CD-Charts Position 101
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Thunder & Lightning

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Thin Lizzy

Release Date May 22, 1990
If not their best, certainly the heaviest - with a hard as iron production, noticeably heavier drumming and some strong riffs and full on metal lead breaks. Even the keyboards duel with the shredding on the title track!
Highlights:
Thunder & Lightning - Very fast for this band, with great drums & awesome solo's. Lynnott's on real form, voice & bass wise here!
This Is The One - Great rhythm and chorus. Addictive!
Cold Sweat - Another heavy one, up there with Killer On The Loose! A guitar riff very worthy of the mighty Judas Priest!
Bad Habits - a bit lighter, with a great vocal from Lynott.

Metal fans will find a lot of Lizzy too light, but many will like this for it's extra edge & power ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 102
Average Rating:

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School's Out

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Alice Cooper

Release Date June 01, 1989
As I remember, this album came out at the start of the summer school holidays of 1972, so didn't cause the classroom revolution that it might have. (We'd have to wait for 'The Wall' for that.) A 13-year-old at the time, I bought the cassette version, because all I had was a mono Philips cassette 'corder'. Even at its maximum volume of '5', I could barely hear it the other side of my bedroom, so my personal rebellion went largely unnoticed.

I never saw Alice in concert, but you could tell from the start that this was theatre rock par excellence. For me, Alice sits somewhere between Arthur Brown (both his Crazy World and Kingdom Come incarnations) and the markedly inferior Alex Harvey Band. Allegedly the Alice Cooper band could barely play ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 103
Average Rating:

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Live 1973

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Uriah Heep

Release Date February 26, 2008
I bought this album in 1975 when I was at school and loved it and still do.The atmosphere of a live rock concert is captured perfectly complete with guitar and synthesizer tuning, the odd bum note, "chewing gum being stuck on the boot" of the late David Byron and songs which feature the Moog "simplifier" and Organ (?) Brilliant! All the tracks are excellent and indeed some like "July Morning" "Sweet Lorraine" and "Traveller in time" sounding far better than the original rather 'Lack Lustre' studio versions. "Gypsy" is superb with both synth and drum solo's. A real Must-Have album for any fan of 70's rock. "it's going out live tonight so make a lot of noise won't you"! Fantastic.. Play it LOUD!!!

CD-Charts Position 104
Average Rating:

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The House Of Blue Light

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Deep Purple

Release Date February 01, 2002
So the real question was could Deep Purple really hack it. Okay they released 'Perfect Strangers' and it was good, they played at the return of the Knebworth Fair and despite the appalling conditions the show was fantastic. But now comes the difficult second album, just like any new band, the question is can they follow up initial success, with something of equal or better quality or was it just an exercise in topping up the pension fund?

Well no worries on that score this album is sheer unadulterated, classic Deep Purple, great lyrics, good riffs and superb musicianship. Standout track for me is 'Mitzi Dupri' but there are a fist full of great tracks on this album.

I would highly recommend this to any Deep Purple fan and any fan of British ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 105
Average Rating:

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Perfect Strangers

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Deep Purple

Release Date August 30, 1999
My favourite Purple album by far.

I love virtually everything about it. From the simple, yet iconic DP logo that i scrawled on countless surfaces to the thick and heavy production.

From the opening riff of the dirty, dirty 'Knocking At Your Back Door' to the sprawling very 70's-esque title track, it's perfect Purple. Heavy, hard and tuneful with a dash of experimentation. It doesn't sound like supposed 'classic' Purple and it's all the better for it; this is a rejuvenated band showing the critics that there is still plenty of fuel in the tank and fire in the belly.

Blackmore is buzzing and the writing is top notch. I'd say there is no filler at all, although the blend of styles from the straight rock of 'Not Responsible' to the slow 'Wasted ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 106
Average Rating:

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Return To Fantasy

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Uriah Heep

Release Date February 26, 2008
Its that long ago! 75, little did we know that this was David Byrons second to last Heep album.. I have the vinyl and it wasnt played much in the last decade ( if at all ) . so after getting this remastered CD it really has come to life. I all ways enjoy outakes and unreleased vault specials, and this amongst other Heep remasters has plenty. reading the sleeve notes it is amazing to think this group ever got it together to write or record but, Gerry Bron (manager producer and company excec) held the strings of these boys. a classic heep rock album similar in parts to Sweet Freedom and Wonderworld. The one track Im not to taken with is the title track R.T.Fantasy, may be it should of been on last!

CD-Charts Position 107
Average Rating:

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Welcome to My Nightmare: Expanded Edition

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Alice Cooper

Release Date April 01, 2002
I was nine years old in 1975 and somehow I missed out on this great album (I liked the Wombles at the time).Now at 42 I finally get to hear an amazing piece of work.It never ceases to amaze me how some of my generation dismissed the 70's as a time of old dinosaur rock,hippy noodling and middle of the road soft rock tosh when there was such diverse and creative music around.Alice influenced the punks,the rockers,yet still manages to sound unlike anyone else here with a creepy cinematic rock opus of unparalled magnificance,or something like that.

CD-Charts Position 108
Average Rating:

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The Last in Line

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Dio

Release Date October 01, 1999
After Ronnie James Dio's first album Holy Diver in his band "Dio", straight away comes back and makes another Classic Metal Masterpiece from the 80s. Dio and co. give one hell of a performance on "The Last In Line", some of my favourite songs are on here like "Evil Eyes", the superb title track "The Last In Line" which I think has a breathtaking intro & "Mystery". Dio always picks amazing guitarists for the band, the guitarist is the same one from Holy Diver so it's similar style(i'm not saying it sounds the same). The lyrics are fantastic, Ronnie James Dio's vocals are amazing as usual and everything else is great.

If you're a fan of heavy metal I suggest you buy yourself a copy of "Holy Diver" and then this album as they are a must in everyboys metal collection. If you have ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 109
Average Rating:

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Just Push Play

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Aerosmith

Release Date March 12, 2001
My friend lent me his Just Push Play album in exchange for my Nine Lives. To begin with i was slightly dissapointed, it didn't seem to have songs which were as sleek as their previous hits, or quite as edgy as those on the Nine Lives album.
HOWEVER, like every good album its a grower. The albums i want in my cd collection are not those which i love straight away but get bored with (despite the majority opinion i find pink floyd - the wall boring and predictable) i want those which everytime i play them sound better and better.
If you like aerosmith you'll love this album, If you have an eccleptic taste in music you'll love this album. I think its great!

CD-Charts Position 110
Average Rating:

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Innocent Victim

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Uriah Heep

Release Date February 26, 2008
This was the second of three studio albums from Heep with John Lawton fronting the band after the dismisal of former founder member and vocalist David Byron and to be honest, it's difficult to know what to say about this. Compared to Heep's finest albums (Demons and Wizards, 'Sweet freedom' and the latest 'Wake The Sleeper') I think that it's fair to say that it's pretty poor.
However, there are a couple of good tracks here.. 'Free and Easy' hits the spot as a good rocker in the traditional Heep style and I quite like 'The Dance' as a well produced tune ( I've given three stars just for these) but as for the rest.. well it's all a bit lightweight and forgettable really. It's held together well by the tight production and some good strong singing and playing but is all a bit flat and dull. ... Read More: