United States Metal & Hard Rock Albums of the 1980s - Page 2

Open Up and Say... Ahh! gathers Poison’s bright hooks, light-footed riffs and live-ready rhythm into an immediate statement.

Operation: Mindcrime binds social anger, personal doubt and a dramatic narrative to Queensrÿche’s hard-edged riffs and refined melody.

QR brings a new voice to Quiet Riot and steps slightly away from the band’s expected image.

Reach for the Sky builds on Ratt’s twin-guitar identity, placing Robbin Crosby and Warren DeMartini inside thick riffs and smooth groove.

Thundersteel is Riot’s high-speed restart, driven by cutting riffs, urgent drumming and Tony Moore’s soaring voice.

South of Heaven refuses to simply repeat the violent speed of Slayer’s previous record.

Soundgarden's debut album, out on 31 October 1988: their only record for SST, later nominated for the Grammy for Best Metal Performance.

The fourth album, released in 1988.

The New Order connects Testament’s cutting riffs, Chuck Billy’s forceful voice and Alex Skolnick’s fluent lead guitar.

The Seventh One unites Toto’s precise rhythm work, layered keyboards and open-hearted vocals without allowing studio polish to turn cold.

OU812 expands Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar-era momentum through Eddie Van Halen’s inventive guitar and keyboards and Hagar’s open, powerful voice.

Vio-lence's debut, recorded between February and April 1988 at Music Grinder in Los Angeles and Alpha & Omega in San Francisco, and released by MCA's Mechanic sublabel.

Vixen by VIXEN: track list, Spotify player and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Winger’s debut connects big choruses, precise rhythm and Reb Beach’s guitar into an immediate introduction.

Permanent Vacation reconnects Aerosmith’s blues-rooted instincts with the radio and MTV scale of the late 1980s.

Among the Living locks sharp riffs, rolling rhythm and Joey Belladonna’s clear high voice into a single, highly physical sound.

Death's debut, recorded at The Music Grinder in Los Angeles in November 1986 with Randy Burns producing, and released by Combat Records on 25 May 1987.

The Ultra-Violence is a debut built on speed and raw force, yet it refuses to travel in a straight line.

Dio's fourth studio album, released in July 1987, was the first with guitarist Craig Goldy and reached number eight in the UK and 43 in the US.

Back for the Attack lets Don Dokken’s expansive vocals and George Lynch’s cutting guitar playing sharpen one another.

Pleasures of the Flesh keeps Exodus at thrash speed while making its riff combinations and song structures more intricate.

Inside Information centers Lou Gramm’s powerful voice inside Mick Jones’s carefully assembled guitars and keyboards.

Great White's third album, released by Capitol in June 1987, went platinum behind the seven-minute "Rock Me", the band's first Hot 100 hit.

Appetite for Destruction captures Guns N’ Roses at the meeting point of raw playing and unusually strong melodic instinct.

Bad Animals surrounds Ann Wilson’s deep, powerful voice with thick guitar and expansive keyboards.

The second album, which reached number 29 in the United States - a rare feat for an all-instrumental guitar record.

Crazy Nights keeps KISS’s thick guitar foundation but brings keyboards and huge choruses to the front.

Girls, Girls, Girls steps back from the pop shine of its predecessor and moves toward dirtier riffs and bluesy groove.

Big Life balances Night Ranger’s multiple vocal voices, twin guitars and bright keyboard color with care.

Overkill's second album, recorded at Pyramid Sound Studios in Ithaca, New York from September to December 1986 and produced by the band with Alex Perialas.

I Never Said Goodbye joins Sammy Hagar’s open, high voice to a stripped-down hard-rock frame.

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.

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.

Pride joins White Lion’s hard-rock power to a refined, song-centered melodic sense.

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

Bad Brains' third album, recorded at Long View Farm with Ron Saint Germain producing, and released by SST Records in 1986.

Nasty Nasty pulls Black ’N Blue slightly away from polish and puts thick guitars and a rougher rock-and-roll feel in front.

Slippery When Wet by BON JOVI: track list, Spotify player, music videos and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Third Stage opens Tom Scholz’s painstaking sonic construction through Brad Delp’s clear, expressive voice.

Night Songs by CINDERELLA: track list, Spotify player, music videos and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Dark Angel's second album, recorded from April 1986 at Music Grinder and Mad Dog studios in Los Angeles with Randy Burns producing. It is Gene Hoglan's first Dark Angel record.

David Lee Roth's first full-length solo album, released on 7 July 1986 with Steve Vai, Billy Sheehan and Gregg Bissonette: a No. 4 hit.

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

Great White's second album, first issued on the band's own Telegraph label in 1986 and reissued by Capitol, reached number 82 on the Billboard 200.

The debut album, released on 18 December 1986. Its title track uses what Satriani calls pitch axis theory.

Raised on Radio centers Steve Perry’s voice, which carries both softness and strength, as Journey moves toward a more polished pop-rock form.

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.

Ministry's second album, out on 12 March 1986, the record their own biography calls the turn to industrial music.

Nuclear Assault's debut, recorded at Pyramid Studio in Ithaca, New York in May 1986 and released by Combat Records.

Look What the Cat Dragged In puts Poison’s lively playing and immediately singable choruses at the front.

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