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Update as of early May for me:

1.  Kissin' Dynamite - Not The End of The Road

2.  Crashdiet - Automaton

3.  Degreed - Are You Ready

4.  Black Swan - Generation Mind

5.  Ronnie Atkins - Make It Count

We'll see if Def Leppard can crack the list later this month.  Have liked what I've heard so far.  Also really looking forward to Shiraz Lane, HEAT and Skid Row later this year.  I thought the Defiants had an album coming too but not sure I've heard exactly when yet. 

20 minutes ago, Geoff said:

It's an interesting point you bring up there because I had similar thoughts. 'Together whatever' is 100% pure, to the bone, Crashdiet, and for me, easily my favourite song on the album. 

This is literally just after one spin, so don't read too much into it yet, but I thought that regardless of how good the rest of the album was, I didn't get strong Crashdiet vibes for a lot of it. Really cool disc, and I'm very interested to see how repeated listens treat it, but that'd be my first impression - really good album - and far better than their recent ones, but not all instantly recognisable as Crashdiet if you heard it on a radio somewhere. 

I think that's why I like it so much lol!

I tried yesterday going back into their back catalog wondering if I really missed something with these guys.  And despite really digging this new one, I'm not finding a whole lot I like.  There's a couple songs on Generation Wild that sound okay and maybe a few other songs.  But nowhere near enough to really make me bother.  They just seemed to have more of a typical sleaze vibe that I've never been huge into and I dismissed them.

This new one though just feels like some killer melodic hard rock not far removed from stuff like Temple Balls, Kissin Dynamite, etc.  From my point of view, it almost  feels like a new band to me or something which kinds of points to exactly what you said with it maybe not sounding like Crashdiet.

Maybe part of it for me it the singer change too.  I think this is only their second alum with their current singer.  Maybe I need to revisit the last album but I feel like this new one is just much bigger sounding and catchier than their last one.  

Will have to see how this holds up to repeated listens but I'm thinking this is definitely among my favorites so far this year.    

Haven't really been into these guys over the years but gave this a listen and pretty darn good stuff.  Seems quite a bit better to me than their last album as that one never grabbed me when I listened to it.    

This is just seems a bit more melodic and catchy with a much bigger sound and better songs.  Basically seems closer to melodic hard rock than sleaze to me, not that it matters.  This album reminds me quite a bit of Temple Balls Pyromide in a few songs.

Nice surprise.

On 4/24/2022 at 2:27 AM, Glen said:

I've only spun once and would need to play the others back to back but I felt this was closer to Coup personally.

I've never rated Coup as the masterpiece some others have, I think I gave it a 85%. 

I'd tend to agree with this.  Maybe part of it for me is that I mainly started listening to this band when Ghost dropped and I worked back to Coup after the fact.  But I liked Ghost and Tunguska both slightly more than Coup.  All 3 are very close though.  I'd probably have Coup around something like an 85 and Ghost/Tunguska both around 90.  It's really splitting hairs between them though.  

As for the new one, it's still coming in a distant 4th for me.  I really think I'd have it at something like a 75 if I were rating it.  It sounds great musically but the songs just haven't grabbed me.  I gave it 4-5 listens, tossed 2 songs into my playlist (Rabbit Hole and Carolina Reaper) and I've basically moved on from it.

New tune.  Digging it!  Feels like a bit of  throwback Leppard to me.  I liked Kick but like this one more. 

25 minutes ago, Geoff said:

Finally got to this today. Pure quality, as always. 

I understand concerns about it being a bit by-the-numbers, but it's all quality. Randomly, I found myself thinking of countryman Goran Edman a few times, in terms of the lyrics. It's a fine line for me. I like different and a bit strange when it comes to lyrics - it's the shit I used to pen in darkened rooms... but I like for it to come together somehow. There's a few songs on this that are great, but I find myself asking what exactly they're talking about. But it's cool. Credit to them for trying to mix it up a bit... but I wouldn't be sad with some lyrics I could connect with a tad more. 

Anyway, immaculate in every technical regard and impossible to not enjoy. Early favourite tunes would be 'My Parade' and 'Wake Me When It's Over.' 

What you mention about connecting to the songs/lyrics has been my problem with it.

If I just toss it on and don't really listen to it, it sounds fine musically as there's some great melodies.  But when I really listen to it, I don't find myself getting into the songs much and half the time I'm scratching my head wondering what they're getting on about.  There's just some odd lyrics and subjects.

For me, this one feels a bit behind the previous 3 albums if I'm ranking them.

3 hours ago, Glen said:

who buys cds anymore lol.

just make your own best of on Spotify (or yr streaming service of choice) 

This.  

They made sense at one time and were a good way to maybe discover a band or just buy their highlights.  But they don't make much sense anymore as it's easy enough to just make your own greatest hits playlist.  Heck, most of the time the "greatest hits" are often missing songs I really dig anyways.

This is tough as things have changed a bit over the years but as of right now I'd say (not really in a particular order): 

1.  Def Leppard

2.  H.E.A.T 

3.  Warrant

4.  Poison

5.  Midnite City

6.  Crazy Lixx

7.  Guns N Roses

8.  Eclipse

9.  Motley Crue

10. Kissin' Dynamite

Honorable mention:  Shiraz Lane, Pretty Maids, Tesla

Bon Jovi is one I struggled with.   They probably should be on the list but I've despised their past 15-20 years so much and I listen to them so little now that I couldn't do it. 

New tune out:

38 minutes ago, gener8tr said:

Exactly right, and here's the thing..

Those who weren't around / listening to music in 1983 and 1987 wouldn't necessarily understand the natural progression.  Four years may not seem like a long period of time in 2018 - 2022, but 1987 was light years away from 1983 in almost all aspects of life back then (music included).  Even 1985 was vastly different than 1983.  Motley Crue Shout vs. Theater is a pretty good example of this.  Music, fashion, etc.  Just different.  Life was speeding by and changing daily for those of us who were teenagers back then.

Funny you mention Motley Crue.  My best friend back then was a huge Motley fan and I was a huge Leppard fan.  I still remember him calling out Leppard as pop sellouts when Hysteria dropped.  I happened to love the album though.  Anyways, evetnually Crue dropped Dr. Feelgood and I threw it right back at him lol.  

Either way, it was a fantastic decade 😀

21 minutes ago, gener8tr said:

I love Def Leppard.  I loved Steve Clark.  I really like Vivian Campbell.

The above quoted comment is probably closest to the truth in the Viv / DL debate.  Let's face it, Vivian was playing Holy Diver the same time Steve and Phil were playing Rock of Ages.  I doubt Joe (and especially Phil) ask Vivian for anything more than to ensure his guitar is in-tune for the rhythm parts of any new Leppard songs. 

And as much as I like Phil, he's more of a special effects noodler now than anything.  I mean he loves that trem bar nearly as much as Brad Gillis, and the Jackson sustainer should should really be called "The Collen."  I actually dig his sound a lot (I always have), but Randy Rhoades he is not.

Agree 

Have to remember too that Steve Clark was very much around for Hysteria and the sound of that album was vastly different than what came before it.  And I know there were many saying they'd lost their hard rock balls at that point.  I just really think that's the path they wanted to naturally take to be like their influences in Queen, TRex, etc.

There's no doubt that Viv isn't really invloved in new music though as he's had very few writing credits.  I think he's just happy playing his role and letting the other guys steer the ship.

Either way, I dig the new tune and for me it's one of the better tunes they've done the past 15 years or so.  Hoping there's a few more fun, catchy tunes like it on the album.

Spent more time with this album the past couple days....pretty darn good album.  I definitely like it a lot more than the debut. 

For me it tails off a little in the second half but still plenty of good tunes.  Generation Mind, See You Cry, Miracle and Crown are probably my favorites here.

10 hours ago, AlphaMale said:

Played the new song for my buddy and he said "how can they say "the gang's all here" when Baz ain't there?" He wasn't too impressed. 

Good question and point my friend.

 

Thing is though I could care less if Bach is there.  I was never a huge Skid Row fan and for me the nosedive started after Slave while Bach was still there.  If Bach really wanted to be there, he would be.  I don't think he's a Saint in all that's happened either.  And for my money, Erik is way better than Bach at this point in time anyways.

Either way, I'm viewing this as basically a new band with Erik Gronwall singing and they play some Skid Row tunes.

I dig the new tune quite a bit and I'm more interested in their new music with Erik than their past with Bach.

5 hours ago, Geoff said:

Not a mad fan of it. Agree it's getting dangerously close to something grotesque like power metal, which is cool if you're into that, but not if you're a fan of HEAT still being a good band. 

The more the song goes on the less I like it, lol. 

Really?  

I'm digging it quite a bit and this is from the guy who had reservations on Kenny coming back.

I guess I can hear a tiny bit of power metal in it but to me it just reminds me of something like Blind to the Blind.  I'd bet it'll probably be the heaviest sounding song on the album but I guess we'll see.

I'm encouraged by the 2 singles so far and feel like I'm coming around on Kenny.  

New HEAT tune.  

Have to say I'm really digging this one!  Maybe I'm starting to come around on Kenny  

Gave this a listen and first impression for me is that it's just okay.  Basically, it feels like the weakest of the last 4 albums to me at least initially.  It does have a great overall sound musically.  But I guess my issue is just the songs themselves.  Just don't find them very engaging or something.  Maybe topics like Freud, Rabbit Holes, Sinbiosis, Hollywood Jesus and hot peppers just don't peak my interest much I guess 

Will give it a couple more spins to see how it settles.

Pretty early yet but so far for me:

1.  Kissin' Dynamite - Not The End of The Road

2.  Degreed - Are You Ready

3.  Ronnie Atkins - Make It count

4.  Girish & The Chronicles - Hail to the Heroes

That's really all I've got on my list so far.

Some good stuff coming the rest of the year though and I'm sure my list will get shaken up.  

On 3/28/2022 at 11:33 AM, tobi is an animal said:

this band without Erik is average at best, new song is pretty weak.

I'm not sure "average at best" is how I'd describe them.

I just think the tough thing is that they were exceptional and went to another level with Erik (at least for me).  They've definitely fallen down some notches but it's still is solid melodic rock that's probably better than a lot of other "average" stuff out there.

I feel like if this were a brand new band that I'd never heard before, I'd be digging it a lot more.  That's kind of what I keep telling myself....Just treat this as a new band that stands on it's own and stop comparing it to Erik's version of the band.  It's tough to do but I'm slowly coming around.

Either way, the new tune for me blows away the sound of their first 2 albums.  I like the edgier/melodic rock sound as opposed to the lighter/AOR sound they had on those first 2 albums.  So I feel like they'll still put out a good album.

Just won't be near as good as the last 4    

I do like both songs but it's Skid Row with Erik for me on both counts which comes as no surprise being I've said many times I prefer Erik to Kenny.

The Skid Row tune I've probably listened to 10 times so far and find myself bobbing my head and tapping the steering wheel when I hear it.  The new H.E.A.T tune has gotten 4-5 plays and I basically say to myself, "Yeah, that sounds pretty decent" but that's about it.  It just doesn't excite me the way songs like Dangerous Ground, One By One & Rise did when I first heard them as singles for the last album and I was completely blown away.  Those were pound the steering wheel tunes.  I just don't know if Kenny will ever be a pound the steering wheel type of singer for me.  

That said though, I do like the new HEAT tune and it's a nice listen.  Just doesn't excite me as much as music with Erik did.  But I also know that HEAT with Kenny is still solid melodic rock.  I just need to forget about Erik being there and take it for what it is.

I'm trying hard to stop comparing Erik/Kenny but threads like this keep sucking me in lol.  My goal is just to try approaching both of these situations with an open mind, give them both a chance and hopefully find a lot of new music to enjoy.  

4 minutes ago, AlphaMale said:

Sounds good to me! 

100X better than Skid Row with Erik.

Well, looks like we're opposite here...

I like both songs but I prefer Erik's new Skid Row song to the new HEAT if I'm picking.

Something about Kenny still sits just a little off with me.  I think it's his tone or something that just doesn't make him as immediate for me.   

I'm not saying I dislike the HEAT tune.  It sounds way better to me than the first 2 albums they did with Kenny.  But not sure if this will be a purchase for me or not.  Need to hear a couple more tunes. 

4 hours ago, J.S.M said:

I think this song would be one of the best if it was on their last album. But did Erik get a bit more room in the mix than Kenny? I like both voices but the way that Erik's voice was produced was a bit better.

I don't think it's the production....Erik just has a more powerful voice that stands out more 

New tune is pretty good.  Doesn't blow me away like singles from the last album did though.  I know part of that is because of Erik not being there but for me songs like One By One, Dangerous Ground and Rise were just stronger songs than this.

Still like it though and like the beefier, edgier style way more than the lighter style and sound of first 2 albums with Kenny.

7 minutes ago, KarpetRydOFunk said:

Yeah, but how does it compare to H.e.a.t?

Oh, wait...

Now I'll be comparing to Skid Row 

New tune pretty good...sounds way better than the first 2 albums to me which I didn't care for.

Still prefer Erik's vocals but I could get into this I think.  Still solid melodic rock any way you slice it.

New tune is pretty good!  Sounds like it the Skid Row debut mixed with Gronwall HEAT.

I like it much better than the New Horizon stuff, that's for sure 

1 minute ago, Geoff said:

I turned on the subtitles for that, and strangely, the Swedish words made more sense to me, lol, wtf, zomfg. 

Anyway what to make of this news. It's interesting and unexpected, I'll give it that. I think it's pretty cool, but Skid Row haven't written a decent song since a couple of tunes from 'Thickskin.' Will that change now? I certainly hope so, but Gronwall would have to have a lot of involvement in the writing process for that to happen, I do believe, and as per that recent interview with Sabo, I'm not sure the band is going to be willing to give that to him.

Reading between the lines, it's probably why Harnell left and how sure can we be that Gronwall is happy just being a voice for what he's given without any input, if that's how it continues? Or do the band smarten up and realise that Gronwall can probably offer them a hell of a lot more than they can him, musically speaking?

Oh, and I'm typing this on page two so I can't see page one and I already forget his name, but what the fuck is a ZB Threat, or whatever that was? How was he the singer in this band for 6 or 7 years of whatever it was and I've never ever heard the name before? 

I think that, at least for me, how much the embrace new music and realize the talent of Erik is going to be key.

In my opinion, Skid Row doesn't have a great catalog of music to rely on as a pure nostalgia band.  I mean, they had a great debut album, then Slave was pretty good.....Then that was about it.  They've got like 3-4 big hits.

Yeah, I know that most that go to see them will be for the nostalgia factor.  And I'd go see them once.  But for them to really take some steps forward, I think they need to put out some kick ass music that gets people talking about them again.  If they could mix some great new songs in with their recognizable songs they could really increase their popularity as anybody who has seen Erik live knows how infectious that guy is.  He could win people over and actually sell their new music IMO.

But if they just toss out some run of the mill crap and are happy remaining an after-thought nostalgia band getting by on a shaky catalog of music with a hired gun singer, then it'll just be a waste of Erik's talent that I wouldn't need to see more than once.

As for not hearing about the previous singer, don't feel bad Geoff.  I couldn't have told you who any of their singers were after Bach lol.  They just fell completely off my radar and have never done anything to get back on it.....until now