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Tue Aug 17 2021
5
Van Halen let everybody know what they were about from the get-go, and this album is a tight 35 minute roller coaster. The sounds from this record took everything rock and roll was about in the 70’s and turned it up to 11.
It’s just flat out an album with personality. Eddie’s Frankenstrat guitar creates a wicked, heavy sound that has become iconic in rock. David Lee Roth’s power and swagger as a frontman can be FELT in these songs. Alex’s drumming is legendary, technical and has it’s own unique “closed” sound. Michael Anthony’s background singing is so “chimey” and in-line, and his bass just drives an already high energy tone.
We got one of the greatest guitar solos of all time in Eruption, and a slew of hits that have stood the test of time in musicianship. While it may feel a little dated in terms of lyrics and taste, there’s no denying this absolutely an essential album in music history.
Songs I Already Knew: All of them
Favorite Song: Feel Your Love Tonight
Least Favorite: Ice Cream Man (it’s fun, but can be a little cringe and just doesn’t have the power of the other songs)
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Fri Feb 19 2021
5
I don't know why I expected a much harder rock/metal sound, but this was fantastic! One of the best albums I've listened to from this. I went back and listened through a lot more Van Halen after this.
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Thu Jul 29 2021
4
N'ayant pas trouvé d'angle à donner à ma critique du jour, je me suis rendu sur la page Wikipedia du groupe qui nous intéresse. Et quelle ne fut pas ma surprise de constater que ladite page ne contenait pas la moindre rubrique dédiée à d'hypothétiques polémiques. Rien du tout. Pinuts.
Une lueur d'espoir fit scintiller mon œil lorsque je vis que le mot "scandal" apparaissait une fois. À ma grande déception, il s'agissait en réalité du nom d'un autre groupe duquel faisait partie une certaine Patty Smyth qui, dixit, ne devait pas être confondue avec [la punkàch] Patti Smith (?!) Non mais on se fout de ma gueule en plus ! Évidemment qu'on va les confondre c'est exactement le même nom t'as juste mis des Y pour pas que ça s'écrive pareil !! Ils se prononcent comme des i les Y !!
Pour en revenir à Van Halen, c'est donc du rock lisse, sans scandale, sans polémique. C'est du Kids United en fait. Sauf que non, erreur, les Kids United ils en ont des polémiques ! Eux ont osé crier "tout le monde debout" à un public exclusivement composé d'handicapés en fauteuils, ça c'est Rock'n'Roll.
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Tue Mar 30 2021
5
“I am a victim of the science age.” What a line! This is another one that feels kind of silly to rate. I don’t generally envy people older than me, but I do wish I had been 13 or so when this album came out in order to have that pure experience of hearing Eddie at a time when no one else on the entire planet sounded like him. I can’t really fathom what that must have been like for young guitar nerds. Anywho, it’s astounding how many singles are on this record. Just astounding. Shout out to the Running with the Dweezil podcast, which I’ve only heard snippets of but is pretty fascinating.
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Tue Mar 30 2021
5
Guys, it's the first Van Halen album.
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Thu Sep 09 2021
4
La verdad nunca me llamó la atención Van Halen y le entré a este disco con muchas reservas. No pensé que me fuera a gustar tanto y sí quiero escuchar lo demás que han hecho. Grata, grata sorpresa.
Songs: Ain't Talking' Bout Love, Little Dreamer
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Tue Jan 18 2022
1
Poodle rock
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Tue Mar 02 2021
5
What a classic album. Their first, legendary. Eruption is a true form guitar solo turned song.
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Fri Apr 02 2021
4
Great stuff
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Thu Jul 29 2021
4
Très belle performance de Van Halen by Van Halen, mais sachez que le combat face a rob se fait de plus en plus pressant.
En effet, hier soir, j'eu la surprise de recevoir un message de mon petit frère, me demandant si je connaissais un certain robbelvedere. Je lui repondais que oh oui, je connais un certain robbelvedere, je le connais même très bien, lui et ses opinions musicales de merde.
Il se trouve que rob a fait irruption dans la troupe de théâtre de mon petit frère, et a commencé, en pleine représentation, à substituer au cd diffusant la bande son de la pièce un album de Frank Zappa, sous le regard médusé de mon petit frère, en pleine représentation d'un morceau de bravoure. Cet acte terroriste ne restera pas impuni, rob ne vas pas s'en sortir comme ça.
Je vous tiendrai au courant de l'avancée de cette affaire
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Mon Mar 13 2023
4
Honestly going into this I was expecting something far lamer, but honestly it caught me off guard with just how hard the band could get with some of these tracks (I LOVE how crunchy the guitar is). Really put into perspective why this style of rock became popular, and how shitty its imitators actually were!
I'd definitely say that the album loses some steam in the second half, but I appreciate how lean the it is which alleviates the effect a lot. All killer no filler, which is quite frankly the platonic ideal for a hard rock album.
Highlights are Runnin' With The Devil, Eruption, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love and Jamie's Cryin'.
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Thu Oct 22 2020
5
Come on.
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Tue Mar 02 2021
5
RIP to one of the GOATs
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Tue Feb 09 2021
5
Stunning. Brilliant. Obviously.
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Tue Jan 26 2021
5
Classic record
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Tue May 11 2021
5
Great classic rock!
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Thu Feb 04 2021
5
Just legendary. This album will make me go back and adjust other albums downward as they do not rise to the same level as this 5-star record.
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Mon Jan 25 2021
5
Classic 80s glam rock. Still awesome
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Thu Jan 28 2021
5
For whatever specific genre of hard rock or metal this is, it’s a 5
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Mon Mar 01 2021
5
Probably one of the best rock albums ever created, I don't think i need to say much else.
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Sat Jan 23 2021
5
J'adore cette album de Van Halen, vraiment un classique. C'est l'album que j'ai le plus écouté d'eux a part 1984, plus pop. Mérite quand même pas plus bas qu'un 4.9, donc 5 ;)
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Thu Jan 28 2021
5
AMAZING ALBUM. ALREADY LOVE IT
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Tue Apr 20 2021
5
A capital work in the evolution of rock. A milestone in hard rock history. A pleasure to listen every fkn time
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Mon Mar 08 2021
5
C’mon now. This is solid gold.
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Wed Feb 03 2021
5
Había escuchado todas las canciones del álbum, pero no sabía que todas esas buenísima canciones eran del mismo álbum. El que más me a gustado hasta ahora.
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Tue Jun 22 2021
5
Magnifiek gitaarwerk, glamrock op z'n best
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Tue Mar 02 2021
5
Had no idea I liked Van Halen. This album slays. A
I didn't realize this was their first album. This is a hell of a break out album. - LukeDogg
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Wed Mar 17 2021
5
Good album
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Mon Mar 22 2021
5
An amazing debut from one of the best bands that basically created the whole genre of hair metal and thusly hundreds of rip offs.
Every solo here shreds and all the songs can stand tall on their own.
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Sat Jul 17 2021
5
Here's what I wrote for the previous VH album that came up on this list:
Dang, I love these guys. One of the most fun, energetic, innovative pop/rock/metal-esque (kind of sort of, at times) bands I've heard. It's hard to pen any praise of EVH because anything I have to say feels too, I don't know, pedestrian and trite. I'm a bumbling beginner guitarist who high-fives himself when I remember how to play a major scale properly or plays through a medium-tempo 4-chord song with only a few slips, then I put on any song with EVH on guitar and I feel like I've been transported to another semi-comprehensible dimension inhabited by some form of demigods and demigoddesses whose very beings are entangled completely with the Music of the Spheres. And, honestly, sure, there are countless amazing guitarists in all eras, but it's Eddie's genuine joy he shares when playing that is the most infectious aspect of his musicianship to me. Play on, Eddie -- I know you always will!
This album was the second Van Halen record I owned. I was introduced to them via VH II. Such an unforgettable band.
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Wed May 26 2021
5
Whats to say?
Perfect debut album
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Thu Jul 15 2021
5
Just look at some of the SONGS on this. Runnin' with the Devil, Eruption, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Jamie's Cryin'...come on. Easy, easy 5.
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Mon Jul 26 2021
5
What an effort, the conversation between rock music old and new on this is so good. They also balance technicality and fun like no other band
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Tue Aug 03 2021
5
-It is literally Van Halen by Van Halen
-"Runnin' with the Devil," "Eruption," "You Really Got Me," "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," "Jamie's Cryin'," "Atomic Punk," and "Ice Cream Man" are all bangers
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Tue Aug 03 2021
5
Like KISS, but fun-filled, more raw, and with less schmutz. Everything is done right here.
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Thu Aug 05 2021
5
Classic rock is classic. But Eddie is fucking in heaven!
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Thu Aug 26 2021
5
August 25, 2021
This album just does not stop. So good.
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Thu Sep 09 2021
5
Estuve cerca cerca cerca de ponerle nada más 4 estrellas a este disco, pero no veo la razón.
Creo que es un parteaguas en la historia del Rock. No es que Eddie Van Halen sea el primer guitarrista en hacer solos, ni el más rápido o el más estridente, pero sin duda a partir de que él empezó a tocar así en 1978 se sentó el precedente de lo que la guitarra líder sería en el Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Glam, etc. usando técnicas como los armónicos, el tapping y encadenado de efectos que más de 40 años después siguen siendo sinónimo de Rock.
Pienso también que el disco tiene un gran balance de estilos entre las distintas canciones: desde un cover a los Kinks y el de Ice Cream Man hasta el momento solista de Eruption, todo empaquetado en 35 minutos que se van como agua.
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Fri Sep 10 2021
5
Top to bottom amazing album. Underrated sleepers are "I'm the One" and "Ice Cream Man."
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Thu Sep 30 2021
5
Rock classic!
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Tue Oct 05 2021
5
Running With The Devil!!!!! This album is a masterpiece of hair and guitar shredding. Atomic Punk I think is the sleeper hit on this album. deep, moody, shreddy and paints a clear story.
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Tue Oct 05 2021
5
Way more complex than the straight up shred fest I was expecting. Still plenty of shred obviously but also some deeper cuts like little dreamer, what a voice (and love the bell smash). The doo wop harmonies into shred in I'm the one is hilariously good as well.
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Fri Oct 08 2021
5
I feel a little strange reviewing this, as it comes off the back of listening to Led Zeppelin III and the Rolling Stones' Athermath, both of which I gave four stars. Now, the star system is not fit for purpose, and I guess for that reason I have to add a qualifier (I loathe needing to clarify what's cock-obvious). Anyway, I found this superior to the two albums I just mentioned: lean, fierce, dumb in the right way, organic, and above all rocking. But I've given 5 stars to 3 out of eight so far (this, along with The Sonics' Here Are The Sonics and Leonard Cohen's Songs from Leonard Cohen) , so am I diminishing the ratings system, or did I just have a fortunate streak? I supppose the albums in this exercise have the reputations of classics.
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Tue Oct 12 2021
5
Pretty much every track on this album is strong, no standouts that made me question their presence. Loved the energy in every performance and I feel the remaster does justice to the original by upping the quality.
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Thu Oct 14 2021
5
Loved it! of course
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Thu Oct 14 2021
5
Whenever I listen to the album I find myself thinking, are they all in a race to see who can finish the song first? Eddy and Alex always neck on neck, fast, furious and powerful, with David jumping in here and there just to let them know they are not alone, with his unforgettable high pitch. Recorded in 3 weeks mostly as a live set. 5 world hits and the most recognizable instrumental intro...... what a debut for a band.
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Wed Oct 20 2021
5
Me mama.
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Tue Nov 02 2021
5
Knew a lot of Van Halen singles, but never knew this album specifically all the way through. Helluva debut! A lot of the tunes I was less familiar with actually were favorites. The guitar and drumwork on 'I'm the one' in particular was awesome. Noticed more great bass throughout than I expected! I'm not a huge fan of all of Van Halen's stuff and where they ended up in cheesy Stadium rock, but this is huge for the development of metal, and Eddie is an INCREDIBLE guitarist. Album feels fun and definitely worthy of a 5.
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Tue Nov 02 2021
5
Fun to break this out of the closet. Used to be in heavy rotation, but I stopped listening to most VH due to radio overplay. This album really changed rock music when it was released, and I liked hearing it again. Great songs, guitars (of course) and vocals. Easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Sun Nov 14 2021
5
Classic. Just love the vibe and so many good hard rock/hair metal songs.
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Wed Nov 24 2021
5
Bang, out of the gate comes Van Halen with this cocksure and confident album that changed the sound of hard rock/heavy metal forever. Pyrotechnic, rockin', and above all fun, this album does not take itself too seriously, which is a major blessing compared to most heavy rock bands, who are generally po-faced in the extreme. Eddie's guitar style completely rewrote the book of heavy guitar playing, using the technological innovations of guitar and amplification to reinvent what technique could be. The sound of his guitar was so influential, we really didn't over it until grunge started knocking the edge off mainstream playing over a decade later. Some fo the songs are relatively weaker, especially in the back half of the album, byut a record with Runnin' with the Devil, Eruption, and Ain't Talking about Love (not to mention their cover of You really Got Me) as the first four tracks is always going to seem soft int he home straight. David Lee Roth is not the world's best singer, but his confidence, chutzpah and sense of fun leads the band in its party-hard strut. You just know you're going to have a great time with this band. A dead-set classic.
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Fri Nov 26 2021
5
Still holds up really well. Even the non-classics are super good, and of course the instruments and vocals are top notch. If there's any complaint, I get a little fatigued by DLR's doo-wop stylings but Eddie makes up for all of it and more. I mean, it has Eruption.
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Tue Nov 30 2021
5
one of my favorite bands of all time
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Wed Jan 05 2022
5
Feel Your Love Tonight sounds a lot like Social Disease from Bon Jovi. I can hear how this album inspired hair bands.
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Mon Nov 01 2021
5
Greatest debut album of all time. Can you imagine seeing this shit in small a small venue
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Fri Jan 14 2022
5
Brilliant good take on the kinks song aswell nice 👌🏻
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Sat Feb 05 2022
5
Great album. Really enjoyed listening to it
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Sun Feb 06 2022
5
Eruption.. ‘nuff said.
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Wed Feb 09 2022
5
Ok der jig ist up ich hab leider kein besonders großes musik hirn und dass van halen mitten im song anfängt zu scatten hat mich mit am meisten von allem bisher abgeholt. Das ist halt alles auf eine weise käsig die mich enorm abholt. Das kinks cover hat mich auch sehr abgeholt und ich sags wie es ist da hatte ich mehr spass mit als eminem oder cypress hill hab mich bisschen in eine ecke geratet aber so ist das halt
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Fri Feb 11 2022
5
One of the greatest albums of the era. And a game changer for guitar players.
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Fri Feb 18 2022
5
A fantastic debut by the best glam metal band of all time. I've raved about the polished opus magnum of 1984, and I'll do it again with the mind blowing bluesy experimentalism of Fair Warning, but here we have the same consistent strengths they would continue to have during the Roth era.
Roth is an energizing and dynamic vocalist, with simple unforgettable lyrics you couldn't resist singing along. Eddie Van Halen establishes himself as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, sometimes just showing off as in "Eruption." The man can shred like no other. These guitar plays are damn impressive, so lively especially combined with the excited vocals and rapid drumming that there's no way you could block them off.
Although I may prefer 1984 for its high production value and Fair Warning for best songwriting and consistency, this album has the strongest raw energy and genuine fun songwriting. First half is full of hits, but the second half could easily match them. I love the heavy metal riffs of "Atomic Punk," Roth's fun singing in "Feel Your Love Tonight," the mellow speed and angelic back vocals of "Little Dreamer," and that soft-to-hard blues transition and mind blowing Eddie solo in "Ice Cream Man." Weak tracks my ass. As my saying goes, if I love the tracks except at most one or two (in this case "On Fire") it has to be a 5.
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Tue Mar 01 2022
5
Excellent Album, one of the classics of the rock. Master piece
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Tue Mar 15 2022
5
Album Rocks !!!!! One of the Greatest !!!!!!!
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Tue Mar 29 2022
5
All you need is Eddie Van Halen on guitar
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Tue Apr 05 2022
5
Stone cold classic, wonderful combination of tunes, playing and great production.
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Tue Apr 05 2022
5
Muito bom tchê
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Thu Apr 07 2022
5
Always loved but never sat down and listened to an entire album. Wonderful and absolutely set the mood for the day.
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Sat Apr 16 2022
5
This is where is all started! VH is one of my all-time favorites!
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Sun Apr 17 2022
5
It's been a long time since I've listened to van halen, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Hair metal is all about energy, and extremely few bands could pack an album with so much nonstop energy without it getting extremely old. Eddie and David Lee Roth are insane as always, and eddies brother and whoever plays bass have done pretty solid performances too.
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Tue May 10 2022
5
Starts off with 4 absolute classics. Crazy.
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Sat Jun 04 2022
5
One of the best debut albums of all time. Absolutely legendary.
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Sun Jun 05 2022
5
Muuuuuito booom! Clássicos do Van Halen! Melhores músicas: Running with the devil, Eruption e You really got me.
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Fri Jun 10 2022
5
My pussy moistened as soon as that first bassline started, and was fully wet by the time DLR began screaming. I squirted in sync with the last ringing note of eruption and had a shaking orgasm as the innuendo in ice cream man hit home. I'm a straight guy. 5/5.
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Tue Jun 14 2022
5
Few hits and most tracks good.
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Sun Jun 26 2022
5
It's so fitting I got this on a Saturday in June. This is such a classic, windows rolled down in the summer kind of album, long a favorite. On the short list for best debut album ever to be sure. Out of the box, these guys were just perfect and so distinctive sounding. Nobody sounded like them, and for a good decade, countless bands chased that sound, unsuccessfully.
Roasting hot licks and insane, virtuosic solos from Eddie. Perfect, hard driving rhythm section in Michael and Alex. One of the most mesmerizing and enjoyable front men ever in Dave. Slammin', roaring, swaggering fun. Turn it up and ROCK.
Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love, Eruption/You Really Got Me, Jamie's Cryin', Runnin' with the Devil, Atomic Punk, On Fire, Little Dreamer, Feel Your Love Tonight, I'm the One, Ice Cream Man
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Mon Jun 27 2022
5
This album kicks ass
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Tue Jul 05 2022
5
TOPPENplatta. Felfri.
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Sun Jul 10 2022
5
Muchos megahits.
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Sun Jul 10 2022
5
Hard rock. Un virtuoso Eddie. Vinilo.
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Mon Jul 11 2022
5
The best!
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Wed Jul 13 2022
5
It’s Van Halen. You know it’s good. It’s a fun listen with fast riffs and unique solos.
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Sun Jul 17 2022
5
Amazing dominant and original. Van Halen lands its debut with an incredibly energy and seems to be the quintessential definition of hedonistic rock. One of the most important rock records of all time.
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Sun Jul 17 2022
5
Stands up there with Appetite for Destruction and Boston in terms of strength of album and quality for first releases. Eruption truly lives up to it's name. Turn it up roll the windows down when you're cruising the town in your 5.0.
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Sun Jul 17 2022
5
six stars
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Mon Jul 25 2022
5
Van Halen is a classic. The music isn’t ground breaking, and I’m sure it’s probably problematic now, but it was enjoyable to listen to.
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Tue Jul 26 2022
5
Doesn't get much better! Classic debut.
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Fri Aug 05 2022
5
Van Halen smartly strikes the perfect balance of previously unknown guitar virtuosity with a murderer's row of incessant party jams all deeply indebted to Southern Boogie.
Before EVH throws himself off the deep end into Shred City, he is always reeled in by the band's more sensible aspects, like plenty of swing rhythms, hearty riff-alongs in Eb tuning (à la KISS), and one of the most excitable frontmen in Rock's history. A truly game changing album, an album and band that would still be a total blast even if it never innovated a thing. Lucky for us, it did.
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Thu Aug 11 2022
5
7 years old, 1978 and thinking this was the devils music. Heavy Metal rock and roll. Oh, how I love the devil’s music! Lol! Running…with the devil, actually!
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Mon Mar 15 2021
5
The beginning of a legend...
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Mon Aug 15 2022
5
very good
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Thu Aug 18 2022
5
Top to bottom excellent. Songs flow very well together.
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Wed Aug 24 2022
5
David Lee Roth
You really got me !
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Fri Aug 26 2022
5
RIP to one of the greatest musicians ever
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Tue Aug 30 2022
5
Earns its stars on Eruption alone, but I have loved each and every one of these tracks for over 2/3 of my life.
Van Halen have some other good tracks, but they never again had a wholly good album. Let alone an album where every single track is a classic.
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Wed Aug 31 2022
5
First listen. I let out an audible “ugh” when I saw this one. Just not my kind of tunes. That being said, I knew every song on the album and it really is impressive for a debut. You can see why so many are such big fans.
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Wed Aug 31 2022
5
Great first album. They rock hard. I remember when this came out. Appreciate it more as an old man than when I was a teen
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Mon Sep 05 2022
5
This sounds like something that came out in the mid 80s, such a great sound! Love me some Van Halen - RIP Eddie! <3
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Thu Sep 08 2022
5
Eddie Van Halen is an absolute unit. So good.
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Thu Sep 08 2022
5
Kinda think “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” might be one of the greatest songs ever
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Fri Sep 23 2022
5
Awesome album.
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