1978 Metal & Hard Rock Albums

Obsession, recorded in Los Angeles and released by Chrysalis in June 1978, was Michael Schenker's last UFO studio album until his 1993 return.

Queen's seventh album, released in November 1978: their first made outside Britain, with Roy Thomas Baker back as co-producer, across 13 songs.

Powerage captures AC/DC at its most direct and concentrated. Angus and Malcolm Young do not need elaborate ornament to create momentum; the riffs are short…

Never Say Die! finds BLACK SABBATH stepping beyond their usual world of monolithic riffs and oppressive weight.

Don’t Look Back presents the immense guitar sound and crystalline vocal harmonies that BOSTON established on its debut in a shorter, more tightly focused form.

Double Vision sharpens FOREIGNER’s identity as an arena-scale hard-rock band by joining durable riffs, Lou Gramm’s powerful voice and meticulously shaped…

Dog & Butterfly sets a harder first half against a more lyrical second side, carefully drawing out Heart’s two contrasting strengths.

Infinity captures Journey at the moment Steve Perry’s clear, powerful voice redirected the band toward larger melodies.

Released in the United Kingdom as Killing Machine and known in the United States as Hell Bent for Leather, this 1978 JUDAS PRIEST album preserves the sharp…

Stained Class brings together JUDAS PRIEST’s twin guitars, cutting rhythms and Rob Halford’s extraordinary range in a concentrated statement of heavy metal’s…

Ace Frehley works as part of Kiss’s 1978 solo-album project, stepping away from the full band’s spectacle to foreground an individual personality.

Gene Simmons works as part of Kiss’s 1978 solo-album project, stepping away from the full band’s spectacle to foreground an individual personality.

Paul Stanley works as part of Kiss’s 1978 solo-album project, stepping away from the full band’s spectacle to foreground an individual personality.

Peter Criss works as part of Kiss’s 1978 solo-album project, stepping away from the full band’s spectacle to foreground an individual personality.

Long Live Rock ’N’ Roll brings Ritchie Blackmore’s incisive guitar playing and Ronnie James Dio’s dramatic vocal storytelling together at a particularly high…

Hemispheres is a 1978 RUSH album that ventures deeply into progressive rock without losing the memorable riffs and forward motion that keep its large-scale…

Toto’s debut brings together the technical command of veteran session players and the immediate pull of pop songwriting.

Van Halen is a debut from 1978 that already presents the group with near-finished force.

Trouble by WHITESNAKE: track list, album artwork and English liner notes on METAL BOOST.

Struck Down captures the band, still billed as Yesterday & Today, pushing a direct hard-rock attack.