Best of 2014 thus far?

[Jez]

Ha ha Loud Lion above HEAT...that made me laugh.

Loud Lion above ANYTHING this year will make me laugh. Complete drivel

[Geoff]

 

Ha ha Loud Lion above HEAT...that made me laugh.

Loud Lion above ANYTHING this year will make me laugh. Complete drivel

 

 

Haha, yeah, speaking of drivel, I had to stop reading the Loudlion thread that you guys were raping. Just searching for it now to see the evidence I can't find the mofo.

 

Anyway, the lyrics are stupid, yes, and it rips off Def Leppard, yes. Does it kill children and rape baby seals? Not that I heard. It's firmly based on what Def Leppard did, but I love Def Leppard, and I love this. Hooks and sweet melodies all over the joint. Good musicianship, well produced and solid vocals. Nothing for me to dislike at all.

 

I truly can't really remember what pointless reasons you guys were giving on why you hate it so much, but like I said, drivel of a much higher order than what's on this disc.

 

I love moments on the HEAT disc. The best songs on the HEAT disc are better than the best songs on the Loudlion disc, but scoring albums as a whole, I listen to the Loudlion disc from start to end (bar the instrumental, of course) but I reach for the skip button 4 times on the HEAT disc. Sorry dudes, that's just not on for me. I just basically completely hate 'A shot at redemption,' 'We will never die' plods along inanely (though I admit I'm not quite skipping this one every single time just yet), 'All the nights' is just bland as hell and I can't sit through it anymore, and I love the 2 verses in 'Laughing at tomorrow' but despise the chorus. As soon as the 2nd verse is over, I need to hit the skip button. Nails on a chalkboard is what that chorus is. And for the record, 'Enemy in me' is getting close to the brink too.

 

Honestly, I hate to speak ill of HEAT. I think they're fantastic and the great songs are absolutely brilliant, but they really missed the mark on a few tracks this time, and for that I much prefer the Loudlion disc, as they have done nothing to offend me. Because I just listen to music instead of drudging up pointless reasons to dislike otherwise good tunes.

[Geoff]

 

 

Wow, thanks for the Devil's Run tip. I didn't know about them. Nice.

 

Anyway, it's the halfway mark of the year and I'm basically up to date. Gotta say, if I'm being honest, it's a solid, but pretty uninspiring list outside of the top 10. Hoping for an influx of quality in the 2nd half of 2014.

 

1 - Night By Night - NxN - 89

2 - Brother Firetribe - Diamond In The Firepit - 88

3 - Steel Panther - All You Can Eat - 87

4 - Michael Paynter - Weary Stars - 87

5 - States Of Panic - No World Order - 87

6 - Loud Lion - Die Tough - 87

7 - H.E.A.T - Tearing Down The Walls - 83

8 - Free Spirit - All The Shades of Darkened Light - 82

9 - Laney's Legion - Laney's Legion - 82

10 - 5 Seconds Of Summer - 5 Seconds Of Summer - 82

11 - Dorydrive - Here's To You - 82

12 - Confess - Jail - 80

13 - The Relapse Symphony - Shadows - 80

14 - L.R.S - Down To The Core - 80

15 - Framing Hanley - The Sum Of Who We Are - 79

16 - Within Temptation - Hydra - 79

17 - The Radio Sun - Wrong Things Right - 78

18 - Switchblade Serenade - Alive At Night - 78

19 - 7 - Seven - 78

20 - Rubicon Cross - Rubicon Cross - 78

 

I guess you didn't like the HOL that much

 

 

Not really. It's okay, nothing more nothing less.

[Stefan]

 

 

Ha ha Loud Lion above HEAT...that made me laugh.

Loud Lion above ANYTHING this year will make me laugh. Complete drivel

 

 

Haha, yeah, speaking of drivel, I had to stop reading the Loudlion thread that you guys were raping. Just searching for it now to see the evidence I can't find the mofo.

 

Anyway, the lyrics are stupid, yes, and it rips off Def Leppard, yes. Does it kill children and rape baby seals? Not that I heard. It's firmly based on what Def Leppard did, but I love Def Leppard, and I love this. Hooks and sweet melodies all over the joint. Good musicianship, well produced and solid vocals. Nothing for me to dislike at all.

 

I truly can't really remember what pointless reasons you guys were giving on why you hate it so much, but like I said, drivel of a much higher order than what's on this disc.

 

I love moments on the HEAT disc. The best songs on the HEAT disc are better than the best songs on the Loudlion disc, but scoring albums as a whole, I listen to the Loudlion disc from start to end (bar the instrumental, of course) but I reach for the skip button 4 times on the HEAT disc. Sorry dudes, that's just not on for me. I just basically completely hate 'A shot at redemption,' 'We will never die' plods along inanely (though I admit I'm not quite skipping this one every single time just yet), 'All the nights' is just bland as hell and I can't sit through it anymore, and I love the 2 verses in 'Laughing at tomorrow' but despise the chorus. As soon as the 2nd verse is over, I need to hit the skip button. Nails on a chalkboard is what that chorus is. And for the record, 'Enemy in me' is getting close to the brink too.

 

Honestly, I hate to speak ill of HEAT. I think they're fantastic and the great songs are absolutely brilliant, but they really missed the mark on a few tracks this time, and for that I much prefer the Loudlion disc, as they have done nothing to offend me. Because I just listen to music instead of drudging up pointless reasons to dislike otherwise good tunes.

 

 

Here you are Geoff: http://heavyharmonies.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=31673&do=findComment&comment=684521

[tts42572]

Sorry...But I have to agree with Glen

 

Loud Lion has absolutely zero originality and is basically just a cover-type, tribute album. I suppose it's fine for what it is but If I want to listen to something with that sound, I'll just listen to Def Leppard's Hysteria and hear it done the right way.

 

 

Ha ha Loud Lion above HEAT...that made me laugh.

[Jez]

 

Sorry...But I have to agree with Glen

 

Loud Lion has absolutely zero originality and is basically just a cover-type, tribute album. I suppose it's fine for what it is but If I want to listen to something with that sound, I'll just listen to Def Leppard's Hysteria and hear it done the right way.

 

 

Ha ha Loud Lion above HEAT...that made me laugh.

 

Pretty much spot on. I have no problem with their lack of originality (what is original these days anyway) and the fact they rip off Def Leppard ( they're not the first to do so), or the fact that this is a one off project or maybe a tribute band as such. What I do have a problem with on this album is that I think the songs are complete garbage....period, and that is all that counts.

[Glen]

Im not even a massive fan of Def Leppard, but I do quite like some of Hysteria, Pyromania etc.

 

To hear a band completely copy the sound to a tee, but with sub standard songs is a bit lame to me.

 

& yes the lyrics are pretty stupid.......

[Glen]

& just for the Record, 'We Will Never Die' is still one of my fav tracks on HEAT.

 

Lush, perfectly executed AOR in the vein of the debut.

[Glen]

OK, here are my ratings so far.....still many albums to fully digest and rate and many albums to come of course.......

 

New tougher scoring method has more realistically measured albums against the classics of the 80s imo and I have yet to score anything over 90%, but I think we will get a couple before year end.

 

All albums listed have a minimum of 5 listens (I must admit that it was pretty painful to get through a couple but every album has a few redeeming features...even Magnum!).....most in excess of 10 listens.

 

 

1. HEAT - Tearing Down The Walls - 87

2. Confess - Jail - 85

3. Steel Panther - All You Can Eat - 83

4. Brother Firetribe - Diamond In The Firepit - 83

5. Darkhorse - Let It Ride - 82

6. Night Ranger - High Road - 80

7. Pretty Maids - Louder Than Ever - 80

8. Night By Night - NXN - 79

9. Winger - Better Days Comin - 78

10. Pretty Wild - s/t - 76

 

11. Overland - Epic - 75

12. Alien - Eternity - 75

13. Dynazty - Renatus - 74

14. Sunstrike - s/t - 73

15. LRS - Down To The Core - 67

16. Primal Fear - Delivering The Black - 61

17. House Of Lords - Precious Metal - 60

18. Edguy - Space Police - 57

19. Moonkings - s/t - 55

20. Red Dragon Cartel - s/t - 52

 

21 Magnum - Escape From The Shadow Gardens - 51

 

 

 

Still to rate -

 

Stan Bush

Gotthard

Seb Bach

Three Lions *

Laneys Legion

Michael Starr

Free Spirit

Rubicon Cross *

Sonic Station *

Tesla

Seven *

 

(* denotes chance of making top 10)

 

As I said before I think a huge chunk of the best releases are still to come............

[Nightrain]

Can't believe you gave Edguy that low, I think that album is pretty great man

[Geoff]

OK, here are my ratings so far.....still many albums to fully digest and rate and many albums to come of course.......

 

New tougher scoring method has more realistically measured albums against the classics of the 80s imo and I have yet to score anything over 90%, but I think we will get a couple before year end.

 

All albums listed have a minimum of 5 listens (I must admit that it was pretty painful to get through a couple but every album has a few redeeming features...even Magnum!).....most in excess of 10 listens.

 

 

1. HEAT - Tearing Down The Walls - 87

2. Confess - Jail - 85

3. Steel Panther - All You Can Eat - 83

4. Brother Firetribe - Diamond In The Firepit - 83

5. Darkhorse - Let It Ride - 82

6. Night Ranger - High Road - 80

7. Pretty Maids - Louder Than Ever - 80

8. Night By Night - NXN - 79

9. Winger - Better Days Comin - 78

10. Pretty Wild - s/t - 76

 

11. Overland - Epic - 75

12. Alien - Eternity - 75

13. Dynazty - Renatus - 74

14. Sunstrike - s/t - 73

15. LRS - Down To The Core - 67

16. Primal Fear - Delivering The Black - 61

17. House Of Lords - Precious Metal - 60

18. Edguy - Space Police - 57

19. Moonkings - s/t - 55

20. Red Dragon Cartel - s/t - 52

 

21 Magnum - Escape From The Shadow Gardens - 51

 

 

 

Still to rate -

 

Stan Bush

Gotthard

Seb Bach

Three Lions *

Laneys Legion

Michael Starr

Free Spirit

Rubicon Cross *

Sonic Station *

Tesla

Seven *

 

(* denotes chance of making top 10)

 

As I said before I think a huge chunk of the best releases are still to come............

 

See there you go, mate. To each their own. You were flumoxed by my placement of Loudlion, I am at a loss as for how you could rate Night Ranger (is there even one great song on that disc?) higher than Night By Night, and equally mindblowing, Winger only one point less than Night By Night? Can't get my head around that, but I guess that's the point of it all, that we'll all have different lists. Even Confess over Brother Firetribe is a bit odd, but hey, to each their own and stuff.

 

Next time I post my ratings they'll be lower too. Just those few up the top. I've rated stuff like Steel Panther, HEAT, even Night By Night a little too high, so there will be some amendments there, but I don't think any positional changes will occur for now.

 

Anyway, biggest question of all, still to rate - Michael Starr??? What do you mean? What's that? Does he have a solo disc? Why can't I find anything on it?

[Glen]

I dunno man I kinda like that Night Ranger album....they hardly ever disappoint.

 

High Road, Dont Live Here Anymore, Im Comin Home, Only For You Only, Hang On etc are all winners in my book. The only weakish song is Brothers.

 

Winger I love through and through......love the style, production, variety, intelligence of the lyrics....maybe I'm getting old, but i like an album I can really listen to these days, something different rather than just straight ahead melodic rock.....obviously love HEAT and Night by Night etc when the straight ahead style is done really well, but equally love diverse stuff like Winger.

 

As for Night by Night.....i'll admit that hasn't had enough listens - could go up......love track 4 and the second half is strongest. It's a very good album hence my 79% rating but no world beater.

 

The world beaters are yet to come..........

[PeterS]

I'd kind of expected the Winger and Tesla to be the best and I do enjoy them but they are neither bands best output. Very good albums though.

 

The only album that's absolutely grabbed me this year is Paloma Faith. I also really like the Chrissie Hynde's album. Neither really rock but both fine slabs of music. And I like Shakira. Apparently she has music out as well.

[The Rocker]

I dunno man I kinda like that Night Ranger album....they hardly ever disappoint.

 

High Road, Dont Live Here Anymore, Im Comin Home, Only For You Only, Hang On etc are all winners in my book. The only weakish song is Brothers.

 

Winger I love through and through......love the style, production, variety, intelligence of the lyrics....maybe I'm getting old, but i like an album I can really listen to these days, something different rather than just straight ahead melodic rock.....obviously love HEAT and Night by Night etc when the straight ahead style is done really well, but equally love diverse stuff like Winger.

 

As for Night by Night.....i'll admit that hasn't had enough listens - could go up......love track 4 and the second half is strongest. It's a very good album hence my 79% rating but no world beater.

 

The world beaters are yet to come..........

You didn't answer his question about Michael Starr.

[Glen]

Ha ha Michael Sweet....my bad!

[The Rocker]

Ha ha Michael Sweet....my bad!

lol

[Geoff]

Haha, holy shit. I was all over wikipedia and Google and I'm all like what on earth is this dood talking about a Michael Starr album? That explains it.

 

And yeah, I gotta admit I've barely spun the Night Ranger disc. Spun it a couple of times and it was decent and what I'd expect from them, but sadly it didn't do that much for me at all. I realise it may just be me. Just seemed like an okay, but average disc to me.

 

As for Winger, no more commentary from me on that one. I just hate it, simple as that, and that won't change. I love the change every now and then too, which is why I persist with modern rock, but yeah, that Winger disc is one change I don't need in my life. It's funny the four things you say you love about it is actually the stuff I hate most about it.

[Glen]

Id give the NR a chance....it is by definition a 'grower'.

[heavyharmonies]

Leaders at the turn, in alphabetical order:

 

21 Octayne

Devil's Heaven

Elvenking

Iron Savior

Laney's Legion

Outloud

Pretty Maids

Pretty Wild

[PeterS]

Not got a full list but Rival Sons - Great Western Valkyrie is up there for me.

[Glen]

Just realised I left Johnny Lima off my list - still love that album, but going with my original rating....also haveing listened to Night By Night all week am just revising that rating which I think is deserved.

 

1. HEAT - Tearing Down The Walls - 87

2. Confess - Jail - 85

3. Steel Panther - All You Can Eat - 83

4. Brother Firetribe - Diamond In The Firepit - 83

5. Night By Night - NXN - 82

6. Darkhorse - Let It Ride - 82

7. Johnny Lima - My Revolution - 80

8. Night Ranger - High Road - 80

9. Pretty Maids - Louder Than Ever - 80

10. Winger - Better Days Comin - 78

 

11. Pretty Wild - s/t - 76

12. Overland - Epic - 75

13. Alien - Eternity - 75

14. Dynazty - Renatus - 74

15. Sunstrike - s/t - 73

16. LRS - Down To The Core - 67

17. Primal Fear - Delivering The Black - 61

18. House Of Lords - Precious Metal - 60

19. Edguy - Space Police - 57

20. Moonkings - s/t - 55

 

21. Red Dragon Cartel - s/t - 52

22. Magnum - Escape From The Shadow Gardens - 51

 

 

 

still loads more to rate

[AlphaMale]

I have some new stuff to add to my list later.

[AlphaMale]

Updated:

 

1. NIGHT BY NIGHT 92%

2. CONFESS 91%

3. JUDAS PRIEST 90%

4. H.E.A.T. 88%

5. DIRTY SKIRTY 88%

6. PRETTY MAIDS 87%

7. SUNSTRIKE 86%

8. DEVILS RUN 85%

9. MACH22 85%

10. BOMBAY BLACK 85%

11. SEVEN HARD YEARS 84%

12. PRIMAL FEAR 84%

13. STEEL PANTHER 83%

14. STATES OF PANIC 83%

15. BROTHER FIRETRIBE 82%

16. EDGUY 81%

17. OUTLOUD 81%

18. FREE SPIRIT 81%

19. NEVER AWAKE 80%

20. LANEY'S LEGION 80%

21. LOUD LION 80%

22. NIGHTMARE 80%

23. IRON SAVIOR 80%

24. TESLA 79%

25. ALIEN 78%

26. DYNAZTY 78%

27. THREE LIONS 78%

28. GUARDIAN 78%

29. BAD SEED RISING 78%

30. DEVIL'S HEAVEN 77%

31. PRETTY WILD 77%

32. GUS G 77%

33. MIRACLE MASTER 77%

34. GOTTHARD 77%

35. LOVER UNDER COVER 77%

36. NIGHT RANGER 76%

37. RUBICON CROSS 76%

38. ELECTRIC BOYS 76%

39. ASTRA 75%

40. HOUSE OF LORDS 75%

41. PRIEM'S PRIME 75%

42. JOHNNY LIMA 75%

43. THE RELAPSE SYMPHONY 75%

44. QUIET RIOT 74%

45. AMMOTRACK 74%

46. LEGION 74%

47. GUNNER 74%

48. SNAKESKYN WHISKEY 73%

49. LIBERTY 'N' JUSTICE 73%

50. SEBASTIAN BACH 72%

51. WINGER 72%

52. HELIX 72%

53. KENZINER 71%

54. EYES 'N' LIPS 70%

55. BABYLON A.D. 70%

56. RAIN OR SHINE 69%

57. SUPERCHARGER 69%

58. THE TREATMENT 69%

59. RED DRAGON CARTEL 68%

60. LRS 68%

61. MAGNUM 67%

62. INCURA 67%

63. THE SKY 67%

64. STOP STOP 66%

65. THE LAST VEGAS 65%

66. JULIAN ANGEL 60%

67. NAZARETH 59%

68. KXM 57%

69. FATAL SMILE 52%

[AlphaMale]

COMING UP:

 

Niva

Unbreakable

Darkhorse

[Glen]

You obviously really like the new Edguy album.....personally I think its weak as shit (apart from about 2 tracks)

 

Could you just explain to me what each track is actually about (part from Love Tyger) because Im damned if I know ;-)