Tangerine Dream-Cyclone (1978)

In 1978, Tangerine Dream released their eighth studio album, "Cyclone". On this new release, the band, led by Edgar Froese and Christopher Franke, introduced several changes compared to their previous albums. The first change involved the lineup: Peter Baumann was no longer with the band, replaced by drummer and percussionist Klaus Krieger and keyboardist, wind instrument player, synthesizer player, and vocalist Steve Jolliffe. The second change concerned the German group's "new" sound, incorporating vocals into their compositions for the first time. This gave them a more conventional style within progressive rock, making this one of their albums most clearly focused on that genre. The 13-minute track "Bent Cold Sidewalk", with its wandering electronic vocals, became one of TD's more conventional progressive rock songs, while their usual spacey and atmospheric style appeared on "Rising Runner Missed by Endless Sender". However, the album's high point is the suite "Madrigal Meridian", where the succession of hypnotic synthesizer sounds and the constant sequenced rhythm create a vaporous atmosphere with a pulsating cadence, transforming it into a true journey through space. Its subsequent reception was met with strong criticism from its most purist fans, something that, nevertheless, did not prevent the album from achieving success on both sides of the Atlantic.

Black Widow-Sacrifice (1970)

Often compared to Black Sabbath due to their name and the satanic lyrics on their first album, Black Widow had released an album under the name Pesky Gee in 1969 before changing their name. However, that comparison was rather unfair, because their style, unlike the gloomy and dark sounds of the band led by Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne, was more boisterous, cheerful, and with proto-progressive elements, albeit with undeniably demonic lyrics. This trend would change on their next two albums, which wouldn't go in that direction, as their style remained within the confines of hard rock and more conventional progressive rock. Hailing from Leicester in the east of England, this band was founded by vocalist Kip Trevor, guitarist Jim Gannon, and keyboardist Zoot Taylor, with drummer Clive Box, bassist Bon Bond, and flautist/saxophonist Clive Jones completing the lineup. Even with their previous band, Pesky Gee, they had garnered considerable attention for their satanic concerts, where they simulated the sacrifice of a naked woman on stage. In 1970, they left Pye Records and signed with CBS, with whom they released their first album under the new name Black Widow. Musically, this debut release is not a funeral dirge despite its controversial lyrics; the melodies are uplifting, with hints of prog folk and some jazz elements, all filtered through the lens of progressive hard rock. The album opens with the progressive track "In Ancient Days", brimming with Hammond organ sounds, Mellotrons, and string instruments. The commercially oriented "Come To The Sabbat" was a surprising hit due to its sinister and diabolical lyrics. On the other hand, the pleasant and more earthy "Seduction" and the extensive and complex "Sacrifice" completed a superb work of the best proto-progressive metal of the early 70s. But from this point on, due to pressure from their own record label and certain very powerful and influential fundamentalist Christian groups, the band stopped including satanic lyrics in their subsequent works.

Eric Quincy Tate-Drinking Man´s Friend (1972)

Another band unknown to the general European public is Eric Quincy Tate, a superb Southern rock group from Texas who had the privilege of sharing a record label and stages for much of the 1970s with the legendary Allman Brothers Band. Although formed in the mid-1960s, it wasn't until the end of that decade that, thanks to the efforts of Tony Joe White, they signed with Capricorn Records, a Georgia-based label specializing in Southern bands. In their original lineup, Eric Quincy Tate consisted of bassist David Cantonwine, guitarist Tommy Carlisle, drummer Donnie McCormick, and vocalist and second guitarist Wayne Sauls. In 1970, they released their self-titled debut album, showcasing an intelligent fusion of rock, funk, blues, and subtle jazz influences. This intriguing debut album opened doors for them to open for The Allman Brothers Band, in concerts where the band showcased undeniable talent for extended, brilliant rock jams with hints of soul, blues, and country rock, as demonstrated in tracks like "Stonehead Blues", "Try A Little Harder", and "Hooker House". Two years later came their second and arguably best work, "Drinking Man's Friend", featuring standout tracks like the rock and roll number "Brown Sugar", the blues rock anthem "Whiskey Woman Blues", and the brilliant "Another Sunshine Song", "Water To Time", and "Texas Sand", all imbued with the swampy, dusty sounds of the southern United States. Later, this band continued to release albums with some frequency, which were well received in the southern rock scene, such as "E.Q.T" (1975) and "Can't Keep A Good Band Down" (1977). The latter served as the band's epitaph until many years later when they returned with the album "Thirty-Seven" (2007), where they revived the attractive sound of southern blues rock with a commendable work that was very well received by their countless fans.

Johnny Winter-Guitar Slinger (1984)

After a four-year hiatus from recording, the albino bluesman Johnny Winter returned in 1984 with his eleventh album, "Guitar Slinger", this time on the blues-focused label Alligator Records. On this occasion, Winter once again showcased his powerful and vibrant blues, featuring a series of covers of blues standards by artists such as Muddy Waters, Al Reed, Earl King, and Lee Baker Jr. With a completely revamped band from his previous work, the album included Ken Saydak (keyboards), Johnny Gayden (bass), Casey Jones (drums), saxophonists Terry Ogolini, Gene Barge, and Steve Eisen, and trumpeter Don Tenuto. In "Guitar Slinger," Johnny Winter treats us to galloping blues-rock tracks like "It's My Life Baby", "Mad Dog", "Boot Hill", and "Don't Take Advantage of Me", as well as mournful blues numbers like "Iodine in My Coffee", showcasing his slide guitar skills, and "I Smell Trouble". He also includes the Texas blues of "My Soul", the rock and roll of "Lights Out", and the soulful "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye". "Guitar Slinger" would eventually be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.

Black Hole-Land Of Mystery (1985)

Black Hole was an obscure Italian heavy metal band that released one of the gems of the so-called Doom Metal subgenre in 1985. Their lineup consisted of vocalist Robert Measles, who also played organ and synthesizers, guitarist Nicholas Murray, and drummer Luther Gordon. Their origins trace back to the city of Verona in the early 1980s. "Land of Mystery" was the third album by this Italian band, a raw recording with dark synthesizer and atmospheric organ sounds in the purest style of the early 1970s, haunting vocals sung in English, and powerful, hypnotic, and gloomy guitar riffs. Here, connotations of classic heavy metal appear, such as "Demoniac City", while "Land Of Mystery" is close to heavy and energetic stoner rock. The twisted and eccentric "All My Evil" gives way to the grim "Bells Of Death", which at the same time welcomes the most atmospheric and sinister moments with "Blind Men And Occult Forces", the psychedelic "Spectral World", or the heavy instrumental rock "Obscurity In The Ethereal House", which brings to a close a lapidary and chilling album of surreal and hypnotic heavy metal.

Tramp-Tramp (1969)

Tramp was a blues band comprised of musicians from other groups who worked on this project in parallel, united by their love for the most basic sounds of British rock and blues. Founded by siblings Dave Kelly and Jo Ann Kelly, guitarist and singer respectively, in 1969 they convinced Fleetwood Mac members Mick Fleetwood (drums), Bob Brunning (bass), and Danny Kirwan (guitar), along with pianist Bob Hall (formerly of the Groundhogs), percussionist Ian Morton, vocalist Memphis Lil, and saxophonist Dave Brooks, to record an album, which was released at the end of 1969. This debut album features a repertoire of solid blues and rock tracks, such as the galloping opening track "Own Up", while the instrumental "Hard Work" also follows that rock trend, contrasting with the bluesy and leisurely "Street Walking Blues", the melancholic "Baby What You Want Me To Do", and the funk. The light and catchy “Oh The Scene” is a highlight. The rest of the album leans towards a more eclectic sound, navigating between jazz and R&B, and features dynamic tracks like “Same Old Thing”, the effective “What You Gonna Do When The Road Comes Through”, the boogie-jazz “Somebody Watching Me”, and the elaborate “Another Day”. In short, a fine blues and rock album recorded by excellent musicians, with Danny Kirwan delivering an immeasurable guitar performance that would become the pinnacle of the group's bluesy sound, while also making him the most outstanding of the former Fleetwood Mac members.

Eden-Erwartung (1978)

Eden were a hugely popular German band from the late 1970s and one of the first Christian rock groups in their country. Founded in 1977 in Lüdenscheid, North Rhine-Westphalia, by three members of an organization called the Christian Youth Association Free Community, they drew on a style inspired by folk/rock and classical music and released their debut album, "Erwartung", in mid-1978. However, the album is actually closer to symphonic rock than typical folk/rock, so its style would fit more within the progressive folk genre. "Erwartung" functions as a concept album with a story that begins with God's creation and the life and miracles of Jesus and ends with the resurrection and salvation of humanity. It is filled with magnificent flute, violin, and piano parts that flirt with folk and classical music. The lyrics are sung in German by male and female singers who provide large, gospel-style choruses and multi-vocal sections. The electric guitars also sound incredible, with similarities to contemporary bands like the German groups Eloy and Anyone's Daughter. The flute parts also evoke the sound of bands like the British group Camel, although the overall sound is closer to other German progressive folk bands such as Rebekka or Hoelderlin. The album opens with its least interesting track, "Spatregen", which, while containing most of the elements mentioned above, sounds rather inconsistent, almost like an early composition that should have been more polished before its final inclusion on the album. The remaining tracks, on the other hand, are much more splendid and feature, in addition to the characteristics mentioned above, many flutes, saxophones, acoustic guitars, some strident tracks, and brilliant melodies. The album's high point is the track "Ein Anderes Land", over 16 minutes of sublime symphonic progressive rock, with continuous changes in rhythm and great dynamics, focused on the most intricate and impressive harmonies, as well as the extraordinary technical instrumentation and superb arrangements that culminate in an album considered one of the great works of German progressive rock.

Praying Mantis-Time Tells No Lies (1981)

Praying Mantis is considered one of the leading bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) scene; however, unlike their contemporaries, they followed a much more melodic and commercial musical direction. Their origins date back several years before the NWOBHM genre was officially established, specifically to the mid-seventies. Founded by brothers Chris and Tyler Toy, on bass and guitar respectively, along with drummer Dave Potts and guitarist Steve Carroll, they released the EP "Soundhouse Tapes" in 1979. The following year, due to their growing reputation, they opened for Iron Maiden and Ronnie Montrose in the UK. Their spectacular concerts opened the doors to Arista Records, with whom they released their first album and, ultimately, their most commercially successful work, "Time Tells No Lies", in 1981. Featuring a spectacular cover by the renowned illustrator Rodney Matthews (a trend that would become a hallmark of all their work), this debut album contained an explosive mix of epic and powerful heavy metal with soaring melodies and intricate instrumentation, as demonstrated in the opening track "Cheated". Their epic side is showcased in the sensational "Lovers to the Grave", and their energetic melodic heavy metal tracks include "Children of the Earth" and "Beads of Ebony". Meanwhile, their furious cover of The Kinks' "All Day and All Out of the Night" adds a touch of commercial appeal. However, the band's instability and poor promotion by Arista hindered their ability to achieve greater success. The following year, the band changed labels, signing with Jet Records and releasing several singles that met with little success, leading to their eventual breakup until their reunion in 1987. However, during those early years, Praying Mantis had amassed a large following in Japan, a country where they were revered and their work enjoyed great success. In recognition of their thousands of Japanese fans, the band reformed in 1990, with former Iron Maiden members Dennis Stratton and Paul Di'Anno joining the lineup for a nostalgic tour of Japan. The Japanese audience responded enthusiastically, which motivated them to release the album "Live At Last" and a new studio album, "Predator In Disguise" (1991), achieving overwhelming sales and critical acclaim. From this point on, the band continued releasing a series of well-received and highly successful albums such as “A Cry For The New World” (1993), “To The Power Of Ten” (1995), and “Forever In Time” (1998), all sharing a common thread: frequent lineup changes. Despite these changes, the quality of their work never diminished. In 2007, they released one of their most celebrated albums, “Sanctuary”, which garnered widespread acclaim and achieved phenomenal sales. The same success followed with their subsequent albums, “Legacy” (2015) and “Gravity” (2018), which garnered them thousands of fans worldwide. Currently, Praying Mantis is one of the few remaining active bands from the NWOBHM movement, having sold over 30 million albums globally after a 40-year career.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble-Soul To Soul (1985)

With his second album, Stevie Ray Vaughan confirmed that the success of his debut was no fluke, showcasing his guitar prowess and genius as one of the greats of modern blues. With his third release, "Soul to Soul", now fully established, he took a risk by infusing his classic blues style with touches of funk, jazz, soul, and rhythm and blues. By then, Stevie had expanded his band, Double Trouble, with keyboardist Reese Wynans and saxophonist Joe Sublett, who joined regulars Chris Layton on drums and bassist Tommy Shannon. Tracks like the soulful "Change It", the jazzy "Gone Home", and the funky "Say What" clearly demonstrate this subtle shift, yet they remain firmly rooted in the essence of the blues. On the other hand, roots blues is present in Hank Ballard's versions of "Look a Little Sister", Earl King's "Come On (Part III)", and Willie Dixon's "You'll Be Mine". With "Soul to Soul", Stevie Ray Vaughan achieved his fifth consecutive platinum record, in addition to reaching the top of the Billboard Blues charts in the United States.