50SHR #41: Zion (South Dakota)

50 STATES OF HARD ROCK #41: SOUTH DAKOTA

Band: Zion
Release: Thunder From The Mountain
Year: 1989
Line-up: Rex Scott (vocals, rhythm guitar), David Moore (lead guitar), Marlin Saner (bass), Tommy Bozung (drums).

Track Listing:
1.     Who Pulls the Strings     04:27    
2.     Kick in the Gates     03:18    
3.     Is It a Crime     05:28    
4.     Help Me     03:10      
5.     Thrillseeker     03:17      
6.     Sold You a Lie     04:23      
7.     Roll the Rock     03:46      
8.     Less of Me     04:32      
9.     He Loves You     03:51
Fletchanator's comment: The names of this band and album, coupled with the LP cover art, are clues to Zion's driving force. This Christian rock band was formed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1981. They underwent a few line-up changes - including Rex Scott moving from behind the drumkit to take over lead vocals and rhythm guitar - and released a handful of singles and demos before getting their big break and heading to Seattle to record this album.
Unfortunately that big break never amounted to much. The story goes that the record label push they were promised instead went to fellow Christian rockers Holy Soldier and soon after Scott left to front the band X-Sinner. By 1992 Zion had called it quits, although they had a reunion in the early 2000s and Retrospect Records released a compilation of old material in 2007.
Whether you're Christian or not, you owe it to yourself to check it out as it's simply awesome melodic hard rock. Their sound reminds me of a mix of Quiet Riot, Sammy Hagar, KISS and Firehouse. Check it out!

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50SHR #38: April Fool (Pennsylvania)

 
50 STATES OF HARD ROCK #38: PENNSYLVANIA

Band: April Fool
Release: Playin' to Win
Year: 1989
Line-up: Dave Stradling (vocals), George Smith (guitars), Rob Lombardi (bass), Walt Kaye (drums).

Track Listing:

1. Cover Girls 2.   Playin' to Win  3.   Take Away the Heartache  4.   Bahama Mama 5.   Help Me Understand  6.   Next Time Around  7.   Steppin' Out 8.   Borderline 9.   Sleepless Nights  10.   Bad Boy Willie 11.   Can't Stop Rockin' 12.   Hey Molly 13.   Chain of Love

Fletchanator's comment: April Fool are yet another example of a good band who gained traction in their home area but never cracked it on the national stage. They came out of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania music scene that also produced Cinderella and Britny Fox - in fact that second band would play a part in the creation and destruction of April Fool.
April Fool was formed out of the ashes of a band called World War 3, which among their members had included both "Dizzy" Dean Davidson and Johnny Dee, who of course would later form Britny Fox. After a number of line-up changes, April Fool recorded a four-track EP in 1988 and began building a strong following in the clubs of the tri-state area. In 1989 they went into the studio to record this, their only full-length album, and things really seemed to be looking good for the band.
This is where Britny Fox comes back into the picture. Later in 1989 Dizzy Dean quit that band and April Fool singer Dave Stradling saw an opportunity to become Britny Fox's new vocalist. He quit April Fool to audition for them, but of course that gig went to Tommy Paris, aka Don Jillson from Jillson. April Fool brought in a new singer but never really regained their momentum and, coupled with the changing music landscape, called it quits in the early 90s.
This is the 2014 reissue of the original cassette-only Playin' to Win with two bonus tracks from the 1988 EP. It's good stuff - glammy hard rock in the vein of Poison and Warrant. If you've never heard this band you need to check them out!

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50SHR #23: Dare Force (Minnesota)

50 STATES OF HARD ROCK #23: MINNESOTA

 

Band: Dare Force
Release: Firepower
Year: 1989
Line-up: Karl Young (vocals), Brian Bart (guitars, keyboards), Johnny O'Neill (guitars), Dean Vallecillo (bass), Paul Peterson (drums).

Track Listing:

1.	Stand Alone
2.	Firepower
3.	Cold and Lonely Nights
4.	Time's Just a Circle
5.	Hold on Tight
6.	Middle of the Night
7.	Walkin' Out the Door
8.	Give Ya All My Lovin'
9.	Name of the Game
10.	Evil Woman

Fletchanator's comment: Dare Force were an excellent band who came out of the Twin Cities area of Minnesota in the early 80s. They went through a few line-ups, with future Accept/Bangalore Choir vocalist David Reece featuring at one point. By the time they released this, their second album, singer Karl Young had joined and completed one seriously kickass band.
Firepower runs the full gammut of sounds, from melodic metal through to AOR. Most of it is somewhere in the middle, mixing Brian Bart's lightning fast guitar riffs with a smattering of keyboards and outstanding vocal harmonies. Karl Young's voice is eerily reminiscent of Paul Shortino, so if you know Shortino from Rough Cutt and Quiet Riot you know what you're getting - a fantastic voice with a slight rasp and some piercing high notes.
I don't know what happened to the members of this band other than Brian Bart, who is still slinging his axe to this day, having played on two solo albums by ex-Night Ranger singer Kelly Keagy, and Karl Young, who apparently plays covers in Minnesota under the name Mr Whoopee (he has a few videos up on YouTube). Come on guys, how about a reunion?
I love this album and can't recommend it highly enough.

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50SHR #22: Klimax (Michigan)

50 STATES OF HARD ROCK #22: MICHIGAN

 

Band: Klimax
Release: From the Hip
Year: 1989
Line-up: Kenny Sweet D (vocals), Jammin' Jimmy McCarley (guitars), Joey D (guitars), Derek (bass), Mitchell G (drums)

Track Listing:

1.	Wild Girls	4:34
2.	Diamonds & Lust	3:26
3.	Pain	4:34
4.	Here Comes the Rain	4:14
5.	From the Hip to the Lip	4:00
6.	In It for Love	4:25
7.	Not Yet	1:27
8.	Twisted in the Mind	2:55

Fletchanator's comment:  I don't have much information on Klimax, other than that they were from Michigan and apparently released just this one album before splitting in 1992. It was an obscure, lost recording until Retrospect Records put it out on CD for the first time in 2006.
Klimax play a style of hard rock reminiscent of bands like Danger Danger, Y&T and Dirty Looks. But while the album is solid from start to finish (From the Hip to the Lip is the standout IMO) there's nothing on here to make it stand out from the pack, a pack that was teeming with similar bands in 1989. Still, it's a nice addition to any hair metal collection and worth giving a spin.

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Pretty Boy Floyd (CAN) - Bullets & Lipstik (1989)

Country: Canada
Year: 1989
Line-up: Tommy Floyd (vocals), Pete Parker (guitars), Steve Bratz (bass), Sandy Hazard (drums)

Track Listing:

1.   Welcome to the Show    2.   Four for the Road   3.   Somewhere (over that rainbow)   4.   Proud to be Loud   5.   Raggedy Ann   6.   Moonshine Daze   7.   This Gun's for Hire   8.   Another I.O.U   9.   Down on the Floor   10.   Bullets and Lipstik

Fletchanator's comment: Not to be confused with the more well-known American band of the same name, this Pretty Boy Floyd was from Vancouver, Canada and only released this one album. As the story goes, a legal battle ensued between this PBF and the LA-based outfit - obviously the American band won and this band changed their name to Tommy Floyd but ultimately didn't reach the levels of fame of their namesakes.
While today they might just be a footnote in hard rock history, this Pretty Boy Floyd are actually really good. They sound a bit like a poor man's Kix, and that's not an insult because I'm one of the biggest fans of Kix going around. Tommy Floyd definitely sounds like Kix frontman Steve Whiteman, and while the guitaring isn't on the same level as Ronnie Younkins and Steve Forsythe, the overall sound is damn good. Turn it up and rock on!

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Swedish Erotica - Swedish Erotica (1989)

Country: Sweden
Year: 1989
Line-up: Mats Leven (vocals), Magnus Axx (guitars), Morgan LeFay (guitars), Johnny D'Fox (bass), BC Strike (drums)

Track Listing:

1.   Rock N' Roll City   2.   Love on the Line   3.   We're Wild, Young and Free   4.   Hollywood Dreams   5.   Love Hunger   6.   Love Me or Leave Me   7.   Downtown   8.   She Drives Me Crazy   9.   Loaded Gun   10.   Rip It Off   11.   Break the Walls bonus track   12.   Hollywood Dreams (acoustic version) bonus track

Fletchanator's comment: Pure and simple, Swedish Erotica's self-titled debut is one of the best examples of late 80s hard rock done right. It's a shame that this band doesn't get mentioned alongside the "big names" of the genre, because they're just as good. Their second album, in 1995, was heavier and had a different singer, best to avoid that one and listen to this instead.
The sound on this album is awesome, from the anthemic We're Wild, Young and Free to the ballad Hollywood Dreams, there aren't any bad songs among the bunch. What really puts it above a lot of other albums from this time is Mats Leven's voice. Leven - who went on to sing with Treat and Yngwie Malmsteen for an album each while also fronting symphonic metallers Therion and doom merchants Candlemass (a gig he still has) - is quite simply one of the best singers in hard rock, up there with Sebastian Bach.
I can't recommend this one highly enough! Turn it up and rock out!

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Schoolboy Crush - Electric Playground (1989)

Country: USA
Year: 1989
Line-up: Rance Crane (vocals), Mark Lieberman (guitars), Mikki Champlin (bass), Rusty Scott (drums)

Track Listing:

1.   Get Back Home   2.   Only in Dreams   3.   Dream Deceiver   4.   Hold Your Horses   5.   Lethal Weapon   6.   Good As It Gets   7.   Say You Will, Say You Might   8.   Tossin' and Turnin'   9.   Wild and Free   10.   Spunky

Fletchanator's comment: This is the debut album by obscure Indiana-based rockers Schoolboy Crush, and the only one to feature singer Rance Crane. Their only other album, a self-titled 1992 follow-up (remastered and re-released by Sun City Records in 2005), had a change of singer and bassist. Good luck getting hold of a physical copy of this album, it's harder to find on CD than the proverbial female chicken's incisors and goes for stupid money when it shows up on eBay.
In terms of sound, Schoolboy Crush play a straight-forward glam hard rock, like a mash-up of Poison, Dokken and Motley Crue. The production values aren't great (on indy label Criminal Records) but if you can look past that there's a lot to like here. Definitely one for the fans of obscure, hard-to-find hard rock.

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Shark Island - Law of the Order (1989)

Country: USA
Year: 1989
Line-up: Richard Black (vocals), Spencer Sercombe (guitars), Chris Heilmann (bass), Greg Ellis (drums)

Track listing:

1.   Paris Calling   2.   Shake for Me   3.   Somebody's Falling   4.   Bad for Each Other   5.   Passion to Ashes   6.   Spellbound   7.   Get Some Strange   8.   Why Should I Believe   9.   Ready or Not   10.   The Chain

Fletchanator's comment: Shark Island were an LA scene band that were predicted for big things but for whatever reason it never panned out. Probably their biggest moment in the spotlight was having two songs included on the soundtrack of the movie Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Singer Richard Black went on to front the supergroup Contraband (you can find that band's only album on this blog), but otherwise Shark Island (originally Sharks) have faded into obscurity.
Black gets mentioned in hard rock circles for his supposed influence on the on-stage style of Axl Rose (check out this live video from 1990: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=airZHKn6dII), but in terms of voice he sounds like a cross between Ian Astbury and Tom Keifer.
This is Shark Island's second studio album and easily their best. Highlights are Spellbound, Shake for Me, Paris Calling and the cover of Fleetwood Mac's The Chain. If you're a fan of bands like Cinderella, Ratt and (of course) Contraband you'll dig this.

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Winter Rose - Winter Rose (1989)

Country: Canada
Year: 1989
Line-up: James Labrie (vocals), Richard Chycki (guitars, bass), Randy Cooke (drums)

Track listing:

1.   Asylum City   2.   I'll Never Fall In Love Again   3.   Rough Boys   4.   Dianna   5.   One Last Time   6.   Never Let Me Go   7.   My Time   8.   Nothing But The Best   9.   Saved By Love   10.   Thrill Of The Night

Fletchanator's comment: If you're like me, the majority of "prog" music just doesn't click with you. It comes off as too self-indulgent for my liking. I own the greatest hits CD of Dream Theater and while I can recognise that they're talented musicians, none of the songs stand out beyond the hit single Pull Me Under. If you can relate, and have ever thought to yourself "man, this band would be great if they just played straight-forward hard rock instead of this weird crap", you're in luck!
Winter Rose is a Canadian glam hard rock band featuring singer James Labrie a couple of years before he took up the job singing for Dream Theater. Labrie (pictured on the left) has an awesome voice, and here - on Winter Rose's only album - we get to hear it backed with killer guitar riffs, gang vocals and all the things that make for great melodic hard rock. It's a shame Labrie had to join Dream Theater (sorry prog metal fans) because Winter Rose are great!

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Victory - Culture Killed the Native (1989)

Country: Germany
Year: 1989
Line-up: Fernando Garcia (vocals), Herman Frank (guitars), Fargo Peter Knorn (bass), Tommy Newton (guitars), Fritz Randow (drums)

Track listing:

1.   More and More   2.   Never Satisfied   3.   Don't Tell No Lies   4.   Always the Same   5.   Power Strikes the Earth   6.   Lost in the Night   7.   On the Loose   8.   Let it Rock On   9.   So They Run   10.   Standing on the Edge of Time   11.   The Warning   12.   Into the Darkness

Fletchanator's comment: German band Victory were formed in 1984 and for their first three albums featured ex-Ted Nugent singer Charlie Huhn on vocals, with ex-Accept guitarist Herman Frank joining after the debut album. That line-up isn't bad, but Victory didn't reach their full potential until this, their fourth album, and the arrival of new singer Fernando Garcia. He sounds a lot like Tesla's Jeff Keith, while the band's overall sound is along the lines of American bands like Dokken, Y&T, Ratt and Firehouse, with Frank pulling off some killer riffs.
In short, this album rocks from start to finish - all killer, no filler. In my opinion it's one of the best examples of the American glam metal sound of the late 80s, ironically supplied by a German band. I can't recommend this one highly enough!

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Maximum - Just for Kicks (1989)

Country: USA
Year: 1989
Line-up: Jim Gray (vocals), Danny Kopko (guitars), Craig Lapointe (bass), John Blout (drums)

Track listing:

1.	Just for Kicks
2.	Strictly Sexual
3.	Candie Sweet
4.	Lil' Liar
5.	Dancer
6.	Pennies from Heaven
7.	Live It Up
8.	Missing You
9.	One More Shot
10.	Here Come Those Tears
11.	Baby Stay
12.	Skin to Skin
13.	Mistake
14.	Paint Me a Picture

Fletchanator's comment: Maximum might have been from New England (Boston to be precise) but their sound was pure LA Sunset Strip sleaze. Unfortunately this, their only album, was shelved when their label, Enigma, went bankrupt, waiting until 2002 to be released on CD by German label Sunset Records. It's a shame, because this is great stuff - rocking song after glam-infused song. Recommended for fans of bands like Pretty Boy Floyd and early Poison.

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Trash Broadway - Trash Broadway (1989)

Country: USA
Year: 1989
Line-up: David Allyn Steel (vocals), Joe Stump (guitar), Nick Noieux (bass), Jay Gate (drums)

Track listing:

1.	China Blue
2.	Bite The Hand
3.	Eyes On You
4.	Mankiller
5.	Headchopper's Ball
6.	Showdown
7.	Victim Of Love
8.	Dangerous
9.	Wild Heart

Fletchanator's comment: I don't know too much background on this one. It appears that Trash Broadway were another "one-and-done" band from the late 80s, based out of Boston. Guitarist Joe Stump went on to become a successful solo artist in the style of Yngwie Malmsteen, and his axe-work is the definite highlight on this album. The singing, song-writing and overall sound are solid but not spectacular - it's easy to see why they got lost in the shuffle. But Stump's shredding makes this one stand out from the pack - download it if you're a fan of hard rock with superior guitar-work, ala Dokken or Extreme.

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Cats in Boots - Kicked & Klawed (1989)

Country: USA
Year: 1989

Line-up: Joel Ellis (vocals), Takashi "Jam" Ohashi (guitar), Yasuhiro "Butch" Hatae (bass), Randy Meers (drums)

Track Listing:
1.   Shot Gun Sally   3:28 2.   Nine Lives (Save Me)   3:47 3.   Her Monkey   4:08 4.   Whip it Out   4:14 5.   Long, Long Way From Home   4:15 6.   Coast to Coast   3:17 7.   Every Sunrise   6:13 8.   Evil Angel   3:30 9.   Bad Boys Are Back   4:11 10.   Judas Kiss   3:25

Fletchanator's comment: This band and album kick serious ass! Cats in Boots are one of the definite "could have been huge" bands of the hair metal scene of the late 80s. This was their only album, after a Japan-only EP, until one was put out in 1999 but I haven't heard that one and don't know if it's new material or older outtakes. Anyway, back to Kicked & Klawed - one of the gems of the glam metal scene! Joel Ellis' fantastic vocals ooze sleaze while Jam Ohashi's axework is truly top notch. The stand out song is Shot Gun Sally, but there are no weak tracks here. For fans of Sunset Strip sleaze rock bands like Faster Pussycat, LA Guns, Motley Crue etc, you'll love this!
After Cats in Boots, Ellis was in Heavy Bones,  while Ohashi joined Slumlords. In 2012 Demon Doll Records released material from Ellis and Meers' pre-Cats band, Merri Hoax, recorded in the mid-80s.
I really wish Cats in Boots had been given more opportunity, or had taken what opportunity they had (I don't know the background on why they didn't break out). They had the sound, the swagger and the sleaze to be one of the biggest bands in the land!

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Wild Child - Wild Child [1989]

Country: USA

Year: 1989

Line-up: Brian Kight (vocals, guitars), Rich Wolfe (bass), Bryan Watson (guitars), Craig Kight (drums)

Track Listing:
1. Street Queen Lady
2. Cry Wolf
3. Thunder and Rain
4. Watching Thru Mirrors
5. Goin Down
6. Gypsy Caravan
7. Winds of Change
8. Gotham City

Fletchanator's comment: Now this is a really rare little gem. It's ripped from a cassette tape and as far as I can tell it has never received a CD or vinyl release. Information on this band is extremely scarce, but Wild Child appeared to be based in Ohio. This is probably their only release. Singer/guitarist Brian Kight is still making music today - he has a Youtube channel which features videos by a recent band called Ripcord, as well as old Wild Child live clips and clips from a pre-Wild Child band called Ripfist.
As for this album, it's a great slice of late 80s hard rock which reminds me in places of Babylon AD or Dokken and at other times has the funky edge of Bulletboys. The guitar work in particular makes this rise above most "undiscovered" bands of the era.

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Badlands - Badlands [1989]

Country: USA

Year: 1989

Line-up: Ray Gillen (vocals), Jake E Lee (guitar), Greg Chaisson (bass), Eric Singer (drums)

TRACK LISTING

1. High Wire

2. Dreams in the Dark

3. Jade's Song

4. Winter's Call

5. Dancing on the Edge

6. Streets Cry Freedom

7. Hard River

8. Rumblin' Train

9. Devil's Stomp

10. Seasons

11. Ball and Chain

Fletchanator's comment: Badlands were something of a supergroup, featuring future and past members of KISS (Singer), Black Sabbath (Gillen) and Ozzy Osbourne's band (Lee). Don't expect anything sounding like those bands though. On this, their first album, Badlands kick ass with a slice of blues-influenced hard rock, very reminiscent of Led Zeppelin with a hard rock twist. Sadly Gillen died in 1993 - he had a great voice. Jake E Lee is a fantastic guitarist, and Singer's solid on the skins. If you don't already have this one, trust me, you need it!

Download (NEW LINK NOV 2015)

Babylon AD - Babylon AD [1989]

Country: USA

Year: 1989

Line-up: Derek Davis (vocals), Ron Freschi (guitar), Danny DeLaRosa (guitar), Robb Reid (bass), Jamey Pacheco (drums)

TRACK LISTING

1. Bang Go the Bells

2. Hammer Swings Down

3. Caught in the Crossfire

4. Desperate

5. The Kid Goes Wild

6. Shot O' Love

7. Maryanne

8. Back in Babylon

9. Sweet Temptation

10. Sally Danced

Fletchanator's comment: Oakland, California's Babylon AD were another hair metal band that never got the recognition they deserved. This is their impressive debut, with some great rocking tunes (Bang Go the Bells, Hammer Swings Down, Shot O' Love) and an above-average ballad (Desperate). Derek Davis had one of those great gravelly voices, at times reminding me of Jeff Keith from Tesla. 

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YLD - Fools in Paradise

Country: France

Year: 1989

Line-up: Kevin Mellenbruch (vocals), James Bengson (guitar), Sam Lee (bass), Brian Eads (drums)

TRACK LISTING

1. Wild Girls

2. Good Times Bad Times

3. I Need

4. Simple But True

5. The Distance

6. Music Music

7. So Cute

8. Wounded in Action

9. Writing in the Sand

10. Let It Go

Fletchanator's comment: This is the one and only album released by French four-piece YLD. It's straight-forward hard rock with a good beat and average vocals (probably the weakest part of their effort, IMO). Still, how many French hair metal bands do you know of?

Download (NEW LINK JULY 2016)

Dangerous Toys - Dangerous Toys [1989]

Country: USA

Year: 1989

Line-up: Jason McMaster (vocals), Scott Dalhover (guitar), Danny Aaron (guitar), Mike Watson (bass), Mark Geary (drums)

Track Listing: 1. Teasn', Pleasn'

2. Scared

3. Bones In The Gutter

4. Take Me Drunk

5. Feels Like A Hammer

6. Sport n' A Woody

7. Queen Of The Nile

8. Outlaw

9. Here Comes Trouble

10. Ten Boots (Stompin')

11. That Dog

Request of: Kevin

Fletchanator's comment: I've already uploaded their second album on here, and now here's the debut effort. Dangerous Toys were from Texas but had their own brand of LA-style sleaze rock, which got them a degree of fame in the late 80s and early 90s. I like this album better than the follow up. Highly recommended.

Download (NEW LINK NOV 2015)

Pretty Boy Floyd - Leather Boyz with Electric Toyz [1989]

Country: USA

Year: 1989

Line-up: Steve Summers (vocals), Kristy Majors (guitar), Vinnie Chas (bass), Kari Kane (drums)

Track Listing:
1. Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz
2. Rock n' Roll (Is Gonna Set The Night On Fire)
3. Wild Angels
4. 48 Hours
5. Toast Of The Town
6. Rock And Roll Outlaws
7. Only The Young
8. The Last Kiss
9. Your Mama Won't Know
10. I Wanna Be With You

Fletchanator's comment: These guys often get ragged on for being Poison/Crue ripoffs (they even cover Crue tune Toast of the Town on this album) but they're a helluva lot of fun, so who cares? This is their debut album, which is balls-to-the-wall sleaze rock with catchy guitar hooks and kickass vocals. To me, the best sleaze rock is meant to make you think of cruising down Sunset Strip with a bunch of girls, and that's exactly what Pretty Boy Floyd does. I just love this album. Oh, and in case you're wondering, that's Pretty Boy Floyd that I use as the picture on the main blog page.

Download (NEW LINK NOV 2015)

Brighton Rock - Take a Deep Breath [1989]

Country: USA
Year: 1989
Line up: Gerry McGhee (vocals), Greg Frazer (guitar), Stevie Skreebs (bass), Johnny Rogers (keyboards), Mark Cavarzan (drums)

Track Listing
1. One More Try
2. Hangin' High And Dry
3. Can't Stop The Earth From Shaking
4. Outlaw
5. Ride The Rainbow
6. Rebels With A Cause
7. Power Overload
8. Who's Fooling Who
9. Unleash the Rage

Request of: MauFletchanator's comment: The follow up to the excellent "Wild Young and Free" isn't quite as good, but is still a great album by one of Canada's premiere hard rock acts. A good mix of rocking tunes and sing-along ballads.

Download (NEW LINK NOV 2015)