Despite its very ’80s metal sound, Virgin Steele never quite fit in with the Mötley Crües, Poisons and Warrants of the ’80s and early ’90s. And that’s due in large part to the band’s bombastically progressive rock and symphonic metal tendencies, which stood in stark contrast to the pop metal of most of that era’s bands. But in 1993, Virgin Steele took a bit of a departure into a more mainstream metal sound with Life Among the Ruins, a bluesy hard rock album more akin to Whitesnake than Dream Theater. In fact, this album was such a departure from the band’s typical grandiosity that it turned off some fans, almost sounding like a parody of a style that was already on its way out of favor thanks to the grunge movement.

Though I’m not certain why the band (or its record label) decided this was the most opportune time to revisit this album (especially considering that next year will be the 20th anniversary of its original release), Life Among the Ruins receives the renovated reissue treatment on July 17. The two-disc set features the original album with bonus acoustic versions of five songs and an entire disc of alternate mixes and previously unreleased and entirely new tracks. And revisiting this album after 19 years makes its stylistic change all the more perplexing, especially considering that the band returned to the Dio-like mythological themes and epic soundscapes it had previously been known for with subsequent releases. But with hair metal making a resurgence as of late, Life Among the Ruins could gain a new following for the band.

Hard rocking songs like “Sex Religion Machine” and “Too Hot to Handle” (with its opening line of “Come on, get naked!”) are perfect examples of the cock rock parody I was referring to earlier. And that’s definitely not a bad thing, especially if you like the kind of rock that just might get girls to do just that. And in true Cinderella fashion, “Invitation,” “Cage of Angels” and “Haunting the Last Hours” are piano-driven power ballads to show these hard rockers also have a sensitive side. But for every moment of sensitivity, there are several moments of seductively sexed-up swagger on songs such as “Never Believed in Goodbye,” “Snakeskin Voodoo Man” and “Wildfire Woman.” And album closer “Last Rose of Summer” is just kind of weird, sounding like Guns N’ Roses‘ “November Rain” as interpreted by Michael Bolton.

This new version of Life Among the Ruins also includes new liner notes by front man David DeFeis, rare photos from that time period and other bonuses. Whether you missed this on the first time around or you’re just discovering Def Leppard, Ratt or even Steel Panther for the first time, Life Among the Ruins is definitely better than some of the stuff that made it to MTV and radio in the early ’90s, and it could be your gateway into Virgin Steel’s otherwise progressive sound.

For more information, go to www.virgin-steele.com.