Toto-Mindfields (1999)

Before the end of the 20th century, the American band Toto released their tenth studio album, "Mindfields", which showcased a return to the sound that had propelled them to fame in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s: melodic rock brimming with irresistible choruses, rich arrangements, energetic hard rock guitar, and the rich influences of soul, blues, funk, and jazz. By this point, the band had undergone several lineup changes since their previous album, "Tambu" (1995), including the return of Bobby Kimball after some years away from Toto, and the addition of percussionist Lenny Castro, while core members Steve Lukather, David Paich, Mike Porcaro, and Simon Phillips continued to lead the legendary group. Featuring a wide variety of styles, this new release reaffirmed the Americans' status as one of the great bands of melodic rock. This eclectic fusion of styles is evident in the rock with reggae rhythms "Mindfields", in the soul-rock "Cruel", in the extensive blues "High Price of Hate", in the hard rock "Caught In The Balance", in the irresistible ballad "Last Love" or in the addictive and tremendously attractive AOR "One Road", "Melanie", "Selfish" or "Mysterious Ways".