Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2018
SLEAZE ROXX READERS’ TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2018
Welcome to the 13th edition of Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums!
Thank you to all the Sleaze Roxx readers for voting, and all the positive and complimentary comments that you provided about the website in your e-mails containing your votes. It is truly very much appreciated!
For the people who enjoy statistics:
• There were 205 different albums from 204 artists that were voted for.
• 65% of the albums that were voted for were for artists previously covered by Sleaze Roxx.
• The top 30 album vote getters are all from artists previously featured on Sleaze Roxx.
• Just like last year, half of the albums featured on Sleaze Roxx’s Top Ten Albums of 2018 appear on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2018.
• There were 11 artists / bands (including Dee Snider) appearing for the first time this year on a Sleaze Roxx readers’ year end top album list.
• Straight Six released two albums in 2018 — Straight Six EP and Full Circle — which both received votes, and with the latter finishing in the Readers’ Top 10.
• Hardcore Superstar have set a new Sleaze Roxx record for most votes ever in a Sleaze Roxx Readers’ poll.
Without further ado, here is the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2018!
Olivier
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1. HARDCORE SUPERSTAR – You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘N’ Roll – Total points: 1,150
CD Review — Band Website
After 11 years in a row of having ’80s era artists or bands dominate the top spot of the Sleaze Roxx readers’ year end best album poll, we finally have a band that is part of the “new breed” take top honours. Of course, some may say that Hardcore Superstar are not part of any “new breed” as they have been around for 22 years (since 1997) and You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘N’ Roll is their 11th studio album. Nevertheless, it’s the first time since Sleaze Roxx‘s inaugural readers’ year end album poll in 2006 (when Buckcherry took the top spot) that an “older” artist or band not originating from the ’80s (or earlier) finishes at the top. That being said, it was a neck and neck race between Hardcore Superstar and Judas Priest before the former pulled away garnering the most votes ever in a Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top Album of the Year poll. Is You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘N’ Roll the best album that Hardcore Superstar have ever made? That topic is certainly up for debate but there is no question that You Can’t Kill My Rock ‘N’ Roll is a true return to form for the sleaze “veteran” rockers and is apparently much more appreciated by the Sleaze Roxx readers than Hardcore Superstar‘s previous studio album HCSS, which finished at #12 on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2015.
Hardcore Superstar‘s “Baboon” video:
Hardcore Superstar – Baboon (Official Video)
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2. JUDAS PRIEST – Firepower – Total points: 720
CD Review — Concert Reviews (1, 2, 3) — Band Website
When I heard the first single “Lightning Strike” from Judas Priest‘s upcoming studio album Firepower in early January 2018, I thought that Priest would be the frontrunner to finish at the top of the Sleaze Roxx’s Top 20 Albums of 2018. After hearing the rest of the album once it was released, I thought that Judas Priest would take the top spot given the Sleaze Roxx readers’ penchant for voting ’70s and/or ’80s era bands’ new albums as the best records of the year. Since Rob Halford rejoined Judas Priest in 2003, the band has released four studio albums but it wasn’t until Firepower that the British heavy metal pioneers really seemed to hit their stride and come up with a truly exceptional record. Angel of Retribution (2005) and Redeemer of Souls (2014) were good but not necessarily great albums while Nostradamus (2008) may well have been one of the band’s low points studio album wise. Firepower saw Judas Priest reunite with producer Tom Allom, who along with Andy Sneap, was able to get the band back to a truly superb level. Will this be the last studio album from Judas Priest? With Halford turning 68 years old in August, Hill having just turned 67 and Tipton turning 72 in October and suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, we can only hope that Judas Priest have one more studio album in them similar quality wise to Firepower.
Judas Priest‘s “No Surrender” video:
Judas Priest – No Surrender (Official Video)
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3. THE CRUEL INTENTIONS – No Sign Of Relief – Total points: 652
CD Review — Interview — Facebook
The Cruel Intentions‘ frontman Lizzy DeVine may well hold the record for the longest gap between appearances on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of the Year lists. DeVine‘s previous band Vains of Jenna scored a #16 finish with their album Lit Up / Let Down in 2006 and a #9 spot with The Art of Telling Lies in 2009. Ten years later, DeVine is back and stronger than ever with a very impressive #3 finish with The Cruel Intentions‘ debut album. How well did The Cruel Intentions fare with the Sleaze Roxx readers? The 652 points that The Cruel Intentions accumulated would have landed them the #1 spot on any Sleaze Roxx readers’ Top 20 Album poll except in 2010 (Ratt‘s Infestation got 817 votes) and in 2017 (L.A. Guns‘ The Missing Peace received 790 points). The Cruel Intentions have delivered a truly exceptional debut album and there’s nothing to be ashamed of in getting beaten by two bands that have each released more than ten studio albums. It will be very interesting to see how The Cruel Intentions follow up their debut album No Sign Of Relief (I am assuming that the band will be continuing and hopefully for a long time to come) and how long it will take for the band’s sophomore album to be released.
The Cruel Intentions‘ “Jawbreaker” video:
The Cruel Intentions – Jawbreaker [Official]
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4. SLASH feat. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS – Living The Dream – Total points: 355
CD Review — Concert Review — Band Website
How many artists have two successful music careers going on at the same time? The answer is not many but one of them is Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash. Fresh off Guns N’ Roses‘ record breaking and very lucrative Not In This Lifetime Tour, Slash went back into the studio with his “solo” bandmates — singer Myles Kennedy (Alter Bridge) and The Conspirators consisting of rhythm guitarist Frank Sidoris, bassist Todd Kerns and drummer Brent Fitz — to come up with their latest studio album, the aptly named Living The Dream. How far has Slash come along with his band? The tour to support Living The Dream originally was not going to feature any Guns N’ Roses songs (I believe they ended up including one in their setlist), which is a testament on how far that Slash has come out of the Guns N’ Roses‘ shadow. Living The Dream has been touted by many as the “album of the year” so it’s no surprise to see it at #4 on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2018. Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators have always fared well with Sleaze Roxx readers as Apocalyptic Lovers finished at #3 in 2012 while World On Fire landed at #6 in 2014.
Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators‘ “Driving Rain” video:
SLASH FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS – “Driving Rain” Official Music Video
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5. THE LAZYS – Tropical Hazards – Total points: 315
CD Review — Interview — Concert Reviews (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) — Band Website
Within a week of hearing The Lazys‘ new album Tropical Hazards in April 2018, I knew that the record would likely finish at #1 on the Sleaze Roxx’s Top Ten Albums of 2018. Even though I knew how great the album was and I tried to promote the band as much as possible on the Sleaze Roxx site from that point forward, I didn’t know whether the Sleaze Roxx readers would get it about the Aussie band that moved to Canada to further its career a couple of years ago. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one enamoured with The Lazys as the Sleaze Roxx readers voted the Aussie rockers’ latest album to a very impressive #5 finish on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2018. What’s interesting about The Lazys is that they have been around for more than a decade and have released four EPs and two full-length albums before Tropical Hazards seemingly propelled them to new heights or at least in the eyes of Sleaze Roxx and its readers. If you look at some of the greatest rock n’ roll bands out there from AC/DC to Judas Priest to even Def Leppard, it took a few albums before they really hit their stride and found their sound. Many bands never get to that point because they quit before reaching that stage. You’ve got to give credit where credit is due. The Lazys have worked very hard at mastering and refining their songwriting craft and with the help of Billy Talent guitarist Ian D’Sa, they have not only found their sound but have also gained a lot of fans in the process. The sky is the limit for this band.
The Lazys‘ “Little Miss Crazy” video:
The Lazys – Little Miss Crazy – Official Music Video
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6. SHIRAZ LANE – Carnival Days – Total points: 294
CD Review — Facebook
Perseverance and determination — it seemingly takes a lot of both to “make it” — and Finnish rockers Shiraz Lane have proven that they have plenty of both to navigate the often discouraging musical landscape for many new bands in the last 20 years. Formed back in December 2009, it took a decade for Shiraz Lane to be recognized by the Sleaze Roxx readers on its year end list. How far have Shiraz Lane gone in the last decade? The Finnish rockers released two EPs Before It Strikes (2011) and Lights Out (2012), which they pretty much erased from their history, before getting a “fresh start” when they signed with Frontiers Music Srl in September 2015. They went on to release their “debut” EP Be The Slave Or Be The Change in late 2015 as well as two full-length albums For Crying Out Loud (2016) and Carnival Days (2018). In addition, Shiraz Lane have been the main support act on many big European tours in the last few years. It seems like ages ago when myself as well as two Sleaze Roxx writers went to check out the Hard Rock Rising Helsinki winners Shiraz Lane who cashed in their prize, which was an all-expenses paid trip to play the Hard Rock Cafe in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in mid-November 2014. Whomever was in charge of that show at the Hard Rock Cafe did a horrendous job of advertising the gig, which resulted in sadly only a handful of people in the audience to greet the young Finnish rockers. I am sure that has happened to just about any band that eventually broke through but it must have been quite disheartening for the Shiraz Lane band members to win a big contest beating out many bands only to fly across the Atlantic Ocean to play to only a handful of people. Nevertheless, Shiraz Lane persevered and a little more than four years later, have notched a very impressive finish at #6 on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2018!
Shiraz Lane‘s “The Crown” video:
Shiraz Lane – “The Crown” (Official Music Video)
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7. THE DEAD DAISIES – Burn It Down – Total points: 291
Concert Reviews (1, 2) — Interview — Band Website
It was going to be very tough for The Dead Daisies to follow up their 2016 album Make Some Noise as it finished at #3 on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2016. As it turns out, The Dead Daisies‘ latest studio album Burn It Down didn’t quite do as well as Make Some Noise but still finished a very respectable #7. In a way, The Dead Daisies are a truly exceptional band given that most of its members have played in “bigger” bands in the past — singer John Corabi with Mötley Crüe, guitarist Doug Aldrich with Whitesnake and Dio, bassist Marco Mendoza with Whitesnake and drummer Deen Castronovo with Ozzy Osbourne and Journey — but somehow didn’t want to or couldn’t stay on with those “bigger” bands. What The Dead Daisies provide each of the four aforementioned musicians is the opportunity not to play second fiddle to any of the other members in the band. The Dead Daisies isn’t Corabi‘s band. It isn’t Adlrich‘s band. It’s not Mendoza‘s band. It’s a collective effort where each of these great musicians do not have to take a back seat to anyone.
The Dead Daisies‘ “Dead And Gone” video:
THE DEAD DAISIES – DEAD AND GONE – OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
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8. STRYPER – God Damn Evil – Total points: 285
CD Review — Concert Reviews (1, 2) — Interview — Band Website
Christian heavy metal rockers Stryper have been a model of consistency since “finding” their new sound with 2013’s No More Hell To Pay as that record along with Fallen (2015) and God Damn Evil (2018) have received critical acclaim while seemingly shedding the “poppier” hard rock label the band seemingly had in the late ’80s / early ’90s. While finishing at #8 on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ year end poll in 2018 is a great accomplishment, it’s worth noting that No More Hell To Pay took the readers’ top spot in 2013 while Fallen finished at #3 in 2015. One wonders if Stryper pushed the boundaries a little too much on God Damn Evil with a song such as “Take It To The Cross” which has some thrash metal elements to it and a rather interesting and uncharacteristic chorus. In any case, God Damn Evil is still a very good album despite the “controversial” seemingly love it or hate it “Take It To The Cross.” With bassist Timothy Gaines — and the soap opera that followed in the last few years — finally out of the band, Stryper can continue their resurgence as one of the only hard rock bands from the ’80s that have gotten heavier and arguably better 30 years later.
Stryper‘s “Sorry” video:
Stryper – “Sorry” (Official Music Video)
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9. STRAIGHT SIX – Full Circle – Total points: 255
CD Review — Interview — Band Website
It happens every year. One band asks its fanbase to vote for its album on the Sleaze Roxx‘s readers year end poll. In 2016, it was Italian rockers Twisted who finished a surprising #5 with their Dancin’ On Chaos EP. In 2017, it was Kickin Valentina who took the #12 spot with their Imaginary Creatures album. How can you tell you may ask? Well, usually the band only gets first place votes and often it’s the only album voted for. One voter even informed me that the only album that he had obtained in 2018 was Straight Six‘s album Full Circle. With that latter comment, I could only conclude that the voter wasn’t a regular Sleaze Roxx reader. Whether Straight Six got a boost from their fan base or not, there is no question that their debut full-length album Full Circle deserves to be in the top 10 albums of the year and is worth checking out. Of note, Sleaze Roxx preferred Straight Six‘s grittier debut self-titled EP over the more polished Full Circle and included the former in the Sleaze Roxx’s Top Ten Albums of 2018. Both albums were released in 2018 and in this case, since the great majority of the readers’ votes went towards Full Circle rather than the Straight Six EP, the votes casted to the latter if attributed to the former would not have propelled Full Circle to a higher finish than #9.
Straight Six‘s “Middle Of The Ride” video:
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10. W.E.T. – Earthrage – Total points: 227
CD Review — Facebook
With not one, not two, but three different albums released in 2018, it seemed a no brainer that guitarist Erik Mårtensson would place at least one album in the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2018. After all, Eclipse‘s last studio album Monumentum finished at #2 on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2017. That being said, Mårtensson‘s other bands Ammunition and Nordic Union had never figured in a Sleaze Roxx readers’ year-end list in the past while W.E.T.‘s previous studio album Rise Up finished at #14 but dates back all the way to 2013. Nevertheless, Mårtensson was not going to be denied in 2018 and W.E.T.‘s third full-length studio album Earthrage hit the mark this time around. I actually reviewed this album just before year’s end given that I knew that it was getting great reviews and being touted as an album of the year. While I did agree that Earthrage is a good album, it’s really a great melodic rock album. Accordingly, while I wouldn’t be surprised to see it at the top of a melodic rock site’s favourite albums for 2018 (such as Melodic Rock for example), it would have really surprised me if W.E.T.‘s Earthrage placed any higher. In any case, W.E.T.‘s latest album is the only melodic rock record to place in the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2018 and that says something about the quality of the record.
W.E.T.‘s “Watch The Fire” video:
W.E.T. – “Watch the Fire” (Official Music Video)
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11. HALESTORM – Vicious – Total points: 225
Band Website
Halestorm seem to be on a roller coaster ride when it comes to the Sleaze Roxx readers. Back in 2012, the Sleaze Roxx readers voted Halestorm‘s brilliant The Strange Case Of… to #9 on the readers’ year end top album list. I had never heard of Halestorm until then but picked up The Strange Case Of… and the band led by female lead vocalist Lzzy Hale ended up as one of my favourite “new” bands that I discovered in 2013. Unfortunately, Halestorm went the modern rock route with their 2015 follow up Into The Wild Life, which I thought was a real disappointment. Apparently, Sleaze Roxx readers felt the same thing as Into The Wild Life failed to crack the readers’ Top 20 albums in 2015. Although Halestorm have seemingly kept going with their more modern route with Vicious, the Pennsylvania rockers’ latest album has clearly resonated with Sleaze Roxx readers. I am going to have to give Halestorm another chance as I kind of bypassed Vicious after listening to the first few songs that were released in advance of the record. Halestorm may have gone the more modern route but frontwoman Lzzy Hale continues to be a big supporter and fan of ’80s era tunes often popping up in clubs throughout Nashville to sing a couple of songs.
Halestorm‘s “Uncomfortable” video:
Halestorm – Uncomfortable [Official Video]
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12. GRETA VAN FLEET – Anthems Of A Peaceful Army – Total points: 220
CD Review — Band Website
It’s no surprise seeing the Michigan youngsters, Greta Van Fleet, who have been almost singlehandedly bringing rock n’ roll back into the mainstream, in the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2018 with their debut full-length album Anthems Of A Peaceful Army. Greta Van Fleet have been selling out venues throughout North America and Europe, playing some of the world’s biggest festivals, performing on such widely recognized television shows as Saturday Night Live and proving that rock isn’t dead by any means. Although Greta Van Fleet play very Led Zeppelin influenced tunes — and Led Zeppelin is traditionally not a band covered on Sleaze Roxx — the young rockers have such mass appeal that they are even shattering records on Sleaze Roxx. How much appeal does the band have? Sleaze Roxx‘s interview with Greta Van Fleet frontman Josh Kiszka back in October 2017 is the fourth highest viewed post of any kind on the Sleaze Roxx website since February 2016. It will be interesting to see what happens with Greta Van Fleet in the future. For now, the Michigan youngsters seem to be on a rather meteoric rise to fame but can they keep it up? Only time will tell but for now, let’s just be grateful that there’s a young hard rock band that’s bringing rock n’ roll back into the mainstream and that will hopefully pave the path for many other younger hard rock and heavy metal bands to follow.
Greta Van Fleet‘s “When The Curtain Calls” video:
Greta Van Fleet – When The Curtain Falls (Official Video)
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13. GHOST – Prequelle – Total points: 219
CD Review — Band Website
Ghost may be a hard rock band on the rise but it is one that has rarely been featured on Sleaze Roxx. In fact, Ghost had never been featured on Sleaze Roxx until Lipstick frontman Greg Troyan pitched to me that Ghost‘s latest album Prequelle was worthy of being reviewed on and appropriate for Sleaze Roxx. It took a bit of convincing but given Ghost frontman Tobias Forge‘s early Crashdïet heritage (he played lead guitar under the name Mary Goore in the band with original but now deceased singer Dave Lepard from 2000 to 2002), it kind of makes sense that Ghost‘s material would eventually make it onto many of the Sleaze Roxx readers’ radar. One wonders if Ghost‘s opening slot on a good portion of Iron Maiden‘s The Book of Souls World Tour in 2016 was the catalyst for getting them more widely appreciated by Sleaze Roxx readers. In any case, with Prequelle, Ghost have come up with an album that would rival some of Alice Cooper‘s best albums from the early ’70s where variety, twists and turns, and taking chances were regular features of any of the Coop‘s records. One thing is clear with Ghost‘s Prequelle being one of only five albums to land on both Sleaze Roxx and its readers’ top albums of 2018, Ghost should be covered a lot more on Sleaze Roxx and especially if they continue coming up with such great records as Prequelle.
Ghost‘s “Pro Memoria” song:
Pro Memoria
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14. LÖVE RAZËR – Border City Rebels – Total points: 199
CD Review — Interview — Band Website
Seeing Canadian sleaze rockers Löve Räzer at the #14 spot on the Sleaze Roxx readers’ poll is great to see. They are one of the younger sleaze rock bands who will hopefully carry the torch for years to come. While it’s nice to see the Sleaze Roxx readers recognizing Löve Räzer, the group has been surprisingly rather quiet since the release of its debut full-length album Border City Rebels in late April 2018. Both videos in support of Border City Rebels were released in advance of the album and the group has only played a handful of shows mostly close to its home base and Canadian border city (to the USA) of Windsor, Ontario since then. Perhaps the reason for that is singer Sydney Snow and guitarist Micky Bonez both play in the rather active hair tribute band 80s Gone Wild who have played 19 weekend shows since the release of Border City Rebels. You can’t blame Snow and Bonez for doing that as you have to go with whatever is in demand but that’s a big hurdle for bands playing original music to pierce through. It’s hard to put time, money and effort into creating and playing original music when you can go out there and play covers to potentially bigger crowds while actually making some money. Whatever the case, it’s great to see the Sleaze Roxx readers supporting and liking the up and coming Canadian sleaze rockers Löve Räzer‘s debut full-length album and hopefully, there is a lot more music to come.
Löve Räzer‘s “Venom” video:
Löve Razër – Venom (Official Music Video)
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15. KISSIN’ DYNAMITE – Ecstasy – Total points: 195
CD Review — Interview — Facebook
Ecstasy is Kissin’ Dynamite‘s sixth studio album and it’s only with that album that the German “stadium” rockers have been able to crack both the Sleaze Roxx and its readers’ top ten album lists. Kissin’ Dynamite‘s origins date back all the way to 2007 and they have changed their sound and experimented somewhat from one album to the next. The group has been very consistent in releasing albums every two years with Steel of Swabia (2008); Addicted To Metal (2010); Money, Sex and Power (2012); Megalomania (2014); and, Generation Goodbye (2016). Nevertheless, it’s not until 2018’s Ecstasy that Kissin’ Dynamite have seemingly put everything together to come up with a truly splendid record (that finished at #2 on the Sleaze Roxx’s Top Ten Albums of 2018). It will be very interesting to see which direction that Kissin’ Dynamite take on their next record and whether they can stay in that melodic rock with an edge vain, which has made such bands like H.E.A.T, Eclipse and Crazy Lixx big favourites of both Sleaze Roxx and its readers.
Kissin’ Dynamite‘s “You’re Not Alone” video:
KISSIN’ DYNAMITE – YOU’RE NOT ALONE (Official Video)
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16. DEE SNIDER – For The Love Of Metal – Total points: 194
CD Review — Band Website
For many of Twisted Sister‘s key years, singer Dee Snider was writing pretty much all of the band’s material including the hits / anthems “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock.” Eventually, it seems that Snider got comfortable (perhaps family life and raising four children with his wife Suzette) and those great songs just weren’t coming out of him anymore. After releasing his first new song in 20 years — the solid AC/DC styled song “To Hell And Back” — to a cricket like reception, Snider released the rather awful record We Are The Ones in 2016 and it seemed that we would likely never get another Snider solo album ever again. In comes along Hatebreed singer Jamey Jasta who challenged Snider to do a true metal album. The best part for Snider was likely that he didn’t have to write the songs himself as Jasta collected the songs and brought them to him to determine which ones would best fit on the album. The result is exactly what was envisioned. Snider‘s For The Love Of Metal is a true metal album that has some modern metal influences to it but at the same time, has that familiar feel with Snider‘s powerful voice. It seems that Snider may not be done just yet as For The Love Of Metal is a fine return to form for the Twisted Sister frontman and we can almost — and I mean almost — forget his missteps in the six or seven years before that which consisted of Dee Does Broadway (2012) and We Are The Ones (2016).
Dee Snider‘s “American Made” video:
DEE SNIDER – American Made (Official Video) | Napalm Records
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17. DANGEROUS CURVES – So Dirty Right – Total points: 191
CD Review — Interview — Band Website
When I reviewed Dangerous Curves‘ debut self-titled EP back in 2016 and gave some “constructive criticism” such as “the songs are pretty good but aren’t really catchy enough for me to remember any of them”, I received a tongue lashing from some of the band’s fans. One fan in particular suggested that I must be over 80 years old given that I couldn’t appreciate Dangerous Curves‘ apparent brilliance on their debut EP. I stand by my comments for that EP and whether Dangerous Curves were even influenced a small iota by what I stated in my review back in 2016, there were some major adjustments done for the band’s follow up and debut full-length album So Dirty Right. For one, there was one track that was standing head above shoulders over the rest. The upbeat acoustic track “I Need Lovin'” is catchy, memorable and would likely have been a huge hit single back in the late ’80s / early ’90s. I am glad that the band shot a video for that stellar track. The rest of the songs on So Dirty Right are quite good too and memorable so it’s no surprise to see Dangerous Curves crack the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2018. This is one band that I am very excited about to see what they come up with on their next album.
Dangerous Curves‘ “I Need Lovin”” video:
Dangerous Curves – I Need Lovin’ OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
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18. THE STRUTS – Young & Dangerous – Total points: 155
Band Website
The Struts are very similar to The Biters (who recently departed on an indefinite hiatus) in that they don’t get that much coverage from Sleaze Roxx and despite that, they have managed to crack the Sleaze Roxx readers’ year end top album list. In 2017, The Biters snagged the last spot on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2017 and in 2018, The Struts squeaked in at #18. The Struts have landed some rather high profile opening gigs having opened at shows for such legendary bands as Guns N’ Roses, the Foo Fighters, the Rolling Stones and The Who, and gone on tour opening for the Foo Fighters. In terms of getting exposure, The Struts have certainly gotten their share over the last few years and deservedly so. The group has also released a good amount of music since their debut EP with the Kiss This EP (2014), Everybody Wants (2014), Have You Heard… EP (2015), Live And Unplugged EP (2017) and Young & Dangerous (2018). Along with Greta Van Fleet but to a lesser extent, The Struts seem to be part of that next generation of rock bands that hopefully will bring rock n’ roll back to the forefront. No pressure!
The Struts‘ “Body Talks” video:
The Struts – Body Talks
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19. STEPHEN PEARCY – View To A Thrill – Total points: 140
CD Review — Band Website
In 2017, when Ratt frontman Stephen Pearcy was about to release his next solo album Smash, the singer did a flurry of interviews (including one with Sleaze Roxx) to promote the record. Smash ended up landing at the #9 spot on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2017. Frankly, Pearcy‘s latest solo album View To A Thrill is on par with Smash yet it finds itself at #19 on the readers’ year-end top album list. I think that a lot to do with that is the lack of promotion from Pearcy himself for the album as the singer was obviously having some issues with knee pain and perhaps as well going through some drug and alcohol issues leading to the release of his new solo album. Since the release of View To A Thrill, Pearcy has been very quiet and apparently is now recovering from knee surgery, which explains the lack of solo tour dates since that time. In any case, View To A Thrill is definitely worth checking out as Pearcy continues to deliver some pretty Ratt sounding material at times from one solo album to the next. That’s no surprise, as he truly is the voice of Ratt and seemingly who people identify Ratt with the most.
Stephen Pearcy‘s “U Only Live Twice” song:
Stephen Pearcy – “U Only Live Twice” (Official Audio)
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20. ACE FREHLEY – Spaceman – Total points: 135
CD Review — Band Website
With Ace Frehley seemingly constantly complaining (some might say whining) during the last few months about not being part of KISS‘ End of the Road World Tour and not getting “his spot” back in the band, the former KISS guitarist’s latest solo album Spaceman has almost been pushed to the side and kind of ignored. Space Invader, Frehley‘s last solo album of original music prior to Spaceman, finished at #9 on the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2014 and although Spaceman is arguably better than Space Invader, the former barely made the Sleaze Roxx Readers’ Top 20 Albums of 2018. Whether Frehley ever gets to play with KISS on their End of the Road World Tour, at least the guitarist continues to release new music of some kind compared to his former bandmates. KISS‘ last studio album dates back to 2012’s Monster and Frehley has now released three albums since that time with Space Invader (2014), Origins Vol. 1 (2016) and Spaceman (2018). With Frehley turning 68 years old in April and a lifetime of alcohol and drug abuse likely catching up to him, we can only hope that the Space Ace has a couple more studio albums in him before he calls it a day.
Ace Frehley‘s “Rockin’ With The Boys” video:
Ace Frehley – Rockin’ With The Boys
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