Say what you will about songs of this type but Monster Ballads Platinum is a solid collection that brings a number of those Hard Rock and Metal tunes that always made the ladies melt and sometimes even the most stoic of dudes wipe a tear from their eyes. I have to say that I always loved these types of tracks because while they might have slowed down the bands we followed with passion just a bit, I felt that when they did them they showed the world that they were not one trick ponies always singing about getting laid or drinking. Many of them were heartfelt numbers that touched our souls and often became the reason that the band ever achieved levels of popularity in the first place. If one can take the "standards" in this aspect of the Hard Rock or Hair Metal genre, then most of the tracks that are considered as such are presented here. We have the biggie from Poison in "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" and the anti-suicide statement "Don't Close Your Eyes" by Kix alongside one of my favorite ballads in KISS' "Forever" and perfect Prom Date song by Firehouse "Love Of A Lifetime". Of the eighteen tracks there are some missing numbers like "Alone Again" by Dokken and "Still Loving You" by the Scorpions. For some odd reason we get "Winds Of Change" from the Teutonic Quintet but not their own standard to the format. Interestingly enough I have found reference to this CD being two discs but my copy is only one and while an instant satisfier it doesn't stand up strong against Power Ballads Gold, a semi-recent Universal Music release that has some forty tracks. As Monster Ballads Platinum is still good it might make more sense to purchase a lot of these tracks individually from the legal mediums that allow one to do that so they can pass by the tunes that might not be up on the list as high as some others. To me there are a number of omissions on all of these releases that really deserve inclusion but thus far have not seemed to have made the grade. I am referencing them for Power Ballad fans everywhere as recommendations: "I Hate Kissing You Goodbye" (Tuff), "Love Can Make You Blind" (Every Mother's Nightmare), "Heaven" (Tigertailz), "I Wanna Be With You" (Pretty Boy Floyd) and I will stop at that since I know that I can go on for a little bit longer. I'm on the fence with this one overall so if I have won you over then buy it and if I have not convinced you then please take a pass.
Track Listing
1. I Remember You – Skid Row
2. Heaven – Warrant
3. Every Rose Has Its Thorn – Poison
4. Fly To The Angels – Slaughter
5. Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone) – Cinderella
6. When The Children Cry – White Lion
7. Headed For A Heartbreak – Winger
8. Forever – KISS
9. Love Of A Lifetime – Firehouse
10. High Enough – Damn Yankees
11. Is This Love – Whitesnake
12. Love Song – Tesla
13. To Be With You – Mr. Big
14. Don't Close Your Eyes – Kix
15. Carrie – Europe
16. More Than Words – Extreme
17. Wind Of Change – The Scorpions
18. Silent Lucidity - Queensryche
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