Album of the Day

From the chanting monks of the mystical opener “The Seventh Seal,” BALANCE made it clear that Van Halen wanted to broaden its sonic palette. The foursome succeeded with an appealing balance of poppy singles (“Can't Stop Lovin' You”), bonehead party rock (“Amsterdam”), instrumental workouts (“Strung Out”) and ballads (“Not Enough”). Well produced by Bruce Fairbairn – Eddie Van Halen's guitar sounds stronger and more distinct than it has in years – the 1995 album is also a bit darker in tone. That may reflect tensions within the group; the triple-Platinum collection would prove to be the final one with Sammy Hagar at the microphone. The Expanded Edition of BALANCE features the chart-topping original with remastered audio across 2 LPs for improved sound quality, and an exclusive vinyl etching on Side D.