Heavy Metal 1980s Albums - Page 2

Rock 'n' Roll was released by GWR in 1987. An official video was made for "Eat the Rich", and the Japanese pressing followed on 21 November as VDP-1288.

The debut EP, issued in 1987 on the band's own Pile Driver Records. Its cover earned it the nickname Peke Rage.

The second album, recorded at Bearsville Studios in New York with three producers split by the character of each song.

Execution Guaranteed builds on fast picking and tense rhythm while taking Rage into broader song structures.

The last Raven record for Atlantic, and the last with Rob "Wacko" Hunter on drums. Twelve tracks.

Savatage's fourth album, released in 1987: the first of eight with producer Paul O'Neill, and their best Billboard 200 placing at number 116.

SINNER's last album for Noise. Andy Susemihl joined to record it, and Mathias "Don" Dieth left afterwards to become a founding member of U.D.O.

The Legacy is rooted in Bay Area thrash speed and attack, but it also carries detailed guitar interplay and memorable melodic shape.

Love Is for Suckers adds more polished melody and glam-rock brightness to Twisted Sister’s established rebellious metal identity.

The last studio album of the band's first run, issued by Zebra Records in 1987 as ZEB 10. Founder Robb Weir had already left, and the band stopped after it.

Animal House builds around Udo Dirkschneider’s sharp, unmistakable voice with hard riffs and straight-ahead beats.

Contagious keeps Y&T’s direct hard-rock feel while polishing its choruses and production toward a broader radio sound.

Russian Roulette directs Accept’s sharpened, compact riff craft toward a heavier and more uneasy mood.

Tightrope is Anthem's second studio album, released on 21 April 1986. It was the first record they made with a foreign producer and it followed the debut by only nine months.

Seventh Star keeps Tony Iommi’s heavy guitar at its core while Glenn Hughes’s soulful, soaring voice gives the music a new outline.

Candlemass's debut, recorded at Thunderload Studios in Stockholm in February 1986 and released by Black Dragon Records on 10 June that year.

Dead End's debut, released by the band's own Night Gallery label in June 1986, and a remarkable seller for an independent release of its time.

Awaken the Guardian layers complex song forms and a fantastical atmosphere onto the force of traditional heavy metal.

Somewhere in Time keeps Iron Maiden’s fast riffs and narrative drive while adding new color through synthesized guitar texture.

Turbo keeps Judas Priest’s twin-guitar sharpness while bringing in brighter guitar-synth texture and larger hooks.

Shadows of War is the sixth Loudness album, released first in Japan on 24 March 1986. The same material appeared internationally that July as Lightning Strikes, in a different running order and with one song exchanged.

Peace Sells... but Who’s Buying? sets Dave Mustaine’s twisted riff sense against Chris Poland’s fluid guitar work.

The Dark places Metal Church’s thick riffs and rough vocal attack at the center, bringing heavy themes and tension to the front.

Master of Puppets keeps Metallica’s speed and weight while building long forms, contrasting sections and dense sequences of riffs with remarkable control.

Released by GWR in July 1986 and a UK No. 21, Orgasmatron is the first studio album by the four-piece with Phil Campbell, Würzel and Pete Gill.

The Ultimate Sin joins Jake E. Lee’s cutting guitar work to Ozzy Osbourne’s uneasy, melancholy vocal character inside a wide 1980s production.

Rage for Order moves Queensrÿche beyond conventional heavy metal toward a more abstract, futuristic sound.

Reign of Fear builds on speed-metal momentum and puts cutting guitars alongside Peavy Wagner’s rough vocal attack.

The second Atlantic album, cut at Bearsville with Eddie Kramer producing — and the Raven record John Gallagher is hardest on.

Saint Vitus's third album and the first with Scott "Wino" Weinrich singing, recorded at Total Access in Redondo Beach, California in 1986.

Savatage's third album, released in April 1986: the first with bassist Johnny Lee Middleton, recorded in London, and number 158 on the Billboard 200.

Saxon's eighth album, released in September 1986. Steve Dawson had gone, so Byford played the bass himself; Elton John plays piano on one track.

Seikima-II's second album, recorded at CBS/Sony's Shinanomachi studio in January and February 1986 and released on 2 April that year; their first self-produced record.

Produced by Chris Tsangarides. Around this record SINNER played an extensive German tour as special guests of Magnum.

Reign in Blood strips away excess and concentrates fast riffs, abrupt turns and Dave Lombardo’s violent drumming into a single point of force.

The third album, released in 1986.

5150 introduces Sammy Hagar’s powerful, open-throated voice and gives Van Halen a new sense of lift.

Inside the Electric Circus connects W.A.S.P.’s raw heavy-metal force and dangerous-showmanship image to large, direct choruses.

Trilogy places Yngwie Malmsteen’s fluid speed playing inside dramatic song movement rather than treating it as mere display.

Metal Heart preserves Accept’s hard, compact riff power while adding larger melody and more detailed arrangement.

Anthem is the band's debut album, released on 21 July 1985 on King Records' Nexus label under the slogan Power Metal Martial Law. It holds "Wild Anthem", "Warning Action!" and "Steeler".

Ready To Ride is an Anthem mini-album released on 18 December 1985: two new songs plus three tracks from the debut re-sung in English, issued as a twelve-inch record.

Spreading the Disease keeps thrash-riff aggression but puts Joey Belladonna’s high, clear voice and larger melody in front.

Dio's third album, released on 12 August 1985, was Vivian Campbell's last with the band and reached number 29 in the US and number 4 in the UK.

Under Lock and Key brings technical guitar and singable chorus writing together at a high level.

Bonded by Blood is Exodus’s debut collision of punk-like momentum and hard heavy-metal riffing.

The Spectre Within layers more complex movement and a fantastical atmosphere onto Fates Warning’s traditional-heavy-metal weight.

Iron Maiden's first live album, drawn from the World Slavery Tour of 1984 and 1985 and released by EMI as a double LP on 14 October 1985.

Thunder in the East, released on 21 January 1985, was the first Loudness album issued worldwide. It reached No. 74 on the Billboard 200 — unprecedented for a Japanese band — and stayed on the chart for nineteen weeks, with a US tour supporting Mötley Crüe.

Killing Is My Business... captures Megadeth’s raw early drive around Dave Mustaine’s sharp, twisted riff sense.

The Atlantic debut, made after the move to New York, and home to the MTV single "On And On".

Savatage's second album and their major-label debut on Atlantic, released in April 1985 and produced by Max Norman, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne.