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Artist: Wall of Silence

Title: Shock to the System

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Category: Hard Rock

Year: 1992

Label: A and M Records

Catalog Number: 828397 205-2

Personnel

Brian Malone lead vocals
Jim Huff guitar
Stuart Zaltz keyboards
Scott Lucas drums
Tim Harrington bass

Additional Musicians
Sascha Red Sky backing vocals
Mike Shotten backing vocals
Al Van Wart backing vocals
Matthew Gerrard bass

Tracks

1.	Shock to the System	4:57
2.	Edge of a Heartbreak	3:52
3.	It's Only Love	4:56
4.	Last Nite	3:46
5.	Blood Is Thicker Than Water	6:18
6.	Addicted	4:06
7.	Prove Your Love	4:39
8.	Skin and Bones	4:26
9.	Stop the Rain	5:24
10.	Nobody's Hero	6:02
Total Running Time:		48:26

If you see any errors or omissions in the CD information shown above, either in the musician credits or song listings (cover song credits, live tracks, etc.), please post them in the corrections section of the Heavy Harmonies forum/message board.

The music discographies on this site are works in progress. If you notice that a particular Wall of Silence CD release or compilation is missing from the list above, please submit that CD using the CD submission page. The ultimate goal is to make the discographies here at Heavy Harmonies as complete as possible. Even if it is an obscure greatest-hits or live compilation CD, we want to add it to the site. Please only submit official CD releases; no bootlegs or cassette-only or LP-only releases.

EPs and CD-singles from Wall of Silence are also welcome to be added, as long as they are at least 4 songs in length.

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Existing comments about this CD

From: koogles	Date: January 1, 2002 at 14:26
And now for the English review... this CD ROCKS! If you love Signal's 'Loud and Clear' or early Harem Scarem, this CD will rock you into NEXT WEEK! Huge production values, big choruses and impeccable vocals will leave you positively BREATHLESS! Highly recommended!

From: cquicmoi	Date: March 9, 2002 at 0:51
Just heard the CD. Sounds a lot like Unruly Child's first album. A lot of keyboard. Very catchy chorus and is really well produced. Has a very 80's sound even if it was made in the 90's. Maybe a little too commercial but great job anyways. Great vocals on this album.

From: brent	Date: August 2, 2002 at 0:55
Don't care what they say but Mike Slamer played on this album. Would do as the third Steelhouse Lane album....awesome!!!!

From: David	Date: August 13, 2002 at 2:41
I didn't think this was all that it was built up to be. Sure Mike Slammer produced the album well and it sounds similar to Steelhouse Lane but it just didn't have the hooks of Steelhouse Lane.

From: David	Date: August 29, 2002 at 5:09
Lets keep it real Brent.

From: freddy de keyze	Date: October 21, 2002 at 7:47
Steelhouse Lane is great, but is a lot better. Indeed, a shock to the system ! Hard drivin'AOR/melodic hardrock is what we get here !! And the song 'Blood is thicker than water' is simply brilliant and heavy ! And Harem Scarem can't reach this level, because they don't have enough talent to make such gems !!! Recommended !

From: AORGOD	Date: November 19, 2002 at 0:29
Steelhouse Lane MEETS UnRuly Child MEETS NightRanger. GREAT STUFF!! Unbelievable that here in the USA we are forcefed total dogshit like CREED and LIFEHOUSE when this stuff exists. The AMERICAN MEDIA CAN KISS MY ASS.

Heavy Harmonies Volunteer
From: Jez	Date: August 5, 2003 at 2:24
Brilliant release from start to finish. Brian Malone's vocals remind me a lot of the great Johnny Dee from Honeymoon Suite and a bit of Carl Dixon from Coney Hatch in places aswell.Infact a heavier Honeymoon Suite wouldn't be a bad angle to approach this one from. A step up from The Works (their previous name) 'From Out Of Nowhere ' release (also recommended).

From: aormilwaukee	Date: October 31, 2003 at 11:21
another must have guys!!! check out also 'the works' their previous band.

From: jim

Date: November 21, 2003 at 0:44

ok you guys, heres the scoop, yes Mike Slamer did play on some of the record, he was a cool guitar player and I became a fan, so I asked him to play on a couple of the songs, I leave you guessing on which ones!!! yes I am the guitarist/ writer from the band, found this sight by accident, read your commments and thought I'd clear things up for you to end the debate. Good to hear you liked 'Blood is Thicker than Water', was always one of my fav songs I wrote, personally I thought the album was a l

From: jim

Date: November 21, 2003 at 0:59

a little over produced for my taste at the time. I now live in LA, wrote a single for Edwin 'And You' x lead singer of I mother Earth, whos album Scenery and Fish I recorded alot of at my old house in Toronto, scored some music for the goldie hawn film Matthew Sheppard Story, wrote songs for a heavy Celtic band. I produce/write, still play alot of guitar and devolpe acts. enjoyed your comments good and bad, seems like a lifetime ago now but I pull out those records every once in a while Jim

From: AOR freaky	Date: December 12, 2003 at 8:23
Of course Jim knows it better once again. After all, he's the only one who knows more than three acts ! I only three ! Surprise, I know als this and their previous one (The WOrks) ! Bloody great, heavy, and not overproduced record this one ! FANTASTIC ! Search it !

From: AOR freaky	Date: December 12, 2003 at 9:26
Sorry Jim, excuse me ! I thought you were Tim, the guy that knows or at least pretend, to know it all !

From: GlenRavine	Date: December 31, 2003 at 0:06
Brilliant - thats all I have to say - highly recommended - highlight 'Addicted' - great catchy chrous with great harmonies - fantastic disc.

From: Rycheage	Date: February 8, 2004 at 17:03
Wall Of Silence have a hard edged sound so typical of many Canadian bands from the eighties. Bands such as Def Leppard, Coney Hatch and Haywire are reference points throughout, as the songs have an energetic quality about them, along with all the dramatics that would make it a great contender for melodic rock oriented radio.

From: frank	Date: February 10, 2004 at 19:20
the vocals of brian malone are truly amazing,the production is great. the previous cd of the the works{same band}from out of nowhere is a great one to.check out the vocals in sherrys gone.little secret,you havent heard nothing yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From: melo	Date: February 29, 2004 at 8:11
hi jim I picked up a cd here in melbourne Australia that had your autograph to a guy called paul, its simply says 'HY PAUL, KEEP ON ROCKIN, DUDE !!, JIM HUFF' WONDER WHAT YEAR WA THIS DONE

From: jessica96fish	Date: March 2, 2004 at 16:46
all you need to know is this cd is class from start to finnish.if you are into steelhouse lane from the fire streets tower city.then just buy.cool as hell.

From: Rockhead	Date: March 19, 2004 at 10:01
Another late bloomer for me-bought a ajpanese version on Ebay based upon the reports here-have to agree this is a top notch melodic rock monster!! Even the cover is good!! Mike Slamer-Producer of the Millenium?

From: Josep Maria	Date: June 14, 2004 at 12:09
Fantastic album in the Steelhouse Lane / Big Bad Wolf vein. Don't miss it! Nobody's hero is a gem!

From: Geoff

Date: August 16, 2004 at 22:41

Painfully excellent CD. Great crisp production and wonderful vocals. Songs so perfectly excecuted it tickles sometimes. 'Edge of a Heartbreak', 'Last nite' and 'Addicted are three of my favourite anthem-type rockers out there. Man they're awesome! 'It's Only Love' and 'Stop the Rain' are majestic ballads and the closer, 'Nobody's Hero' is just one of my favourite songs out there. Killer album, nothing more nothing less. 9/10

From: AOR freaky	Date: August 17, 2004 at 6:39
Hey Geoff, we agree on this one ! Excellent record !!!

From: Eugenio Chahin	Date: February 24, 2005 at 15:30
Some of it sounds like Alias on their s/t. Some great songs, Edge Of A Heartbreak and Last Nite are very nice.

From: Harry

Date: March 2, 2005 at 10:05

I'm sharing three songs from this album in Ares. If you don't have it you can go to download.com ... I'm connected almost every day. BTW, it would be nice if we could share some songs this way, 'cause it's always a good thing to listen to a few songs before buying a cd. I'm a musician (have many recorded songs) and to me it's just okay to share files this way. Today you can a buy a cd and pay quite a symbolic price for it - take Ebay for example. Besides, a band needs live shows more than...

From: Harry	Date: March 2, 2005 at 10:09
(cont.) ...anything else. Album sales are good for the label, but what the band needs above all is that there's more and more people listening to their sound so that there's more and more people wishing to see them live. So we could share more songs with each other, even more when many of these bands are really hard to find these days... Oh, BTW, great album!!!

From: juan carlos	Date: March 7, 2005 at 20:11
iīve got a page about this group. www.philnaro.com/wos.html on this page you can find a song called 'itīs only love' in mp3. but the rest? this song is a ballad, but the rest?. well it is a good ballad of course!

From: juan carlos	Date: March 7, 2005 at 20:17
BTW phil naro co-wrote this song. This was the only thing that phil did on this album, almost nothing ;-)

From: Niglin	Date: April 25, 2005 at 23:28
Wow, wow, wow! Another great Canadian band, and the critics are all right this time. These guys 'rip' man. Not too many bands capable of such a solid album anymore, & everyone of the above comparisons are accurate because of the bands diversity. Just check out 'Last Night' this is a true 'rock anthem'. Get it, or ya ain't got it.

From: Erik	Date: July 30, 2005 at 3:52
Is this good ? Well actually this is fantastic. Not really known to the 'big public' i fear. Released in the doom year 92. When the fu..ing grunge destroyed many a promising and talented melodic rock band. Trust me this is top notch from start to finish. I love the production. Great vocals. Superb rocking songs and awesome ballads. A forgetten gem. Two thumbs up. 9,2/10

From: AOR freaky	Date: July 30, 2005 at 7:33
I can't say it any better, Erik ! I totally agree on this one ! SUPERB !

From: Nick C	Date: August 4, 2005 at 19:01
I grabbed a copy of this the other day mainly due to comments about it listed here!! It's f**king awesome I absolutely love it. What a superb CD I can't believe I missed out on it originally. If I could bend over and kick my own backside I would!!! What worries me is that it takes an album released 13 years ago to get me this excited!!

From: SCANDI	Date: September 24, 2005 at 8:32
I like the ballad 'It's only love' a lot on this one, the rest is more likely for Slamer (Seventh sign, Tower City, Streets etc.), Journey or Survivor lovers than for me. The song structures & the production is quite good so I give an 8,1/10

From: fiortoft	Date: March 18, 2006 at 9:13
the song 'Nobody's hero' is really incredible, absolutely great...it must be that title I guess, like the Rush song with the same title from Counterparts!!!...

From: Swazi	Date: October 20, 2006 at 11:55
F**K !!! Where has this CD been all my life ???? I don't give a 10/10 very easily, but here i do with a huge grin in my face. This is absolutely fu***ng AMAZING !! BUY or DIE !!

From: Helix	Date: October 20, 2006 at 12:18
Swazi the singer was in the band the works which I think was a better cd

From: Clayton77	Date: December 12, 2006 at 2:54
WOOOWWW!!!! This album is one of my TOP 10 in my alltime AOR-Favelist and 'Stop the rain' is incredible...outter earth!!!

From: Dreamaholic

Date: April 26, 2007 at 15:23

A bit too commercial for my tastes, similar to Giant debut or Adrenalize-era Def Leppard. Edge of a Heartbreak isn't bad, but oddly enough I really dig Skin and Bones and it made it into my mp3 player's 750 song favorites playlist. For the rest, the sound and songwriting are close, but something is missing for me. Judging by the comments though, I'm in the minority. It's ok that other people dig it - (with the exception of one song) it's just not for me...

From: Dreamaholic

Date: April 27, 2007 at 6:30

Oh yeah, one more thing - these songs come blasting out of the stereo or mp3 player because the recording level is extremely high. It's a sign of poor engineering/mastering, because to get that high recording level you have to compress the disc more to make all the extra data fit. The songs distort at higher stereo volumes, and the higher compression means lower overall sound quality. Just thought you'd like to know.

From: poser forever	Date: June 10, 2009 at 16:38
To put it simply : A moment of greatness! Huge sound ,great production and songs and what a singer! A melodic monster ! I'm ''addicted''!

From: metalhead4life	Date: June 11, 2009 at 9:56
Yeah, this one wasn't for me either. I ended up selling mine (but I believe I made a CD-R first like I usually do; hope I did as I wouldn't mind hearing it again); it has good music, musicians, and production but it just doesn't have the songs. Not catchy enough, kind of average. 72/100

From: Photochromic Steve	Date: July 8, 2009 at 19:01
As has been said above, this sounds a bit like a try-out for Steelhouse Lane, with input from Mike Slamer and "Addicted" which later appeared as a SHL song. A few tracks could have done with a bit of trimming to cut out too much of the repeat-to-fade, but it's a strong album. It's a shame that there was no more from Wall of Silence - what happened to them?

From: shoemaker	Date: October 18, 2009 at 7:01
This is boring, only a few good moments. No eggs, no atmosphere!

From: erik	Date: October 20, 2009 at 14:26
boring ? pfhhh glad to see who's "review" it is though.....almost thought i had to take it seriously.

From: rick kerch vzla

Date: April 11, 2010 at 11:00

This is a killer album!!!..almost a perfect release..when buying an album we always expect the best and this W.O.S. delivers us that!..the songs have 2 categories:very good ones and highlights(a matter of taste i guess)..songs such as "Addicted","Edge Of A Heartbeat","Shock To The System" and "Stop The Rain"(excellent ballad)give us quality and the rest of the tracks stand tall and proud too,honestly no fillers..i would recommend this album eyes closed a 100%...Brian Malone's vocals are like a mix of Lou Gramm,Eric Martin and Terry Brock specially when hitting the high notes!..as i said a matter of taste and as usual respecting people's comments..i'll give this 96/100

From: Dr_Funk

Date: October 16, 2010 at 4:09

An absolutely phenomenal album. This one really obliterated any reservations I had towards AOR. Brian Malone's vocals soar with great intensity, and nearly every chorus is massive. Mike Slamer's input is evident, and I'm sure he played on at least one track, although no credit was given. Honestly I find no flaws with this album, and have no problem giving it a perfect 100/100. This is essential. Your collection can not be considered a collection, without it.

From: hair metal again	Date: December 29, 2011 at 11:46
fantastic release by WALL OF SILENCE BACK IN 92 with the valuable help of Mike Slamer!this is the kind of polished commercial hard rock that i love ,like Unruly Child or Harem Scarem !the songwriting is divine,the musicianship of the highest level and the sound crystal clear.ALL the songs are excellent and i believe that this is a masterpiece!

From: DonDefo

Date: January 16, 2012 at 14:43

Guys - for me "Wall of silence" and the "The Works" are totally different albums. I don't think that this second one is worse in any moment. It does not matter whether we we think of singer or just intsruments themselves. These are just completely differents CDS and after having listened to some songs I think "The Works" is a little bit better. I've always prefered an old AOR stuff than newer melodic rock although I love it so much too(Steelhouse Lane). Listen to "Sherri's gone". Pure amazing AOR track. Wall of silence might be better when we refer to choruses(cause they are nearly Def Leppard like) but they aren't everything Although this album rocks and is fucking amazing. Good voice always remain the good one!

From: 123charpenay	Date: April 12, 2012 at 13:15
really excellent canadian hard fm.the production of mr slamer is perfect.clear and strong.the 2 firsts songs are highlights with song 6 "addicted"(present on the first steelhouse lane record).the rest is very very good.no fillers you can buy eyes closed.unfortunately the japan import have no bonus track.

From: yamaha94	Date: December 16, 2012 at 18:07
Class A+ album. Great tracks throughout. "It's Only Love" is a standout track. Too bad it came out in 92. A couple years earlier would have cemented these guys regularly on FM.

From: Locoaor	Date: May 3, 2013 at 1:15
Excelente disco y grupo de culto, grande Slamer se marco una joya con este Shock the System, altamente recomendado!.

From: 123charpenay	Date: March 21, 2018 at 14:38
i can add that this excellent record reminds me sometimes zinatra and stage dolls.

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