10 Most Underrated Metal Albums Of The 80s
1. Heir Apparent - One Small Voice
One of the pioneers of progressive metal, Heir Apparent's 1989 sophomore effort appeared to be the tip of the iceberg. The Seattle troupe signed an impressive seven album deal with Capitol Records/Metal Blade and appeared to be poised for superstardom. That was at least until grunge exploded onto the scene...
Original frontman Paul Davidson is swapped out for the mind-bogglingly high-pitched Steve Benito. Fully embracing the hints of prog rock in their prior releases, the group also induct keyboardist Mike Jackson into their ranks as well. The result is a notable departure from their earlier, more power metal-focused sound.
Embracing the eccentric melodies and boundary pushing of progressive rock, this is easily the group's most impressive effort on a technical level. The recording quality and musicianship is sky high across the board.
Songs like 'Just Imagine' and the titular track showcase the group's budding innovation as they fearlessly experiment with their sound. Acclaim at the time of release was high but the Seattle scene's quick shift to grunge rock put the brakes on the group escaping the underground. The lack of success even lead to the Capitol Records/Metal Blade deal falling through.
Considering the level of innovation on offer, Heir Apparent never got their just desserts.