Pump
Artist: Aerosmith
Community Score: 7.20

Where Permanent Vacation seemed a little overwhelmed by its pop concessions, Pump revels in them without ever losing sight of Aerosmith's dirty hard rock core. Which doesn't mean the record is a sellout -- "What It Takes" has more emotion and grit than any of their other power ballads; "Janie's Got a Gun" tackles more complex territory than most... Read More

My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama
Artist: Dweezil Zappa
Community Score: 9.20
Hurricane Eyes
Artist: Loudness
Community Score: 8.00

Heavy metal Japanese style, "Hurricane Eyes" was their best effort. Earlier albums were slightly tacky, while later efforts lost the chances of Loudness becoming a household name. The album was good and it didn't sound typically Japanese, American or European. ~ John Book, All Music Guide Read More

Vivid
Artist: Living Colour
Community Score: 8.12

In 1988, few heavy metal bands were comprised of all black members, and fewer had the talent or know-how to inject different musical forms into their hard rock sound (funk, punk, alternative, jazz, soul, rap) -- but N.Y.C.'s Living Colour proved to be an exception. Unlike nearly all of the era's metal bands, the group's music has held up over... Read More

L.A. Guns
Artist: L.A. Guns
Community Score: 8.00

Even amidst the already seedy underbelly of the late-'80s L.A. glam metal scene, L.A. Guns were the undisputed bottom-feeders. A ragged collection of outcasts from various other bands (guitarist Tracii Guns was the original "guns" in Guns n' Roses, drummer Steven Riley had recently vacated the stool with shock-kings W.A.S.P., and British... Read More

Junkyard
Artist: Junkyard
Community Score: 10.00

Comprised of ex-Dag Nasty/Minor Threat and future Bad Religion guitarist Brian Baker, Junkyard's 1989 debut is a rollicking, good time, if somewhat disjointed, affair. Produced by veteran classic rock knobster Tom Werman, the band's self-titled debut puts a different spin on the late-'80s hair rock mantra. Dirtier and certainly blusier than most... Read More

Howe 2: High Gear
Artist: Greg Howe
Community Score: 10.00

After Easton, PA, native Greg Howe established himself as a promising new guitar virtuoso in the hard rock underground with his instrumental, self-titled debut in 1988, he immediately returned in 1989 with a band effort called Howe 2. Collecting the local talents of brother Al Howe (lead vocals), Vern Parsons (bass), and Joe Nevolo (drums), Greg... Read More

Once Bitten...
Artist: Great White
Community Score: 7.80

With their third album, Once Bitten..., Great White finally perfected their blend of bluesy Aerosmith grind and Van Halen hard rock flamboyance. It all comes to a head on "Rock Me," a minor hit single that brought them to a broader audience, but there are a couple of other moments -- such as the sleazy "Lady Red Light" or "Save Your Love" --... Read More

Last of the Runaways
Artist: Giant
Community Score: 6.17
Perfect Symmetry
Artist: Fates Warning
Community Score: 8.75

This was the recording that established Fates Warning as a progressive band. Their metal influences still dominate the group's overall sound; however, Mark Zonder's unique approach to drumming adds another level of depth and credibility to the music. His double bass, odd-time introduction to "Part of the Machine" is the session's defining... Read More

The Disregard of Timekeeping
Artist: Bonham
Idol Songs: 11 of the Best
Artist: Billy Idol
Community Score: 6.00

Billy Idol's first hits collection, Idol Songs: 11 of the Best, was released in Europe in 1988, while he was still a commanding presence on the charts. The U.S. didn't see a compilation on Idol until 2001. That collection includes other hits (and misses) which are not on this one, most notably his 1990 smash "Cradle of Love" and its followup,... Read More