The Tea Party is, in my opinion, one of the few really great hard rock bands to come out in the last twenty years. Hailing from Canada (just like my heroes, Rush), The Tea Party mixed hard rock, prog, blues, and threw in a heavy Eastern influence into their music as well.

"Temptation", the opening track off their 1997 album Transmission, is a particular favorite, drawing you in with it's intro on the tar (Middle Eastern version of the lute) before the hard rock side comes crashing in.