By 1989, the world was already getting a bit bored by what was commonly referred to as either glam metal or hair metal... or simply, 80’s metal. With its vast array of long-haired, grown men in spandex and makeup, there was a certain cheesiness and repetition to the subgenre that had run its course, and with the rising thrash metal scene and grunge on the horizon, people were looking for something a bit more serious and with more depth.Which is why it’s such a shame that Boston four-piece Extreme seem to have become the poster child for everything that was wrong with 80’s metal.Big hairdos, headbands (definitely an 80’s thing), bright clothing and cowboy boots... Yep, these guys checked off everything on the list of cheesy clichés that people were embarrassed by. But the reality is that Extreme consists of four incredibly talented and competent musicians, and this, their 1989 self-titled debut album, is chock-full of catchy, well-written and well-performed songs. Courtesy of guitar virtuoso Nuno Bettencourt, ‘Extreme’ features non-stop energetic displays of musical prowess. Accompanied by Gary Cherones powerful and infectious vocals, and a solid rhythm section by Pat Badger on bass and Paul Geary on drums, this is a band of highly competent musicians with incredible chemistry. There’s a strong, punchy production that brings the music to life, and a big emphasis on backing vocals and harmonies gives the songs some great dynamics. Tracks like ‘Kid Ego’, ‘Little Girls’, ‘Wind Me Up’, ‘Teacher’s Pet’, ‘Mutha (Don’t Wanna Go to School Today)’, ‘Play With Me’ and ‘Flesh and Blood’ make this album such a joy to listen to. Fun, upbeat, energetic and full of excellent musicianship, Extreme had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and while they’re somewhat respected today, being around in 1989 instantly put them in the firing line for anyone who was fed up with the big-haired pompous rock stars of the 80’s. Still, if you can look past the criticisms of the day and the ridiculous fashion sense, ‘Extreme’ is a fantastic debut album, and definitely shows that there was some serious talent to be found in the hair metal scene of the 80’s.