ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 126 KEEL - THE FINAL FRONTIER (1986)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Keel

Genre: Heavy Metal (According to Wikipedia)

Country Of Origin: U.S.

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: No

Album: The Final Fronier

Released: April 30, 1986

Producer: Gene Simmons

Singles: Because The Night/Tears Of Fire

Song Of The Week: Because The Night

RIAA Certification: Shitnesium

Album Cover: 8/10

 

I'm pretty sure that I'm the only Keel fan around here.  At least as far as the people go that actually read and listen to this stuff.  This is the band's third release overall and the second release that was produced by Gene Simmons.  I'm not familiar with him.  Anyway, the album didn't scratch the charts, but they did have a couple of videos in rotation on MTV.  

 

My favorite track (and the Song OF The Week) from this album and from the band overall is the cover of Because The Night.  It's a great song and Keel gives it some bite.  I love the scream from Ron Keel going into the guitar solo.  That really just makes the song for me. Tears Of Fire is damn good too.  I dig the title track, Rock And Roll Animal, Here Today, Gone Tomorrow and Just Another Girl as well.  I'd say this is the band's best work.  Go ahead, even if you don't like 'em, and give this a listen.  Or not.

 

1. The Final Frontier

2. Rock And Roll Animal

3. Because The Night

4. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

5. Arm And A Leg

6. Raised On Rock

7. Just Another Girl

8. Tears Of Fire

9. Nightfall

10. No Pain No Gain

 

[Jon]

Oh jeez. Not Keel. I bought The Right To Rock when it came out and after listening to it wondered who the idiot was who gave them that right. Not too surprised when I found out that it was Gene Simmons.

The album cover for their first album is pretty cool, I'll give them that.

[Scott]

Isn't this the same guy that went Country for a while?

[RJhog (Admin)]

Yep.

[Jon]

Yep.

[Niels (Mod)]

Yep.

[Scott]

Thanks... Wasn't sure until I seen that last "yep"

[Jon]

Wow. Umm....this sucks?

It actually started off decent, nice riffage, but he sucks as a vocalist. Sounded too much like Kevin Dubrow here. Then it got bad until the ballad which was decent. Still think his voice sucks though. And the intro to the last rack was really cool, and then more nice riffage. 

Some of this sounded like bad Kiss, others sounded just bad. His "yeahs" and "ahhs" were too friggin much for me.

Usually we say, "this album needs a remaster", hopefully nobody is wasting any money on remastering this. This is bad 80's metal.

Sorry Rjhog, I went into this with a closed mind and got what I expected.  

[RJhog (Admin)]

No need to apologize to me bro-ham...I didn't write or record it, I just posted it.  

However, your reply has provided the clue I've been looking for for years.  You said, "some sounded like bad Kiss".  From this I infer that you think Kiss is good, otherwise you would have said "some sounded bad, like Kiss".  I feel much better now.

[Jon]

No. NO.

Let me rephrase:

This sounded like Kiss. You know, the bad Kiss. The Kiss off of every album except for "Music From 'The Elder'", of course.

[Scott]

Picking around this and this is the thought I had.  Sounds like a collection of Gene Simmons rejects from the Crazy Nights sessions...  maybe its more like Asylum if the time period works better, not sure, but that's what I'm hearing.  And the vocals are not very good either.  KEEL?  No thanks...

[RJhog (Admin)]

You guys probably won't like the next AOTW either.

[Scott]

As long as its not Keel there's hope...