6-3-2012: Saxon - Broken Heroes

I saw Saxon one time and it was roughly 5 months after 9/11...they shocked the shit out of me when they broke out this classic from Innocence is No Excuse!  This was the song that really got me hooked on them.  I had bought a "Best of Saxon" CD a few years before at a used CD shop in South County (I think CD Reunion), and this was the standout track.  I bought Unleash the Beast a few months after that and that was it, I was hooked!  Innocence is by far my favorite "classic" Saxon album, and this may very well be one of the best classic Saxon songs!

6-2-2012: Hardline - Hot Cherie

I just saw these guys have a new album out.  I thought they put out the album in 1992 which this classic was on, did a brief reunion in 2002 and that was it.  I'll have to check out the new one, but Double Eclipse is worth any hard rock fan's listen, that's for sure.

6-1-2012: Helloween - Raise the Noise

This has been my alarm clock wake up song since it came out damn near 2 years ago!  It still isn't old either.  The heaviness and hooks of the 7 Sinners album are just fucking epic!  Album of the year 2010 for me, and with good reason!

5-31-2012: Sleeze Beez - Stranger than Paradise

It was 2001, I was trying desperately to find the most obscure, kick-ass 80s metal bands out there.  Quite the challenge at the time because the internet simply wasn't what it is today.  Rolla, MO had a great station that played hair bands late every Saturday night and I happened to be visiting my buddy Chief for the weekend.  They played this gem and I was blown away!  While I can't say that the rest of their catalog holds up to this song, if you've never heard this song, and you like 80s/melodic metal, give this song a good listen and prepare to be vaulted back to big hair and great sounds!

5-30-2012: Lion - Lock Up Your Daughters

I only just realized that this is a Slade cover song.  For some reason, it made me like the song even more.  I've loved this band since the epic Crispin Glover did the infamous dance in Friday the 13th Part IV!
These guys are highly underrated, and I can't stress enough that fans of the more hard-rock laden, melodic metal MUST check these guys out!

5-28-2012: Dokken - Standing on the Outside

I love me some new Dokken!  When this album came out, I was blown away.  I had wanted catchy, melodic music out of at least one of my favorite 80s bands since I had become hooked on that music in the 90s.  Well, as we all know, many 80s bands turned shitty or weird in the 90s and Dokken was right there with such crap as Shadowlife and Dysfunctional.  They made a good album with "Erase the Slate" in 1999, but it still wasn't quite the same.  This was a real return to form and it looks like they haven't looked back (I got to hear the sample of Burning Empire before they pulled it and it's BITCH!)

5-26-2012: Firewind - Wall of Sound

I've been wanting to do this song since the single came out a few weeks back, but I was in the middle of a theme.
This song is just a no-frills, epic metal song.  No BS, just a straight ahead, get stuck in your head ass kicker!  The album came out Tuesday and it's equally good.  The album takes a slightly harder edge compared to their previous albums, which is exactly what Gus G says they were going for.  They were highly successful IMO.  This is easily my favorite album of their entire catalog already.  For those who have never listened to Firewind, this is an excellent starting point.  For those who have, well, you won't be disappointed!