Straight Between the Eyes

Straight Between the Eyes is Rainbow's sixth album, on which they honed melodic hard rock, centered on sharp guitar and soaring vocals. With a lineup featuring Joe Lynn Turner, they pushed the previous album's direction further. It is marked by a refined sound, strongly conscious of the American market. The young David Rosenthal joined on keyboards. Production was again handled by Roger Glover. The album reached No. 5 in the UK and posted a respectable showing for the band in the US as well. Rosenthal would later join Billy Joel's band. Powerful songs like "Stone Cold," "Power" and "Death Alley Driver" line up. The power ballad "Stone Cold" is known as one of their signature songs. Hard rock 'n' roll and melodies with big hooks balance at a high level. Blackmore's guitar combines sharpness with a sense of song. A record worth hearing, where the band's mature craftsmanship shines. "Stone Cold" also gained popularity on MTV, raising their profile in America.