The official Frontiers Softcock Shit thread

[NotePad]

I brought this up in the Helloween thread, but it probably suits this thread better.

Anyone familiar with the music of Place Vendome? I'v only listened to their second album, Streets of Fire. It's really good actually, really melodic and i love the guitar sound. The guitarist on this album is really awesome. I know Dennis Ward wrote most of the music on this album, but different people wrote the music for Streets of Fire. Still really good.

Before this i never knew what AOR is. Now i do. I was surprised when u heard about Unisonic, and Kai Hansen joining, mainly because i assumed they were really just Place Vendome with a new name. But apparently Unisonic is more metal nad hard rock?

But yea who here likes Place Vendome? Streets of Fire is a really cool album surprisingly. Love the guitar, Kiske can sing as usual. I actually believe this type of music suits Kiske a lot better. Helloween is my favorite band, but only Deris stuff. Still, i like kiske. I hope Unisonic is good or better then Vendome and he's finally found a permanent band.

[jingle.boy]

Place Vendфme is excellent indeed.  I don't listen to it as much as I should... just lost in the shuffle of so much other great music in this genre.

[wolfking]

Streets of Fire is great but the debut is by far the best out of the three.  A melodic rock classic.

[Lowdz]

Streets of Fire is great but the debut is by far the best out of the three.  A melodic rock classic.

The wolf is right.

And you need some Pink Cream 69 if you like Denis Ward, though he's not the main songwriter. Thunderdome, Sonic Dynamite and Electrified are the standouts.

[wolfking]

Yeah 69 are a great band.  Their live DVD is amazing too.  Also, if you are a Dennis Ward fan, I recommend these;





Melodic rock with Ward on lead vocals.

[wolfking]

February 21st - Vanishing Point - Distant is the Sun

https://vanishing-point.com.au/vp/vanishing-point-sign-with-germanys-afm-records/

https://www.metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=21912

 



YES MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure if this is the official cover as I just found it on a random website.

[jingle.boy]

Coolio!!!

[Shine]

I'm not big into melodic rock/AOR, but there's one band that's really piqued my interested. It's really hard to find a legitimate copy of their second album, but there are a few copies of it floating around on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=696UQ_7ueNw

The Quest - Change

I think it's AOR, but to be frank I'm not sure what defines the genre.

Anyways, has anyone else heard of them? I love it, it sounds great and gets stuck in my head all the time.

[wolfking]

Coolio!!!

Hell yeah, can't wait.  Hopefully the release a song soon.

[wolfking]

I'm not big into melodic rock/AOR, but there's one band that's really piqued my interested. It's really hard to find a legitimate copy of their second album, but there are a few copies of it floating around on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=696UQ_7ueNw

The Quest - Change

I think it's AOR, but to be frank I'm not sure what defines the genre.

Anyways, has anyone else heard of them? I love it, it sounds great and gets stuck in my head all the time.

Seems to fit in this thread.  I like the music quite a lot actually.  I'm not a big fan of the vox though.

[wolfking]

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/primal-fear-guitarist-magnus-karlsson-to-sit-out-tour-tom-naumann-to-fill-in/

Karlsson bails on tour yet again.  Okay, I'm pretty much in love with the man, but he needs to be kicked out of the band, this is not on.  And Tom is back in.  I would actually be happy to see Karlsson out and concentrating on his usual projects for Tom to rejoined, he made Primal Fear special, this is pretty big news. 

I remember an interview where Sinner said that Tom would never be associated with the band again.  Interesting change of heart.  Kick Alex out and either get Henny or Stefan back and we have classic Primal Fear again.

[bl5150]

I'm not big into melodic rock/AOR, but there's one band that's really piqued my interested. It's really hard to find a legitimate copy of their second album, but there are a few copies of it floating around on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=696UQ_7ueNw

The Quest - Change

I think it's AOR, but to be frank I'm not sure what defines the genre.

Anyways, has anyone else heard of them? I love it, it sounds great and gets stuck in my head all the time.

I'd certainly call The Quest proggy AOR in parts , although some of it borders on hard rock/metal at times (Threshold -like) ..................I don't have the album but - stretching my memory here -  I believe they were on the Now & Then label.......which I had a tiny bit to do with back in the day.  Not one of the label's stronger releases IMO but still a quality release if you like that style.

[Lowdz]

I had a track by them on the first Now & Then sampler and really liked it - called Chain Reaction. I think they were a british band and I worked with the keyboard player (or a previous one to the guy on the album- it was 25 years ago!.)

[wolfking]

Dunno if there are many fans here, but I sure as hell am;

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/iron-savior-rise-of-the-hero-cover-artwork-track-listing-revealed/

Germany's IRON SAVIOR will release its new album, "Rise Of The Hero", on February 28, 2014 via AFM Records. The Japanese edition of the CD will arrive on February 19, 2014 through Avalon.

"Rise Of The Hero" track listing:

01. Ascendence (intro)
02. Last Hero
03. Revenge Of The Bride
04. From Far Beyond Time
05. Burning Heart
06. Thunder From The Mountains
07. Iron Warrior
08. Dragon King
09. [Suprise Track]
10. Firestorm
11. The Demon
12. Fistraiser
13. I've Been To Hell 2014 (limited-edition bonus track)

IRON SAVIOR will play a special release show for "Rise Of The Hero" on February 27 at Hard Rock Café St. Pauli in Hamburg, Germany.

Read more at https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/iron-savior-rise-of-the-hero-cover-artwork-track-listing-revealed/#FDk7UrmT0q3iTuLk.99

[jjrock88]

Always liked what I've heard from Iron Savior.  They do a great cover of Desert Plains too.

[wolfking]

All of their covers are really really strong.  I got the Japan version of their last album which had a cover of the old 80's Underworld hit song, Underneath the Radar, really good shit.

[Lowdz]

I like the cover. Very Mass Effect inspired. And I just finished playing Mass Effect 3 a couple of weeks ago.

[wolfking]

I like the cover. Very Mass Effect inspired. And I just finished playing Mass Effect 3 a couple of weeks ago.

You might dig Iron Savior.

[Lowdz]

I like the cover. Very Mass Effect inspired. And I just finished playing Mass Effect 3 a couple of weeks ago.

You might dig Iron Savior.

I've heard a bit on spotify.
liked it.

[wolfking]

Cool man.  Unification and Dark Assault is where its at.  I'm a fan of Megatropolis too.  The rest are great too.

[NotePad]

AOR seems kinda odd idea to me. I live in Canada, i don't know what bands are AOR and what arn''t. I listen to a little radio. Is AOR meant to create music that will get radioplay? Maybe it's bigger is Europe...idk.

[Lowdz]

AOR seems kinda odd idea to me. I live in Canada, i don't know what bands are AOR and what arn''t. I listen to a little radio. Is AOR meant to create music that will get radioplay? Maybe it's bigger is Europe...idk.

Have you heard Canada's finest? Aldo Nova? That's AOR! 

[wolfking]

AOR seems kinda odd idea to me. I live in Canada, i don't know what bands are AOR and what arn''t. I listen to a little radio. Is AOR meant to create music that will get radioplay? Maybe it's bigger is Europe...idk.

It's a pretty loose term.  here's wiki's take on it;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Album-oriented_rock

I think if you look back through the thread, you get an idea of what us forum members associate with the term.  The term melodic rock is a more heavier, hard rock sound with hints of what makes AOR, well AOR.  The two go well together and prove quite popular.

[wolfking]

W.E.T. Live DVD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HmquTvaszk

Fuck yeah! 

[jingle.boy]

W.E.T. Live DVD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HmquTvaszk

Fuck yeah! 

Yeah, I'd heard about that.

AOR seems kinda odd idea to me. I live in Canada, i don't know what bands are AOR and what arn''t. I listen to a little radio. Is AOR meant to create music that will get radioplay? Maybe it's bigger is Europe...idk.

I too am a Canuck.  Whereabouts you from?

As for definition, I find it easier to define what it isn't... not excessively long, no crazy prog technicality, no odd time signatures, minimal (if any) time/key changes, no heavy/grungy chords, no excessive double bass kicks.  When I hear a song/album/band that is primarily defined by the guitar, keyboard or vocal melody, that's Melodic/AOR to me.

Canada's finest??  Harem Scarem by far.

[Big Hath]

AOR seems kinda odd idea to me. I live in Canada, i don't know what bands are AOR and what arn''t. I listen to a little radio. Is AOR meant to create music that will get radioplay? Maybe it's bigger is Europe...idk.

It's a pretty loose term.  here's wiki's take on it;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Album-oriented_rock

I think if you look back through the thread, you get an idea of what us forum members associate with the term.  The term melodic rock is a more heavier, hard rock sound with hints of what makes AOR, well AOR.  The two go well together and prove quite popular.

along these lines, would some of the regulars in this thread mind posting their personal top 5/10 album lists for the genre (excluding obvious stuff, I guess)?  I want to start checking some of this stuff out, but really don't know where to start.

[jingle.boy]

Essential from the 90s (imo)

Harem Scarem - Mood Swings
Hardline - Double Eclipse
Extreme - Extreme II: Pornografitti
Winger - Pull
Aldo Nova - Blood on the Bricks
Europe - Prisoners in Paradise

More recent stuff:

Pretty Maids - Motherland
House of Lords - Cartesian Dreams
Eden's Curse - The Second Coming
The Magnificent - The Magnificent
Silent Force - World's Apart

That's 11.  Sorry.

[wolfking]

Essential from the 90s (imo)

Harem Scarem - Mood Swings
Hardline - Double Eclipse
Extreme - Extreme II: Pornografitti
Winger - Pull
Aldo Nova - Blood on the Bricks
Europe - Prisoners in Paradise

More recent stuff:

Pretty Maids - Motherland
House of Lords - Cartesian Dreams
Eden's Curse - The Second Coming
The Magnificent - The Magnificent
Silent Force - World's Apart

That's 11.  Sorry.

All of these qualify, nice list.  I got more into melodic AOR with newer albums of the genre.  I started checking out older stuff afterwards.  Here's some others;

Newer albums;

Allen/Lande - The Battle (anthing from Magnus Karlsson really)
Toby Hitchcock - Mercury's Down
W.E.T - W.E.T
Work of Art - In Progress
Ten - THe Name of the Rose
Sunstorm - House of Dreams
House of Lords - Come to My Kingdom
Jeff Scott Soto - Damage Control
Khymera - A New Promise
Pride of Lions - Self titled
Vega - Kiss of Life

Some more older albums;

Magnum - On A Storytellers Night
Talisman - Self titled
Europe - The Final Countdown
Journey - Frontiers
Giant - Last of the Runaways
Joe Lynn Turner - Rescue You
FM - Indiscreet
Fifth Angel - Time Will Tell
Dare - Out of the Silence
Jimmy Barnes - Freight Train Heart (Aussie singer features Journey members)

[jingle.boy]

Ten - THe Name of the Rose

Not sure I've seen anyone mention Ten around here (and I saw you listening to them in the 'album' thread).  Nice    Not a lot blows me away from them, but nothing has ever disappointed me either.  Just solid all the way around.

[Bolsters]

It's a good thing we just had Christmas, because when you two start posting lists it usually means I have a lot of shit to buy.

[Lowdz]

Ten - THe Name of the Rose

Not sure I've seen anyone mention Ten around here (and I saw you listening to them in the 'album' thread).  Nice    Not a lot blows me away from them, but nothing has ever disappointed me either.  Just solid all the way around.

If you had been around during my top 50 (just! - 49) you would have seen Spellbound made the list. Just don't go checking it out now, listening to stuff you don't know whilst your roulette is on 

And to answer BigHath, those lists by Chad (all win there) and Kade (mostly great) are pretty much spot on as far as I'm concerned.

I'll add

Treat- Coup de Gras
Gotthard- Domino Effect or Lipservice
HEAT- Address The Nation
Kane Roberts- Saints & Sinners
Survivor- Vital Signs
Paul Stanley- ST
House Of Shakira- Lint
Red Dawn- Never Say Surrender
Bon Jovi - New Jersey
Def Leppard- Pyromania
Pink Cream 69- Thunderdome

something like that

[jingle.boy]

If you had been around during my top 50 (just! - 49) you would have seen Spellbound made the list. Just don't go checking it out now, listening to stuff you don't know whilst your roulette is on 

I think I remember that.  No need to check it out, I have Ten's discog.

[Lowdz]

If you had been around during my top 50 (just! - 49) you would have seen Spellbound made the list. Just don't go checking it out now, listening to stuff you don't know whilst your roulette is on 

I think I remember that.  No need to check it out, I have Ten's discog.

Yeah, it was more for other stuff in there.

[jingle.boy]

If you had been around during my top 50 (just! - 49) you would have seen Spellbound made the list. Just don't go checking it out now, listening to stuff you don't know whilst your roulette is on 

I think I remember that.  No need to check it out, I have Ten's discog.

Yeah, it was more for other stuff in there.

... of course.  Actually, I did check out 11 from your Top 50 already (and purchased Phantom's Opera).  There are still a few on my list from your Top 50.  Not gonna tell you who though.   

[wolfking]

I just got Fergie Frederiksen's last album Happiness is the Road from 2011 in the mail.  This is really awesome and much better than Any Given Moment.

Blob, I know you liked the last one, so I recommend you check this one if you haven't already.  More consistent with less filler and overall more melodic rock and slightly heavier.  2 amazing songs from Robert Sall too which scratches me right where I itch.  Dennis Ward on guitars, bass and keys too.