White Lion - Fight To Survive (1985)

White Lion were so much more than an '80s hair metal band, 'Fight To Survive' is a complex hard rock record made all the more enigmatic and driving by the stunning guitar work of Vito Brata who was one of the '80s most accomplished guitarists. His solo's and riffs spatter the record, which is caressed by Tramp's soulful vocal croon, but this isn't just hair rock - 'All Burn In Hell' is a searing hot track that exhibits the mentioned guitar performance of Bratta. The band somehow manage to combine lush balladesque music with exceptional and weighty guitar licks that separate the men from the boys. A majority of bands, if capable of writing a track like 'All The Fallen Men' would in no way be able to construct such monumentous melodies as Bratta chugs away, time and time again producing high quality metal. 'Cherokee' follows suit with more staggering guitars as Tramp swoons over the solos. Extremely underated band, especially when one considers how many people would describe the likes of Poison, and Warrant as true '80s metal, but White Lion were leagues ahead as far as songwriting. 7.5/10