United States Metal & Hard Rock Albums of the 1980s - Page 3

QR III retains Quiet Riot’s direct metal core while bringing in more keyboards and melody.

Dancing Undercover keeps Ratt’s hooks intact while pressing forward with harder riffs and tighter tempos.

Wants You! builds around Paul Shortino’s thick, powerful voice, pairing hard-rock weight with melody.

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.

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.

Mechanical Resonance is a debut that trusts riff texture and the feel of a real band more than excessive decoration.

Fahrenheit keeps Toto’s precise musicianship while placing Joseph Williams’s bright, soaring voice at the center.

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.

Done with Mirrors brings Aerosmith back toward guitar-led rock and roll after the return of Joe Perry and Brad Whitford.

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

Without Love refines Black ’N Blue’s sharp guitar riffs and catchy choruses into a smoother 1980s sound.

7800° Fahrenheit keeps the debut’s momentum while putting harder guitar and higher-energy choruses further forward.

David Lee Roth's first solo record, a four-song EP of covers released on 28 January 1985 while he was still Van Halen's singer.

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.

Heart’s self-titled album connects Ann and Nancy Wilson’s expressive strengths to a more open pop-rock design.

Asylum gathers bright 1980s keyboard color, firm guitars and easy-to-sing choruses into a focused KISS record.

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

Theatre of Pain keeps some of Mötley Crüe’s early aggression while moving further into glam-metal color and larger melody.

7 Wishes uses twin guitars, keyboards and multiple voices to build carefully crafted melodic rock.

Overkill's debut album, recorded at Pyramid in Ithaca, New York and released by Megaforce Records in 1985. It is one of the starting points of East Coast thrash.

I Am the Night is a useful way to hear PANTERA from a different angle within the 1985 catalogue.

Possessed's debut, recorded at Prairie Sun Studios in Cotati, California between 30 March and 5 April 1985 with Randy Burns producing.

Invasion of Your Privacy keeps the previous album’s momentum while tightening the placement of riffs, choruses and guitar solos.

Rough Cutt is a debut built around Paul Shortino’s soulful, powerful voice and twin guitars stacking heavy riffs.

A side project built around two members of Anthrax with Billy Milano and Dan Lilker, cut in four days at Pyramid Sound in Ithaca, New York in July 1985.

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.

Hell Awaits keeps Slayer’s speed while moving toward more complex, uneasy song structures.

The second album, released in 1985.

Trouble's second album, out in 1985 and pushed further towards slowness and weight than the debut. It is still named among the classics of doom metal.

Come Out and Play places brighter choruses and theatrical humor over Twisted Sister’s rough metal frame.

The Last Command keeps W.A.S.P.’s provocative momentum while bringing larger melody and drama into the songs.

Fight to Survive joins White Lion’s accessible melodic-hard-rock side to Vito Bratta’s distinctive guitar voice.

Down for the Count keeps Y&T’s blues-rooted hard-rock feel while bringing in brighter melodies and keyboard color.

Fistful of Metal is Anthrax’s raw debut, linking the steel of the NWOBHM with hardcore-bred speed.

Black ’n Blue is a debut that gathers clear riffs, layered choruses and youthful momentum.

Bon Jovi is a debut built from the momentum of a young New Jersey band, joining direct hard rock to memorable melody.

Dio's second album, recorded at Caribou Ranch in Colorado and released on 2 July 1984, was the band's first record certified platinum in the US.

Tooth and Nail brings Dokken’s catchy vocal melodies and virtuosic guitar into a single, natural hard-rock statement.

Night on Bröcken is Fates Warning’s debut, built on traditional metal after Iron Maiden but already adding darker storytelling and a more complex atmosphere.

Agent Provocateur balances hard rock and large-scale balladry around Mick Jones’s careful songwriting and Lou Gramm’s powerful voice.

Great White's debut album, produced by Michael Wagener and released by EMI America in February 1984, peaked at number 144 on the Billboard 200.

Animalize pushes Kiss’s unmasked-era hard rock through faster, more aggressive guitar and larger choruses.

Metal Church is a debut that joins the weight of traditional metal to the aggression of thrash.

Ride the Lightning takes the raw speed of Metallica’s debut as a starting point and rapidly expands its structure, melody and emotional range.

Projects in the Jungle is a useful way to hear PANTERA from a different angle within the 1984 catalogue.

The Warning is Queensrÿche’s debut, adding complex arrangement and a fantasy-lit atmosphere to the force of traditional heavy metal.

Condition Critical puts Quiet Riot’s thick riffs, bouncing beat and Kevin DuBrow’s full-throated voice directly in front.

Out of the Cellar crystallizes the glamour of Los Angeles through heavy, curling riffs and Stephen Pearcy’s distinctive vocal sneer.