've been reading my reviews might notice I deliberately avoid mentioning the most popular songs from an album. It's because the most popular songs more often than not aren't the actual *best* songs from any given album. In my experience that's just the way it usually is.

I think my favorite songs are "The Ostrich" for the great rhythm and chorus, and "Desperation" for having one of the most beautiful, moving, and quite honestly SADDEST vocal melodies the band ever created. Alright, Steppenwolf 7 probably has the most tear-jerking vocal moments, but this song sure qualifies as a sure tissue-grabber as well. Absolutely brilliant work on the vocals.

Remember Steppenwolf, and while listening to one of their albums, remember back to the 60's and 70's when rock and roll had spirit and adventure.

OK, I'm showing my age here, but I bought this album back when it first came out. It had a nice, shiny metallic shimmer to the cover, which was a trip back in the day. The music on this is killer. I don't think there's a song here I don't know by heart. It's one of those albums I've played so many times, flipped it over and then played the other side, that you could start a song anywhere and I'd know what was up next.

Steppenwolf stood out from the "groovy peace and love" bands of the late '60s. They dressed like hippies, but there was a rougher, darker interior lurking beneath, and that comes through in their music, too. Obviously, a lot of people will get "Born to Be Wild," but check out ALL the songs. From the opener, Sookie, Sookie, to the final notes of The Ostrich, this album rocks! It's nice, too, in that not all the songs sound the same. Berry Rides Again is a hard-charging, fast-paced homage to Chuck Berry, while A Girl I Knew seems plaintive and retrospective.

I don't know how good the quality of the download is, since I own the gold Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab edition of this, plus a remastered two-fer from BGO. (If you want to get more Steppenwolf, and you want it on CD, I HIGHLY recommend the BGO remasters, all of which offer two albums on one CD (except, I think, for Steppenwolf Live). Unfortunately, they didn't release them sequentially, so you get Early Steppenwolf (which actually was still going by Sparrow) at the Matrix in May 1967 paired with 1971's For Ladies Only. Still, if you're like me, and back everything up to mp3, that really doesn't matter.

But I digress. If you're going to own any Steppenwolf, this and The Second are ESSENTIAL. Their third release, At Your Birthday Party, is excellent, but it mixes a lot of genres and lacks the straight-ahead rock of the first two albums. Monster is great, too. I don't know why, but the audio quality on Steppenwolf Live is crappy, and right in the middle of it all, they drop the studio Hay Lawdy Mama, which really stands out as being a studio cut in the middle of a bunch of live music. Who knows? I have Live, but I recommend it only for die-hards. Anyway, get this and The Second and see if you want to go further...

Enjoy!

As the owner of the vinyl version of this record I knew what to expect from the digital version and I'm not disappointed. In the contrary, listening to e.g. "the Pusher" is a new experience due to the superb recording quality. If you don't know Steppenwolf, this record is the best starting point.

This is NOT what the other reviwers claim the album is. Nowhere on here is "The Pusher" or "Sookie, Sookie". These are re-recordings with some new material added. Trust me. The up-dated versions of "Born to Be Wild", "Magic Carpet Ride" & others are LOST compaired to the original versions. I don't even think John Kay is with this version of Steppenwolf. The vocals are NOT John Kay. The tracks are: "Born To Be Wild", "Magic Carpet Ride", "Monster" "America" "Power Play", "What Would You Do", "The Paymaster", "Back Home", "Draft Register" (should be DRAFT RESISTER"), "From Here To Eternity", "Three Stripes" & "Suicide". Buyer Beware. I only paid $1.80 for it. Don't pay more than that. Like I said, these are NOT the versions we've come to know & love. But. Re-recorded versions.

Christmas gift. Received in perfect condition and in a short time. Great price. Plenty of time before Christmas. Thanks.

I have listened to their songs on the radio for years but didn't have any albumns or CD's. I figured I should have at least one. I do not always like live albums but the crowd noises and the fact that the band seems to be playing for me makes this a good one. For Deep Purple and Led Leppelin I like tracks from certain albums but I never had any AC/DC albums to pick from. I think if you like their music and want to feel a part of the show, you cannot go wrong. There is another version that has more tracks which would probably be a better deal.

An eternal AC/DC fan, I prefer to see them live, rather than to just listen to a live album. A good album.

This is one of my first purchases through Amazon for music i personally like. The sound is very good and clear. I'm very satisfied with this option of buying my favourite music.

Zheko

This is an AWESOME cd. AC/DC really knows how to please their fans and this LIVE cd is no exception. The song collection was great and they were very good choices. Brian Johnson did a great job with the vocals and Angus was just pheonomenal as always on lead guitar. If your an AC/DC fan then you're nuts if you don't already have this cd, and thats the truth. Other rock fans should get this as well. OUT OF THIS WORLD!

I highly recommend on getting this cd.

The price was just right on this CD! Product in great condition & shipping was fast!

Sorry guys, I love Cherry Pie. In life and in music! =)) I don't care how much this album has been smashed, bashed and insulted. I love it. It's a fantastic fun rock album, with great songwriting. Uncle Tom's Cabin, Sure feels Good To me, Blind Faith, Love in Stereo, Mr Rainmaker are all exceptional example of great melodic metal. Great great songs. GREAT. Even the title track is a strong example of anthemic american AOR or melodic metal, or how you want to call it. It's a song about having fun, about having sex and fun, what's wrong with that? It didn't pretend to be something else, a deep intellectual statement about society or about the meaning of life. It's fun, pure fun, with a Killer riff and a killer chorus. Terrific! A great melody that stucks in your head and never goes away! I still love the song almost twenty years after I listened to it for the first time. All the ballads, Isaw Red and Bed of roses are beautiful power ballads, synonimus of the era. Jane Lane was a really good songwriter in the hair metal genre and even beyond. He was a long haired guy, so what? Should I judge the music by his hairdos or looking at his boots or at his attitude? I don't think so! I let music do the talking! This album is better than the first one DRFSR and both went platinum. Believe me, you don't go platinum easily. It means that in a particular moment you meant something to a lot of people, that you succeded in representing an era, a moment, a style, a concept. Hair metal was about having fun, loving beautiful girls, having a macho attitude, being young and energetic, good guitar playing, fantastic riffs and tender power ballads. There's nothing wrong with this! I still love this style of music today, I find it very beautiful, musically strong and funny and I'm a Jazz guitar player! I love hair metal, noone will ever make me change my mind about that! Cherry Pie is a fantastic, loud and proud hair metal album with strong melodic hooks and great rockin' riffs! Thanxs Warrant!

I loved the first one I bought years ago and this is just a replacement. It's great for keeping up a good beat when you want to exercise. The music is great anytime but be sure and put your speed control on when you're in the car.

Take it from me, a metalhead thatreally doesn't care too much for the "Glam Metal" subgenre when I say that this is a great album.

My review: However, this is a catchy album that was also one of the last "Glam Metal" albums to go Platinum, before "Grunge" bands like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, and (I've saved the best for last) Nirvana, etc. would take over and start to rule the music world. All 14 tracks on here are Excellent and outstanding with the exception of "I Saw Red" (the ballad of the album)

I believe "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "Cherry Pie" are by far the strong points. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is an axcellent semi-ballad which starts out as a soft acoustic-sounding song for probably the first 45 seconds, and then turns into a havily distorted song that you may actually want to headbang to, and then back into an acoustic-sounding outro.

Do I even need to review the song "Cherry Pie". It's excellent and while very repetitive it is one of their stand-out songs. (although personally, I like the former better than this one).

Most every song on here is great and needs to be heard by YOU. To conclude my review I'd like to wrap up saying BUY THIS ALBUM! IT WON"T LET DOWN AND IS A MUST BUY!!!

BUY THIS ALBUM TODAY!!!

It's amazing how quickly Warrant went from being platinum selling megastars to the poster boys for everything that was suddenly wrong about the hair metal scene, but that's just what happened in the early 90's. A lot of that backlash had to come from the title track and video to the band's 1990 album Cherry Pie, a big obnoxious innuendo-laden song about...well, I'm sure you can figure it out. That song came to symbolize the hair metal scene's lack of originality and real meaning, paving the way for Nirvana and friends to clean house.

I think it's unfair to write the scene, band, and album off based on one song though. Sure, it's probably my least favorite Warrant song, but the rest of the album is surprisingly strong melodic rock. Check out the monster guitar hooks on Uncle Tom's Cabin or the power ballad perfection of I Saw Red and Blind Faith. Bed of Roses is a great melodic track, and Song and Dance Man, Mr. Rainmaker and the cover of Blackfoot's Train, Train give the album a dose of Southern swagger. Really, aside from the title track and the closing expletive-fest "Ode to Tipper Gore", Cherry Pie is a remarkably strong album, and one that doesn't deserve the reputation it has since picked up.

If you're dead set against the hair metal era, nothing I say will convince you otherwise. Those of us that grew up with bands like Warrant know a fun rock album when we hear it, and Cherry Pie definitely qualifies.

NOTE: The 2004 reissue of Cherry Pie features digitally remastered sound and a pair of bonus demo tracks - Game of War and The Power, the latter of which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1992 boxing movie Gladiator: Music From The Motion Picture (1992 Film). It's a shame they couldn't have added the cover of Queen's We Will Rock You from that same soundtrack. The remastering alone makes it worthwhile to replace your old version, but the bonus tracks are pretty good too.

THE ORIGINAL HEVY METAL GROUPS FIRST ALBUM IS THEIR BEST WITH THE GREAT GUITAR WORK ON MANDERICK ROOT AND THE JAZZ ROCK VERSION OF THE BEATLES HELP AND THEIR FIRST HIT HUSH IT IS A MASTERPEAC

The Deep Purple mk 1 line up recorded this album in 1968 so what you can expect is heavy rock in a psychedelic and jazzy style that frankly just cannot be compared to any other psych band of the time. The sound is muddy but all the better for it really.

This line-up had (in true Purple tradition) a different singer and bassist in the shape of Rod Evans and Nick Simper respectively who contribute well to the overall sound, especially Simper, a busy bassist with a heavy sound. Evans is more restrained than the later Ian Gillan.

Lord, Blackmore and Paice weave their magic of course, but some of the songs would really benefit from some rhythm guitar, something that Blackmore didn't like. What was wrong with that guy? Paicey gets his jazz boots on in some of the songs and Lord even rips off excerpts from Sheherezade by Rimsky-Korsakov and Spanish excerpts from Manuel de Falla. No matter. It was the '60s.

One thing I particularly like is the extra song "Shadows", a lovely, psychedelic melody that wouldn't be out of place on a Nuggets compilation. The live cut of "Hush" on Playboy, however, sounds like it was recorded straight of the tv with not enough depth or presence. No matter. Its an interesting document.

All in all, I was surprised by this album. Its heavy, rocky, colourful, interesting, overlooked and, above all, just great!

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's.

It's not uncommon that a rock and roll band has a history that is forgotten about. Many times, it is for the proper reasons. Deep Purple`s first incarnation "Mark I" had three terrific records. If they never created another note, they could be proud to have composed such great material.

While to most of the musical universe Deep Purple is "Mark 2" featuring the intense and strong vocals of Ian Gillian and Roger Glover on bass, the prior story begins in 1968. Rod Evans (One of the most underrated singers of the era) and Nick Simper (Bass) may not be household names but were very much a part of the foundation.

"Shades Of" isn't "In Rock." That is not a swipe in the least. It is only a warning to those that are looking for the more metal and improvisational side of the band. What the initial album consists of is terrific material and well-blended rock with Ritchie Blackmore already way ahead of the curve and only to get better.

"And The Address" opens with a tasty riff that you don't forget. It's a solid choice to lay down the landscape of what will follow.

"Hush" is indeed the cover of the Joe South tune. Purple may very well have the definitive version. It is still played on rock radio to this day.

"One More Rainy Day" features a well-crafted sound by Jon Lord on the keyboards. Evans vocal feel is superlative.

"Prelude"/"Happiness"/"I'm So Glad" covers the musical spectrum in a bit over seven minutes. "I'm So Glad" is the timeless tune written by Skip James that was made famous by the incredible Cream version. Purple chooses not to intensify it to that degree but finds a perfect direction using a mid-tempo arrangement and first rate drumming from Ian Paice.

"Mandrake Root" is Purple's first journey into the land of improvisation. As they explore uncharted waters, the band jells well. Jon Lord's keyboards are mixed high and it give a memorable performance.

"Help!" needs no introduction. The Beatles classic (Lennon/McCartney) is slowed down to a totally different and unique arrangement. The vocals are heartfelt and the results are pleasant!

"Love Help Me" pays homage to the psychedelic sounds of the 60's Although it may be the least known song on the record it clearly belongs.
"Hey Joe" closes the festivities. There is debate if Billy Roberts wrote the song but never a question how endless versions from Hendrix to Purple will live forever. This rendition isn't full of fire but it packs enough of a punch to get the job done.

Make sure to purchase the remaster with the five bonus tracks because "Shadows" is strong enough to have been included on the original disc.


Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

Pick-up this well-written 80,s masterpiece ,listen to tracks 5 & 1 for the best songs,these are keepers,for sure.

great cd all song on cd are great best cd everbody should buy cd if they like zerbra

Wish they would have put out even more music than they did. Great CD!

I was a devout fan of early BOC living in Southern Mississippi when this came out, and my friends and I listened to it nonstop. It's one of just a few 'metal' albums I still listen to from around that time, two others being Rush 2112 and Van Halen's first, because it is beautiful, powerful, emotional, and intelligent. Wow. Jackson penned all but one of the songs, I think, and boy - finding music that wasn't cliche - that was actually original and smart and emotionally wrenching to boot - it was more than I could've asked for. Another reviewer said they're not quite as brainy as Rush, which is true, but I love them for it. Rush were a bit impersonal for my tastes. I just discovered that they put out a new record a few years back, just having gotten the cd version of this, so will definitely check 'er out! A really great album.

THE WORST ALBUM BY ZEBRA THE SECOND AND THIRD WERE WAY BETTER THE ONLY GOOD SONG IS TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT DON'T BUY THIS YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME!!

By far, this is judas priest's best album. Every song is fast paced, headbanging, thrash metal that i can't get enough of. The best song has to be Metal Meltdown but #2 would have to be Hell patroll. This definitely blows all the other abums away. You will not be disapointed with this kickass album. ROCK ON

Man, the boys must of taken some viagra and chased it with a crack pipe. This is some heavy stuff. Its really good throughout... and I think its one of the best Priest out there, and I love their older stuff. I didn't think they would top SFV or SC but they have with this monster. Awesome stuff.

With the dawn of the '90s comes Judas Priest's "Painkiller", possibly the greatest and one of the most influential speed metal albums of all time. Between Rob's always-impressive range of vocals shattering the air, KK and Glenn's jaw-dropping guitar work and newcomer Scott Travis's complex, thundering drumming, this album is one of the absolute finest releases by the Metal Gods.
There's no doubt when it comes to the fact that Judas Priest has experimented a bit over the years. Their earlier works were bluesier and more progressive, their '80s classics delved in New Wave of British Heavy Metal. In terms of the sound on this album, if compared to other artists, it's kind of like taking the thick, rich epic guitar-and-drum tone of Mercyful Fate, mixed with the speed and sinister riffage of Slayer and the melody and talent of Van Halen, only faster, heavier and a more epic sense of melody. However, that's only comparing them to other artists, I feel that "Painkiller" has a sound that totally original Judas Priest. And "Painkiller" is the Holy Grail of adrenaline-driven metal of the past 20 years. It's the high-water mark probably most metal bands today aim at. And you've got to be honest and say that all these songs, as fast and wild as they are, still are very well written.
One great thing about the album is that it's a concept album. The Painkiller is the hero, and the Nightcrawler is the villain, and most of the album between those two songs is about triumph in battle, and the evils that lurk in the night. Yes, this is indeed Priest at their finest.
Another thing that makes this album more interesting is the order of the songs. I mean, sure, they've gotta be in a certain order to make a sensible concept, but I love how the songs go from tense to comfort, and back and forth. The dynamics of the album are just as impressive as the musicianship, songwriting and singing.
Some of my favorite songs on this metal classic are:
"Painkiller": The six-minute epic that opens the album, kicking the song off with some blast beat drumming and a heavy, sinister guitar riff. Lots of blazing, power-packed guitar soloing fill out this album, with Rob screeching all the way through with his signature power.
"Hell Patrol": A nice contrast of "Painkiller", like I was talking about. It rocks just as hard but it's got more of a comfort level than a tension like "Painkiller". More great riffs, and Rob uses his cool mid-range voice for this song.
"Metal Meltdown" opens with 30 seconds of pure guitar shredding, a great way to open the album. In comes a fast, melodic but sinister riff and lightning drums, and Rob using his powerful voice as always.
"Nightcrawler": The headbanger of a song that's about the villain in the concept album. Features a creepy and tense, quiet section where Rob sings about the Nightcrawler being like a villain in a slasher film. Very interesting song.
"A Touch of Evil": An epic song at over five and a half minutes, combining awesome keyboards, guitar work and lyrics. One of the best metal songs ever, indeed.
"One Shot At Glory": Is the lengthy, epic anthem that closes out the original album with a bang!
In addition, the album comes with the moody "Living Bad Dreams" and a live version of "Leather Rebel". So to sum myself up, "Painkiller" is one of the best speed metal/ power metal albums ever to be released. I strongly recommend this to all Judas Priest fans, and all metal and rock fans, because it's an amazing, well-written classic. Thanks for the time, and peace.

1983's "Point of Entry" was the last ggreat album for Priest (and easliy their best), it was a slightly Eastern-tinged album but with the classic elements of Priest's early albums. However, after that it's just been downhill. And since then it's been Downhill. Turbo was a train wreck. It was their attempt at going Hair Metal, and had so many embarassing songs like "Hot For Love" and "Turbo Lover". Ram It Down was even worse, they replaced the world's most boring drummer (Dave Holland) with a drumming machine. YES! Drumming Machine!

1990 was when Halford had demanded a heavier direction, and so they did with "Painkiller". Many fans have declared this a fantastic effort but I beg to differ- Musically it's a great album. There's lots of shredding solos, amazing riffs, and the new drummer POUNDS the living hell out of those drums! And Halford's vocals are spectacular here- his vocals usually are just good and nothing else (why do people say he's better than Dickinson? He's nowhere near as good as Dickinson!), but here he's fantastic.

That said, as much as I like to praise this album- the lyrics are downright terrible. Honestly. What happened to their sense of humor like "Johnny B. Goode" off of Defenders of the Faith (which wasn't a good album but OK)? These guys' lyrics have declined. I would usually throw the album into the trash upon hearing "Faster than a laser bullet", but the music is really good, so it gets a bonus there. And "Night Crawler"- that song mae me want to bash my head in. I always laugh out loud when I hear the "WHILE IT FEASTS ON FLESH AND BLOOD!!!!!!!!!", and my friends laughed so hard when I showed them that bit.

Look, this is a great album musically- if not their strongest effort musically. But it's a shame the lyrics are a real dud. I guess I expected too much, but whatever.

English metal gods Judas Priest released their 12th studio album entitled Painkiller in September of 1990.
After the disappointment with 1988's Ram it Down, Judas Priest reached their mid-career crisis. First, bands like Metallica and Megadeth were fighting hair bands like Bon Jovi and Poison for metal supremacy. Second, longtime drummer Dave Holland quit Judsa Priest leaving lead singer Rob Halford plus guitarists Glenn Tipton and KK Downing and bass player Ian Hill without a drummer. That all changed when they replaced the somewhat Phil Rudd-ish playing Holland with a fast footed and armed American named Scott Travis from Racer X (Scott's influences were John Bonham, Neil Peart and Alex Van Halen all rock drumming legends). Also, the band were embroiled in a lawsuit after two families sued the band for claiming their kids killed themselves after hearing backwards masking on the 1978 album Stained Class.
With the problems facing Priest, the band went in the studio with producer Chris Tsandgeries to record what is possibly one of the greatest metal albums EVER RECORDED!
The album's opening title cut is one of the best tracks the band ever recorded though I must admit when I first heard this on the radio and MTV in late 1990, I thought I was listening to an album by Slayer but it was Priest with Rob Halford's shrieks and KK Downing and Glenn Tipton's fiery riffs. Travis' drumming breathed new life into a band that were arguably heading for mediocrity, Priest were never known for lightning double-bass drumming prior to that. Next is another great classic "Hell Patrol" which is another great song. We follow with the heavy "All Guns Blazing" which just kicks serious arse. Next is another great piece "Leather Rebel" which is a great but underappreciated gem in the Priest canon. The first half ends with "Metal Meltdown" which sees Halford shrieking like he had some Devil trapped in his body and the dual leads of Tipton and Downing just rocking out in a serious way.
The album's second half picks up where it left off with the heavy "Night Crawler" which rocks. Next is the classic "Between the Hammer and the Anvil" which was another great Priest rocker. Next was the album's second single "A Touch of Evil" which features keyboard work from Don Airey (famed for work with Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Brian May) and speaks of demonic possession and metaphorically speaks of love and features one of Halford's best vocals, especially his scream at the end of the bridge and the three Halford singing/screaming the last chorusand one of Tipton's best solos. "Battle Hymn" is a great instrumental which serves as an overture to the classic speed metal closer "One Shot at Glory" which sees Halford joust between singing and screaming. He ends the track with a high scream and would end his tenure with the band for 14 years after this.
While many hold Painkiller in high regard (like myself), unfortunately the record buying public disagreed and this album flopped when first released due to stuff like Poison and Vanilla Ice. Painkiller barely hit the Top 30 and scraping Gold.
In 2002, the album was re-issued with two bonus tracks. One of which called "Living Bad Dreams" was kept off the album due to time constraints whilst the live "Leather Rebel" rocks as hard as studio version.
Highly recommended!

I had and really liked BOOK OF TALISYN-and then became a PINK FLOYD fan-and then moved to RENIASSANCE;
Ive always wondered about this, but never heard any-
and then out of curiosity, MP3 of OCEAN GYPSY
I must say the Candice Night does this every bit as good as Annie Haslam in RENAISSANCE
I cringed at Micheal Dunfords "covers" of h is own material with Stephanie Addington-on THE OTHER WOMAN

But Candace has a voice and understanding to do this magical song justice.

I've lost count of the number of people who I have introduced to Blackmore's Night. What I do remember is that in each case it was the title track of "Shadow of the Moon" that I used. There is something about it which almost immediately captures the ear of the listener and lets them know they are in for something special and different. Though certainly influenced by Celtic music, it is by no means fits into that category as it has a thoroughly modern feel to it. At the same time, the music reminds the listener of the influences from which it has been derived.

This debut album is a collection of pieces from 1997 which Ritchie Blackmore worked on with his wife Candice Night. Some of them are built on traditional pieces; others are modern versions of old pieces. A couple of them are covers from other groups. All of them fit together to form a most enjoyable album.

It opens with the title track, which as I have already mentioned is one which will immediately grab the listener's ear. This is followed by "The Clock Ticks On", which has a grand feel to it, and was a traditional composition by Tielman Susato from the 1500s. Next up is "Be Mine Tonight", a nice love song. This is followed by "Play Minstrel Play", another more haunting song in which Ian Anderson guests on flute. This is another piece put together on top of a traditional composition by Pierre Attaignant from the 1500s. "Ocean Gypsy" is next, and it is a cover from the progressive group Renaissance, and their album "Scheherazade and Other Stories" from 1975. It is another wonderful haunting piece which fits the album very well. This is followed by the instrumental piece "Minstrel Hall" by Ritchie Blackmore.

"Magical World" is another traditional piece which they have turned into their own song. The liner notes say it was composed by Wassail, but I am not sure who that is. On the other hand, the next piece, "Writing On The Wall", has Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as its composer credit. This is followed by "Renaissance Faire", which is another piece built on a traditional composition by Tielman Susato. This leads to the second of Ritchie Blackmore's instrumental pieces, "Memmingen". This is followed by "No Second Chance", which is an entirely original piece. This is followed by the third; my favorite; and for some the last of the Ritchie Blackmore instrumental pieces, "Mond Tanz".

Next up is "Spirit of the Sea", another enjoyable original piece from the group. Next is "Greensleves", the original lyrics with a Ritchie Blackmore arrangement which fits the rest of the album well. The track which closes the album is "Wish You Were Here", which was originally by Teijo Agélii-Leskelä. I have two copies of the CD, and each has a different bonus track. One has a different version of the instrumental "Minstrel Hall", and the other has "Possum's Last Stand" as its bonus track.

The group consists of Ritchie Blackmore (electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bass, mandolin, drum, tambourine), Candice Night (lead and backing vocals), Pat Regan (keyboards) and The Minstrel Hall Consort; which consists of Gerald Flashman (recorders, trumpet, and French horns), Tom Brown (cello), and Lady Green (viola and violins). Along with Ian Anderson guest performing on "Play Minstrel Play" was Scott Hazel who did some backing vocals on the same track.

This is not just a good debut, it is a great one. If you don't enjoy this CD, you should avoid the rest of the group's catalogue as the group sticks to the same style, and for good reason. This is my favorite of their releases, but that does not mean that it is the only one you should listen to, as they all have memorable tracks and performances.

I love this mellowing and evocative music, and have been listening to it over and over while reading the very-similarly-titled space book In the Shadow of the Moon: A Challenging Journey to Tranquility, 1965-1969 (Outward Odyssey: A People's History of S)- they go very nicely together !!

Blackmore's true mastery...
I am a big Blackmore fan since I was a child and of course was saddened to hear bout him leaving Purple. But I also know of all his ventures are so interesting and so it is like a sweetener to know that he would come up with something that I would fall in love with. So he did. I first saw this album in Bangkok in 1998 and could not believe this was Blackmore playing there. I bought the album and listened to it over and over for hours and it captured my soul. This guy can do anything he wants to. More over he did this Renaissance music (or at least the Blackmore version of it) because he has a true passion for it and it reflects in the music. The transformation of 1500-1600 eras to a contemporary studio with his Fender Strat playing on some songs is brilliant! This is how you can fall in love with an ancient music because a master, a virtuoso on his own right, makes it palatable for the audience.
Also on this Album, a special guest contributes to the Play Minstrel Play number, Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson with his magical flute.
The album was produced by Pat Regan which did a great job and he came back later to produce some more for Blackmore. I am sure you will love this and other albums as well.

Needles to say I bought all of Blackmore's Night venture's albums that followed and they just got better and better. You can listen to very unique instrumentals (through which Blackmore's genius comes alive) and savor the other very well orchestrated and others that are musically arranged songs. But I have to say that I still miss the great Blackmore of the Purple and Rainbow days too...

This is my first Blackmore's Night album and I plan to collect more in the future. It's a cd full of nothing but good songs, so you will not have to skip over any. If you love a Loreena McKennitt, Qntal type of genre you will enjoy this as a new twist in sound sure to please the ear. "Ocean Gypsy" and "Shadow of the Moon" must be played over and over!

That is artistically speaking of course! The rift between singer David Lee Roth with the rest of the band was coming to a head here. Still the band delivered one of their best sets! This is the first album that the band recorded at Eddie's own studio "5150" but unfortunately it was the last collaboration between Roth and band mates Eddie Van Halen (guitar), Alex Van Halen (drums) and bassist Michael Anthony. Once again Ted Templeman produced and Donn Landee engineered the recording.
I investigated on the matter and, not surprisingly, found out that the drawing on the album's cover caused some controversy at the time.

A short instrumental "1984" opens the album in an experimental fashion with Eddie playing some melodic notes and chords on a synthesizer. It is a good preview of what follows: "Jump", a monster radio hit with catchy synth work from Eddie. Has the band decided to ditch their trademark guitar-based sound to become a synth-pop group? Of course not, in the middle you'll hear a great guitar solo filled with Eddie's trademark tricks like two-handed tapping, and false harmonics. I like the chord structure underneath since it different from the ones used on the verse/chorus. Afterwards another new section is introduced with a fast pattern played with the synth before going back to the intro melody. Listen carefully before the fade out as the guitar comes in and Eddie plays a staccato riff that the band will later recycle for the song "Top Of The World". Song number three is another radio hit called "Panama" although I really don't know the inspiration behind that title. Finally the band's classic sound is heard! This song could have easily fitted on their debut! I like the part where you can hear a car's engine roaring.
An unexpected turn happens with "Top Jimmy" with Eddie playing in a funkier style and without distortion here. I like the intro too with a cool arpeggio sequence drenched in false harmonics. The solo is quite avant-garde with a lot of tremolo usage. I detected an Uli Jon Roth influence in it...For example listen to Uli's solo in the Scorpions song "Virgin Killer" from the album of the same name and you'll hear a resemblance especially the very last note with the pitch bending down.
"Drop Dead Legs" is an underrated composition with an odd time signature riff after its chorus. A great performance from Alex who has a nice powerful sound on his drums here. In the outro solo you can hear the influence of another guitarist: Allan Holdsworth, this time being in those fast and slightly dissonant phrasings. "Hot For Teacher" is another composition featuring the band's classic debut sound with a really cool lead guitar intro with the two-handed tapping technique. The lyrics about school are funny and it comes complete with a fake classroom voice over. "Class dismissed!!" say Roth towards the end. This song always makes me laugh! There's more than one time signature during the solo, another master performance from drummer Alex.
Next comes the unexpected return of the synths: "I'll Wait". A great melody introduces it and the guitar is only featured during its short solo in the middle. Roth gives a fine vocal performance while Alex returns to that powerful drum sound first heard on "Drop Dead Legs".
I've always thought that "Girl Gone Bad" is an overlooked song in the band's catalog. It has a tremendous intro with some dark-sounding arpeggios but the guitar work remains interesting all the way through with a memorable verse/chorus structure as well. The final composition "House Of Pain" actually dates from the band's club days. In 1976 they recorded a demo version but the band decided to alter its original arrangement when they re-recorded it for "1984" with the most remarkable aspect being its mean heavy riff that is used in the chorus. Also notable is the solo in the middle, which is one of Eddie's most avant-garde with a lot of those high pitched notes with the tremolo arm! This is definitely a high key exit and a highlight!

Van Halen is one of my favorite guitarists! His rhythm guitar tone, sometimes referred to as "the brown sound" is one of the best tones I've ever heard while his soloing technique utilizing two-handed tapping, false harmonics, etc. was hugely influential having an impact almost as big as Hendrix! If you are a fan of exotic guitar playing, then check this or any other album from Van Halen!
Thanks for taking the time to read!
Later...

This is such a special album. I have never gotten tired of it, after 25 years. When I look at the score itself, it looks kind of easy to play. But trying to get my guitar playing to sound like Eddie's is a whole different story. He's a master musician for a reason. Too bad Van Halen didn't produce more albums like this.

This is the absolute worst site I have ever seen,....I can't believe you cant buy just one song...all the songs are unavailable......I guess Van Halen has plenty of money and does not need to sell their songs anymore......Good for them,....guess I will go and purchase other great 80's bands songs that actually allow their songs to be purchased.........

David Lee Roth could never sell a love song, it's like he was amoral or maybe malfunctioning. Sammy Hagar, he's straight from the heart, projecting live, restlessly from the Id. Me, I can't discount the possibility I'm cracking up. I play Van Halen so loud, I'm trying to drown out the sound of me talking to myself. It's not working so well, I keep writing notes to myself. My pockets are full of them. Let's see, this one says "precarious balance," another says "your actions and inactions have consequences," yet another "where's the self-destruction button." Oh man, I really hope these are not fortunes from a cookie. I talk to myself but what's the point, I never listen. Part of the jazz is my transition from f to m has been scary bumpy. Tumult. Call it the blue fog. I keep falling out of airplanes. You'd think after 10 years of paying dues, I would have hit upon a winner. I haven't been landing on my feet. I say, the only thing she loved about me was how easy I am to hurt. Rollercoaster crazy, I'd rather just be lonely (again). And I turned someone down today, she probably would be nice to me, good for me, but, that's not what I want. It's gotta be HER. And she's using me up. But I still have a strand of will; it's either HIM or ME, it cannot be both, don't try to cross the bottom line. I think it's gonna take more than 12 steps to get away from HER. 'Cause I don't want to! I really painfully adore her. It's about sick riffs, shot out of a canon.

1984 finds Van Halen changing their direction in music again though not as radical a change as Fair Warning. 1984 is synthesizer laden though it's not the first time that one had appeared in their recordings. This was their sixth studio album & the final one with David Lee Roth (not counting his guest appearance on a couple of newly recorded songs). 1984 peaked at #2 on the album charts. There were four singles released from it that made the charts: "Hot for Teacher" (#34 Mainstream Rock, #56 Hot 100), "I'll Wait" (#13 Hot 100), "Jump" (#13 Dance/Club, #1 Hot 100) & "Panama (#13 Hot 100). I know a few people that became totally turned off to the group because Eddie did so much synthesizer work on the album. After all, Eddie is a guitar god, what's he doing playing a synthesizer? Well, it was the eighties & a lot of bands were incorporating synthesizers into their music & drum machines (gasp!) and/or electronic drums. Z Z Top did the same thing in the eighties & sold more records than they had ever sold. It was just a sign of the times. I didn't particularly desire it but it happened. I thought it was good to have an occasional change & an album full of it didn't turn me off. 1984 isn't Van Halen' best album (many will disagree) but it's WAY better than Diver Down! Every band grows & matures, they can't remain stagnant. Look how much the Beatles changed from 1963 to 1970. Van Halen was no different in that regard, sometimes we like the changes, sometimes we don't.

The album opens with "1984", a short synthesizer instrumental that's the intro for the next song, "Jump". "Jump" was written & recorded with MTV in mind. It also gave Diamond Dave a great reason to perform certain stunts on stage while touring. "Jump" is a classic piece of pop blended with Van Halen's rock abilities. "Panama" is a return to form, Eddie playing a driving rhythm on guitar with licks & riffs all over the place. Who doesn't like a song about a fast car? "Top Jimmy" has Eddie playing around with harmonics on guitar but in a league all by himself. It's a fast tempo song that they would do at least one of on most albums. "Drop Dead Legs" has Diamond Dave doing his best male fantasy routine. I love Eddie's lead that closes out the song. "Hot for Teacher" was another song that was written with MTV in mind. Wasn't Waldo a gas in the video? What male couldn't resist the male fantasy of a teacher that hot? "I got my pencil! Give me something to write on!" Diamond Dave's personality is the overwhelming presence in the song. This song, more than almost any other Van Halen song, exudes the party-hearty atmosphere that they were so famous for. It shouldn't have come as a surprise when Diamond Dave departed that he'd be singing about California girls & gigolos. "I don't feel tardy." "I'll Wait" was co-written with Michael McDonald (Doobie Bros., mach II). It was one of the more unique songs in their catalog & one of their best. Eddie proved to be more than adequate on keyboards with this song; his guitar solo is one of his most restrained on any song. "Girl Gone Bad" is the closest thing to filler on the album. Most bands would love to be able to say a song of this quality is the weakest song on the album. But Eddie has a way of elevating the listener's interest when he bursts out with a solo like he does on this one. The final song is "House of Pain" which reminds of some of the songs from Fair Warning. It's a dark, dangerous song that would have fit well on Fair Warning.

1984 was a great closing of the David Lee Roth era of Van Halen. I hated to see him go & never have thought that Sammy Hagar was an adequate replacement. Hagar never had the personality of Diamond Dave &, maybe, that was the whole idea, anyway. How do you replace a Diamond Dave? You can't. I did, kind of, anticipate the new Van Halen with Hagar. I thought it would give Eddie more time with keyboards or fleshing out his leads more (like he really needed to do that, huh?). But the new Van Halen didn't quite take the direction that I thought they would take.

Despite some great singing and masterful guitar work, this album is no doubt Ozzy's lamest studio album in his 40 year career. For Ozzy, the songs are just way below the standard he set for himself on his previous and following releases. Possibly due to the reported friction between Ozzy and Jake E. Lee going on at the time. This CD is really just for Ozzy die-hards only.

Great album from an alltime great rock n roll superstar. I personnaly prefer this album over Ozzy's first solo album (but that's just me). Jake E. Lee's guitar playing is amazing. Not too take away from Randy Rhodes - who was also tremendously gifted - as is Zakk Wilde. But for me, this album, The Ultimate Sin, just rings true in so many areas.

this and ultimate sin are the only two albums jake e. lee were on he is different than randy but a great guitar player bark at the moon great song the whole album is great ozzy's first five albums are the best he has ever done after no rest for the wicked they just didn;t have the punch as his older albums do a must for ozzy fans

Since Ozzy Osbourne's "Bark at the Moon" album was released in 1983; with new guitar axeman Jake E. Lee, because Randy Rhoads was very hard to replace for Ozzy. Even the thought of using Night Ranger guitarist Brad Gillis or Dokken's George Lynch were in the mix. Since guitarist Gillis played on Ozzy's "Speak of the Devil" live album. Jake E. Lee held his own playing with the hit songs "Bark at the Moon and Rock N' Roll Rebel".
In 1986 this album "The Ultimate Sin" was released and Mtv rock videos were really popular. Ozzy and Jake got to be in a few classic videos; with songs "Shot in the Dark and Lightning Strikes" and with clips from the VHS live video "The Ultimate Ozzy" was also released. I think this album "The Ultimate Sin" was Jake E. Lee's better guitar work than "Bark at the Moon", even though there are just 9 songs on the album/cd. I also think songs "Thank God for the Bomb and Fool like You" really stand out.
It's worth jamming, so turn it up! I also had to order this cd import from Germany for my collection. The Ultimate Sin

The Ultimate Sin would be not bothering to give this great album a chance because it's not listed as one of Ozzy's finest moments. Personally I like it a lot more than No More Tears because back in the mid 80's the spirit of heavy metal was in full bloom. I know Ozzy was going through some personal problems at the time it was recorded, but honestly, it didn't really affect the music in a negative way if you ask me. It's the same old "love him or hate him" Ozzy that's we've known for years.

It's funny how some people think "Shot in the Dark" is the only good song on here. No way! That means we'd have to ignore the ultra melodic "Never Know Why", "Thank God for the Bomb", and the flat out awesome "Lightning Strikes". The title song is pretty good too.

"Killer of Giants" reminds me of "Fire in the Sky", and if you like that song from No Rest for the Wicked, you'll like this one as well. It's songs like this that make Ozzy an excellent singer. I don't care if he has a high pitched voice that drives some people insane- when he sings a song like this, with the meaningful war lyrics and everything, it makes him a very good singer. You care about the lyrics, and you care about the way he sings them because you can remember the vocal melody. He's a good singer.

"Secret Loser" is a classic. It's like a heavy pop song that really sounds good. I like this album a lot. The guitar playing might be somewhat lacking in a couple areas, but it's seriously not enough for me to dislike it or anything.