Rush-Caress of Steel (1975)

Seven months after the release of their second album, the Canadian band Rush released their third full-length album, "Caress of Steel", where they boldly and daringly showcased their evolution towards progressive sounds, while still retaining their nascent hard rock style. Meanwhile, Neil Peart became definitively involved in the lyrics and epic, fantastical stories, giving free rein to his fantasies about Middle-earth, ancient times, and tales of warriors and monsters. Purely rock tracks like "Bastille Day", "I Think I'm Going Bald", and "Lakeside Park" coexist with the more complex and epic "The Necromancer" and the mini-suite "The Fountain of Lamneth", demonstrating the band's virtuosity and tremendous effectiveness. However, this also placed them in a precarious position due to the album's subsequent mediocre commercial reception. Despite the ultimatum from Mercury Records, the band remained committed to their musical philosophy and took it seriously with their next album, "2112", when they would achieve resounding success and their definitive consecration worldwide.