5 awesome songs from great bands/artists you've probably never heard of

This post is meant to be an eye opener for people who might not have tried to explorer some songs and albums they have never heard made by a band/musician they like. I think that you should always try to look into new stuff and just because someone els doesn't like a particular album or song that doesn't mean you won't enjoy it.


George Duke - Reach Out


















The reason why I'm starting with this song, is because a lot of people might know both George Duke and this song. In my home country of Denmark a lot of people have heard this song either at some sort of sports event or on a TV sports program sometime in the 80's or 90's. But nobody knows what that song they always play at handball games is called. That song you hear with a very recognizable trumpet hook on a pop/jazz-fusion base is Reach Out by George Duke. It is one of those songs that you can't sit still to. It's a great song to dance to and production value is really high.


Pantera - Immortally Insane

Moving on to another genre here, with a relatively onknown song by former trash metal gods, Pantera. The only appearance this song has on any of their albums is the greatest hits CD. The reason for this is, that this song was part of the soundtrack for the cartoon-movie Heavy Metal 2000. It is not as up tempo as a lot of Pantera songs are. The song is darker and the vocals are heavily processed. The main thing though is that Dimebag as always is at the realm and the chorus riff is outstanding. A very powerful song and one of the last breaths from a hurt metal giant.


Extreme - Little Jack Horny/He man Women Hater

Now we are moving on to one of my favorite bands of all time. Extreme had something nobody had in the 90's. And that thing was Nuno Bettencourt. I will talk more about him on my upcoming "Most underrated guitar players" list so don't worry. The entire album Pornografitti  is filled to the brink with fat chunky and challenging guitar riffs that dominate the songs from start to finish. Little Jack Horny and He man women hater are to songs the really sets the tone and are in general amazing songs. Little Jack Horny has a crazy lyric but that chorus..... Ohhh my. It's amazingly well written and the vocal harmony works really well. He man women hater has one thing that separates it from the rest. One of the best, most dynamic and hardcore (sounding) riffs ever. The rest of the song is not bad at all but that main riff would be enough to float my boat alone.


Toto - Drag Him To The Roof 

Tambu came out in may 1995 as is one of the few Toto album that has gone under the radar. Other than the two ballads If you belong to me and I will remember none of the songs really got any promotion. In my opinion this his a hidden gem in a golden store. I was looking for some new material for my own amusement and was hit by a bolt of lightning when I first heard Drag him to the roof. That opening riff, the two voiced vers and a pre-chorus that lead me to a chorus of a dimension I thought was unreachable. It was like I found that one song I had always been looking for. I urge you to check this entire album out it is amazing.


Dream Theater - Lie

Awake is the 3rd studio album from the founding fathers of Progressive metal Dream Theater. Awake had a heavier look and feel to it and Lie is just that. Right from the start you get Petrucci's 7-string Ibanez blasting through. Though not a complicated riff the 7-string effect mens it's deeper and darker sounding. The lyrics are classic Dream Theater with metaphors and weird stuff going on and then they unleash the beast. John Petrucci dishes out my all time favorite solo, where he combines tapping, whammy, alternate picking and a huge scale jump that sounds plain right awesome. Then the song goes to half the original tempo only to go back up again in the instrumental outro. A very underrated Dream Theater song.