When I was really getting into Iron Maiden, I sort of worked my way backwards and started with their newer work, most notably Brave New World (2000). The more I went backwards in their discography, the more entranced I was by their work. Honestly though, my favorite Iron Maiden albums still remain from the past decade or so when they reunited with long time front man Bruce Dickinson. Anyway, when I finally got my hands on the original self-titled Iron Maiden album circa 1980, I was so excited as I had heard so much great admiration for the album. Much to my surprise though, there was NO Bruce Dickinson, but rather Paul DiAnno? Who? Well, listening to the album, you'll completely forget about Dickinson...for the time being.

     Iron Maiden is an absolutely amazing record. It bridges the gap between the punkish era of the late 1970s to the more articulate and technical type that would be the essence of Maiden's sound for the next three decades perfectly. You can hear the influences of both genres of punk and metal working in true harmony hear and it is a delight to the ears. Paul DiAnno lacks the vocal range and dramatic prowess of Bruce Dickinson but certainly has his own unique attitude and style. There are a sect of fans out there that preferred DiAnno, and after hearing this album, I can see why. I certainly still prefer Dickinson as Maiden's signature vocalist, but I understand the sentiment for DiAnno.

     Practically every song is a classic, and the trademark flare for the gothic is richly supplied in their debut. Songs like "Phantom of the Opera" and the awesome instrumental "Transylvania" will tickle your gothy side. "Running Free" is just such a ballsy rocker, one of my favorites on the record. "Charlotte the Harlot" is similar in that vein, as it too rocks hard. This is to only name a few, as from beginning to end, every track is a winner.

     As a debut, this album is astounding. It is so much beyond that though, it stands as one of the best metal albums of the past 40 years, since the advent of Black Sabbath in 1969. Though Iron Maiden was probably overshadowed by the future success of a Bruce Dickinson led band, this debut album stands as one of their best. The sound we all know and love from the Dickinson era of Maiden is simply a very refined and technical supreme version of his raw, terrific classic.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Running Free"

"Phantom of the Opera"

"Transylvania"

"Charlotte the Harlot"

"Prowler"

"Iron Maiden"

-Kurt L.

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     To preface this review properly, I would like to state that I am a huge Sammy Hagar fan. I love Van Halen (especially the "Van Hagar" era), I love Hagar's solo work, and of course his new band Chickenfoot. I've read his awesomely entertaining and informative autobiography, seen practically all his music videos on DVD, etc., and even saw him in concert when he reunited with Van Halen back in 2004. He is easily one of my favorite artists. With all that said, the 2006 Livin' It Up album is horrible. Similar to, but not nearly as bad, as the abysmal Van Halen III, eventually, somewhere down the line, your favorite musician is going lay a rotten egg.

     This is Hagar's rotten egg, rotten apple, whatever you prefer. It has two highlights, "Sam I Am", and "Living on the Coastline." Two solid tracks out of an album of 11 - that is a lopsided disparity. I basically grew up listening to Hagar, and though I was clearly too young to enjoy Van Halen in its prime, I am excited when each passing Hagar solo work comes out, so when 2006 came and went, I was thrilled to get Livin' It Up!. I always appreciated Hagar's sense of depth, more so than most rockers of a similar mold. Much of Hagar's material always had better hooks, smoother melodies, well-written lyrics, and generally contained a good sense of heart and emotion. Livin' It Up! is a departure from all that and embraces a more party element, and being a beach bum, and all that. While I am happy for Hagar to be living such a peaceful lifestyle, I did not, and still do not, like this album as it seems to be an expression of said lifestyle.

     The fact that one of my favorite artists is covering a country song (Toby Keith cover) is just disturbing. Yep, you got me, I don't like country. A lot of people do, then again, a lot don't - I am one of them (to each his own!). I just didn't like Hagar doing country. I can tell he was trying to appeal to an older audience here, as the demographics for his sort of rock and roll have aged since his prime. I certainly get the idea, I just don't like it.

     Even if I look at this album objectively, it still isn't very good. It lacks the punch, effort, and musicality that goes into most other Hagar albums. It just seems that it was lazily slapped together. It lacks craftsmanship.

    I still listen to Hagar regularly to this day, but I never listen to this album anymore, perhaps only as a morbid curiousity. It does nothing for me, it doesn't appeal to me. I'm glad Sammy Hagar returned to his more usual self with 2008's Cosmic Universal Fashion - and then ultimately with the awesome of Chickenfoot. Now, don't get me wrong, I definitely appreciate when an artist experiments with different types of sound, as I feel I am pretty open minded. I like when Chris Cornell tackles pop, or when Metallica lightened up their sound, as I commend their natural evolution and the ebbs and flows of their careers. However, I can also point out when I don't like something - when the change or experiment doesn't pan out. Here, with Sammy Hagar's Livin' It Up!, it doesn't work.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Sam I Am"

"Living On A Coastline"

-Kurt L.

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     Quiet Riot's finest hour. After years of struggle, ups and downs, successes and failures, Quiet Riot finally made a truly great, cohesive, and complete album. Even in their breakthrough smash hit album Metal Health (1983), which contained such radio favorites "Metal Health (Bang Your Head)" and "Cum on Feel the Noize", they never managed to make a strong record from beginning to end. Inevitably it seems you'll run into a mediocre track or just some other filler. They would continue to decline in their subsequent recordings, Condition Critical and QR III respectively. While they were solid overall, they too contained great songs mixed in with forgettable ones. They hit rock bottom with a self-titled record in 1988 featuring Paul Shortino on vocals - and Quiet Riot without Kevin DuBrow is just not appealing.

     They surged back in the early 90s though - amidst a radically different music scene. The rock world, by 1993, was dominated by the grunge movement. Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, and Soundgarden were changing the landscape and setting new precedents. Quiet Riot was a dinosaur by then, and instead of catering to the times, they rocked harder and made their best record yet. With Kevin DuBrow back in the fold, Terrified made for a thunderous return. It easily surpasses Metal Health as their finest work, and is a legitimately strong heavy metal album.

     From the opening confident thud of Frankie Banali's drums on "Cold Day In Hell", to the closing thrilling finale of "Resurrection", this is the closest thing to a masterpiece they have made. The album is full of catchy hooks, clever lyrics, biting melodies, a tremendous rythym section throughout, and terrific guitar work. Kevin DuBrow anchors the album with his charismatic delievery and really sells each song. There essentially are not weak points, as it roars all the way through and never lets up.

     Terrified can stand toe to toe with some of the more popular rock albums of the past few decades. I feel that by that point in their career, they needed to put their best foot forward because it was probably a now-or-never situation. For this album, they were signed by Moonstone Records (huh?), who are now apparently a defunct label. According to the liner notes, Quiet Riot was the first actual band to be signed to Moonstone, as they had only done soundtrack albums previously. So it seems someone finally gave them a shot and they certainly made the most of it.

     They finally matured here, but at the same time still exuding the rock and roll excess. It's the best of both worlds, treading the line between vulnerability and attitude. I highly recommend it to any rock fan out there. As far as I know, the album is no longer in print, but can still be found on eBay or half.com for a relatively low price. Additionally, I believe in 2002, Terrified was reissued with a new album cover and new moniker, called Cold Day In Hell. It was re-released in an attempt to jump on the band wagon as the original band lineup reunited at the beginning of the new millenium. Think about why it was reissued? Quiet Riot themselves must believe that this was their best work - they thought it was worth a second listen. Their finest hour.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Cold Day In Hell"

"Loaded Gun"

"Terrified"

"Little Angel"

"Rude, Crude Mood"

"Dirty Lover"

"Psycho City"

-Kurt L.

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     Following their best album in their lengthy career (1993's obscure Terrified), the 1995 release Down to the Bone ultimately fails to continue Quiet Riot's rebirth. It certainly features some really strong and groovy songs but the overall package is rather weak. That certainly seems to be the trend with all of the records in Quiet Riots discography - a select few awesome songs that are surrounded by a heaping mess. I guarantee you if you packed all of the best songs of Quiet Riots career (not just a "greatest hits package" because they would absolutely ignore their 90s efforts) into one cohesive CD, then you'd have one terrific album.

     It's such a shame, but that's Quiet Riot's career was like. Greatness marred by medocrity. Rockin' tunes like "Wings of a Cloud" and "Trouble Again" and a respectable cover of the Kinks "All Day and All of the Night" are choked by the rest of the album which is nothing to rave about.

     I've always like Quiet Riot, and I can tell you that they truly do have some surprisingly good material - if it were only not buried underneath such garbage sometimes. Not to sound too harsh, but it's the way it is. Anyway, trust me when I tell you, the highlghts are worth a listen, just not the rest.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Wings of a Cloud"

"Trouble Again"

"All Day and All of the Night"

-Kurt L.

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     Here in the oddly titled Chickenfoot III, which in actuality is Chickenfoot's second album, the supergroup returns with a more refined yet still consistently fun recording. It is much better than its predecessor musically as Chickenfoot sounds more like a cohesive unit - not that they didn't before, but there has been a clear maturation.

     The riffs and melodies are much slicker than ever before, and the band exudes the awesome aura of the "Van Hagar" era of Van Halen. It rocks hard, it has a good time, and when things get serious, it emphasizes the moment appropriately - for the most part. As with the first Chickenfoot album, it has its dissonant moments - "Three And A Half Letters" is definitely the weakest song on the album but has a terrific concept behind it. Lead singer Sammy Hagar reads real letters written to him by fans who have been hit hard by the economic instability currently happening in this country, but then follows each heartfelt letter shouting "I need a job!" in what turns out to be a rather cringe-inducing chorus. While this is the lowest point of the album, the highlights are often spectacular.

     The opener rocker "The Last Temptation" is one of the best Hagar recordings of the past decade, along with the emotional dirge "Come Closer." The single "Big Foot" has a nice hook to it as well. The guitarist Joe Satriani sounds so much more comfortable as he blasts his way through the entire album. He often reminds me of Eddie Van Halen at his peak sometimes - with former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, and legendary singer Sammy Hagar (Van Halen's best singer), Chickenfoot III seems to be the closest thing we'll ever get to hear or see something that resembles a modern day Van Halen recording.

     Chickenfoot has evolved into a modern day powerhouse with retro roots. They definitely rock like they did back in the day, but they still sound great doing it. They are still having fun, and still catch manage to take things seriously too when the time is right. Obviously Chickenfoot is aimed toward an older crowd, but it certainly has its appeal. With Hagar leading the way, Chickenfoot often has a better sound than a lot of the rock out there today. I look forward to a third Chickenfoot album, which obviously cannot be named Chickenfoot III, as that name is clearly already taken.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Come Closer"

"The Last Temptation"

"Big Foot"

"Dubai Blues"

"Lighten Up"

"Something Going Wrong"

-Kurt L.

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     It's been a full decade since alternative-rock band Bush has released a studio album - and even then, it wasn't particularly well receieved. So after a ten year hiatus for the Bush moniker, Gavin Rossdale returns with a fairly new lineup (except that he retained the original Bush drummer), and the new arrival is not without its flaws.

     Rossdale has kept busy and in the spotlight over the past decade despite no new Bush material, as he has gotten married to Gwen Stefani, worked on a solo album, had a somewhat forgettable side project called Institute, and also has had some successful acting gigs as well. Gavin Rossdale is a very likeable star, talented in many feilds, so it was refreshing to see him return with the band that essentially put him on the map. Unfortunately, the album, The Sea of Memories, is not quite the statement I thought it should have been.

     Perhaps Rossdale was not intending to make a tremendous splash or statement with his comeback Bush album - maybe he just wanted to release a new, strong record and just get the wheels in motion again. If that is the case, then The Sea of Memories succeeds. It doesn't sound dramatically different than their previous material and it doesn't take a new direction. It has a familiarity to it, but it doesn't sound like a rehash either. Though while it does have a fair share of strong tunes, it has several odd stumbles. For instance, "The Afterlife" and the apparent Gwen Stefani homage "She's A Stallion", while sweet with intent, are just unlistenable. However, it also features some triumphs like "The Sound of Winter", and the surprising closing ballad "Be Still My Love." Rossdale's voice still sounds as great as ever, and as a fan of Bush's previous work, I take solace in that fact.

     As a songwriter, Gavin Rossdale has always striked me as one who is uncompromising - someone who has a particular vision and looks to attain within his own unique ability. That contention is on full display here as many of the songs have a distinct Bush-like flow to them that I've come to expect, and I completely respect his expression here. Sometimes it works better than others as I have explained, but I am glad that Rossdale has stuck to his guns.

     Ultimately I was hoping for a truly great album. To my dismay, that did not happen. With that said, I still enjoyed The Sea of Memories, and would recommend it to alternative rock fans as it is still a worthwhile listen. One other critic put it very well when he said that, and I am paraphrasing, but who would be clamoring for a Bush record ten years after their break up? I suppose that critic has a point as their popularity has certainly seemed to dim over the years, but, they still got it for the most part even after such a lengthy absence. Hopefully this album becomes something of a stepping stone into a brighter future for this very enjoyable band led by the ever talented Rossdale.

Track Highlights:

"The Sound of Winter"

"Be Still My Love"

"The Heart of the Matter"

"The Mirror of the Signs"

"Red Light"

-Kurt L.

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     With Rehab, which ultimately became their last release - due to lead singer Kevin DuBrow's untimely and tragic overdose induced death at age 52 - this is an album that isn't a tremendous departure from their previous work. It's basically what you expect it to be - a record filled with some party hard hair metal anthems, and a few rather catchy and hard hitting numbers. However, like most QR albums, they run out of steam after a while and burn out before the closing note is struck.

     Rehab does display some ambition - like in the bluesy "Old Habits Die Hard." It also features frustration, like in tracks "It Sucks To Be You", which is terrible. From the outset though, it hooks you right away with two of QR's best songs ever. "Free" displays a strength that harkens back decades - and Kevin DuBrow's voice didn't seem to age one bit either, he sounds great - the next song, "Blind Faith" is arguably one of their best songs in their entire catalog. It is  reflective, and it surely must speak on a very personal level for DuBrow - if you look at the lyrics, you'll likely see why. After that, there are a spot few others that are decent, but the latter half of the album is mostly forgettable.

     So is this album worth a listen? It is a difficult one to recommend considering its deep flaws. Frankly, the best advice if you are a big QR fan is to download "Free" and "Blind Faith" off iTunes and you can pretty much spare the rest, even the decent ones. Overall, Quiet Riot's final album is much like the rest of their work, it has its highs and its lows. It can wow and it can disappoint. In any case, Kevin DuBrow was a fine musician and it is a shame that his life was taken so young. May he Rest In Peace.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Blind Faith"

"Free"

"South of Heaven"

"Old Habits Die Hard"

"Black Reign"

-Kurt L.

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     Even with its incredibly dark subject matter - from psychological illness, to themes of death, war, and severe drug abuse and hallucinations - this album has ultimately transcended into the mainstream stratosphere. It features some of the most recognizable guitar riffs in rock and roll history, heard in songs like "War Pigs/Luke's Wall", "Paranoid", and perhaps most notably in "Iron Man." Paranoid's reach can be heard in modern music video games like Guitar Hero, where these Black Sabbath classics are a blast to play. Dozens of modern bands have covered these songs during the forty years from its original release, and new generations will continue to do so. The influence and impact of this album is undeniable in the sound of rock successors - take Alice In Chains' classic album Dirt (1992) for example, that album oozes nods to Black Sabbath's Paranoid. Even the film franchise Iron Man, based on the Marvel comic, features the legendary guitar riffs of the original song of the same name.

     This is certainly one of those albums where every song is a timeless classic. I found myself listening to and humming "Hand of Doom" over and over again - and that is just one of its many greats. The production of the album is also quite stellar. A big step up from the fairly muddier sound of their debut self-titled album, Paranoid has a much more distinct punch in its tone. The musicanship is brilliant. Tony Iommi is a fantastic guitarist with some seriously awesome licks. Ozzy Osbourne does some of his best vocal performances, and the rythym section of Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) really blend well to hammer home the sound.

     Paranoid has a fearless presentation, and in a word, it is stunning. If you've never heard this album before in its entirety, from beginning to end, you simply should sit down and give it a good listen - you will be blown away. If you've never heard of this album before, you likely have already heard its profound influence. One of the finest records in the history of heavy metal.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"War Pigs/Luke's Wall"

"Hand of Doom"

"Iron Man"

"Paranoid"

"Electric Funeral"

"Fairies Wear Boots"

-Kurt L.

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     With the release of 5150 in 1986, what began was the great polarization of the Van Halen fan base. To this day, there seems to be a never ending debate, an unanswerable question...who is the better singer and presence in and for Van Halen? Are you a Roth guy? Or a Hagar guy? Van Halen? Or Van Hagar? Personally, I subscribe to the "Van Hagar" camp, however, since this band is one of my favorite bands in history, I love 'em both. In the end, Hagar is a better singer as he has a better vocal range and ability. He is also a more accomplished and professional songwriter with experience dating back to 1973 with Montrose. However, to his own merit, Roth was a terrific frontman!

     So, let's talk about the album, shall we? Well, first things first, you are greeted with an explosive "Hellooo baaaby!" by Hagar, and the action begins. It's a grand entrance, fitting for such a crowd pleasing band. You'll notice the electronic drums right away, but it's just a different touch for the album - and also, Alex Van Halen is really playing them; no pre-recorded drum machines.

     I felt that Hagar and the rest of the Van Halen wanted to establish early and often a certain sense of attitude with the opening track "Good Enough." It's a testerone-adrenaline powerhouse with plenty of muscle to get the point across that Hagar is no joke. The in-your-face rocking is also seen in the super fast "Get Up" and reaches its climax with the satirical and rather interesting, yet undeniable catchy wordy closing song "Inside." One could argue that the band wanted to maintain its fan base, and win over some descenters. It seems possible considering the huge change at the front. In my eyes, Hagar impressed me from the start.

     While Roth was never quite as sophisticated as Hagar in terms of song composition, Roth certainly did have his fair share of brilliantly written songs - take "I'll Wait" and "Little Dreamer" as perfect examples. Hagar was more consistent in his work and it shows here with such catchy classics as "Why Can't This Be Love", "Love Walks In", "Dreams" and "5150." Hagar and his infusion of a pop element never left the band after this point, but they never abanonded their rock roots because Hagar too had already etched himself into rock history with Montrose and a successful solo act, hot off the heels of the single "I Can't Drive 55."

     It's interesting to note that David Lee Roth was booted from the band because he was in the midst of launching of his own solo career on his own terms outside the bands parameters. Yet when Sammy Hagar was hired to replace him, Hagar was still under contractual obligations with Geffen Records to release future albums as a solo act! Hagar subsequently released solo material while devoting most of his time to Van Halen. Seems paradoxical, does it not? For Hagar's 1987 release, I Never Said Goodbye, Eddie Van Halen appears as a bass player on some songs!

     With all that said, 5150 was a great way to kick off the so-called "Van Hagar" era for the band. They would continue to maintain their profound success for at least another decade with Hagar at the helm. And why not? 5150 is a great record.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Good Enough"

"Dreams"

"Love Walks In"

"5150"

"Why Can't This Be Love"

"Get Up"

"Summer Nights"

-Kurt L.

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     Iron Maiden, famed legendary heavy metal act, released its newest album on August 17th, 2010, The Final Frontier. I take an in depth look at this most recent Maiden release and also showcase some of the album's wacky bonus features on the alternate version of the CD entitled the Mission Edition. So after all these years, 30 plus to be exact, does Iron Maiden still bring it to the table? Find out by clicking the link below. Thank you as always for watching!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXDatUD1BQY

-Kurt L.

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