FM-Indiscreet (1986)

The year 1986 saw the release of the monumental debut album by the British band FM, a group that quickly rivaled their American contemporaries like Survivor, Journey, Boston, Foreigner, and REO Speedwagon. While their emergence was somewhat late within the AOR and melodic rock scene compared to the American style, they also arose during the genre's second golden age. Driven by the powerful voice of singer Steve Overland and supported by the phenomenal guitarist Chris Overland and the outstanding bassist Merv Goldsworthy, this first release from the London-based group ranged from sumptuous ballads and mid-tempo songs like "Other Side of Midnight", "Love Lies Dying", "Hot Wired", and "Frozen Heart", to melodic rock tracks with great character and energy such as "That Girl", "American Girls", "Face to Face", and "I Belong to the Night". This debut was soon hailed as one of the creative peaks of AOR and a true reference point for the millions of fans of the style around the world.