As requested, here’s the now rare, out of print 3-CD box set of BAD MOON RISING three albums, released in 2005 in limited quantities by Frontiers Music. Titled “Full Moon Collection” this is a superb package, including bonus tracks.
BAD MOON RISING is the awesome, criminally underrated band formed by talented vocalist Kal Swan and guitarist Doug Aldrich after the band LION broke up at the tail end of the Eighties. While originally BAD MOON RISING’s sound was similar to LION, at the time of their self-titled 1991 debut album Aldrich & Swan developed a classy bluesy hard rock feeling combining influences from Whitesnake, Badlands and Led Zeppelin into an excellent and dynamic style, which made them legends in Japan.
I would add there’s some HOUSE OF LORDS too on that first LP – well, Chuck Wright was on bass, Ken Mary on drums, and James Christian on backing vocals… makes sense, right?
All the songs are really good on this compilation spanning all the 3 full albums in the band’s short lived career – plus bonus tracks on each disc, non-album tracks taken from standalone singles / EP’s.
BAD MOON RISING was a killer band, and on “Full Moon Collection” you have the complete discography. Used copies are being sold for €300…
Disc 1 contains the full 1991 self-titled album, including the bonus tracks “One Night in Tokyo” and “Alter Ego” from the ‘Full Moon Fever EP’ only released in Japan. This is probably the best BAD MOON RISING album for LION fans and late ’80s / early ’90s melodic hard rock listeners.
Alongside Ken Mary, Chuck Wright and James Christian, on backing vocals we find Kelly Hansen (Hurricane) and Robin McAuley on backing vocals. The latter was part of MSG at the time, so the unique Michael Schenker also appear as guest on one track.
Disc 2 contains the full 1993 album ”Blood”, which was the halfway point between the melodic hard rock of the debut LP and the straight-ahead groovy hard rock of third album ‘Opium for the Masses’. It also includes as bonus tracks “Sweet Satisfaction” and “Can’t Wait until Tomorrow”, 2 non-album tracks from the ‘Blood On The Streets’ single / EP.
At the time of this recording the rhythm section was consolidated with stable members Ian Mayo on Bass & Backing Vocals, and Jackie Ramos on Drums, Backing Vocals.
BAD MOON RISING – Full Moon Collection box
Disc 3 contains the full 1995 ”Opium for the Masses” final album. This was a much heavier effort than its predecessors, groovier, darker both musically and lyrically. While some journalists said some songs adopted a ‘grungy’ sound, that’s not true: this album is just more ‘angry’, brooding.
There were several versions of ”Opium for the Masses”, all different: an European including a bonus mini-disc, the Japanese edition, and the U.S. edition. Each including exclusive tracks not present into the others. The disc featured in this box is based on the Japanese 10-track release, plus the 3 songs exclusive from the American pressing added as bonus tracks; “Rivers Run Red”, “Underground” and “Crown of Roses”.
If you’re eager for first class elaborated classic hard rock, particularly bands like LION and HURRICANE, you’ll want to check out what the Japanese fans knew from the start – that BAD MOON RISING was a band worth following and deserving bigger exposure, especially in the U.S.
It may seem a bit pricey, but the ”Full Moon Collection” box-set is actually a great way to get the full BAD MOON RISING catalog in one shot.
HIGHLY Recommended
Disc 1: Bad Moon Rising +2
01 – Hands on Heaven
02 – If It ain’t Dirty
03 – Without Your Love
04 – Full Moon Fever
05 – Lie Down
06 – Old Flames
07 – Built for Speed [feat. Michael Schenker]
08 – Darkside of Babylon
09 – Sunset after Midnight
10 – Wayward Son
11 – One Night in Tokyo (Bonus Track) *
12 – Alter Ego (Bonus Track) *
* Taken from EP Full Moon Fever / Japan Only
Disc 2: Blood +2
01 – Dangerous Game
02 – Servants of the Sun
03 – Devils Son (While Our Children Cry)
04 – Blood on the Streets
05 – Tears in the Dark
06 – Heart of Darkness
07 – Chains
08 – Till the Morning Comes
09 – Time will Tell
10 – Remember Me
11 – Sweet Satisfaction (Bonus Track) **
12 – Can’t Wait until Tomorrow (Bonus Track) **
** Taken from the Blood On The Streets EP
Disc 3: Opium For The Masses / Japanese Edition track list +3
01 – Belligerent Stance
02 – Monkey
03 – Moonchild
04 – Believe
05 – Into The Pit
06 – Godforsaken
07 – Free
08 – Holy War
09 – Summer Rain
10 – T.B.O.M.D.
11 – Rivers Run Red (Bonus Track) ***
12 – Underground (Bonus Track) ***
13 – Crown of Roses (Bonus Track) ***
*** Taken from the U.S. Edition
Kal Swan – Vocals
Doug Aldrich – Guitars
Chuck Wright – Bass, Backing Vocals (Disc 1)
Ken Mary – Drums, Backing Vocals (Disc 1)
Ian Mayo – Bass, Backing Vocals
Jackie Ramos – Drums, Backing Vocals
with:
Rick Seratte – Keyboards (Disc 1)
Fred Mandel – Keyboards track 2 (Disc 1)
Michael Schenker – Guitar track 7 (Disc 1)
James Christian, Kelly Hansen, Robin McAuley – Backing Vocals (Disc 1)