29. Tesla
My favorite hard rock band on this list, Tesla should be remembered for their energetic live shows and albums that showed the hair bands of their early years how things should have been done. If you live in America, chances are Tesla is going to tour near you and that they will do it soon, as these guys tour constantly and they cover a LOT of ground and it's always worth paying to see them. I must also credit them for a great blend of classics, fan favorites, and rarities in their live show. And a short story about how cool these guys are. Many years ago I saw them at a local club here in Allentown, and two friends of mine had meet and greets after the show, so we went out to the parking lot to wait for them to finish up with that. Well, JK happened by us in the parking lot and we asked him for a quick autograph, saying it was really cool to catch him outside since our friends were inside waiting for him. He signed our stuff, introduced us to his wife, and then told us to stick with him and he took the three of us inside and downstairs with him for the entire meet and greet with the rest of the band, all of whom were just as nice.
Favorite Albums: Into the Now, Mechanical Resonance
Favorite Songs: EZ Come EZ Go, Modern Day Cowboy, Changes, Hang Tough, Heaven's Trail, Freedom Slaves, Shine Away, Into the Now, Miles Away, Forever More
28. Labyrinth
There's a chance of few of you here have heard me talk about these guys, but most likely you have no clue who they are. They are an Italian prog/power hybrid that were (then shortly weren't) and are now again led by guitarist Olaf Thorsen who people here might know from Vision Divine. They are on record as making my favorite power-metal song of all time, Save Me (Timeless Crime arrangement), and they have a ton of great tracks. All their albums except Six Days to Nowhere are worth getting, and they range from a debut that had techno influences, to more traditional power metal with their self titled release, to the progtastic album that is Freeman. The band is currently working on a follow up to their most well received album, Return to Heaven Denied.
Favorite Albums: Freeman, Return to Heaven Denied
Favorite Songs: Piece of Time, In the Shade, Moonlight, Lady Lost in Time, Save Me, Sons of Thunder, The Prophet, L.Y.A.F.H., Dive in Open Waters, Freeman, Crossroads
27. Threshold
Check out a Threshold song or three. Did you like them? If you did, you'll like Threshold. For better of worse I've never experienced a band that has such a trademark sound. It's everything from the style, to the arrangement, to the nearly identical production of so many of the albums. Listening to the Critical Energy live DVD one might think they start the show playing a new album from start to finish due to the material all sounding like it had been written at one time, but that is not the case! Although samey for sure the music is fantastic, and they are a band that's very easy to get into. Many will know original (and once again current) vocalist Damien Wilson from his work with Ayreon/Star One, but the bulk of the band's material, and most of its great material was written and performed with the amazing voice of Andrew Macdermont. Muse fans would do well to check out the band's cover of Supermassive Black Hole.
Favorite Albums: Clone, Hypothetical, Dead Reckoning
Favorite Songs: Paradox, The Latent Gene, Sunrise on Mars, Turn On Tune In, Long Way Home, Phenomenon, Fragmentation, Ground Control, The Art of Reason, Slipstream, Pilot on the Sky of Dreams