Epitaph-Epitaph (1971)

During the first part of the 1970s, many German bands were influenced by British hard rock. Groups like Led Zeppelin, Groundhogs, Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, Nazareth, and Deep Purple faced serious competition, primarily in Germany, from their German contemporaries such as Frumpy, Epsilon, Armageddon, and Anyone's Daughter, among many others. As a general rule, German bands used English, and some even had their own British vocalists. Epitaph was one such band, featuring singer and guitarist Cliff Jackson. Founded in Dortmund in the late 1960s, Epitaph, in addition to Jackson, consisted of bassist Bern Kolbe and drummer Jim McGillivray. In 1971, this power trio began recording material for their debut album in Essex, England, but for unknown reasons, they finished the album at Windrose Studios in Hamburg, where guitarist Klaus Walz joined for the final recording. Finally released under the Polydor label near the end of 1971, this self-titled debut album featured five tracks with a heavy prog sound similar to British bands, particularly Uriah Heep. It included superb pieces such as the hard rock tracks "Moving To The Country" and "London Town Girl", progressive heavy rock tracks like "Hopelessy" and "Little Maggie", and psychedelic rock exercises such as the expansive "Early Morning". In 1972, Epitaph recorded their second LP, "Stop, Look And Listen", in Berlin, with a style very similar to their first album. With these two promising works, the band had a bright future ahead, leading the American company Billingsgate to sign them and invest considerable time and money in recording their third album, "Outside The Law" (1974). On this new record, the sound was much cleaner, abandoning the progressive style for a harder, more direct hard rock sound. After an extensive and expensive tour across the United States promoting their latest album, Billingsgate Records went bankrupt, and the band was forced to disband in 1975, primarily to avoid assuming the debts of their record company. By 1976, the band had reappeared, recording a series of albums focused on hard rock and heavy metal and touring extensively in Europe with considerable credibility and moderate success, which has kept them among the most respected German hard rock bands of the early 1970s.

Vangelis-Blade Runner (1994)

"Blade Runner" was the first of two soundtracks Vangelis would compose for director Ridley Scott; the other was "1492: Conquest of Paradise", both excellent and successful examples of the Greek musician's genius and talent. However, the "Blade Runner" soundtrack wasn't officially released until many years after the film, and to compensate for this, a reinterpreted version by the New American Orchestra was released. Twelve years later, in 1994, the original version was finally released, and a few years later, in 2007, an extended version was released, which also contained a series of cuts not included in the official theatrical release. For the music, Vangelis brilliantly uses a perfect fusion of futuristic, ambient, and traditional sounds. With each track, Vangelis transports the listener to a distant future (nowadays, not so distant thanks to current technological advancements), embellishing the music with strange effects, Eastern influences, and the sounds emanating from his multiple synthesizers, keyboards, and other electronic and acoustic instruments. Among his magnificent passages are the heart-wrenching "Memories of Green", the Eastern influence of "Damask Rose" and "Call Out The Dogs", the blues-tinged "Blade Runner Blues", the pacifist ambient "Rachel's Song", the smooth jazzy touch of "Wait for Me", the epic "Blade Runner (End Titles)", and the grandiose and comforting "Love Theme".

Klaus Schulze-Blackdance (1974)

The third solo album by German synthesizer wizard Klaus Schulze is a kind of transitional record between the avant-garde "Irrlicht" and "Cyborg" and the more accessible "Timewind" and "Mirage". "Blackdance" was originally released in 1974, but due to printing errors in the date on the album covers, it was for some time believed to be the fourth album after "Picture Music" (1975), and was erroneously listed as the fourth album on a number of more recent CD reissues. However, its chronological order has now been correctly restored. On "Blackdance", Schulze crafts incredibly dark, immersive, and abstract space music, and for the first time uses the human voice on one of his albums. To achieve this, the keyboardist recruited vocalist and percussionist Ernst Walter Siemon, who delivers operatic vocals in the first six minutes of the hypnotic and dark suite "Voices of Syn". Other highlights include the spacey and psychedelic flourishes of "The Ways of Changes" and the recurring minimalist electronica of "Some Velvet Phasing". However, despite being one of his most distinctive and interesting works, this third album by Klaus Schulze is often overshadowed by more mainstream releases like "Mirage", "X", or "Timewind".

Hardline-Double Eclipse (1992)

In 1992, Neal Schon, the celebrated guitarist of Journey, took a break from his band to form Hardline, a project with which he wanted to showcase his hard rock side, moving away somewhat from the more saccharine AOR sound of his main band. To complete this project, Schon enlisted brothers Joey and Johnny Gioeli (guitar and vocals, respectively), drummer Deen Castronovo, and bassist Todd Jensen. On this debut album, "Double Eclipse", Schon's immense talent is the true driving force behind the entire repertoire, displaying an arsenal of guitar riffs and overwhelming, yet elegant and refined, solos. However, Johnny Gioeli's haunting vocals and Castronovo's powerful drumming also stand out. Infectious rhythms, great versatility, and incredibly catchy melodies are all present in a collection of sublime songs like "Life's A Bitch", "Dr. Love", "Rhythm From a Red Car", "Hot Cherie", "Everything", and "In The Hands Of Time". Ten years later, and without Neal Schon in the band, they released their second album, which features The Storm guitarist Josh Ramos and Vinnie Vincent Invasion drummer Bob Brock.

Frank Zappa-Joe´s Garage Acts II & III (1979)

The second and third parts of Frank Zappa's satirical rock opera "Joe's Garage" showcase the American musician's extraordinary guitar skills, featuring some of his best riffs and solos, along with spectacular percussion masterfully executed by Terry Bozzio and Vinnie Colaiuta, and excellent interplay among all the musicians involved, including Patrick O'Hearn, Warren Cucurullo, Ike Willis, and Peter Wolff. While musically it displays a wide variety of styles, lyrically Zappa's sarcastic commentary and biting humor about much of American society remain ever-present. Zappa leaves his mark of genius on this album with excellent guitar performances as demonstrated in "He Used to Cut the Grass", "Keep It Greasey" or "Packard Goose", while on the other hand the reggae "Sy Borg", the exotic "Watermelon in Easter Hay" or the carefree "A Little Queen Rosetta", add a touch of color to a formidable and truly enjoyable work despite its enormous complexity.

Cosmic Dealer-Crystallization (1972)

Cosmic Dealer was a short-lived Dutch band formed in the late 1960s by singer and flautist Frans Poots. Along with drummer Adrian Vos, lead guitarist Jan Reynders, bassist Angelo Santoro, and rhythm guitarist Bas Van de Pol, they earned a solid reputation in the Dutch underground scene. Their elaborate stage shows, replete with psychedelic lighting, caught the attention of producer Eddy Ouwens, who financed their first and only full-length album, "Crystallization". On this single release, Cosmic Dealer showcases their signature blend of avant-garde rock with progressive tracks like "Daybreak" and "Child of Golden Sun", folk-infused "I Had a Friend", hard rock with "The Scene" and "Find Your Way", and psychedelic "Illusions". Shortly after the limited edition release of this album, the band would disband as several of its members left to join other groups, thus ending the adventure of this ephemeral and interesting Dutch band.

Farm-Farm (1971)

Farm were a Southern blues rock band from the late 1960s. Hailing from the U.S. state of Illinois, their discography consisted of only one album, which, to make matters worse, had a very limited run of just 500 copies. The lineup included guitarist Del Helbert, drummer Mike Young, bassist Jim Elwyn, and singer/guitarist Gary Gordon, who, with the help of percussionist Steve Evanchik, recorded a demo at Golden Voice Studios in South Perkin. This demo eventually became a self-titled album released in 1971. On this record, Farm showcased their influences from Southern rock, acid rock, blues, and boogie rock. Their repertoire was based on original songs and covers, including the instrumental blues track with prominent guitar parts, "Jungle Song", the blues rock song "Cottonfield Woman", the boogie rock song "Let The Boy Boogie", and their version of The Allman Brothers' "Stateboro Blues". In short, a great forgotten and obscure album, with great sharp guitar sounds, very solid rhythms, skillful interludes, and a predominant organ sound that layers the developments of the five pieces of this superb work of blues from the southern states of America.

Player-Player (1977)

Player was an exquisite soft rock band that blended the vocal harmonies of bands like America with the musical excellence of Steely Dan, in a style close to melodic rock. Player was founded in Los Angeles in 1976 by bassist Ronn Moss, who already had extensive experience in the city's music scene. The rest of the band consisted of British guitarist Peter Beckett, keyboardist and guitarist J.C. Crowley, and drummer John Friesen. For a time, they performed concerts as the opening act for Gino Vannelli, gaining a strong reputation on the California rock circuit. Even then, they were performing what would later become their big hit, "Baby Come Back". In addition to their concerts, the band dedicated themselves to composing songs intended for recording an LP, featuring a smooth and elegant rock sound with a strong emphasis on melodic vocals, guitars with a clear rock accent, and passages of synthesizers and keyboards. For this last endeavor, they enlisted the help of keyboardist Wayne Cook, who joined the band, though not officially. With enough material composed, they began searching for a record label to produce an album. Ultimately, RSO financed the release of their first album, which hit the market on September 1, 1977. Almost simultaneously with its release, and thanks to the song "Baby Come Back", the band achieved resounding success, reaching number one on the Billboard charts and remaining there for an astounding 32 consecutive weeks. But this debut album wasn't solely focused on the excellence of "Baby Come Back". The rest is an irresistible collection of unpretentious melodies, elegant rock with high-level pop touches, as reflected in the charming "Come On Out", "Goodbye (That's All I Ever Heard)", "Every Which Way", and "Love Is Where You Find It", the captivating rock of "Cancellation", the funky "Movin' Up", and the sublime ballad "Tryin' To Write A Hit Song", all of which together form one of the best debut albums in recent memory. A year later, Player released their second album, "Danger Zone", with some of the same characteristics as their debut, although featuring a more aggressive sound. While it didn't achieve the same level of success, it still earned a gold record for sales and spawned several impactful singles such as "Prisoner Of Your Love" and "Silver Lining".

Indian Summer-Indian Summer (1971)

This is one of the hidden gems of English proto-progressive rock, a spectacular and magnificent work that was the sole legacy of the British band Indian Summer. Formed in Coventry in 1968 by drummer Paul Hooper and singer/keyboardist Bob Jackson, both musicians had already played in various Coventry bands such as The Rochester Beaks and This That And The Other. The band was completed by guitarist Roy Butterfield and bassist Alan Hatton. Indian Summer initially opted to be a cover band, but this trend was short-lived, as the talent of its members soon led them to create their own music. In the midst of a period of great creativity, guitarist Butterfield left the band and was replaced by Steve Cottrell just as they were discovered by talent scout Jim Simpson, a renowned promoter who at the time was managing bands such as Earth, who would soon become Black Sabbath. After several lineup changes, they signed with Vertigo Records and entered Trident Studios in London to record their first album in 1971. This self-titled debut featured Hooper and Jackson, along with new members Colin Williams on guitar and Malcolm Harker on bass. The album is packed with rhythmic sounds and expansive musical passages, emphasizing keyboards and guitars, and possessing a certain dark atmosphere. The opening track, "God Is The Dog", stands out as a superb composition that highlights Bon Jackson's deep vocals and organ sounds, while progressive passages like the excellent "From The Film Of The Same Name", "Black Sunshine", and "Half Changed Again" are on par with any of the leading bands of the era. The rest of the album is of exceptional quality, achieving sublime moments of great symphonic rock. The band's limited commercial success led to its dissolution, with each member pursuing different solo projects or focusing on other professional matters.

It Bites-Once Around The World (1988)

This is one of the bands that best knew how to fuse a wide variety of styles such as pop, neo-progressive, hard rock, and even the new age sounds so prevalent in the 1980s. It Bites was formed in the early 1980s in the town of Egremont, UK, by vocalist and guitarist Francis Dunnery, bassist Dick Nolan, drummer Bob Dalton, and keyboardist John Beck. In 1986, under the Virgin label, they released their debut album, "The Big Lad In The Windmill", which showcased their nascent style of refined art-pop with elaborate keyboard arrangements and a touch of symphonic rock, as demonstrated in tracks like "I Got You Eating Out Of My Hand". Two years later, their progressive approach was further strengthened with their second album, and ultimately their most acclaimed work among fans of the genre, "Once Around The World", a more mature and balanced effort with melodic rock, moments of crystalline pop, and neo-progressive elements. The superb keyboard and guitar instrumentations, although far removed from the complexities of their contemporaries Marillion, IQ or Pendragon, are elegantly structured especially in the suite "Once Around The World".

The Bellamy Brothers-Let Your Love Flow (1976)

The Bellamy Brothers are one of the longest-running, most acclaimed, and most successful duos in American country music, achieving numerous worldwide hits in the 1970s and 80s with songs like "Let Your Love Flow" and "If I Said You Have a Beautiful Body, Would You Hold It Against Me?" Formed by brothers David Milton and Homer Howard Bellamy, their beginnings date back to the late 1960s in their native Florida, where they performed at various concerts at the University of Florida. For several years, they split their time between Atlanta and Los Angeles, where they were signed by Curb Records. With Curb Records, they recorded several singles and their first album, which included the hit "Let Your Love Flow" (1976). This song climbed to the undisputed number one spot on the American pop and country charts, in addition to achieving considerable success in a dozen countries around the world. From here on, the duo's career skyrocketed, achieving 10 hits at the top of the charts and fifty more in the top 100 of the Billboard country and pop charts. Among them are "Bird Dog" (1978), "You Ain't Just Whistlin' Dixie" (1979), "Sugar Daddy" (1980), "Dancing Cowboys" (1980), "Do You Love as Good as You Look" (1981), "For all the Wrong Reasons" (1982), "Redneck Girl" (1982), "When I'm Away from You" (1983), “I Need More of You”, “Hold Hippie” (1985), “Too Much Is Not Enough” (1986), “Kids of the Baby Boom”, “Crazy from the Heart” (1987) or “Big Love” (1989). Throughout those years, their world tours included Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, and Africa, in addition to the United States and Canada. By 2019, they had released more than 50 albums, earning numerous accolades, including Grammy nominations, a Billboard nomination for Top Country Duo, and induction into the Florida Country Music Hall of Fame and the Country Music Association of America Hall of Fame.

Dixie Dregs-What If (1978)

Influenced by bands like Return to Forever and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dixie Dregs was one of the most interesting bands to combine jazz-rock with progressive sounds and country with elements of cutting-edge classical music. Formed in 1970 in Georgia by guitarist Steve Morse and bassist Andy West, it wasn't until the middle of that decade that they released their first album, "The Great Spectacular" (1976), which already showcased their skillful blend of styles. "What If", their third album, was released in 1978, and here the band ventured even further into harder territory with hints of hard rock, while maintaining their original style of progressive rock, jazz fusion, and influences from traditional American music. For this album, in addition to Morse and West, the band included Allen Sloan on violin, Rod Morgenstein on drums, and Mark Parrish on keyboards. Tracks like the huge “Take It Off The Top”, “Ice Cakes” or “Night Meets Light” placed Dixie Dregs at the forefront of progressive jazz rock in the late 1970s.

Bad Company-Run With The Pack (1976)

Bad Company's third album, released in 1976, is a truly prodigious classic rock album. While it doesn't include radio hits like "Can't Get Enough" or "Good Lovin' Gone Bad" from their first two albums, it's a subtle fusion of funk, blues rock, and British rhythm and blues. Recorded at the Rolling Stones' Mobile Studios in a medieval castle outside Provence, France, it was produced by the band's singer, Paul Rodgers, resulting in an excellent, precise, and crystal-clear production. Songs like the energetic "Live For The Music" give way to the intense "Honey Child", a powerful track driven by Mick Ralphs' guitar riffs. The arrogant rock and roll "Sweet Lil' Sister", the audacious "Live For The Music", the bluesy "Simple Man" or the southern-flavored R&B ballad "Love Me Somebody", make up an admirable work that, like the two previous releases, would achieve platinum status in the North American market and gold in the British market.

Atlas-Blå Vardag (1979)

Another interesting Swedish band was Atlas, who, with only one album released, achieved cult status within the European progressive rock scene. Founded in Malmö in 1974, their lineup consisted of keyboardists Björn Ekborn and Erik Björn Nielsen, Micke Pinotti on drums, Uffe Hedlund on bass, and Janne Persson on guitar. Their style was primarily focused on a meticulously crafted symphonic rock with elements of fusion and expansive instrumental passages, featuring numerous interplay between guitars and keyboards. To some extent, they drew on the progressive influences of the British band Genesis, the Canterbury sound of Camel, and the understated style of their compatriot Bo Hanson. Their only album, "Blå Vardag", released in 1979 by the Swedish label Bellatrix, was highly praised by critics and well-received by the progressive rock community. The entire album is remarkable, but it is undoubtedly the expansive "På Gata" that best encapsulates the band's excellence with an exquisite exercise in bizarre progressive rock, featuring layers of mellotrons, synthesizers, organ, and piano, with dense yet subtle sounds interwoven with energetic guitars. The remaining tracks maintain a very similar style, with echoes of jazz-rock at various points and some bucolic, pastoral sounds, always bathed in torrential curtains of keyboards and guitars.

Extreme-Extreme II Pornograffitti (1990)

In the late 1980s, Extreme emerged in Boston, a band that would become fundamental to hard rock in the years to come. These were years in which the genre was experiencing a creative crisis, to the detriment of alternative rock, thrash metal, grunge, and the experimental sounds of many bands exploring all kinds of fusion and blending them with rock. Formed around the core of virtuoso guitarist Nuno Bettencourt and the brilliant vocalist Gary Cherone, who, along with bassist Paul Mangone and drummer Paul Geary, had to compete on a stage packed with top-tier bands such as Warrant, Poison, Cinderella, Guns N' Roses, Skid Row, Metallica, Mötley Crüe, and Twisted Sister, among many others. Amidst this whirlwind of mainstream bands and their successful albums, Extreme released their debut album in 1989, showcasing enviable instrumental technique, plenty of feeling, a carefree rock sound, and clear funk influences. A year later, they released "Pornograffitti", confirming their metal-funk leanings and their ferocious hard rock with a multitude of influences. Tracks like the furious "Get the Funk Out" and "Li'l Jack Horny" featured a horn section, significantly enriching their sound, while others like the catchy "Decadence Dance" and the southern-tinged "Hole Hearted" demonstrated the diversity of their style. However, it was the tender ballad "More Than Words" that propelled the album to number ten on the Billboard charts, earning it multiple platinum records and achieving sales exceeding three million copies worldwide.

Kenny Burrell-Midnight Blue (1963)

Kenny Burrell is one of the most important figures in jazz, an enormously versatile musician, considered one of the greatest guitarists of the genre and an icon of the Blue Note label. He has left behind essential works, both in his solo career and as a musician for other jazz artists. From a very young age in the 1950s, he recorded his first albums, showcasing his most notable influences, ranging from Charlie Haden to Django Reinhardt, and including one of his idols, West Montgomery. In the early 1960s, he recorded one of his most remarkable albums, this time focused on the blues, where he was accompanied by saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, percussionist Ray Barretto, bassist Major Holley, and drummer Bill English. The album "Midnight Blues", released on the Blue Note label, is an exquisite journey through the relaxed sounds of blues and jazz, showcasing Burrell's dazzling guitar technique and the brilliance of the rest of the band, especially Turrentine's saxophone. Lustful tracks like "Chitlins con Carne", the pleasurable "Mule", the melancholic "Soul Lament", and the exuberant "Midnight Blue", demonstrate Burrell's impeccable guitar mastery on an album as masterful as it is essential to the history of jazz.

Ray Owen´s Moon-Moon (1971)

In 1970, guitarist Ray Owen left Juicy Lucy, with whom he had recorded their debut album a year earlier, to begin his solo career. He founded Ray Owen's Moon with guitarists Dick Stubbs and Les Nicol, bassist Sid Gardner, and drummer In McLean. That same year, they were invited to perform at the Isle of Wight Festival and shortly afterward at the Midnight Sun Festival in Sweden, alongside Elton John, Blue Mink, Chuck Berry, Canned Heat, and Hawkwind. In 1971, they released their only LP, titled "Moon", which, like Owen's subsequent solo career, faded into obscurity. However, in the following years, Owen actively collaborated with the band Killing Floor, with Vincent Crane, and in the mid-1990s, he resurrected Juicy Lucy, with whom he recorded several albums during that decade. In "Moon", Ray Owen presented a psychedelic rock sound with blues and funk influences, full of great riffs, at times quite saturated due to the sound of the three guitarists (Owen, Gardner, and McLean). The funk-rock track "Talk To Me" combines all of the above with a funky bassline. In contrast, the hypnotic and atmospheric "Don't Matter" provides a moment of respite from the album's frenetic pace, which resumes with the powerful funk of "Ouiji" and the psychedelic-tinged hard rock of "Hey Sweety". The album concludes with the acid-tinged cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile". one of the highlights of a work considered by the prestigious magazine Classic Rock to be a lost gem of rock.

Man-Man (1971)

The quintessential Welsh band Man were, to say the least, one of those curious cases within rock music. They distanced themselves from the progressive rock and European pop-rock trends of the time, delving into more American sounds such as psychedelia, acid rock, blues, and country, without completely abandoning the British progressive style. A testament to this remarkable stylistic diversity is their third release, "Man", released in 1971, which immerses itself in the aforementioned genres. From blues-tinged tracks like "Romian", to country in "Country Girl", the psychedelic hypnotism of "Would The Christians Wait Five Minutes", classic rock in "Daughter of the Fireplace", and progressive experiments such as the expansive suite "Alchemist", this third album by the band comprised of Deke Leonard, Micky Jones, Ray Williams, Clive John, and Terry Williams, clearly demonstrated their rich, eclectic, and equally surprising musical offering.

Camel-A Nod And A Wink (2002)

Three years after the spectacular "Rajaz", in 2002 Andy Latimer reunited his band Camel to record their next official album, "A Nod and a Wink". Following a similar path to its predecessor, this new album showcases Andy Latimer playing sublime guitar solos in reflective and consciously nostalgic atmospheres. For this occasion, Latimer was reunited with bassist Colin Bass, after many years away from the band, as well as drummer Denis Clement and keyboardist Guy LeBlanc. Here, the sound approaches their essential style, sharing its glorious past with Latimer's flute, which transports us to magical passages, enhanced by some moving solos and revitalizing instrumentation. The ambient sounds of the opening track, "A Nod and a Wink", already hint at the direction this album will take, with its neo-progressive undertones. Other tracks like "Boy's Life", "The Miller's Tale", "Simple Pleasure", "Squigely Fair", and the emotionally charged "For Today" are steeped in sophisticated atmospheres with a strong bluesy feel. Ultimately, with this album, Andy Latimer firmly established his unparalleled ability to create music that is both admirable and pleasing.

Sebastian Hardie-Four Moments (1975)

This Australian band pioneered the progressive rock genre in their country and was originally called the Sebastian Hardie Blues Band. Founded in 1967, the band underwent several lineup changes over the years until well into the 1970s, when the classic lineup emerged, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Mario Millo, keyboardist Toivo Pilt, drummer Alex Plavsic, and his brother, bassist Peter Plavsic. In 1975, under the Mercury label, they released their debut album, "Four Moments", by which time they had adopted the definitive name Sebastian Hardie. On this debut album, the band makes no secret of their strong influence from the British band Yes, with a greater emphasis on Mellotron keyboards than those typically used by Rick Wakeman. The vocals are also prominent, featuring deep and powerful tones. The first side of the album focuses on vibrant sounds with funky undertones and expansive instrumental passages in "Glories Shall Be Released" and "Dawn of Our Sun", while "Journey Through Our Dreams" is much more atmospheric, featuring outstanding guitars and frenetic rhythmic shifts. The beautiful instrumental "Rosanna" serves as a prelude to "Opening", which closes the album with excellent interplay between the four band members in a superb mini-suite of progressive rock in the purest style of classic Camel. "Four Moments" was a great success, and the track "Rosanna" won an award for best instrumental single. Their next album, "Windchase", was released in 1976, and both albums are considered by critics to be progressive rock classics, particularly within the Australian symphonic rock scene. Shortly after the release of their second album, the band broke up. Millo and Pilt adopted the name Windchase and released an album. "Symphinity" in 1977, which stayed close to the sound of Sebastian Hardie, but did not find the same success or recognition as that of his parent band.

Sex-Sex (1970)

Lascivious, powerful, and raw garage blues rock is what the Canadian band Sex showcased during a brief career in which they barely had time to release two hard-hitting albums that are now highly sought after by fans of 1970s proto-hard rock. Formed in Quebec around 1969, this power trio consisted of bassist and singer Robert Trépanier, guitarist Yves Rousseau, and drummer Serge Gratton. Their first album, released in 1970, achieved some success in the Canadian underground scene thanks to a powerful rhythm section featuring a prodigious drummer, backed by great bass lines and incendiary guitar work. On this first album, the hard rock track "Scratch My Back", the jazz-rock song "Not Yet", the bluesy "Doctor", the Zeppelin-esque "A Hard to Raper Her" (the latter with a controversial title if released today), the folk-influenced hard rock "Come, Wake Up", the rhythmic hard blues "Night Symphony", and the psychedelic blues "Love Is A Game" stood out. A year later, they were joined by flautist and saxophonist Pierre Ouellette, who had already participated as a guest musician on this first album and with whom they would release the epitaph "The End of My Life" before their final disbandment in 1972.

Iron Maiden-Fear Of The Dark (1992)

In the early 1990s, Iron Maiden was experiencing a somewhat uncertain period. The rise of grunge and alternative rock, among other genres like the resurgence of classic hard rock and neo-progressive rock, were challenging and calling into question the traditional heavy metal bands of the previous decade. To make matters worse, their last album, "No Prayer for the Dying", had shown an alarming lack of ideas. Therefore, for their next album, "Fear of the Dark", Steve Harris and company pulled out all the stops to address the dissatisfaction their previous work had caused among their millions of fans. However, "Fear of the Dark" doesn't actually stray far from its predecessor, replacing lyrics inspired by fantasy and literature with others more focused on social and everyday themes. Musically they continue to showcase epic heavy metal but without the complexities of yesteryear; even so, we can still find great heavy metal anthems like "Be Quick Or Be Dead", "From Here To Eternity", "Fear Of the Dark" or "Wasting Love", while the rest are compositions with a more sinister and dark tone but of little creative intensity.

Budgie-In For The Kill (1974)

Budgie holds a special place in the hearts of hundreds of thousands of fans of 1970s heavy rock, even though they never quite reached the commercial or media heights of many of their contemporaries during that era. Like Led Zeppelin, Budgie understood the importance of incorporating lighter, sometimes acoustic, moments and complementing them with the grandeur of heavy hard rock and heavy metal riffs, thus creating a more dynamic and engaging style. "In For The Kill", the band's fourth album, is considered one of their greatest works. On it, they seem even more confident than on their superb previous releases, making their diverse range of styles all the more captivating. Tracks like the heavy rock of "Running From My Soul" and the thunderous, ominous progressive heavy rock of "Living On Your Own" showcase this clear dynamism. On the other hand, there are the solid and conventional heavy metal tracks "In For The Kill" and "Crash Course in Brain Surgery", the acoustic and beautiful "Wondering What Everyone Knows" or the epic and powerful "Zoom Club", which creates an attractive hard rock album with subtle progressive influences from the best heavy metal band that Wales has ever produced.

Rush-Permanent Waves (1980)

At the dawn of the 1980s, Rush released the album "Permanent Waves", in which they began to gradually move away from the progressive sounds of previous works such as "2112", "A Farewell to Kings", and "Hemispheres". While not entirely abandoning that genre, they delved into more accessible and mainstream sounds, always maintaining the framework of complex compositions with high-quality instrumentation. "Permanent Waves" was the most evident work of this transition, showcasing both Rush's most epic and progressive side and their most accessible. Tracks like the lengthy and experimental "Jacob's Ladder" and the epic and sublime progressive "Natural Science" are combined with clearly commercial tracks like "The Spirit of Radio" and "Freewill", featuring deep mid-tempo grooves and impeccable technical and instrumental execution. Many of the tracks here have a more realistic theme, unlike the splendid science fiction narratives of their previous albums, where philosophical reflections are bathed in epic yet more earthly details. The revealing dreams of a prophet ("Jacob's Ladders"), the critiques of the system ("Natural Science"), and those dealing with the affirmations of individuals and their relationships, such as "Different Strings" and "Entre Nous", are clear examples of this. In contrast to the aforementioned, more addictive, AOR-influenced tracks "The Spirit of Radio" and "Freewill". Ultimately, this seventh album from the Canadians was one of their finest achievements, in which they masterfully combined echoes of the past with the most modern sounds, a style they would soon reflect in their subsequent albums, such as the monumental "Moving Pictures" released a year later.

Mark Knopfler-Local Hero (1983) - Cal (1984)

In 1983, Mark Knopfler launched his solo career alongside his main band, Dire Straits, with the brilliant "Local Hero", which was also the soundtrack to the film of the same name. On this debut, Knopfler was accompanied by some of his bandmates, including keyboardist Alan Clarke, bassist John Illsley, and drummer Terry Williams, as well as other illustrious musicians such as Michael Brecker, Mike Mainieri, Gerry Rafferty, Tony Levin, and Steve Jordan. Replete with moments that evoke Scottish folk with a subtle and elegant sound, it contains memorable tracks such as “The Way It Always Starts” featuring a sublime Rafferty on vocals, the exquisite and ambient “Wild Theme” and “The Mist Covered Mountains”, the folky “The Ceilidh Louis’ Favorite Billy Tune”, the jazzy “Boomtown”, the ethereal “The Ceilidh and The Northern” and “Stargazer”, and the extraordinary “Going Home”. A year later, he returned with a second soundtrack, this time for the Irish film “Cal”, a work more oriented towards Celtic sounds and featuring a lineup of Irish folk musicians such as Paul Brady and Liam O’Flynn, in addition to his Dire Straits bandmates. Beautiful tracks like “The Road”, “The Long Road”, “Irish Boy”, “Irish Love” or “Father And Son” showcased Mark Knopfler’s great creativity and inspiration in creating albums with beautiful melodies and captivating ambient atmospheres.

Papa Zoot Band-SWF Session´73 (1973)

This obscure German band never even released an official album, and it's hard to believe (or perhaps not, considering the sheer number of talented groups at the time) that they didn't manage to secure a record deal. Hailing from Frankfurt, they formed in the early 1970s and consisted of bassist Robby Matthes, organist Reinhard Grohe, drummer Christian Engel, guitarist Lutz Sommer, and singer Ernst Nadler. Their only recorded recording is this "SWF Session", taken from a 1973 recording session on the German radio station SWF. Their style, a blend of British hard rock and the German avant-garde krautrock, earned them some popularity, leading to performances alongside more established bands like Creation, Can, and Guru Guru. After performing on the aforementioned German radio station, which received widespread airplay throughout the country, they secured a spot at one of the biggest festivals of the era, held in Essen, in northwestern Germany. Their style, a blend of British bands like early Pink Floyd, merges with elements of the German avant-garde, resulting in dramatic and theatrical sounds reminiscent of their compatriots Eloy, Nektar, and Jane, but with a more melodic instrumental edge. Tracks like the suite "Fly Away" offer an extraordinary, lysergic, and spacey journey through progressive sounds, reminiscent of masterpieces like Pink Floyd's "Echoes". Other tracks like “Driving High” or “Hear Me When I’m Crying” are closer to the hard rock of Uriah Heep or Deep Purple, with an imposing heavy organ that delivers powerful, scorching, and dark rhythms, while the psychedelic “All The Girls” resembles the sounds of the late sixties, ending with the bluesy and Doors-indebted “Can’t Be Myself”.

Billy Cobham, Steve Khan, Alphonso Johnson, Tom Scott-Alivemutherforya (1978)

In 1975, Billy Cobham left Atlantic Records to sign with Columbia. With this new label, the drummer debuted with the album "A Funky Thirst of Sings", featuring collaborations with musicians such as John Scofield, Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, and Alex Blake. This album received positive reviews in jazz-rock circles; however, his subsequent efforts were more of a continuation of that style without much impact. It wasn't until the album "Magic", released in 1977, that he achieved his best work for the Washington-based label. Shortly afterward, Columbia encouraged Cobham to record a live album at their studios on 30th Street in New York City, which would be titled "Alivemotherforya". This was one of the most prestigious studios in the city, but nevertheless, it was an unusual venue for recording a live album. For the recording, some of the heavyweights Columbia Records had on its roster of jazz artists at the time joined forces, including guitarist Steve Khan, bassist and keyboardist Alphonso Johnson, and saxophonist Tom Scott. Interestingly, none of them had participated in the album "Magic". After recording "Alivemutherforya", the sound engineers noticed a significant lack of applause, which wasn't surprising given that the studios only had room for a small auditorium. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and they soon found an effective solution: they added applause and the ambient sound from some live performances by the band Chicago and Laura Nyro. With a bit of creative mixing, it sounded as if Cobham, Khan, Johnson, and Scott were playing to a huge, appreciative audience. This solved the problem, and the album was released in mid-1978. The result of this live "improvised" recording is essentially a repertoire of jazz-funk tunes with a fair amount of electronics, showcasing the talent of all four musicians. Due to its variety and spontaneity, it proved to be a project far superior to the individual work of each musician at that time. Highlights include the opening track, "Anteres", featuring superb saxophone work by Scott; the melodic jazz fusion "Shadows"; the vigorous jazz-funk rock "Some Punk Funk"; and "On A Magic Carpet Ride" a jazz-rock exercise that highlights the strengths of each member of the group. "Alivemutherforya" was very well received by critics and even sold reasonably well, but below the expectations of CBS Columbia, who never attributed this album to Billy Cobham's official record label, which would lead, after the release of one more album, to the termination of the contract by both parties.

The Move-Looking On (1970)

The Move emerged from the fertile British psychedelic pop scene of the mid-sixties. Propelled by the brilliant musician Roy Wood, they conquered radio stations with a string of hits that kept them at the top for several years. With their second album, "Shazam", they took a step towards a more experimental sound, a shift that would become definitive with the arrival of Jeff Lynne, starting with their third album, "Looking On". Lynne planted the seeds for the band's music to move towards progressive ideologies. His arrival also led to experimentation by Wood, who played a wide range of instruments, giving the final sound a much more avant-garde edge. The title track of this third album is a kind of cornucopia that oscillates between blues and progressive rock, and in some ways already hints at the style that Electric Light Orchestra would develop shortly afterward. Meanwhile, "Turkish Tram Driver Blues" is a much heavier psychedelic piece, built upon a wall of sound that intertwines with more traditional guitar work. The early ELO style is also evident in "What", a reflective track composed by Lynne, and a similar path is followed by the dense "Feel To Good", another brilliant piece brimming with wind instruments and cellos, underpinned by heavy, resounding riffs. This contrasts sharply with "Brontosaurus", a clever fusion of heavy rock and roll with a honky-tonk rhythm. Ultimately, with this third album, The Move reached their artistic zenith and simultaneously became the natural link to the Electric Light Orchestra project, which Wood and Lynne would soon form and which would take over the sound and style where "Looking On" had left off.

The Rolling Stones-Some Girls (1978)

The end of the 1970s was characterized by the explosion of new musical movements that drew a segment of the public to them, such as disco and new wave. Within this context, The Rolling Stones released one of the most varied albums of their entire career. "Some Girls" was preceded by a series of scandals involving their guitarist Keith Richards, who a year earlier had been accused of drug possession in Canada, and to top it all off, had a subsequent affair with Margaret Trudeau, the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Amidst all these scandals, Mick Jagger was the main songwriter for the new album, which reflects the singer's musical tastes at the time. Released in mid-1978, the album revolves around the super hit "Miss You", a funky, bluesy track that opens the album spectacularly, while still maintaining a quintessential Stones sound. The rest of the album comprises a vibrant and exceptional repertoire of outstanding tracks, such as the rock 'n' roll anthem "When The Whip Comes Down", followed by the incendiary "Lies" and "Respectables", two of the hardest-hitting songs on their entire discography. They also venture into soul with "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)", country with "Far Away Eyes", and the then-fashionable punk of "Shattered", concluding with the quintessential Stones ballad "Beast Of Burden". All of this demonstrates that intelligence and creativity remained hallmarks of the best rock and roll band on the planet. "Some Girls" achieved six platinum records in the United States alone and worldwide sales exceeding 8 million copies.

Wishbone Ash-Nouveau Calls (1987)

For the first time in many years, the original Wishbone Ash lineup returned in 1987 to create one of their most experimental albums, while subtly recapturing the signature sound that had brought them so much success in the 70s. Martin Turner, Steve Upton, Andy Powell, and Ted Turner crafted a completely instrumental album, even incorporating additional instruments they hadn't used before. Although criticized by some of their most devoted fans, the group aimed to showcase a musical evolution that, while misunderstood by many, remains a kind of avant-garde album, adding touches of Eastern, jazz, and Caribbean influences. Tracks like "Tangible Evidence", "Clousseau", "Real Guitars Have Wings", "Arabesque", "The Spirit Flies Free", and "Johnny Left Home Without It", however, still bear the unmistakable mark of the twin guitars and precise rhythm section of this popular British group, despite all the criticism.

Trace-Birds (1975)

Trace was a Dutch band from the city of Haarlem, founded by keyboardist Rick van der Linden in 1974. For several years, they enjoyed a remarkable career, releasing several albums of excellent progressive rock. From a young age, Rick van der Linden had taken piano lessons, undoubtedly influenced by his father, who was also a pianist. Later, he learned to play the organ and eventually enrolled in the conservatory in his hometown. From there, the young Rick joined various local bands, playing in nightclubs. Even then, his style was based on the influence of keyboardists such as Brian Auger and Keith Emerson. In 1974, he founded Trace with bassist Jaap van Eik and drummer Pierre van der Linden, both of whom had extensive experience playing in bands like Solution, Focus, and Living Blues. With Trace, Rick was able to develop his own ideas, creating a symphonic rock sound dominated by keyboards. That same year, thanks to the Dutch label Philips, they released their first album, "Trace", already showing similarities to early Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Both this debut and its follow-up, "Birds" (1975), offered a sumptuous and exciting symphonic rock sound, driven by Rick's wide range of keyboards (Hammond B3, ARP synthesizers, and Mellotron), with a primarily instrumental style where the aforementioned Mellotron and Hammond sounds are majestic, supported by a powerful rhythm section. A testament to this band's potential is the epic "King-Bird", a track from their second album, a progressive exercise in dazzling keyboard work, rhythmic shifts, electric guitars, and dynamic interplay. "The White Ladies", the third and final album released a year later, showed a lack of ideas. Despite being conceived as a concept album, it was a discreet continuation without the excellence of its predecessors, which would prematurely end the adventure of this formidable Dutch band.

Vangelis-Chariots Of Fire (1981)

This is the most accessible and successful album by the Greek keyboard wizard Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou, better known as Vangelis. For millions of people around the world, this was their introduction to Vangelis's music, thanks to the enormous popularity of the film "Chariots of Fire" and its instrumental accessibility. Unlike much of Vangelis's work, the music on this album is not overly complex, presenting a romantic and sensitive atmosphere in its piano and synthesizer melodies. The main theme is a beautiful, majestic symphonic piece and boasts one of the most recognizable melodies ever written. This theme, along with the entire repertoire of the album's first part, unfolds with epic mastery, reaching an emotional climax in the final epic an extensive suite of unparalleled atmospheres, melodies, and grandeur. Four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Original Score, and over three million copies sold, attest to this fundamental work by Vangelis and to electronic music in general.

Caravan- If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You (1970)

Masters of the Canterbury sound, Caravan created absolute masterpieces with their first four albums, not only of that quintessentially British style but also of progressive rock in general. Their second album is a truly rewarding musical journey, brimming with addictive atmospheres, vibrant jazz sounds, flawless vocals, and superb instrumental performance. Here, the lineup of Pye Hastings (guitars and vocals), Richard Coughlan (drums and percussion), David Sinclair (organ and keyboards), Richard Sinclair (bass and vocals), and Jimmy Hastings (saxophone and flute) wove a complex musical tapestry where precise rhythmic sections stand out, all under a distinctly avant-garde musical spirit. From the monumental and flawless jazz-rock track "Can't Be Long Now/Françoise/For Richard/Warlock", a tremendous 15-minute whirlwind of catchy choruses, exhilarating rhythms, and outstanding keyboards, to the crescendoing "And I Wish I Were Stoned-Don't Worry", and the progressive experiments of "With an Ear to the Ground You Can Make It/Martinian/Only Cox/Reprise", Caravan positioned themselves at the forefront of the Canterbury scene with this album, crafting a record that would astonish everyone and become one of the gems of rock history.

Mike Bloomfield & Al Kooper-The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper (1969)

This is a historic album, one of those magical evenings of wonderful jam sessions featuring two of the greatest icons of American music: Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield. For three consecutive nights, September 26, 27, and 28, 1968, these two legendary musicians recreated the magic that had been born on the acclaimed album "Supersession" a few months earlier. The venue chosen for these concerts was the already legendary heart of the Californian music scene, the Fillmore West in San Francisco. With only a few days of rehearsal, the two musicians, along with drummer Skip Prokop and bassist John Khan, delivered concerts filled with superb renditions of blues and rock classics, interspersed with their own compositions. During these concerts, one of the most curious moments occurred: Bloomfield decided to take the microphone and debut as a singer. The legendary guitarist had never before assumed that role in his already extensive career. However, on the third night, Bloomfield was unable to perform due to several nights of partying without sleep. Al Kooper had to improvise, replacing the guitarist with two young musicians who were already beginning to make a name for themselves in the music world. These two young men were Carlos Santana and Elvis Bishop (the latter being Bloomfield's bandmate in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band). The result was a powerful testament to the formidable chemistry between these rock legends, beginning with Bob Dylan's classic "Highway 61 Revisited", followed by a wide variety of melodies, including Kooper and Bloomfield's song "Her Holy Modal Highness", and a repertoire of covers such as Paul Simon's "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)", Elvis Presley's classic "That's All Right", The Band's "The Weight", Booker T. and the MG's "Green Onions", and Albert King's "Don't Throw Love on Me So Strong". These concerts were so acclaimed and important that they had to repeat the performances on an intense tour of different North American cities, concluding the tour at the other iconic venue of the era, the Fillmore East in New York, on December 12th and 13th of the same year. For these last two concerts, they were also joined by Johnny Winter on B.B. King's "It's My Own Fault", which he performed as a duet with Mike Bloomfield. Many years later, the original tapes were rediscovered and released as "The Lost Concert Tapes". From this point on, the careers of both are well known. Al Kooper continued as a producer and collaborator with greats such as The Who, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Bob Diddley, The Tubes, Roger McGuinn, and Neil Diamond, among many others, in addition to being responsible for discovering the legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd. For his part, Mike Bloomfield continued with a fruitful career, until his death in 1981, contributing his magic with the six strings on his own and other people's albums, collaborating on records by Janis Joplin or Muddy Waters, or publishing the meritorious "If You Love These Blues, Play 'Em As You Please" (1976) or "Between A Hard Place and the Ground" (1979), leaving his legacy to the legend that has made him one of the great guitarists in the history of rock.

The Blues Project-Reunion In Central Park (1973)

In 1973, The Blues Project reunited after a six-year hiatus. This took place at the Schaffer Festival in New York's Central Park. The Blues Project had formed nine years earlier in the city of skyscrapers by guitarists Steve Katz and Danny Kalb, along with drummer Roy Blumenfeld, bassist Andy Kulberg, and singer Tommy Flanders. Al Kooper joined in 1965, arriving in time for the recording of their first album, "Live At The Cafe Au Go Go" (1966). From there, the band toured extensively across the United States, subsequently releasing their second album, "Projections". After this album, departures began, the first being Al Kooper, followed by other members. Despite this, the remaining members released two more albums, "Live At Town Hall" (1967) and "Planned Obsolescence" (1968). After this last album, there was a general breakup, until in 1970 some of its former members, such as bassist Don Kretmar, along with guitarist Kalb and drummer Blumenfeld, joined guitarist Bill Lussenden and keyboardist Gabriel Mekler and revived The Blues Project, releasing the albums "Lazarus" (1971) and "Blues Project" (1972). Then in 1973, at the aforementioned Schaffler Festival, the original members of the band were reunited, with the exception of singer Flanders. In a memorable and historic performance, the band played an excellent repertoire of blues, rock and country, including versions of the blues classics “Louisiana Blues” by Muddy Waters and “Caress Me Baby” by Jimmy Reed, the country songs “Steves Song” and “Fly Away”, the melodic folk song “Catch The Wind”, the jam blues song “Wake Me, Shake Me” and the superb and hypnotic blues song “Two Trains Running”.

Uriah Heep-Sonic Origami (1998)

After a few years of hardship due to their diminished prominence in the hard rock world, Uriah Heep experienced a resurgence thanks in part to the contribution of vocalist Bernie Shaw. The first album with Shaw on vocals was 1989's "Raging Silence", after which they were reborn, releasing excellent albums with considerable frequency. Released in 1998, "Sonic Origami" is Uriah Heep's third consecutive album with Shaw, in addition to original members Mick Box (guitar), Lee Kerslake (drums), and Trevor Bolder (bass), plus keyboardist Phil Lanzon. Following the magnificent "Sea of ​​Light" from three years prior, this new record sees the iconic British band shifting their style towards a more melodic sound, though with occasional tracks of raw, hard rock energy. Lanzon's magnificent keyboards, Mick Box's ever-present guitar, and Shaw's exceptional voice, which has become the group's new identity, give us everything from hard-hitting rock tracks like "Between Two Worlds", "Everything In Life", and "Feels Like" to excellent melodic rock songs that lean towards AOR, such as "Only The Young", "In The Moment", "Heartless", "Question", and "Shelter From The Rain".

Toe Fat-Toe Fat (1970)

Let's return to the topic of obscure bands from the late sixties, and this time it's Toe Fat's turn. This short-lived group included future Uriah Heep members Ken Hensley and Lee Kerslake. Another notable member was John Glascock, who would later join Ian Anderson's Jethro Tull, and the lineup was completed by vocalist Cliff Bennett. Their first album was released by Parlophone, an EMI subsidiary, in 1970, and despite its commercial failure, it garnered considerable praise from critics and fans alike. This led to them being hired as the opening act for Eric Clapton, Dave Mason, and Duane Allman's band, Derek and The Dominos, on a US tour for several months in 1970. After this tour, Hensley and Kerslake left Toe Fat to form Uriah Heep and were replaced by guitarist Alan Kendall and drummer Brian Glascock, with whom they released the band's second and final album, "Toe Fat Two", at the end of that same year, 1970. Focusing on their first album, with its striking cover art by Hipgnosis, Toe Fat showcased an energetic hard rock sound with bluesy touches and certain progressive influences, reminiscent in some ways of early Uriah Heep. Energetic proto-hard rock tracks like the opening "That's My Love For You" contrast with the bluesy "Bad Side of the Moon" and the lysergic, heavy "Nobody", while "The Wherefores and the Why" is a melodic, psychedelic composition. Other standout tracks include the hard rock "But I'm Wrong", the folky boogie "Just Like All the Rest", and the rhythmic, acid-tinged "I Can't Believe". After the second album, the band broke up, and some members went their separate ways. Guitarist Kendall joined the Bee Gees, and drummer Glascock, after a brief stint with Rod Evans's former Deep Purple band, Captain Beyond, joined The Motels and later collaborated with artists like Iggy Pop and Joan Armatrading.

Aum-Bluesvibes (1969)

Aum was a psychedelic blues-rock band that emerged during the vibrant flower power era in San Francisco, but their career was short-lived, releasing only two interesting albums of great blues-rock. It was 1968 when guitarist and lead vocalist Wayne Ceballos founded Aum with Kenneth Newell on bass and Larry Martin on drums. They managed to get Bill Graham, the producer and owner of the legendary Fillmore West, to hire them as the opening act for bands like Creedence Clearwater Revival, among others. Their style, steeped in the traditional sounds of San Francisco's burgeoning hippie movement, was influenced by blues with gospel influences and the prevailing psychedelia. They quickly gained recognition thanks to their engaging live performances, which included typical jams with their powerful blues-rock sound. This caught the attention of Sire Records, a subsidiary of Polydor, which offered them a recording contract. On their debut album, "Bluesvibes", the band showcased their perfect affinity for West Coast-influenced blues, immediately establishing their credentials: a great guitar, backed by a solid rhythm section and a fine harmonica, with a repertoire brimming with feeling and rich instrumentation. This debut opened with a fantastic cover of the classic "Tobacco Road", but it was their own original songs that truly shone, such as the fast-paced blues "You Can't Hide", the soulful blues "Chilli Woman", and the lilting "A Little Help From You" and "Movin' Man". That same year, 1969, they released a second album, "Resurrection", featuring a harder sound but still firmly rooted in the blues. Then, after barely two years, they vanished from the music scene forever.

Motörhead-Ace Of Spades (1980)

In the midst of a particularly prolific period, Motörhead released their fifth studio album, "Ace of Spades", another impressive showcase of their frenetic, abrasive, ferocious, and dizzying style of heavy metal punk. This time, their sound was more refined than their previous raw and gritty albums, yet retained their primal essence. Led by the cavernous Lemmy, whose gravelly, somber vocals, machine-gun-like, killer bass, and master-of-ceremonies demeanor surrounded a band of colossal musicians including the blistering drummer Philthy "Animal" Taylor and Eddie Clarke's superb guitar riffs and solos they left behind a monumental work of furious and ruthless heavy metal. Songs like the title track foreshadowed what would soon arrive in the world in the form of thrash metal, here disguised as punk rock. Other tracks like the immense "Love Me Like A Reptile" and "Live To Win", the brutality of "(We Are) The Road Crew" or the overwhelming "Bite The Bullet", "Dance" and "Fast And Loose", make up a sweeping and monolithic album that is an essential masterpiece in the history of rock.

Chicago-X (1976)

One of the leading proponents of jazz brass rock is the American band Chicago, one of the most successful bands of all time with over 100 million records sold worldwide. However, their style wasn't always tied to jazz rock. During their long career, spanning from 1967 to 2022, they explored a wide variety of styles, including blues, rock, rhythm and blues, pop rock, and psychedelic music. By the mid-seventies, Chicago was fully immersed in a period where they blended their jazz-rooted sound with mainstream rock. From this era comes "Chicago X", the eighth album by this large group comprised of Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Laudir de Oliveira, Danny Seraphine, Walter Parazaider, James Pankow, Lee Loughnane, and Robert Lamm. This album features one of their most famous songs and a true classic of 20th-century music, the timeless ballad "If You Leave Me Now", which, along with the album itself, led the band to win three Grammy Awards the following year, in addition to several platinum and gold records. Although this iconic song might initially seem to overshadow the rest of the album, it contains enough merit to consider it another of their great masterpieces, as evidenced by the rock & soul track "One Or Twice", the dramatic mid-tempo "Hope For Love", the luminous "Another Rainy Day In New York City", and the jazz-rock anthems "Skin Tight" and "You Are On My Mind".

Van Der Graaf Generator-Still Life (1976)

"Still Life" was Van Der Graaf Generator's second album following their magnificent return with "Godbluff" a year earlier, and was the sixth album chronologically from the band led by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Peter Hammill. VDGG released two of their best albums after a four-year hiatus, brilliantly showcasing their signature sound once again. However, the organ is much more prominent here than on later albums, and the saxophone becomes a less fundamental instrument than it was on previous releases. Despite this, the music doesn't suffer in the slightest; in fact, it's a subtle and very rewarding change that remains true to their earlier work, allowing them to explore new musical ideas. Peter Hammill's songwriting reached its creative peak during this second period; his lyrical work on this album is absolutely brilliant and metaphorical, as was already the case on their previous five albums. However, here the meanings of the songs are less literal (as literal as Peter Hammill can be). These songs are brilliant observations on humanity, including the quest for immortality, which It eventually strips life of all meaning. The internal struggle that arises when considering destroying friendship for an intimate relationship, and ultimately, where the human race is headed in this era. All of this is magnificently written and supported by glorious music. The opening track, "Pilgrims", ​​with its slow, solemn crescendo and haunting atmosphere; the expansive "La Rossa", where they showcase their affinity for Italian lyricism; and the superb "My Room", featuring excellent work from bassist Hugh Banton, David Jackson's ambient saxophone, and drummer Guy Evans' jazzy texture, along with the chilling and desperate "My Room (Waiting for Wonderland)" and the radiant epic "Childlike Faith in Childhood's End", form a perfect repertoire that could easily be proclaimed one of the best in progressive rock of all time.