Montrose - Montrose

Montrose — Montrose

The Birth of American Hard Rock — now on audiophile vinyl!

Part of the Acoustic Sounds 40 Series

Releasing 40 titles to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Acoustic Sounds!

Mastered by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab from the original master tape

180-gram 45 RPM double LP pressed at Quality Record Pressings

Housed in a Stoughton Printing tip-on gatefold jacket

Few debut albums hit with the seismic force of Montrose. Released in 1973, this powerhouse record didn't just introduce guitarist Ronnie Montrose and a then-unknown vocalist named Sammy Hagar — it practically rewrote the rules for American hard rock.

From the opening riff of "Rock the Nation" to the thunder of "Bad Motor Scooter" and "Space Station #5," Montrose delivers 35 minutes of pure, high-octane energy. It's lean, loud, and loaded with attitude — the album that bridged the gap between Led Zeppelin's muscle and Van Halen's flash. In fact, Eddie Van Halen himself cited Montrose as a blueprint for what would come next.

Produced by Ted Templeman (soon to helm Van Halen's own breakout), the record's sound is all killer instinct and no filler — massive guitar tones, airtight grooves, and Hagar's raw, unfiltered vocals in peak form. It's the kind of album that never left the turntables of rock fans, and it's still hailed by critics as one of the greatest debut albums in rock history.

Now, this classic gets the treatment it's always deserved. Mastered with precision from the original tape by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab, and pressed on dead-quiet, perfectly flat vinyl by Quality Record Pressings, this edition captures every ounce of the album's fire and punch — the way it was meant to be heard.

Turn it up, drop the needle, and feel the spark that lit an era. Montrose isn't just hard rock history — it's the sound of ignition.

 

LP 1 Side A

1. Rock The Nation

2. Bad Motor Scooter

LP 1 Side B

1. Space Station #5

2. I Don't Want It

LP 2 Side A

1. Good Rockin' Tonight

2. Rock Candy

LP 2 Side B

1. One Thing On My Mind

2. Make It Last

Customer Reviews (4.50 Stars) 2 person(s) rated this product.

Good but not as good as expected/hoped posted on 05/09/2026 4 Stars Montrose’s self-titled album has always been one of my favorites. Needless to say, I was very excited when I learned it was being released as a 45 LP. Based on my experiences with many other albums I’ve purchased with the 45 rpm treatment and an earlier review, my expectations were sky high. I just received it and it pains me to say that it didn’t meet my expectations. It is super quiet and clean but something seemed missing compared to my 1973 Warner-Brothers pressing. After playing the 45, I cued up the 33 WB version to ensure it wasn’t simply a flawed recollection. Unfortunately, no. The 33 sounded better - not as quiet but with better dynamics and presence. It moved me unlike the 45. This is the first case I’ve experienced where, to me, the 45 version of an album didn’t sound noticeably superior. My analog chain: Rega P10 (Aphelion 2 MC) > Rega Aura Phono-pre > Gryphon Diablo 333. WMMV.

About Time posted on 05/04/2026 5 Stars Reviewer: Will The eponymous Montrose album deserves its place in the pantheon of American heavy metal, but it always seems to get passed over. A young Sammy Hager on vocals and the incredibly talented Ronnie Montrose on guitar dive this hugely enjoyable album. Unfortunately, Ronnie Montrose never equaled his debut and the band has faded in rock history. After 4 recent re-issues of the first Bad Company album, one has to wonder why it took so long to remaster and re press this gem. I own the original “Montrose” on Warner Brothers, and maybe because 1973 was a lackluster year for the quality of vinyl, this album never had the punch it seemed capable of. Enter Analog Productions with this new 45RPM pressing and this album finally sounds like it always should have: Raw, loud and nasty. This will be a candidate for re-issue album of the year. If you like early American heavy metal, run don’t walk, to add this to your collection.

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