Underrated F*cking Albums: Vol. 2 featuring Archaios, Faster Pussycat, Edguy

Underrated F*cking Albums is a series we’re running on, well, albums we think are fucking underrated. Sure, some of you might totally disagree with us, in fact, you might think we’re absolutely retarded for thinking these releases merit even a smidgen of your precious time. Well we don’t care. These are our opinions and we’re entitled to them, plus we’re big and bearded and are willing to fist fight to the death to honour the music we love… well, maybe 1 or 2 of us. The rest of us are kinda wimpy, so please be nice and don’t pound us. Either way, check this shit from: Archaios, Faster Pussycat, and Edguy.

01. Archaios – “The Distant”
Released: November 11, 2011 // Genre: Melodic Death Metal
by: Ramon Martos

The Skinny: The future looked really promising for thrash/death metallers Archaios, when they released in 2011 their sophomore album The Distant. Most of the press really liked the offering, the fans loved it, and it even sold really well for a couple of weeks. After all, they were the first metal band from the Dominican Republic able to properly break into the international scene.

However, despite being an equally violent-yet melodic, powerful record, The Distant never fulfilled the high expectations of the Dominican quintet. Not much more happened after the album’s release. The possibilities of playing outside their home country, in US and Europe, never materialized and eventually they just lost momentum. Thankfully the music of The Distant is ever-present, waiting to be discovered, (or should I say “rediscovered”) by every fan that initially missed such unique hammering of metal!

For more information, please visit: www.archaiosband.com.

Check out ‘The Distant’ album preview

02. Faster Pussycat – “Faster Pussycat”
Released: July 7, 1987 // Genre: Glam Metal / Sleaze Rock
by: Bruce Moore

The Skinny: This self-titled sleaze rock masterpiece was released in 1987 to very little fanfare because it was right about this same time that a little album called Appetite For Destrution, took the world by storm. Faster Pussycat was overshadowed by their counterparts and never received the recognition that I feel the album deserved.

The band eventually went on to sell a ton of records with their followup release Wake Me When It’s Over, but it is this debut that really kicks some serious ass. Critics panned it as a lesser clone of other releases of the time, but in reality I think it holds up to anything else that was released during this period. Every song is filled with raw, raunchy riffs, grooves galore and whiny, raspy vocals coutesy of frontman extrodinare Taime Down.

I am sure most of you think I have lost my mind listing this as an underrated album, but in all honesty this is a record that has been in my rotation since it was released more than 25 years ago; and I still cant get enough of it! I feel it embodies the true sense of the late ’80s metal scene and it never got nearly enough credit. It is by far the best release of the band’s career with tracks like “Bathroom Wall,” “Bottle In Front Of Me,” and my personal favorite “No Room For Emotion.” There are no deep lyrics or jaw-dropping fret board antics to speak of here, but Faster Pussycat is dripping with a sleazy balls out rock and roll attitude that is hard to dismiss.

For more information, please visit: www.fasterpussycat.com.

Check out the song “Bathroom Wall”

03. Edguy- “Age of the Joker”
Released: August 26, 2011 // Genre: Heavy Metal, Power Metal
by: Liam Collingwood

The Skinny: Edguy is well-known German power metal band with just about 10 studio releases under their belt. Notable albums such as Hellfire Club, Mandrake and Theater of Salavation ignited this crew’s creative engines to pursue a slightly altered path, bordering more toward hard rock and less to power metal. The end result was 2011’s Age of the Joker, and album which, while it got mixed reviews from critics, mostly saw the fans blow up!

I don’t see things the same way at all though, and instead encourage bands to have changes between albums. Apart from a couple of songs that have some absurdly strange lyrical content and some repetitive choruses, I adore this release. It was a killer disc and didn’t deserve to see the fans freak out so much. With Edguy back in the studio and a new release in Space Police: Defenders of the Crown due for an 18th of April release, it’s promising to be their heaviest yet! This should give those haters some renewed hope in the band’s direction.

For more information, please visit: www.edguy.net.

Check out the song “Fire on the Downline”

*Be sure to check out Underrated F*cking Albums: Vol 1. featuring Limp Bizkit, Morbid Angel, Viking Skull!
*Be sure to check out Underrated F*cking Albums: Vol 3. featuring Iron Maiden, Vacant Stare, Winger!