Anniversary Series - 1994!

This year is certainly a tough one to write about.  While there was plenty going on in rock and metal, it was mostly in genres I generally don't cover on this blog (like pop punk or death metal).  That being said, I think I've got enough to scrape a few paragraphs together to try and cover the year without resorting to a handful of reviews.

Naturally, grunge was still big.  Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden put out some reelases to their diehard fans, with Soundgarden in particular having a massive hit with "Black Hole Sun."  However, this year would also serve the biggest blow with the death of Kurt Cobain.  Almost acting like a turning point for the genre, more radio friendly bands like Bush and Our Lady Peace would move the genre into the post-grunge era.

Prog would end up having an interesting year as well.  Classic bands like Yes and ELP (among others) would put out albums, showing they still have what it takes, while Pink Floyd released Division Bell, marking the end of an era (as it was the last album for them for many years).  Progressive metal was picking up, however, with Dream Theater leading the charge with Awake, their celebrated follow-up to Images and Words.  With newcomers like Vanden Plas and Symphony X following in their wake, prog metal was clearly on the way up.

Meanwhile, power metal was starting to come together.  Stratovarius would be in a state of transition with Dreamspace, but the big story was the comeback of Helloween.  Picking up new singer Andi Deris, the band returned to their speedy, melodic roots with Master of the Rings, one of my favorite albums of theirs.  Finally getting past their experimental phase, they laid out epic tracks like "Sole Survivor" and "Where the Rain Grows," anticipating the explosion of power metal that would soon follow.

So it's not much, but it's something, and there's certainly more in the playlist below, so check that out.  If I've missed something, let me know in the comments below.  Meanwhile, I'll keep carrying on, putting out articles as often as time permits.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Anniversary Series - 1989!

Another month, another Anniversary Article!  1989 is an interesting year, as rock was in the middle of a lot of transition.  Grunge and alternative rock was slowly growing, pop metal was as big as ever, thrash and death metal were finding their audiences, and other genres were bubbling up.  Here's how this year went!

The year starts of with a number of big hits, as Skid Row and Warrant release their debut albums.  The former provided "18 to Life," "Youth Gone Wild," and the big ballad "I Remember You," while Warrant was about the "Down Boys" and "Heaven."  Great White would soon follow with ...Twice Shy, and the sort of title track cover song "Once Bitten Twice Shy."

However, the beginning of the year, saw other iconic releases, such as Doro's Force Majeure, her first album on her own, Metal Church picking up Mike Howe for Blessing in Disguise, and Dream Theater released their debut with When Dream and Day Unite, carving a small niche for progressive metal that they would widen later.  Meanwhile, Seattle was getting a taste of the future with Nirvana's debut Bleach and Soundgarden's Louder than Love.  In the midst of all this, Jon Anderson would leave Yes and form a group with former Yes members called Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe.  Their self-titled album would be a unique prog rock highlight for the year.

As the year goes on, we get more epic hits, with Mötley Crüe's Dr. Feelgood being a massive single factory, including the title track, "Kickstart My Heart," and "Same Ol' Situation."  Alice Cooper would comeback with his own take on the genre with "Poison," John Sykes would form Blue Murder and record their debut album, while his former bandmates Whitesnake would carry on with Slip of the Tongue, featuring "Judgment Day."  

However, in my opinion, the winner of the year is Candlemass.  Their fourth album Tales of Creation is peak doom metal, in my opinion.  I know I don't talk much about the genre on the blog, but this album is my standard for what a good doom metal album sounds like.  From the epic riff on "Under the Oak," to the atmospheric plodding on "Dark Revelations" and "The Edge of Heaven," and even the sudden high-speed instrumental "In the Unfathomed Tower" are all highlights.  A favorite album of mine, from any year.

Wrapping things up, we see Blind Guardian's follow up Follow the Blind, featuring their classic closer "Valhalla" with Kai Hansen showing up with some vocals of his own.  Stratovarius released their debut Fright Night, being more of a speed metal group before they became power metal titans.  Guitar legend Michael Schenker teamed up with Robin McAuley and release Save Yourself, a unique team up that probably should have lasted longer.  Finally, Savatage would really lean into a Queen-like theatrical style with Gutter Ballet, definitely showing signs of where they would end up, to say nothing of their Christmas-themed spin-off.

So that's another year wrapped up again.  Once again, check out the playlist below for more, and let me know in the comments what else stands out to you from this year.  In the meantime, I've got some more albums to listen to, so keep an eye out for more reviews.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Anniversary Series - 1991!

Sorry for the lack of content lately.  At least I was able to put this one together in advance.  It's also fortunate that 1991 is such a big deal in rock music history, providing plenty of material for this anniversary article.  1991 was definitely the end of some eras and the beginnings of others.  It would be hard to think of a year that would come to represent such massive shifts in the rock scene more than this one.  Still, with such change, great music gets made.

Speaking of the end of eras, Queen would experience a pretty major shift.  Releasing Innuendo in February, it would end up being the last record they would record alongside their singer Freddie Mercury before he would pass away later in this year.  Other bands facing the ends of an era would also include Skid Row, as Slave to the Grind would be their last with singer Sebastian Bach, and Europe, whose Strangers in Paradise would be their last album for more than 10 years.

Other bands were coming to a close as well.  Genesis released We Can't Dance, which would end up being their last with Phil Collins (though currently there is talk of another reunion tour, so who knows).  Dire Straits also put out their last album On Every Street, one that I think is very underrated in their catalog.  Rush would also bring a close to their synthesizer-heavy 80s with Roll the Bones, bringing things back to a more streamlined rock sound.

Of course, it was not all doom-and-gloom for rock and metal bands.  Van Halen was still rocking with Sammy Hagar, releasing For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, and Mr. Big would kickstart their popularity in Japan with the single "To Be With You."  Guns 'n' Roses would finally release their double album Use Your Illusion, Ozzy proved he wasn't slowing down with No More Tears, and Metallica would release their self-titled album, which is still their most popular one to this day.

However, the big change came from the Seattle bands.  While they wouldn't get their big explosion next year, 1991 featured some of their biggest releases.  Not only do you have Pearl Jam's Ten, Temple of the Dog's only album, and Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger, but also Nirvana's Nevermind, which would introduce the sound to the rest of nation and turn it into an international phenomenon.  Almost instantly, record labels were dropping anything with an 80s rock sound in favor of this grittier, thicker style.  I don't know if there has ever been such a hard pivot in the rock music  industry before or since.

And that's 1991!  Certainly a year of changes, and the music shows.  A lot of pop metal and melodic rock would fade from popularity, making way for the new alternative rock sound, but good music, nevertheless.  I have a bunch more in the playlist below, and as always, let me know if there's something I've missed!  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Anniversary Series - 1990!

As the year moves along, I hope everyone is staying safe.  In the meantime, this series carries on, into the year 1990!  Another year of transition, much like 1980, with some genres coming to a close while new ones are picking up to take their place!

However, the year would kick of with the familiar sound of glam metal, as Slaughter would release their debut album Stick It To Ya, with the big song "Up All Night."  In fact, glam and pop metal would have a pretty good year over all, with Poison's Flesh and Blood, Steelheart's debut, Ratt's Detonator, Warrant's Cherry Pie, and Jon Bon Jovi's solo debut with Blaze of Glory.

The rest of metal weren't sitting back either.  As thrash metal became more mainstream, Megadeth would find greater popularity with Rust in Peace.  Chock full of big tracks like "Holy Wars," "Hangar 18," "Tornado of Souls," and the title track, songs the band still play live today, it was a release that was hard to beat.  Even Judas Priest got in on the thrash action with Painkiller, letting Halford really go wild with the vocals.

Power metal, while still a long ways off from its peak, would find a few solid releases.  Kai Hansen, after breaking off with Helloween, would start Gamma Ray, with their debut album Heading For Tomorrow coming out this year.  Blind Guardian would release Tales from the Twilight World (which I reviewed at the end of last year), would show them shifting into their iconic style of melodic leads and epic vocals.

Of course, there was a new style developing out in the northwest of the US.  While grunge and alternative rock wouldn't completely take over, bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden would laying down the groundwork for the explosion that would follow in the next few years.

Meanwhile, classic rock fans would have plenty for them as well.  After Tommy Shaw left Styx, he ended up forming Damn Yankees with Ted Nugent and Jack Blades of Night Ranger, who's debut album would put them on the map in a big way.  Of course, Styx weren't sitting back, releasing Caught in the Act to some acclaim.  This year would also give us AC/DC's The Razor's Edge, best known for "Thunderstruck" and proof that classic styles still had power to blow the minds of rock fans everywhere.

As the year drew to a close, glam metal would end up having the last say, with the Scorpions releasing Crazy World with the track "Winds of Change," reflecting to the changing times in Europe.  The genre itself would have a major shake up with Tesla's live acoustic cover of "Signs," a sign itself that glam metal had really gone about as far as it could go.

And that wraps up 1990, though my playlist below has a few extras, as always.  Again, if there's anything you think I left out anything, let me know!  Until then, rock on! \m/