Underrated artists...

Quote :

"Well it's nothing new for great artists to go unloved. Budgie weren't the first, and they won't be the last. Thin Lizzy, Gamma, Badlands, King's X, Love/Hate and Last Crack have all seen commercial injustice despite critical raves, which just kills me really."

-Martin Poppoff, Heavy Metal Collectors Gude
Part of a quote from a review of Budgie - Power Supply

What are some artists you see as being underrated? I know we've done this sort of thread in the past, but I am not looking for bands like Van Halen, Megadeth, Stryper, Deep Purple, Foghat, Skid Row, Poison, etc. who have all seen huge success in their careers at one time, even if they aren't as popular now. I'm talking about bands who put out music you love, but have never been able to get out of the clubs.



A few of my picks:
Dirty Looks
Dangerous Toys
Uncle Sam
TT Quick
Galactic Cowboys

I'll also agree with King's X, although they were slightly more popular than the other bands I listed.

Rhino Bucket
The Angels
Tony Carey
Little Caesar

Mind Bomb
Savatage

Galatic Cowboys
Savatage

Both previously mentioned

Also Fates Warning

Nostradameus


A Euro Powermetal band that I never see people write about. They have a unique and grimey sounds that I like.

I should also add the following:

Adam Bomb- the first album featured Jimmy Crespo and is one of the better hair metal CDs of that genre

Tony Carey-former Rainbow ex, who's Some Tough City is a forgotten classic, minor hit A Fine Fine Day

Angel- First album prog classic,

the Screaming Trees-forgotten grunge rock monsters with great vocalist Mark Langegan

The Kinks-The 60's forgotten British Invasion rockers, Ray Davis great songwriter in the same league as Jagger/Richards and Pete Townshend

Dramarama- Great alternative band from the 80's favorite track "Last Cigarette"

Roger Waters-Ex Pink Floyd mastermind solo career criminially overlooked

I would mention UFO, Thin Lizzy, and Badlands but they have been discussed on this form and have had some success.

manny wrote:

I should also add the following:

Adam Bomb- the first album featured Jimmy Crespo and is one of the better hair metal CDs of that genre

Tony Carey-former Rainbow ex, who's Some Tough City is a forgotten classic, minor hit A Fine Fine Day

Angel- First album prog classic,

the Screaming Trees-forgotten grunge rock monsters with great vocalist Mark Langegan

The Kinks-The 60's forgotten British Invasion rockers, Ray Davis great songwriter in the same league as Jagger/Richards and Pete Townshend

Dramarama- Great alternative band from the 80's favorite track "Last Cigarette"

Roger Waters-Ex Pink Floyd mastermind solo career criminially overlooked

I would mention UFO, Thin Lizzy, and Badlands but they have been discussed on this form and have had some success.

Amazing! Another vote for Tony Carey. I have all his solo albums; some I had to get from a warehouse in Belarus!

Good call with The Trees too. Screaming Trees had a minor hit with I Nearly Lost You but that's as much recognition as they ever got.

[quote="thejokeriv"]Galatic Cowboys
Savatage


People on this board keep mentioning Galactic Cowboys I am going to check them on You Tube any recommendations?

Pentagram
Asphyx
Beherit
Deceased
Necromantia
Frank's Enemy
Thorns
Bethlehem
Dodheimsgard
Morgoth

I'll add:

Rock City Angels
Gun
Kick Axe
Lillian Axe
Fugazi
DC Lacroix

Which Gun are you referring to? The one who put out Taking On The World?

tohostudios wrote:

Which Gun are you referring to? The one who put out Taking On The World?

Yep. That album and Gallus are totally underrated classics IMO.

White Wolf was another band that should have been bigger.

I have TOTW but have never heard Gallus.

scottmitchell74 wrote:

Nostradameus


A Euro Powermetal band that I never see people write about. They have a unique and grimey sounds that I like.

I own 3 of their albums, and have seen them live. There is nothing underrated about them!

manny wrote:

People on this board keep mentioning Galactic Cowboys I am going to check them on You Tube any recommendations?

The debut album is definitely worth getting, everything after that is a little spotty. I saw them about five different times in the 90's, once opening for Overkill, the rest opening for King's X (they are friends). Their albums never quite captured the sound they had live. They are basically a "thrashier" version of King's X, lots of tongue-in-cheek humor, odd time signatures and arrangements...more potential than they actually ever quite delivered.

mc666 wrote:

Pentagram
Asphyx
Beherit
Deceased
Necromantia
Frank's Enemy
Thorns
Bethlehem
Dodheimsgard
Morgoth

Pentagram is a great choice, as is Deceased, although I prefer October 31.

Frank's Enemy is an odd choice. Don't know too many people into them. Strange band for sure, sort of a mixture of grindcore, death, punk and hardcore.

I'll add to my list KIX.

ultmetal wrote:

I'll add to my list KIX.

KIX should be bigger than Motley Crue and Bon Jovi combined.

Haven

Pandemonium
Blind Illusion

Tyketto

In the world of thrash:
Powermad (When their EP came out I thought they would rule the world. It was sort of dis-hearting to see them go nowhere after the release of their incredible debut.)

Agent Steel (great band. Ask most metalheads under 24 who they are and you'll get a blank stare.)

Deliverance (fairly successful for a Christian band, but I still think they were one of the best, easily as good as many other bands on major labels and doing worldwide theater tours.)

Vengeance Rising (I know many people hate this band, but they were fairly innovative for their time. There weren't a whole lot of thrash bands doing that obnoxious vocal style in 1987.)

The Moskteers (ok, a local band from around my way. Perhaps they would never have been the next Metallica or Slayer, but they should have at least been given the opportunity to be on a decent label. They came SOOOO close so many times. In the early 90's I (and they) were all ready to sign with Intense Records but something happened at the last minute that the label decided to sign Saviour Machine. I was told that it was because of Jimmy Brown who worked for the label at the time and wanted SM signed but didn't want Moshketeers signed because they were too much like D. Could be a rumor, probably is, but that was the only explanation I ever received from the band. Should ask Jimmy about that someday.)

Opeth

tohostudios wrote:

I have TOTW but have never heard Gallus.

Gallus is the better of the two, IMO. I also have Swagger, but it's not near as good as those two albums.

Consecrator
Oblation
Atrophy
Demolition Hammer
Believer

Atrophy was a really good band that never quite made it big.

Demolition Hammer had one of the best sounds of any thrash band I have ever heard, yet no one outside these boards seems to have heard of them.

I always thought Believer was one of the best thrash bands ever. They had a little success, but nothing like they deserved.

Consecrator was a thrash band from Wichita Falls, Texas, that was head and shoulders above most other thrash bands I have heard (including the bands on major labels). Consecrator should have been HUGE (well, in thrash circles).

I'm kind of an Oblation fanboy, so I think Oblation should have gotten more recognition.

Souls At Zero (formerly Wrathchild America)
- After being dropped by Atlantic (during the early 90's metal purge), signing to tiny Energy Records was basically a death sentence for this great band. Despite continuing to record quality material, they had no promotional push whatsoever and ended up on terrible "package" tours opening for incompatible bands like Skid Row (who were on their way out). A damn shame for one of the most talented metal bands out there.