Captain Beyond-Captain Beyond (1972)

One of the most overlooked old-school supergroups was Captain Beyond, formed by former members of four iconic bands. They released three excellent albums: "Captain Beyond" (1972), "Sufficiently Breathless" (1973), and "Dawn Explosion" (1977). Formed in 1971 in Los Angeles by vocalist Rod Evans (ex-Deep Purple), guitarists Larry Rhino and Lee Dorman (ex-Iron Butterfly), and drummer Bobby Caldwell (ex-Johnny Winter Band), they drew inspiration from the styles of their parent bands, delivering hard rock and heavy sounds that permeate every groove of their three albums, albeit with a touch of avant-garde, especially on their second release. On "Raging River Of Fear", from their debut album, the heavy blues riffs stand out, as does the frenetic heavy rock track "Dancing Madly Backwards", which together form a general repertoire of high-octane rock pieces with acoustic and jazz interludes. With their next release, they began to incorporate much more stylistic variety and progressive influences, as demonstrated by the dynamic "Sufficiently Breathless", the jazz-rock with Latin tendencies "Everything A Circle", and the spacey "Starglow Energy". Finally, with their third release, "Dawn Explosion", they return to hard rock, albeit with a more organic and melodic tone, as shown by the captivating tracks "If You Please", "Fantasy", "Breath Of Fire", and "Midnight Memories".

Ralf Nowy-Lucifer´s Dream (1973)

Ralf Nowy was a talented German musician with a prolific artistic career, working as a producer, musician, composer, arranger, and musical director. In the 1960s, after graduating from the Stern Conservatory in Berlin, where he studied classical music, composition, arranging, and jazz, he formed several jazz bands, playing flute and saxophone. In 1963, he was chosen as the best soloist at the Berlin Jazz Festival. This award opened doors for him, leading him to direct the Forum Theatre in Berlin, become a production director, conduct the Saarländischer Rundfunk Orchestra of Saarbrücken, and collaborate with various German and European artists. In the early 1970s, he began collaborating with Giorgio Moroder on film soundtracks and composing numerous commercials for German television. Alongside all of this, he created his own music, releasing several albums focused on kraturock with a jazz influence. In 1973, he released his first album, "Lucifer's Dream", for which he recruited a large group of backing musicians from the German jazz and rock scene, including bassist Amon Düül II, Lothar Meid, and Missus Beastly guitarist Paul Vincent. "Lucifer's Dream" is primarily composed of a series of highly structured pieces with elaborate arrangements, recorded in spectacular quadraphonic sound, making it an exciting adventure into jazz fusion with clear cinematic undertones. A truly exquisite album, where the string arrangements, sophistication, guitars, and wind instruments combine to create a comforting musical experience.

Glass Harp-Synergy (1971)

Hailing from Ohio, Glass Harp were a classic rock power trio who alternated melodic folk sounds with hard rock jams inspired by legendary bands like The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream. This trio consisted of guitarist Phil Keaggy, drummer John Sferra, and bassist Steve Markulin, who in 1970 secured a deal with MCA Records to finance their debut album under their subsidiary Decca Records. The album's commercial success led them to open for leading bands such as Grand Funk Railroad, Traffic, Humble Pie, and The Kinks across North America. In 1971, the band released their second album, "Synergy", showcasing an even more powerful repertoire with the hard rock tracks "One Day At a Time" and "Never Is a Long Time", two clear examples of Keaggy's exceptional guitar skills. The rest of the album consists of the moody "Song of Hope", the acoustic "The Answer", and the rhythmic and upbeat "Mountains", which contrast with the psychedelic "Just Always" and the sedate "Child of the Universe", bringing to a close an engaging album that, as its title suggests, captures the perfect union of its three members at their artistic peak. The following year, they released the epitaph "It Makes Me Glad", in which they softened their style towards more predictable directions. Subsequently, each member pursued different artistic paths, with Keaggy achieving the most prolific career, shifting his style towards Christian rock and releasing some fifty albums, several of which were nominated for Grammy Awards. He is considered one of the best guitarists of the 20th century.

Robin Trower-Caravan To Midnight (1978)

By 1978, Robin Trower was firmly established as one of the great guitarists of hard rock and blues, having already released a series of high-quality albums that went gold and platinum, including "Twice Removed From Yesterday", "Bridge of Sighs", "For Earth Below", and "Long Misty Days", all of which garnered favorable reviews and strong sales. Following the release of "Long Misty Days", Trower made changes to his band, bringing in bassist Rustee Allen and freeing James Dewar from that role to focus on vocals. In 1978, Robin Trower released his sixth album, "Caravan to Midnight", which featured percussionist Paulinho da Costa. While not reaching the heights of his earlier work on "Caravan to Midnight", Robin once again delivers a series of high-quality tracks showcasing his brilliant guitar skills, as demonstrated in the catchy "My Love (Burning Love)" and the hypnotic blues "Caravan to Midnight". Other cuts, such as the rhythmic "I'm Out to Get You", the addictive blues-rock "King of the Dance", and the ethereal "Sail On", confirmed his status as the phenomenal guitarist who came to be unanimously dubbed the "white Jimi Hendrix" by the press.

Dillard & Clark-The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark (1969)

Towards the end of the 1960s, the American folk and country rock scene was at its peak. Bands and artists like The Byrds, The Band, and Bob Dylan had contributed significantly to this, leaving behind moments of great splendor. It was in this context that Gene Clark (formerly of the Byrds) and Doug Dillard emerged. Dillard, a renowned bluegrass musician and banjo legend, is an icon of the most ancestral sounds of rural America. These two musicians joined forces and created an album that would redefine modern country rock, laying the foundation for all subsequent movements and subgenres that drew from American country and folk. "The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark" is not only a journey into the heart of rural America, but also a voice that championed a traditional style and way of life that endures today and will continue to do so long after we die. This album thoughtfully showcases a series of iconic country songs like "Out on The Side", bluegrass classics like "She Darkens The Sun", and laments and rural experiences such as "Train Laves Here This Morning", "The Radio Son", and "With Care From Someone". Without a doubt, this is one of the most innovative, fundamental, and essential works of American roots music, and a true masterpiece of the genre.

Gary Moore-Victims Of The Future (1983)

Today, no one doubts the enormous talent of the late Irish guitarist Gary Moore, a fundamental figure in the history of rock. However, he was often criticized by some media outlets and fans for his inconsistency and opportunism in taking advantage of the musical trends he experienced. It's true that Moore explored different musical styles, from jazz-rock with the band Colosseum II, to pure blues with albums like "Still Got the Blues" (1990), passing through musical detours close to pop-rock with "Run For Cover" (1985), forays into Celtic folk with "Wild Frontier" (1987), heavy rock with "Corridors of Power" (1982), and electronica with "Dark Days in Paradise" (1997), not forgetting his time with Thin Lizzy and their original style of hard rock. Even so, Gary Moore's soul was always influenced by blues and hard rock, as demonstrated on his first album with his band "Grinding Stone" (1973), or even earlier with the Skid Row project (not to be confused with the band led by Sebastian Bach in the 1980s). At the beginning of the 1980s, Gary Moore steered his style towards the prevailing sound of the time, heavy metal, with several highly acclaimed albums within the genre. One of these works was "Victims of the Future", released in 1983, which for many is his best solo work. Recorded entirely at Townhouse Studios in London, Moore enlisted the help of bassists Bob Daisley, Mo Foster, and Neil Murray, drummer Ian Paice, keyboardist Neil Carter, and Slade member Noddy Holder. This album contains some of the guitarist's best compositions, such as the beautiful mid-tempo "Empty Rooms" or the heavy rock tracks "Victims of the Future", "Murder in the Skies", "All I Want" or "The Law Of The Jungle", not forgetting an exciting version of The Yardbirds' classic, "Shape Of Things to Come".

Metallica-Ride The Lightning (1984)

If their debut album had subtly revealed the musical direction Metallica was heading in, their second album left no doubt about it. The intensity and raw power remained in this second release, but they also became more versatile, creating more complex and intelligent music. This shift is evident in the epic and brilliant "Fade to Black" and "Call of Ktulu", two tracks of great instrumental complexity that border on progressive sounds. However, glimpses of the frenetic thrash metal of their first album still lingered in the incredible and intricate "Creeping Death", "Fight Fire with Me", and "For Whom the Bell Tolls". This second album would put Metallica's name on the lips of millions of heavy metal fans around the world and pave the way for them to explore new horizons with great works in the years to come.

Metallica-Kill´Em All (1983)

In 1983, Metallica unleashed their fast, furious, and exhilarating thrash metal with one of the most stunning debuts in heavy metal history. An album of killer guitars, intense and brutal riffs, and a hyperactive and devastating rhythm section, showcasing a raw, direct, and ice-cold sound. Lyrically, they focused on death, hell, wars, victories and bloody defeats, rebelling against the political establishment, and much, much more. James Hetfield (guitar and vocals), Kirk Hammett (guitar), Cliff Burton (bass), and Lars Ulrich (drums) created an album that, unlike their subsequent releases, is composed of relatively simple pieces overall, albeit with somewhat complex instrumental structures. Influenced by the new wave of British heavy metal (Iron Maiden), the American and British heavy punk movement (Motorhead), and fusing these styles with the aggression and rawness of hardcore, this album showcases all these hallmarks, from the frenetic "Hit The Lights", "Motorbreath", "Whiplash" and "Phantom Lord", to the more complex and intricate developments of the semi-progressive "The Four Horsemen" and the superb instrumental "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth". With this debut, Metallica rebelled against all the easy-listening music of the time, breathing new life into heavy metal and hard rock in the early eighties, and simultaneously inspiring and influencing tens of millions of young people around the world.

Alice In Chains-Dirt (1992)

Alice in Chains, along with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, Soundgarden, and Stone Temple Pilots, were the leading exponents of the grunge sound born in Seattle. Founded in that city in 1987 by Jerry Cantrell, Laney Staley, Mike Starr, and Sean Kinney, their main characteristic was their energetic sound, very close to the most visceral and raw heavy metal, far removed from the alternative, garage, or punk rock sounds of their contemporaries. With their second album, "Dirt", the band reached the necessary maturity to solidify their style with a semi-conceptual album about heroin use, a substance that was, at the time, the main addiction of their singer, Laney Staley. On this album, the band displays fury and violence with dark undertones throughout almost the entire record, as can be heard in tracks like "Rooster", "Rain When I Die", "Sickman", "Dam That River", and "Them Bones". However, the band also knows how to blend that tremendous fury with more melodic and serene tracks like “Down In A Hole”, or the dark hard rock of “Rooster”. “Dirt” is considered one of the seminal works of the genre and, at the same time, one of the most successful Seattle sound albums, achieving half a dozen platinum records and reaching number six on the Billboard charts.