Ratt - Out of the Cellar

Along with Motley Crue, Quiet Riot and Twisted Sister, Ratt was one of the main players of the '80s glam metal movement. Although many of their songs lacked diversity and emotional poignancy, their guitarist Warren De Martini possessed the flash and technical ability to escalate the group above most of its peers. Out of the Cellar is by far the band's best record, but between the blazing solos and call-and-response choruses are many lackluster moments. What saves it from the bargain bin, however, is the quintessential metal anthem "Round and Round," one of the greatest three-or-so minutes in '80s rock. --Jon Wiederhorn Amazon.com

amazing

ratt is by far my favorite band. this is their best work although invasion of your privacy was also a great album. this has all the feel of a good hair metal band plus a lot of talent. anyone who likes 80's metal even more if you love hair metal and glam should listen to this. ratt is by far the most under rated band of the decade. they are one of the kings of the genre and anyone who likes motley crue or quiet riot needs to check out ratt! August 9, 2008

Not a remaster!!!

I've been waiting for a long time to see "Out Of The Cellar" remastered, checking for such quite often. Imagine my delight when I saw the disc on Amazon as "Original recording remastered"! I immediately fired off an order. Now imagine my chagrin when I received the disc only to discover it to be the exact same crappy sounding original release I already have! Fortunately I didn't remove the shrink wrap - Back to Amazon it goes... July 13, 2008

Jon Wiederhorn is a Idiot

I think Jon Wiederhorn, the original idiot who reviewed this for Amazon has a screw loose. Was Ratt emotionally diverse? Ahhh no...so what.. Round and Round saves this from the barain big...please Jon..this was a great rock album and most of the songs on here are worth a listen esp. She Wants Money and Lack of Communication. Jon, obviously your too good for this type of music so go and listen to Yanni and leave the real rock and roll to the fans. June 3, 2008

Great...needs to be remastered though..........

The songs are great, but it really sounds dated. THe production has not held up and this thing desperately needs to be remastered and reissued.
I'd recomend you check out the new Fozzy All that Remains Reloaded cd as well! April 17, 2008

Hair Metal at its near best

While this album is not perfect, it is nonetheless a quintessential hair metal album for those who are in love with '80s nostalgia. While it's not fair to call this album a "hit and miss" album, there's really only one identifiable hit on this album ("Round & Round"), but it's not the only good song. The other "hits" were simply singles that failed to chart, or crack anywhere successful on the pop charts.

Songs like "I'm Insane," and "Round & Round," and "She Wants Money" pepper this album with '80s sleaze, debauchery, and simply great guitar work by Warren DeMartini and Robbin Crosby. Stephen Pearcy is forgettable as a singer and frontman. Simply imagine a singer trying to be Vince Neil (Motley Crue) and Kevin DuBrow (Quiet Riot) at once, but neither at the same time. The rhythm is the typical '80s backing. Echoed drums with the always complimented "driving" basslines, if you can ever hear them.

The only real treat from these music videos off the album is that comedian legend Milton Berle is in almost all of them. I must confess, Berle is more entertaining in HIS transvestism than Ratt's, who tries very hard to upstage him in their feminine behaviors, or Pearcy's mannerisms that are just so distinctly '80s, it makes me almost sick to watch. The band is more entertaining than the frontman. Which is bad criticism, but fair and honest nonetheless. Bruce Dickinson jumps around on stage, with his David Lee Roth-esque acrobatics, Ozzy would pour water over fans, Rob Halford and Peter Gabriel both rode bikes of some kind, while Halford would seem to sign, while Gabriel would dress in crazy costumes. Stephen Pearcy just seems to stand there, bending his knees at the beat in the "Round & Round" video. Even Elvis Pressley was more entertaining 35 years earlier on the Ed Sullivan Show shaking his hips.

Some songs, such as "Wanted Man" are just, if anything, too '80s, too forgettable, too boring, tired, and too over the top. Don't believe me? Watch the music video for this song. It takes place in the old West with Ratt, a notorious gun-slinging gang fighting yet another infamous gang. It's truly pathetic upon retrospect to see Ratt facing off and attempting to look tough with their glossed hair (that I'm surprised doesn't combust in the heat because of all the hairspray) and lipstick with earrings... Hell, the cover just gives it away. Anything with Tawny Kitaen in it/on it/around it/on top of it/under it (who was dating Robbin Crosby at the time) has its own seal of '80s authenticity.

Overall, one does not need to be a Ratt fan to purchase this album to like it. However, one does need to be a hair metal fan to enjoy it. Those of you who's tastes are Metallica to Pantera up, avoid this album. February 22, 2008

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