Heavy Metal 1980s Albums - Page 4

Show No Mercy is Slayer’s debut of fast riffs, rough vocal attack and drums that drive without mercy.

You Can’t Stop Rock ’n’ Roll puts Twisted Sister’s sharp riffs, confrontational voice and crowd-built choruses at the front.

Making Contact, UFO's early-1983 album, was made by a four-piece without Pete Way and was followed by the band's break-up that spring.

Mean Streak is a forceful Y&T record centered on Dave Meniketti’s voice and guitar.

Restless and Wild unites Accept’s sharp guitar attack, Udo Dirkschneider’s rough voice and tense drumming.

The Number of the Beast expands Iron Maiden’s world through racing guitars, leaping bass and a vocal performance that heightens every dramatic turn.

Screaming for Vengeance shapes Judas Priest’s twin-guitar precision, Rob Halford’s high attack and muscular rhythm into more refined song structures.

Devil Soldier is the second Loudness album, issued by Nippon Columbia on 21 July 1982. No Japanese engineer at the time had the experience to record heavy metal, so the band brought in the American Daniel McClendon for the sessions.

Assault Attack centers on Michael Schenker’s cutting guitar and builds tension and melody with care from track to track.

Released by Bronze on 17 April 1982 and a UK No. 6, Iron Fist is the last studio album by the three-piece of Lemmy, Eddie Clarke and Phil Taylor; Clarke left after it.

Straight Between the Eyes centers on Ritchie Blackmore’s sharp guitar and gives Rainbow a concise, clear-lined hard-rock shape.

The second album, recorded and mixed in six days alongside the Crash Bang Wallop EP, and released in May 1982.

Restless Breed puts Riot’s thick riffs, twin-guitar interplay and forceful vocal presence at the front.

Blackout brings Scorpions’ hard riffs, cutting solos and Klaus Meine’s open, soaring voice into lean, focused songs.

The debut album, released by SL Records — the first record by the band Mat Sinner started in 1980.

Under the Blade captures the rough force Twisted Sister had sharpened through years on the club circuit.

The fourth studio album, issued by MCA Records in 1982 as MCF 3150. It is the last with John Sykes, and its eleven tracks include the cover "Love Potion No. 9".

Mechanix, released by Chrysalis in February 1982, reached number 8 in Britain, the best UK placing of any UFO studio album, before Pete Way quit.

Diver Down by VAN HALEN: track list, Spotify player, music videos and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Black Tiger gathers Y&T’s blues-tinged heavy riffs, strong vocal delivery and persistent rhythm.

Breaker unifies Accept’s sharp riffs, blunt rhythm and Udo Dirkschneider’s unmistakably rough voice.

Mob Rules sharpens Black Sabbath’s dark world around Tony Iommi’s heavy riffs and Ronnie James Dio’s dramatic voice.

Killers locks Steve Harris’s racing bass, Dave Murray and Adrian Smith’s guitars, and Paul Di’Anno’s rough vocal into a focused attack.

Point of Entry keeps Judas Priest’s metal bite while experimenting with more open, radio-ready songwriting.

The Birthday Eve is the first Loudness album, issued in Japan by Nippon Columbia on 25 November 1981. Guitarist Akira Takasaki and drummer Munetaka Higuchi formed the band after Lazy broke up, with Minoru Niihara on vocals and Masayoshi Yamashita on bass; their debut concert at the Asakusa International Theatre sold out.

MSG is carried by Michael Schenker’s sharp riffs and singing lead guitar, with Gary Barden’s open, melodic voice giving the songs their center.

Diary of a Madman surrounds Randy Rhoads’s classical-flavored phrases and cutting riffs with Ozzy Osbourne’s uneasy, deeply human voice.

Difficult to Cure puts Ritchie Blackmore’s bright guitar work and Joe Lynn Turner’s high, open voice at the center of a more melodic Rainbow.

The 1981 debut, and the first LP Neat Records ever issued — recorded a day at a time over a long stretch.

Fire Down Under places Guy Speranza’s high, urgent voice over the hard riffs of Mark Reale and Rick Ventura.

Saxon's fourth album, released on 25 September 1981 and reaching number nine in Britain. It went gold across Europe and is the last record by the founding line-up.

The third studio album, released by MCA Records on 3 November 1981 as MCF 3123 — barely seven months after Spellbound.

The second studio album, released by MCA Records on 10 April 1981 as MCF 3104. It is the first with the new line-up: John Sykes on guitar and Jon Deverill on vocals.

The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent, a self-produced UFO album released on 16 January 1981, brought in Neil Carter in place of Paul Raymond.

Fair Warning keeps Van Halen’s sense of flash and fun but steps into darker, tighter guitar territory.

Earthshaker joins Y&T’s thick guitar riffs, straightforward rhythm section and Dave Meniketti’s emotional vocal delivery with real force.

I'm a Rebel finds Accept exploring a more melodic, varied direction before its later hard-edged style fully came into focus.

Heaven and Hell opens a new Black Sabbath chapter with Ronnie James Dio, giving the band’s heavy riff world a wider vocal horizon.

Iron Maiden brings punk-bred urgency and heavy-metal structure together around Steve Harris’s leaping bass.

British Steel strips Judas Priest down to the direct collision of riff, beat and Rob Halford’s cutting voice.

The Michael Schenker Group is a debut built around Michael Schenker’s fluid, emotional guitar playing and a strong hard-rock frame.

Motörhead's best-known album, released by Bronze in 1980. It entered the UK chart at No. 4 and the title single reached No. 15; the fortieth-anniversary edition gave all twelve songs official videos.

Blizzard of Ozz opens Ozzy Osbourne’s solo era with Randy Rhoads’s innovative, classically colored guitar at its center.

Saxon's third album, released in 1980 and reaching number eleven in Britain. It arrived only six or seven months after Wheels of Steel.

Saxon's second album, released on 3 April 1980. It reached number five in Britain, still their highest placing, and remains one of the records the new wave of British heavy metal is named by.

Animal Magnetism places Scorpions’ thick riffs and Klaus Meine’s soaring voice inside a darker, more persistent groove.

The debut album, released by MCA Records in 1980. It was made by the four-piece of Jess Cox (vocals), Robb Weir (guitar), Richard "Rocky" Laws (bass) and Brian "Big" Dick (drums). It is on no streaming service, so this page leads with the sleeve.

No Place to Run, UFO's January 1980 album and the first with guitarist Paul Chapman, was produced by George Martin and reached number 11 in Britain.

Women and Children First finds Van Halen relying entirely on its own songs and pushing through with force and personality.