Description
“”Future World is the second album of the Danish hard rock/heavy metal band Pretty Maids produced by Eddie Kramer and released in 1987.
Future World is the second album by the Danish hard rock/heavy metal band Pretty Maids. The album was released by CBS in 1987. By 1990, the album had sold 300,000 copies worldwide. The album charted at number 165 on the Billboard 200 in the United States.
Future World was produced by Eddie Kramer, who was fired during the recording sessions because he fell asleep at the mixing console, according to guitarist Ken Hammer. The band then finished the album with engineer Chris Isca, who was credited as co-producer on the album. Mixing duties were shared between Metallica, Rainbow and Morbid Angel producer Flemming Rasmussen, and Kevin Elson, known for producing multi platinum albums by Journey, Mr. Big and Europe.
Label: Epic – 450281 1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1987
Genre: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Tracklist
A1 Future World 5:16
A2 Loud ‘n’ Proud 3:53
A3 Love Games 4:12
A4 Yellow Rain 5:28
B1 Rodeo 4:15
B2 We Came To Rock 4:29
B3 Needles In The Dark 5:02
B4 Eye Of The Storm 4:55 Mixed By – Chris Isca
B5 Long Way To Go 3:28
Bass – Allan Delong
Drums – Phil Moorhead
Engineer – Aaron Hurwitz, Chris Isca, Eddie Kramer, George Cowan, Ken Lonas, Thom Cadley
Guitar – Ken Hammer
Keyboards – Alan Owen
Producer – Eddie Kramer
Recorded By [Additional Recordings] – Tommy Hansen
Vocals – Ronnie Atkins
Written-By, Arranged By – K. Hammer*, R. Atkins*
Recorded at Bearsville Studios, additional recordings at Easy Sound, Copenhagen
Mixed at Sweet Silence, Copenhagen; Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California; Bearsville Studios
NCB.
Sleeve printed in England
Came with plain inner sleeve
“This album is dedicated to the loving memory of Phil Lynott”
Made in England
Label Code: LC 0199
Matrix / Runout (Label, side A): 450281 1 A*
Matrix / Runout (Label, side B): 450281 1 B*
Rights Society: MCPS/BIEM
All music and lyrics written by Ronnie Atkins & Ken Hammer.
Singles from Future World:
“Love Games” Released 1987
“Future World” Released 1987
Ronnie Atkins – lead vocals
Ken Hammer – lead guitar
Phil Moorhead – drums
Allan Delong – bass
Alan Owen – keyboards
After achieving regional success with their first three records, Danish rockers Pretty Maids released Future World. Fuelled by constant airplay on MTV Headbanger Ball and fresh off of a Scandinavian tour with Black Sabbath, the band finally had a record that connected with American audiences. The blistering title track boasts a killer guitar riff, a driving rhythm section, and lead vocalist Ronnie Atkins’ full-throated Klaus Meine-like snarl. Keyboardist Alan Owen punctuates Ken Hammer licks with a refreshing urgency that the direct antithesis of wimpy contemporaries like White Lion and Night Ranger. Even requisite ’80s power ballads — a painful genre unto itself — like “”Love Games”” and “”Eye of the Storm”” sound less contrived than anything that Europe ever recorded.
Future World was the third release from the Danish quintet known as the Pretty Maids. To put it quite simply, this album rocks! Songs like “Future World”, “We Came To Rock” and “Loud ‘N’ Proud” really jam, while cuts such as “Love Games” and “Eye Of The Storm” show the bands softer side. The playing throughout the album is very strong. I’m glad that the band is still together and putting out new music, I hope one day they the recognition they deserve. I give Future World two thumbs up!
5.0 out of 5 stars Underrated hard rocking band with real classic punch
One listens to the title track of this album and you are immediately hooked. What you get in the rest of the tracks though makes it definitely worth the price. ‘Future World’ sets the tone by beginning hard, flowing into an almost ethereal serene verse, with keyboards enhancing the singers natural voice, until the chorus kicks in and the guitars roar, as do the vocals.
It this finely blended combination of synthesized sounds with brash guitars that provides a fine hard rocking edge throughout the album.
I can honestly say that there isn’t a track on this album that I didn’t enjoy, and that ‘Rodeo’ has got to be one of my all time favorites. For those of you who loved the 80 glam rock invasion, you’ll be intrigued, but be warned, this is not to be taken as lightly as a Motley Crue or Poison. Be prepared!
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5.0 out of 5 stars LOUD AND PROUD,
These guys from Denmark definitely came to rock! Although not Pretty Maids’ first release, it is their first major label U.S. release. The best song here is the title track, which even had a great video of a car, the band, and the outback. The guitar work of Ken Hammer has me green with envy. Like many European bands, Pretty Maids has that classical sound to it with astounding keyboards and scorching vocals. There are so many great tracks here I will list only my favorites; “”Future World””, “”Needles in the Dark””, “”Love Games””, “”Loud & Proud””, and “”We Came to Rock””. They most certainly came to rock! This disc is one of my TOP 100 of all time and it resides inside my jukebox, honest! If you like to rock try FUTURE WORLD or their greatest hits. You can’t go wrong!
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5.0 out of 5 stars Simply brilliant 80s metal
Brilliant. Simply brilliant. I don’t really know what it is about this album; back in the 80s, I heard a tune called “”Future World.”” Who knows where, probably on Headbanger Ball or something like that. Anyway, I went nuts for it and sought out the cassette. I long since wrecked that tape from overplaying it, and when I finally got around to searching for the disc, lo and behold I couldn’t find it. There isn’t much more that can be said about “”Future World,”” the song. It simply speedy melodic European-styled metal, much like the rest of the album. “”We Came To Rock”” and “”Long Way To Go”” are just classics in the late ’80s style, with big riffs, dramatic keyboards and Ronnie Atkins distinct vocal stylings. “”Love Games”” could be right off any Foreigner album, and “”Yellow Rain”” starts slowly but quickly builds into a classic speed metal anthem. Next up is “”Loud N’Proud,”” another sheer metal rocker, filled with scorching guitars and a driving, rhythmic beat. “”Rodeo”” is another ’80s classic, and would fit well on the soundtrack to “”Vision Quest”” or something like that.
All told, this is a simply amazing album, one that every metal fan should have. If you don’t own this yet, do whatever it takes to get it.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Great 80 metal,
This is one of the great 80 metal albums that got very little attention. I am not a big Pretty Maids fan in general, but this album had a wide range of great songs, from the hard rock and great vocals in “”Future World”” to the great melodies and lyrics in “”Rodeo””. I hate to say it, but every other Pretty Maids album I listened to was very bad, but this one is in my top 20 albums of all-time. Not a bad song on it. I give credit where credit is due and Pretty Maids outdid themselves on this one.
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5.0 out of 5 stars an all around rockin LP
From the opening thunder of Future World to the Yellow Rain, Future World is a non stop headbanging mind-blower. A must get.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Melodic metal masterpiece,
Originally released in 1987, Future World was the second full-length album from Danish melodic heavy metal band Pretty Maids. Of all the metal bands to emerge in the `80s, Pretty Maids strikes me as the one that more that anyone really should have “”made it big.”” The band had a very powerful and very accessible brand of metal that would have appealed to a pretty wide audience, but for whatever reason never quite broke through in a big way.
Future World is a totally classic melodic metal album, and is one of Pretty Maids’ absolute best releases. This is the album that best captures the band approach to heavy metal. It undoubtedly a metal album, but it not quite as heavy and in your face as the average Iron Maiden or Judas Priest release. It melodic, but not poppy like the hair metal bands. Pretty Maids hit that sweet spot between the two elements, packing a metal punch, but with just enough accessibility and melody. It puts them in the same category as early Def Leppard, Icon and Leatherwolf. Highlights include “”Future World,”” a classic almost power metal epic and “”We Came to Rock,”” a rock anthem reminiscent of Y&T, but there really isn’t a weak moment on the album.
Future World really is a fantastic album and one that belongs in every 80 metal fan collection. If you’re a fan of modern melodic metal along the lines of Starbreaker, Jorn, Masterplan and At Vance, you owe it to yourself to check out this album. Pretty Maids has been the standard in melodic heavy metal since the early `80s, and Future World is their defining album.
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5.0 out of 5 stars One of my all time favorite albums,
I first heard this group on MTV in the 80. I loved the car that was in this video and that is the main reason I am a proud owner of a 1970 Plymouth Cuda.
Honestly this is a great album, the perfect blend of Guitar, Vocals, and Keyboard. This group is very underrated, I have yet to find one song that does not have a good beat. These guys know how to ROCK!!.
If you enjoyed glam rock in the 80 and still listen to this music, you will enjoy this album.
Warning: Future World will cause your foot to push the gas pedal to the floor. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!!!
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5.0 out of 5 stars there are few bands that are more talented,
If you don’t know “”Pretty Maids””, then you should. I just started listening to this band back in December. No they don’t sing my favorite song in the world. However, in my thousands and thousands of songs, I now have more “”Pretty maids”” songs than any other band. The ballads are…well they are amazing. Then you ask..””Can they rock?””…yes they can!!! I don’t consider myself a music guru. As for myself, I say this is the MOST under rated band that I have ever heard. They can sing everything. This is one of their best albums. Whitesnake, Dokken, Kiss, Queen, Sammy Hagar, Survivor, Krokus…They are right there with them. Hope this is helpful for ya.
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5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favs,
This album is one of my all time favorites. I have ordered many other Pretty Maids albums as well, and no price is too high! If you are into the 80s metal scene, you really have to have this. The perfect blend of hard guitars, keyboards, and the change in singing voice is unlike any other band I know.
After buying this one, order Jump the Gun. That one is excellent as well.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Classic,
Great disc, on the top 5 of must have. To me there are no bad songs on this disc. Title track is one of favorite all-time songs. Another underrated band that never made it in the states. How bands like Poison made and not these guys in a big mystery.
This is an album that an album that to these ears represents the band’s style in the most thorough manner.
It was definitely worth the wait as the album still stands as one of the four finest hybriders in this trend alongside Judas Priest’s “Painkiller”, Riot’s “Thundersteel”, and Leatherwolf’s “Street Ready”. It’s the most melodic of the lot, but it was also the first so on a “first come, first served” basis one has to give it the credit it richly deserves. I remember I was smitten by the opening title-track, a speed metal “hurricane” with some of the finest keyboards ever utilized on a metal album; if the whole opus was sustained in that vein it was going to cancel the whole German speed metal discography of the mid/late-80’s, except for the one of Helloween. Well, it’s a cross over several genres so they all have to be covered one way or another. Time for radio-friendly heavy rock winners with “We Came to Rock” and “Love Games”, feelgood stuff that would indelibly attract the romantic souls. “Yellow Rain” is a downpour of vitriolic speedy guitars despite the great balladic intro, and speed metal is back to the front “proudly” held there with the following “Loud’n Proud”. “Rodeo” is arguably the band’s finest achievement, a rousing heavy/power metal hymn if there ever was one with one of the greatest choruses this side of “Aces High” and “The Sentinel”. Back to speed metal territory with the hyper-active “Needles in the Dark”, and all the way to the minimalistic, slightly underwhelming, finale which comprises the cool ballad “Eye of the Storm” and the closing crowd pleaser “Long Way to Go”.
The overall feel was kind of one of compromises as the sound was softer than the one on the debut in spite of its overt speed metal flair. Judas’ “Turbo” album already carved the path towards the Americanized delivery which wasn’t based on aggression anymore, but had to attract bigger crowds and fill in the stadiums. The Danes were looking to find the perfect balance between this mellower approach and their “savage” heart’s call, and they almost nailed it here save for the somewhat downbeat ending. Another 3-year gap followed, not the best way to consolidate an artist’s reputation and status in a burgeoning scene as the one from the 80’s, before “Jump the Gun” came out. It remains the controversial decision in the guys’ catalogue as it toned down their primal aggression becoming an American metal roller-coaster akin to Bonfire’s “Pointblank” and Accept’s “Eat the Heat”, both released a year earlier. These bands were looking to match the success of “Turbo” and Scorpions’ “Savage Amusement” which managed to win over the US audience, especially the Germans whose album sold over 6 million copies.
Alas, these figures never became an option for Pretty Maids, so much for the injustice and the lack of logic on the flippant metal scene, and more than half the line-up left shortly after leaving Ronnie Atkins and the guitar player Ken Hammer to continue the battle. And they did no wrong shaking off all the detrimental soft pop metal-ish additives, and celebrated a decade in metal with the glorious “Sin Decade” two years later which won them a Danish Grammy Award. A great nod back to their very roots, this opus arguably remains their finest hour the two “dinosaurs” gelling well with the new members. Having reached the top, branching out into the unexpected was definitely a priority, and an all-acoustic album (“Stripped”) was produced followed by a testing of the modern vogues with the pretty good “Scream”. From then on it was back to the good old heavy metal where the band have been for the past many years, steadfastly defending the faith of the genre, never ceasing their march, their always reliant presence a major testimony for the bright future of the metal world.
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