HURRICANE – Over The Edge + Take What You Want [Bad Reputation remastered 2-CD] (2026) *HQ*

320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ 1 /// HQ 2

Melodic Hard Rock act HURRICANE first two releases — the Take What You Want EP (1985) and the full-length album Over The Edge (1988) — are getting reissued as a 2-CD package remastered by specialized label Bad Reputation Records.
Hurricane formed in 1983, originally featuring former Foreigner lead vocalist Kelly Hansen (vocals/rhythm guitar), Robert Sarzo (guitar), Tony Cavazo (bass), and Jay Schellen (drums). Cavazo and Sarzo are the younger brothers of Quiet Riot’s Carlos Cavazo and Rudy Sarzo.
After deciding to form a band, Sarzo and Cavazo recruited singer Kelly Hansen, drummer Jay Schellen and guitarist Michael Guy. With little label interest, the band decided to release an EP themselves, ”Take What You Want”. In 1986 and 1987, they opened for Stryper on their To Hell with the Devil album tour. They also opened for Gary Moore’s 1987 US tour.
The EP and constant touring led to them getting a major label deal with Enigma Records, the same label as Stryper. In 1988, the band released their major label debut album, ”Over the Edge”. Propelled by a powerful, yet melodic heavy metal sound, the album made #92 on the US album charts and featured a cover of Alice Cooper’s “I’m Eighteen,” as well as the band’s most successful song, the Jeff Jones-penned “I’m on to You.”

“Over The Edge” is a superb collection of ’80s U.S. Melodic Hard Rock with hooks and clever twists that bring it a cut above the expected fare that the plethora of hair bands gave the audience in that era. With the same irreverent fun that made Ratt’s “Round & Round” so listenable, the songs here venture from the three to five minute range, whipped into shape with clean riffing behind a layered choruses, and Kelly Hansen’s very on-target vocals.

The title track – a re-recorded version for this album – includes here an atmospheric intro with acoustic guitars and soaring vocals. Killer tune. It isn’t curious to hear a cover of Alice Cooper’s “I’m Eighteen”, as long time Alice associate Bob Ezrin is listed as executive producer on this album. I like Hurricane’s version, bluesy, in a Kingdom Come vein.
‘Messin’ with a Hurricane” is inspired rock & roll, rising above the metal trappings with solid beats and some guitar majesty from Robert Sarzo.

‘Insane’ brings some hair metal meets Aerosmith to the table, with Hansen sounding very similar to Warrant’s Jani Lane. ‘We Are Strong’ is an anthem from the era which I always found similar to Winger (a plus in my book), while ‘Spark in My Heart’ rocks with strong vocals and a chorus in a Lion / Icon mold.
‘Shout’ i perhaps the more hard rocking song on the album, with sharp guitars and a scorching solo.
And of course, there’s the hit ‘I’m On To You’. This track was a real earworm at the time, the video was all over MTV, and the single ranked the Top-40.
Produced by Mike Clink – who a year after helped put together Guns N’ Roses Appetite For Destruction – the album was somehow ahead of its time in terms of sound, because “Over The Edge” (1988) sports that polished, glossy melodious output which all bands from the genre would adopt a year later, the glorious 1989.

The EP “Take what You Want” hits you from the start with the one-two punch of ‘Take Me In Your Arms’ and ‘The Girls are Out Tonight’. Two rockers you can’t help but bang your head to. Then we have the awesome midtempo AORish title track ‘Take What You Want’, a classic.
Next the track ‘Hurricane’ is highly melodic yet rocking as hell, the power ballad ‘It’s Only Heaven’ is strong & meaty, and the fast rocker ‘Hot and Heavy’ is the kind of a song that all of us just love to sing along to.

This is great stuff from one of those ‘close but no cigar’ type of bands. And one extremely talented.
Simply put, Hurricane was one of the greatest – and most underrated – Melodic Hard Rock bands from the ’80s.
A MUST HAVE

DISC 1 – 1988 Over The Edge [Remaster 2026]
01 – Over The Edge
02 – I’m Eighteen
03 – I’m On To You
04 – Messin’ With A Hurricane
05 – Insane
06 – We Are Strong
07 – Spark In My Heart
08 – Give Me An Inch
09 – Shout
10 – Baby Snakes
11 – La Luna
12 – Baby Snakes (Instrumental)

DISC 2 – 1985 Take What You Want [Remaster 2026]
01 – Take Me In Your Arms
02 – The Girls Are Out Tonight
03 – Take What You Want
04 – Hurricane
05 – It’s Only Heaven
06 – Hot And Heavy

Kelly Hansen – vocals, guitars
Jay Schellen – drums, percussion and vocals
Robert Sarzo – guitars and vocals
Tony Cavazo – bass guitar and vocals

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