Metal Rendez-Vous

After hiring Maltese dynamo Marx Storace as vocalist in 1980, Krokus broke through to the big time with Metal Rendez-Vous. In an era when metal was fragmenting into subgenres, Krokus had the chops to meld a number of different styles while maintaining a unified sound. Herein lie KISS-like party rock (“Lady Double Dealer,” “Bedside Radio”), driving British metal akin to Judas Priest (“Come On”), and even good old Rolling Stones–style grooves (“Shy Kid”). “Heatstrokes” is a brilliant opener. Although it propelled the band’s success when it became a U.K. chart hit, it also ignited a wave of AC/DC comparisons that would dog Krokus for the rest of its career. In truth, Metal Rendez-Vous is more diverse than any of the classic AC/DC albums. While the band's Australian counterparts specialized in intensified boogie, Krokus delved into the shuffling chords of “Tokyo Nights” (which could almost pass as an Elton John tune) and the slow-burning mood metal of “Streamer” (which hints at the band’s prog-rock roots).