AOL MUSIC top 10 list

I can agree with most of those being under-rated gems, with maybe Alcatrazz being one that I would not recommend to anybody. Vicious Rumors didn't put a bad disc out until after "The Voice" passed. Wildside was a classic shoulda been...Racer x didn't get the credit they deserved, and Loudness is just awesome!!! The whole era from the debut until Mike Vescera was a great run.Malice was good for a few seconds, and this was the disc that captures them at their best.While that is not the Riot disc I would select as under-rated gem I will agree that Riot belongs on an underrated band list.

Everybody has their own personal list of under-rated gems. I believe that Savatage "Streets" was totally ignored outside of the metal circles when it should have been the disc to break Savatage out HUGE in the states. Another batch of under-rated classics would be "Nightfall" "Ancient Dreams" and "Tales of Creation" by the mighty Candlemass! You could add Overkill to the list, even though they did ride the wave on Atlantic records for a long while.

Anyways, back to the point...great list! I always enjoy seeing these lists and reading the reactions. Its what keeps metal alive.
 
That's a pretty good list.

Thundersteel, now that's an interesting case. I bought Thundersteel in 1999 because I'd heard that Riot was good, but I didn't really dig it. I probably would have liked it better when it first came out.

For me, an underrated gem is Don Dokken's Up From the Ashes. I was addicted to that album for years. Amazing guitar work and outstanding production for 1990.