Power of the Night

Power of the Night, the second album and the band's major-label debut, came out on Atlantic in April 1985 (the LP is 7 81247-1). The trade weekly FMQB listed it for release on 15 April, and Billboard reviewed it in its issue of 20 April. Jon Oliva has recalled that Atlantic had already had them record demos at Morrisound with Rick Derringer producing. The album itself was made at Bearsville Studios in New York State in November 1984 with Max Norman, the producer of Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard of Ozz. The old official FAQ has Jon describing the title song as being about a power from above, neither good nor evil, that enters a person, who then chooses what to do with it. Atlantic wanted "Hard for Love" retitled "Hot for Love", and the band refused, according to Guitar World. Later pressings carried a parental advisory sticker after the label objected to the sexual metaphors of that song and "Skull Session". AllMusic notes the lyrics moving from fantasy to modern problems and calls "In the Dream" the band's first real power ballad. It is the last album with bassist Keith Collins, who gave way to Johnny Lee Middleton after the 1985 tour. The Japanese edition followed seven years later, on 10 March 1992, from East West Japan (AMCY-387). The player on this page carries the 2011 remaster, which follows the ten songs with live recordings of "City Beneath the Surface" and "Hounds" from 1990. The running order here is the original's as printed.