Saraya

With the exception of Ann Wilson from Heart, Sandi Saraya is the best female singer in Rock. This was the first time I heard a woman doing a metal album and didn't think, "you know, this would be better with a guy singing." And it's not just "Well, she's not bad for a female." She's just plain good. She has a slightly scratchy voice and her range and power are just fantastic. The production is clean and tight and the songs are great. Most memorable were the rocking Fire to Burn and the ballad St. Christopher's Medal, but all of the midtempo songs in the middle hold their own too. Out of print and hard to find, but if you see it grab it. --Scott