Formed by ex Journey members in 1989 while the band was on hiatus, THE STORM released 2 stupendous, Essential AOR albums. Here’s their second “Eye Of The Storm” in its Japanese Edition, featuring a different – and better – cover artwork. And the songs are as good as on the fantastic debut.
Steve Smith left the band in late 1991 and was replaced by Ron Wikso, who left Cher’s band to become a full member of The Storm in early 1992. In March of that year, the band embarked upon a US tour supporting Bryan Adams in arenas all over the country.
They followed that up with a tour supporting Peter Frampton and did additional dates with Eddie Money, Tom Cochrane and others, in addition to several headlining dates.
Their follow-up album, “Eye of the Storm”, was recorded for Interscope Records in 1993 but never released. The previous year, the label—founded by Iovine (a producer who began his career as a sound engineer for John Lennon and Bruce Springsteen) and Hill (noted for his success producing hard rock bands Ratt and Winger) as a rock label—had struck a deal to distribute releases by Death Row Records.
“Eye of the Storm” was eventually issued through UK independent label Music For Nations in Europe, this Avex Trax (Bareknuckle) in Japan, and Miramar Records in the U.S.
If ever there was a band and an album that could’ve been described as the ultimate Journey tribute, then this was probably it. Twelve songs all make a bee-line for your memory banks, such is the repeatability of the material.
Genuine classics include the momentous ‘Fight For The Right’, sounding like primetime Diving For Pearls, plus the smooth radio-friendly AOR of ‘Waiting For The World To Change’. Even the opener ‘Don’t Give Up’ combined with the surging momentum of ‘I Want To Be The One’ will have the CD on repeat-play mode.
Then of course a band like The Storm should toss in a ballad or two.. ‘To Have And To Hold’ being the prime example, the other being ‘What Ya Doing Tonight’.
Despite the release of ‘Eye of the Storm’, the individual band members had moved on to other things. Gregg Rolie (keyboards) played with Abraxas Pool (featuring most of the original Santana members), Ross Valory (bass) went on to a reformed Journey, Ron Wikso (drums) went on to play with David Lee Roth, Foreigner and Richie Sambora, Kevin Chalfant (vocals) and Josh Ramos (guitar) formed another band called Two Fires who released two albums so far, and pursued solo careers, Chalfant making lead vocal stints in The Alan Parsons Project (2003) and Shooting Star (2006).
“Eye Of The Storm” is a fan-dam-tastic gem of an album, more melodic rock oriented than The Storm’s debut but still retaining the AOR smoothness.
You need this album in your collection.
01 – Don’t Give Up
02 – Waiting For The World To Change
03 – I Want To Be The One
04 – To Have And To Hold
05 – Livin’ It Up
06 – Love Isn’t Easy
07 – Fight For The Right
08 – Give Me Tonight
09 – Soul Of A Man
10 – What Ya Doing Tonight !
11 – Come In Out Of The Rain
12 – Long Time Coming
Kevin Chalfant – lead vocals
Greg Rolie – lead vocals, keyboards
Josh Ramos – lead and rhythm guitars, vocals
Ross Vallory – bass
Ron Wikso – drums