Through the Fire

Artist: Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve (HSAS)

The rock super-group Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve, known by the acronym HSAS, released their first and only album in 1984. Entitled Through the Fire, this record was one of singer Sammy Hagar’s side projects away from Montrose and his own solo career. The album’s only single is a cover of Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade of Pale.” Released in May 1984, it reached a high of #94 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

After the release of his solo album Three Lock Box in 1982, Sammy Hagar took a three-month vacation to Africa. Upon returning from his safari, Hagar and Journey guitarist Neal Schon began working on a side project together while they took a break from their respective careers. Originally, the two worked with former Cheap Trick bassist Tom Petersson, and drummer Denny Carmassi (who used to work with Sammy). However, Petersson had other commitments, and could not continue with the project. Schon would also have to leave, though temporarily, to go on tour with Journey in support of their Frontiers album from February to September 1983. During this time Carmassi also left, and the two vacant positions were filled by Kenny Aaronson on bass and Michael Shrieve on drums; both of whom had played together in Santana in the early 70s.

With the line-up finally set, and Schon returning from the road, the four began to write and rehearse material for their upcoming album. After less than a month, the group planned several live dates in the Southern-California region. Two of these dates were broadcast by MTV, and the band used a mobile recording truck to capture all of the performances on tape.

In the studio, Hagar and Schon decided which takes to use on the final album, and removed much of the crowd noise. By doing this, the album appears to be a studio recording, and is a more commercially viable first release from the band. Surprisingly, the majority of the album was left untouched, with very few in-studio overdubs and touchups. This serves as a testament to the four members’ talent and skill as musicians, especially considering the little practice time they had together before the concerts. After the release of Through the fire, the band added rhythm guitarist Nick Sciorsci, and briefly toured California in 1984.

Of course, with Schon rejoining Journey and Hagar’s hookup with the Van Halen boys, a follow-up release from the band would not happen. However, Through the Fire would not be the last time that these two would work together. Hagar and Schon would reunite almost 20 years later to form the short-lived Planet Us project.

Rating: 4/5

Appetite for Destruction

Artist: Guns N’ Roses

            Although initial sales were slow, MTV airplay of “Welcome to the Jungle” nearly a year after its July 1987 release would propel Appetite for Destruction to become the bestselling debut album of all time. It would go on to reach the number one position on Billboard charts. Featuring five singles, “It’s So Easy,” “Sweet Child O' Mine,” “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Nightrain,” and “Paradise City,” Guns N’ Roses would ride on the wave of success created by this album through the early nineties.

            The initial pressing featured album artwork depicting a surrealist scene in which a dagger-toothed monster vengefully attacks a robot rapist who stands over his half-clothed victim. However, several large record stores refused to handle the album purely because of its grotesque cover, and so the label changed it to the now familiar cross with all five members’ faces. 

            Additionally, vinyl and cassette copies of the album are labeled “G” and “R” in place of conventional “A” and “B” side denotations. All of the songs on the “G,” or guns, side deal with drugs and hard life in the big city, and those on the opposite “R,” or roses, side deal with love, sex, and relationships.

            As Appetite for Destruction gained in popularity, the band began headlining larger and larger concerts in support of the record. They were invited to play at the renowned Monsters of Rock Festival at Castle Donington in England. Shortly after the band began their set, the crowd rushed forward, and despite singer Axl Rose’s requests for the crowd to move back, two fans were trampled to death. Subsequent media coverage of the incident incorrectly placed blame on the group, earning them the reputation of being “the world's most dangerous band.”

            The band’s “bad-boy” image was furthered by frequent public appearances made by intoxicated members; including at the 1990 American Music Awards, where Slash (lead guitar) and Duff McKagan (bass) accepted their awards while visibly intoxicated using repeated obscenities on the nationally televised broadcast.

            Despite all of the personal problems surrounding Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction remains one of the best, and most solid hard-rock records ever pressed, and has sold in excess of 28 million copies worldwide.

Rating: 5/5

Strangers in the Night

Artist: UFO

Strangers in the Night is highly regarded as one of the best live albums of all time. Released as a double album in 1979 on Chrysalis records, this would be the last UFO record featuring guitar legend Michael Schenker on lead guitar until a reunion some fifteen years later. The album would reach number 42 on Billboard charts, and number seven in the UK.

The album is comprised of tracks recorded in Chicago, Illinois and Louisville, Kentucky in the autumn of 1978. Immediately following the end of the tour, guitarist Michael Schenker left the band due to personal problems. After the tapes were reviewed, Schenker was asked to do some minor overdub work for the album, but refused. He later stated that re-recording select guitar parts would’ve been impossible as his live playing had bled through onto the drum tracks. As a result, this album is an accurate representation of the band UFO live at the high-point of their career; and also serves as a testament to Schenker’s legendary guitar chops.

This record includes all of UFO’s hits at the time. Such include: “Doctor Doctor,” “Let It Roll,” “Too Hot to Handle,” and “Lights Out.” Despite being a live album, the performances are incredibly accurate and the sound quality is quite good, if not excellent for a recording of its type. This album has influenced many great musicians, notably Slash of Guns N’ Roses who credits it as being his favorite live album.

As a guitar player, it is Michael Schenker’s playing that really makes this record for me. His trademark sound is the result of a custom-painted black and white Flying-V, run through a wha pedal which is used to emphasize the mid-range, and then into the greatest rock-n-roll amp of all time – a 100 watt Marshall. Oh yea, did I forget to mention his otherworldly musical ability as a factor in that equation? His unmistakable midrange tone resulting from the partially engaged wah is exemplified on the song "Rock Bottom" from this album. Additionally MS’s sound was credited as being among the “50 greatest tones of all time” by Guitar Player magazine.

For me, this album brings back memories of so many countless hours in my room, with my guitar-playing buddies, and in my weekly lessons trying to capture the essence of Schenker’s signature style. Within about a month, I could play along with this record from start to finish; and a friend of mine and I were even inspired to add the song “Doctor Doctor” to our set list at a local venue.

Although this album is often overlooked today, it deserves all the credit in the world. Aside from featuring great songs and energy, the fact that this album contains virtually no overdubs stands tribute to the band’s solidity on stage, and every member’s individual talent and competency.

Rating: 5/5

Rush

Artist: Rush

The rock group Rush’s 1974 self-titled debut album is more heavily British-rock inspired than their later work. Initially released only in their native country, the initial pressing was eagerly bought-up by Canadian fans. It wasn’t until a Cleveland, Ohio DJ added the song “Working Man” to her regular play list, that the album broke in the U.S.  Considered to be the band’s signature song by most listeners, radio play of the song would propel this album to just outside the top-100 on Billboard charts.

Initially, the band worked with producer Dave Stock; scheduling cheap, late-night slots at Eastern Sound recording studio in Toronto. However, unhappy with the product of these sessions, Rush decided to record the album themselves at a different studio. This studio featured a primitive 8-channel tape recorder, which forced the band to get creative and make the most of the minimal track-count. Despite the band’s limited knowledge about recording equipment, and the studio’s out-of-date equipment, they managed to achieve results superior to those of their aforementioned producer.

The three-member line-up for the recording sessions consisted of Geddy Lee (bass and lead vocal), Alex Lifeson (guitar), and original drummer John Rutsey. However, Rutsey would leave the band shortly after cutting this record due to diabetic complications and a personal dislike of touring. His replacement, Neil Peart, has been with the band since; and is considered to be one of the greatest rock drummers of all time.

After its initial success in America, Rush’s manager put together nine-thousand dollars to have the album remixed by producer Terry Brown. The higher sound-quality of the remix certainly helped make the record more radio-friendly, and insure its RIAA Gold certification.

Although not the best-selling record in Rush’s catalogue, their debut album undoubtedly laid a solid foundation for the rest of the band’s future success. Today it’s hard to not come across “Working Man,” “Finding My Way,” or “In the Mood” on classic-rock radio.

Rating: 4/5

Metallica

Artist: Metallica

In October 1990, Metallica entered One on One Studio to record the follow-up to …And Justice for All. At a cost of over one million dollars, after three remixes, and ending three marriages, Metallica was released on August 13, 1991. The album (referred to as The Black Album) instantly went to number one on Billboard charts, selling over 650,000 copies in its first week. It has since gone on to sell roughly 20 million copies worldwide, and is considered one of the greatest heavy metal records of all time.

The Black Album marks the beginning of a long and successful relationship between Metallica and producer Bob Rock. Rock approached the band after attending several of their concerts; remarking, “I’ve seen what you guys do live, but you’ve yet to capture that on record.” Feeling that they still had their best album in them, Metallica hired Rock initially to produce their next record. However, early on the band decided to also have the Canadian producer mix the album, seeking a more commercial and sonically polished sound severely lacking in the album’s predecessor.

Bob Rock did more than simply focus on the technical aspects of recording the album, layering track after track of guitars, drums, vocals, bass, and sound effects (like the gun-cocking noise in “The God that Failed”) The producer, who had helped bands such as The Cult, Bon Jovi, and Mötley Crüe achieve a pristine, radio-friendly sound, pushed Metallica to explore alternate tempos and song arrangements than the band had in the past. The result was slower and more groove-oriented than the band's earlier work. However, this album is arguably far ‘heavier’ than anything the band had done previously.

Every aspect of this record was meticulously groomed by Rock’s trained ear. Even the album’s lyrics could not escape tweaking. The songs on Metallica deal with more general themes and emotions that appeal to a broader audience. Singer James Hetfield wrote more personal and introspective lyrics than those of previous Metallica albums. “The God That Failed” deals with Hetfield's mother's death from cancer and her Christian Science beliefs which kept her from seeking medical treatment. “Nothing Else Matters” is another example, which is a love song Hetfield wrote about missing his girlfriend while on tours.

Due to both Metallica’s and Bob Rock’s persistent efforts, The Black Album was responsible for bringing Metallica to the attention of mainstream radio and a wider audience that had never heard of the band before. Subsequently, the record has been certified 15 times platinum in the United States, making it the 26th best-selling album in the country.

This is arguably Metallica’s best work. However, many diehard fans that have been following Metallica since their first record Kill ‘Em All would argue that The Black Album marks the point where the band ‘sold-out’ to commercial success. Although I really like most of the albums in Metallica’s catalogue, and would consider myself a big fan, I still think that this album is their best. Not only is it sonically perfect, heavy, and features great song writing, but it is also easily accessible to those who have never heard of the band before. In fact, Metallica was the first album I listened to by the band, and led me to discover the rest of their work.

Rating: 5/5

Hysteria

Artist: Def Leppard

Released in August of 1987, Hysteria would become Def Leppard’s bestselling record with over 20 million copies sold world-wide. The album features seven hit-singles; and at the time, was the longest rock album ever released as a single LP or cassette. Additionally, the album also set a record for one of the longest creation periods, taking over three years.

After the success of Pyromania, Def Leppard decided that the follow-up album should have an even more commercial sound. Unfortunately, the project, again produced by “Mutt” Lange, would be plagued with accidents and mishaps. Drummer Rick Allen’s auto accident, in which he lost his left arm, would be the most serious of the band’s setbacks; and the surrounding media frenzy inspired Allen with the album’s title.

After recording sessions finished, Lang took an additional three months to mix the record. This time he would add even more ‘hype’ to the backing vocals, resulting in this record’s pristine and glossy sound. Additionally, the band decided to largely dump clichéd guitar riffs and solos, and use the instrument in a way that emphasized the rhythm and ‘feel’ of the songs as a whole. Furthermore, the drums were recorded into a sampler and then triggered later once all of the other tracks had been cut. This allowed multiple drum hits to be stacked on top of each other, which is responsible for the huge rhythm sounds on the record. By the time the album was completed, the band would have to sell over seven million copies just to break even.

Despite the band’s aim at making a commercially successful record, with every song being a potential hit-single, they still managed to make an album that appeals to many hard-rock fans and guitar players. However, there are many that consider Pyromania to be the band’s final album before ‘selling-out.’ I think that it is more accurate to recognize that with Hysteria Def Leppard just took all of the things that made Pyromania so good and turned them up to 11.

With the release of Hysteria, the band finally realized their dreams of success in England; the album went to number one in its first week on the charts. However, the band had somewhat greater difficulty in America, where the long wait between albums had caused the band to lose momentum. Finally, nearly a year after its release, radio play of the song “Pour Some Sugar on Me” would propel the band back to the top of the charts, with both the number-one album, and the number-one single “Love Bites.” Hysteria would go on to dominate charts around the world for three years.

This album definitely sets the standard for production and song-writing among rock records. The fact that the album’s seven hits are still played daily on classic-rock radio is a testament to the amount of work the band put into the album’s creation. In 2004, the album was ranked at number 472 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Rating: 5/5

Pyromania

Artist: Def Leppard

Pyromania is the record that broke Def Leppard into main-stream stardom. Released in 1983, it spent two weeks in the number two position on Billboard charts – behind Thriller, the best-selling record ever. This album has gone on to sell over 10 million copies, a testament to its popularity and wide-spread appeal.

This album was produced by “Mutt” Lange, who had earlier worked with AC/DC and Foreigner. Lange was known for his perfectionism and polished sound, which is responsible for this album’s ‘sheen.’ Despite being a heavy metal record, Pyromania’s polished and commercial sound allowed it to be acceptable to a wider range of listeners – not to mention being extremely radio friendly.

 Of course much of the album’s success can be attributed to hits like “Photograph”, “Rock of Ages”, and “Foolin’.” These were all top 40 singles, and can still be heard daily on rock radio. Again, “Mutt” helped to fine tune these songs with his background in country music – using techniques that are not necessarily common to the metal genre to increase their commercial appeal.

Although this album was a huge success for the band, the fact that they received relatively little critical acclaim in their native England, as compared to America, was found a bit troublesome by the band. Although riding high on success during the time following the record’s release, the band would keep this disappointment in mind when they finally returned to the studio to cut their follow-up – Hysteria.

This is one of my favorite albums – as all of the records I will be reviewing here – and while I too like the hits from this album, like everyone else, I do particularly like some of the B-side material. “Action! Not Words,” in particular appeals to me. I like the somewhat looser feel of the song, and it has a certain quality to it that reminds me of some of the band’s later work on Hysteria.

Rating: 5/5