Jerrol

I have been watching a number of preseason games this year and am currently watching the Vikings/49ers game and have seen helmets flying off more than I can remember. The 49ers first drive I counted 5 times that helmets came off on tackles. Has anyone else noticed this?

I rarely pick up a CD and am not able to stop listening to it. But that occurred recently when I acquired Disciples of the Unseen from Aeternam. They are a melodic death metal band from Quebec which incorporates some Symphonic and Folk elements. This is one of the better debut albums I have heard. These guys deserve some recognition.

Angel Horned

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnntqqJ2uYY

The Coronation Of Seth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in_njZ5vLkw

Through The Eyes Of Ea

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoacqRx7h9c

MQ: Thoughts on the Band/songs?

MQ2: What are your favorite melodic death metal bands that incorporate elements from other genres?

Blind Guardian has been one of my favorites over the years and if the rest of their new album is as good as this song then they will be releasing one of their best albums.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv4_FJPgnHY

MQ: Thoughts on the song and band?

MQ2: Favorite Blind Guardian album?

Since I have started this line of questions I have focused on mostly the 80s/early 90s but that is not the only time that hair metal has existed. There are a lot of new bands formed each year. Today I am going to showcase a new band.

Vains Of Jenna were formed in Falkenberg, Sweden in 2005. They have released two albums so far and you will notice they are strongly influenced by the LA sleaze metal scene. They now currently reside in Los Angeles.

No One's Gonna Do It For You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEjnQWVd024

Hard To Be Vain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcCmxrY2GkM

Enemy In Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBxl-Lz2378

Get It On

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLn_qmKOrA4

MQ: Thoughts on the songs/band?

MQ2: What is your favorite band that formed within the last 5 years?

BQ: Does anyone like gourmet hot dogs? If so what is your favorite gourmet dog?

It is incomprehensible how so many great bands got overlooked in this era while there were lesser quality bands that sold millions of records. Today I am featuring another of those ridiculously underrated bands, Lillian Axe. They released four amazing albums from '88 to '93 and received next to no recognition, they did have a good underground following though.

Vision In The Night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qHfCu4j8cU

Show A Little Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feQmnZXC2Iw

Innocence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PyvsXRby70

Deepfreeze (the drummer on this album played on the first two Godsmack CDs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9brJaErCNo

MQ: Thoughts on the band/songs?

MQ2: Favorite musician who recorded with one band before finding popularity with another band of a different genre of music?

BQ: What is the worst food you have ever ate?

Some of the better memories I have of growing up in the 80s was camping out for concert tickets. It was always a great way to meet people with similar music tastes and someone always brought a stereo and it one of the best ways to check out new music, it always seemed that everyone was trying to be the first to discover a new band so there was always something new to check out. It is times such as those that helped give heavy metal its culture. (which is something that I feel is lacking today)

One of the bands that I discovered on such a "camping" trip was Junkyard. They infused elements of southern rock and blues with their own brand of L.A. sleaze metal. Their no-frills approach to their music, where the music mattered more than image, should have made them a household name. but as with many bands from the era, they failed to have much in the way of commercial success.

Hollywood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPQ0DI3Mar0

Simple Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5uYnfIvmaA

Misery Loves Company

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZtrEP2-wEc

Life Sentence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aza9kHWR4UU

Texas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMef4MPYRq4

MQ: Thoughts on the band/songs?

MQ2: Have you ever camped out for concert tickets? If so, what was the last show?

BQ: French Fries or Onion Rings?

Hair metal era is an often misunderstood and disrespected era of metal history. For whatever reason it seems that people have dismissed hair metal as only being about image and a being full of a bunch of no talented musicians. There were so many bands that have been overlooked or dismissed based on listening to a song or two.

Today's band is probably known by most people but only for a couple songs, "Smooth Up In Ya" and "For The Love Of Money" (an O'Jays cover) and by the singers ability be do a better David Lee Roth than Roth himself. They kept getting better with each album while their popularity kept diminishing. They have kept their name going in some form but it was their original lineup that produced their best material. The following songs are from their first three albums and show the band having a real knack for creating some very catchy tunes. If you are unfamiliar with their two hits I have included them but I am wanting to highlight more their other material so there are a couple more songs than normal. (feel free to skip their main hits if you like.)

Smooth Up In Ya

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obgDJazEftU

For The Love Of Money

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqxaCG9PBOs

Kissin' Kitty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPAwKLDBXWQ

THC Groove

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLoYU2e6-s0

Hang On St. Christopher (Tom Waits cover)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ2V7YIcEng

When Pigs Fly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyIMCmSIX6w

MQ: Your thoughts on the band/songs?

MQ2: What is your favorite metal cover of a non-metal song?

BQ: What is the greatest food you ever ate?

BQ2: Does it p*ss you off, like it does me, when you can not find any of the songs you want by a band on youtube?

I have to honestly had a great time looking back as this era since I decided to undertake these questions. My musical foundation was formed with the hair metal bands of the 80s/90s. It is funny to think about how I would probably not be listening to death metal today if it was not for bands like Ratt and Quiet Riot in my youth. I honestly believe that hair metal is one of the most misunderstood sub-genres of heavy metal. (people will even argue that it is not even metal, which I honestly find hilarious) For some whatever reason the genre is dismissed by most metal fans because of a few bands that took the genre probably a little too far and found commercial success in doing so. But just like all genres of heavy metal there was an underground scene as well full of bands that were, IMO, better than what was popular.

Babylon A.D. was one of those bands that found some minor success with "Bang Goes The Bell" but that was as far as their sucess went. Even though they were just a cheesy as the next (I like the cheesiness) they were more of a straightforward, no-frills hair metal band. They did not go for the image that some bands did. They released two albums towards the end of the hair metal movement. They reunited at the end of the 90s and released a low budget independent release in 2002.

Bang Goes The Bell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNyaj-9IrIg

The Kid Goes Wild (features Sam Kinison)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMf685TiBmk

Psychedelic Sex Reaction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjDEmuIdFIM

Bad Blood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUYutVbHynk

MQ: Thoughts on the band/songs?

MQ2: Are their bands that you consider heavy metal which most of the metal community does not?

BQ: Favorite Cheese?

I know I have used the term underrated several times in these posts but when someone asks me who was the most underrated band ever Badlands is always my answer. I think it is a travesty that these guys are not a household name and other lesser bands from this era are.

Badlands was formed by former Ozzy guitarist Jake E. Lee and short lived Black Sabbath vocalist Ray Gillen. Unfortunately these two really ended up not getting along and the constant infighting would destroy the band, and the death of vocalist Ray Gillen would seal their fate.

Enjoy the greatness that was Badlands.

Winter's Calling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IepGiupfguM

Dreams In The Dark

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQg-8vxMqpM

Tribal Moon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H07OhPdm0cU

Sun Red Sun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaCm_SZfkRc

Soulsteeler (live)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yAfJPi9zZI

MQ: Thoughs on the songs/band?

MQ2: Who do you feel is the most underrated band ever?

BQ: Tea or Coffee?

For every popular band in the hair metal scene there were a dozen other bands that was supposed to be the next best thing which never got the recognition they deserved. Some of these bands that did not make it was because they refused to jump through every hoop the record companies set up for them, stick to their guns and produce the albums they wanted to and not worry so much about the next "hit".

Black 'N Blue was one of those bands that were supposed to be the next big success but fell short. They had a fairly loyal fan base but none of their music really had any commercial success. They actually made their recording debut on the second pressing of the first Metal Massacre compilation which was released in 1984, the first song highlighted it that song. Note: Tommy Thayer (guitarist) is currently the guitarist for Kiss and Jamie St. James (singer) would record one album with Warrent.

Chains Around Heaven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBohUZzGai4

Hold On To 18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nVIRl1dWTM

Miss Mystery (ballad warning)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNUW8JcC2Mo

Nasty Nasty (Gene Simmons co-wrote this song and then stole the riffs for Domino six years later)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_LBE9Wl8iM

Get Wise To The Rise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J49-XGilcSI

MQ: Thoughts on songs/band?

MQ2: what is your favorite musician to leave an established band and find equal success with another?

BQ: Chicken or Tuna salad?

Norway is probably most known it the metal world for its Black metal but the first metal band to makes is mark from Norway was TNT.

Today's band was one of my favorite growing up in the eighties. TNT started out as a melodic traditional metal band before switching over to hair metal by their third album, they continued to rework their sound again and again through out their career. The songs I am highlighting are not necessarily their best songs but they showcase the changes that they have made through their career.

Deadly Metal (1984)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQCviuCbkpQ

10,000 Lovers In one (1987)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evagdOg6x7Y

Just Like God (1999)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jymSXq0UVhw

Give Me A Sign (2004)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0zSDqH_TVk

Atlantis (2008) w/new singer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRvvFAe6xDs

MQ: Thoughts on the songs/band

MQ2: Is their a band that you feel that continuously rework their sound? Does it work for them?

MQ3: Should I continue with the hair band of the day questions?

BQ: Favorite seafood?

I have been doing this post to showcase bands either never got the recognition they deserved or to show that there are more to these bands then the song or two that they are known for.

Today's band is Europe. They are one of the more well known bands in the genre but what most people do not know is that they started out playing a very different style of metal. The first song I will be posting is their most recognized hit but the rest of the songs were released on their first two albums and had a very different feel to them.

The Final Countdown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt3pGeEqc6A

In The Future To Come

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaUPrfIMpyw

Children Of This Time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbr6vuM2nPc

Scream Of Anger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx8gQoof6vY

Wasted Time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R8GbpEcSmk

MQ: Thoughts on the songs/band?

MQ2: What is your favorite band that started out doing one style of music but are more known for a playing a different style?

BQ: Favorite flavor of Ice Cream?

They labeled themselves as the "stoopidist band in the world", gotta love a band with a sense of humor, but they delivered six good albums through the 90s. They incorporated elements of psychedelic, punk and funk with their own breed of guitar oriented blues hair metal. Here are some favorites of mine from their first three albums.

Blackout In A Red Room

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mzooWvXNrU

Why Do You Think They Call It Dope?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtAxLs7nmiU

Wasted In America

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp1yJAYXU8M

Yucca Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAgfPIght5U

Spinning Wheel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqs-DvkLJO8

MQ: Thoughts on the songs/band?

MQ2: Favorite metal bands with funk influences?

MQ3: Why do you think they call it dope?

BQ: Tacos or Burritos?

There were some hair metal bands that I feel did not receive the recognition which I feel they deserved due to just simply having a crappy band name. Today's pick is one of those bands, Netherland's Sleeze Beez. They did have one very minor hit, Stranger Than Paradise, even though they released 4 solid albums, IMO.

Stranger Than Paradise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=219aiv7ZLiY

Screwed Blue 'n Tatooed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjwUpm36pe8

Raise A Little Hell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTMXU-PUK9Q

Save Myself (sorry for the song. the only video I could find for their Insanity Beach CD.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtbBfBUkDOs

MQ: Thoughts on the songs/Band?

MQ2: Your favorite band that suffers from having a crappy band name?

BQ: Ketchup or Mustard?

Most hair metal bands found very little commercial success, most only had one hit, usually minor, and then only follow that up with a short career. Some of these bands have reunited over the last few years and release new material.

Steel Heart is one of those bands. Had their one hit in the US with I'll Never Let You Go. Even though they continued to have success in Europe and Asia they called it quits after only two more albums in 1996. The band was reformed by Croatian born singer Miljenko Matijevic to release their first full length in twelve years with Good 2B Alive. Many will recognize, or already know, Matijevic's voice from the movie Rock Star. I will include the original version of the song We all die young which was originally released by Steelheart in 1996 on their CD Wait.

I'll Never Let You Go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOv5yOAivJs

Love Ain't Easy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEiSGsLXd3w

Sticky Side Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqv4AAvF5Z0

We All Die Young

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F6FMQLke0Q

Good 2B Alive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-Yb0ObFq9M

MQ: Thoughts on the band/Songs?

MQ2: What is your favorite metal moment in a TV show/Movie?

MQ3: What did you think of the movie Rock Star?

BQ: If you eat beef, how do you like your steak cooked? rare, medium rare, medium, medium well, well done?

For a lot of people, hair metal seems to be synonymous with the L.A. and the Sunset Strip. Sure the scene there was very instrumental to the success of many bands from that era but only a small fraction of the hair metal bands actually came from that scene. Hair metal bands came from all across the globe which takes me to today's band.

Sweden is most known, in the hair metal world, for producing the band Europe but they definitely had more to offer. One of my favorites were the funk and metal infused Electric Boys. The Electric Boys never got the recognition in the U.S. that I feel they deserved. They only had one minor hit with All Hips N' Lips and that is all they people really seem to know they from but they had much more to offer. Unfortunately, we only got three albums from them before they disbanded.

All Hips N' Lips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-K4xCGpp5U

She's Into Something Heavy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhyNccSlnGA

Psychedelic Eyes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvPKk2QW72s

Knee Deep In You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56A485QS7lI

My Knuckles Your Face

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJda2yY3vcQ

MQ: Thoughts on the band/songs?

MQ2: What country do you feel produces the best bands?

BQ: Favorite type of BBQ? Memphis, Kansas City, Carolina, Texas, Asian....etc?

Since I am a restaurantaur the BQs will be food related from now on.

There are so many hair metal bands that were only able to get a couple albums out before having to call it quits. Most of these bands would have one very minor hit and then loose the support of the record label and get dumped because every label was looking for the next moneymaker and cared nothing for the music. I feel there were many very good bands that got overlooked due to the lack of support from their record label.

In my opinion, Tora Tora was one of those bands. They had their minor hit, Walkin' Shoes. Released a couple albums of blues-based, Led Zeppelin inspired hair metal. They only got to release two albums, the first three songs are from Surprise Attack and the last three from Wild America.

Walkin' Shoes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k9UDRO43Vc

28 Days

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gH2EoPncrY

She's Good, She's Bad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5jlDCgI3ZQ

Dirty Secrets

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW--98cKOPE

Dead Man's Hand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiO_-mB-2zg

Shattered

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfTSpITioIs

MQ: Your thoughts on the band/songs?

MQ2: Favorite band who's career was cut short after 2 albums or less?

BQ: What are your favorite pair of walkin' shoes?

I do really do not care what you want to call it, hard rock, hair metal, glam metal, pop metal, AOR or sleaze metal, (I have alway used the term hair metal and will here) this is one of the sub-genres that got me into metal and I have always felt it has always been either disrespected or just flat out ignored by the metal community. I enjoy listening and have the same passion for these bands as I do the for all the metal bands that I listen to (which is a ton).

That being said, I am going to feature an entire band instead of just one song. I feel that too many people have dismissed this genre based on listening to the one or two songs a band might have had on the radio or headbangers ball back in the day instead of looking deeper into the band. I have found in most cases the popular songs are usually the bands worst.

My band of the day is Dangerous Toys. They orignated in Austin, Texas and originally were a female fronted band called Onyx but after some issues with the singer they brought in Watchtower vocallist Jason McMaster changed their name and Dangerous Toys with their southern blues influenced style was formed. These songs are from their first 3 albums (they only had 4)

Scared

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwdqeQzyX8M

Queen of the Nile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1BSj9SSr_k

Gypsy (Black 'N' Blue Valentine)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIamRQEIqm8

P*ssed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOKOWM9tLcU

Loser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DrPtTLBqFA

MQ: What do you think of the songs/bands?

MQ2: What are your favorite bands from Texas?

MQ3: Does anyone collect any toys and are they dangerous?

BQ: Would continue featuring a band or just one song?

The Praying Mantis from Centurus-A

I picked up this CD yesterday and I have probably listened to it five times since then. For me this is exactly what I am looking for in Technical Death Metal. One of the better releases I have heard in a long time.

MQ: Thoughts/Comments.

MQ2: What are some of your favorite Technical Death Metal albums in the last ten years.

BQ: Have you listened to a CD so many times and ended up getting so sick of it that you can no longer enjoy it?

Growing up in the 80s I was very much into your classic metal standards, Maiden, Priest, Dio, Ozzy, Sabbath...etc and was also heavily into Thrash metal and even hair metal but for some reason when death metal arrived on the scene I really did not get into it, for whatever reason. It did not get completely overlooked but I did not develop the obsession that I did for other genres.

During the late 90s I started getting into Melodic Death metal and that became an obsession for several years. Over the last few years I have been going back looking backwards to discover or rediscover bands that I missed or forgotten about, which there are tons. Having gone through the genres I grew up listening to I have pretty much gone full circle and have come back to Death Metal. This time it is not getting overlooked. I am familiar and do have quite a bit of death metal, but no where near what I have of other genres.

MQ: Have you overlooked or dismissed a genre of metal to later rediscover it?

MQ2: I know when people refer to death metal they often tag it with a country or state, Florida Death Metal, Swedish Death Metal....etc. What are all the different regional sub-genres and what are the significant characteristics of their particular style of death metal?

MQ3: What are your favorite death metal bands?

BQ: I own a pizzeria, what is your favorite pizza topping combination?