1986 Metal & Hard Rock Albums

Browse 33 metal and hard rock albums released in 1986, with detailed artist pages, track lists, Spotify players and English liner notes.

1986 Albums

ARTISTRAVEN
/ NWOBHM, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal

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

ARTISTSINNER
/ Heavy Metal, Hard Rock

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

ARTISTAC/DC
/ Hard Rock, Blues Rock

Who Made Who is a useful way to hear AC/DC from a different angle within the 1986 catalogue.

ARTISTACCEPT
/ Heavy Metal, Speed Metal

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

/ Heavy Metal, Doom Metal

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

/ Glam Metal, Hard Rock

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

ARTISTBON JOVI
/ Hard Rock, Melodic Rock

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

ARTISTBOSTON
/ Classic Rock, AOR

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

/ Glam Metal, Blues Rock

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

ARTISTEUROPE
/ Hard Rock, Melodic Rock

The Final Countdown expands Europe’s hard-rock drive through an iconic keyboard figure and melodies that seem to open into the sky.

/ Progressive Metal, Heavy Metal

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

ARTISTFM
/ AOR, Melodic Rock

Indiscreet combines FM’s smooth AOR melodic sense with the drive of hard rock at an impressively finished level.

/ Heavy Metal, NWOBHM

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

ARTISTJOURNEY
/ AOR, Melodic Rock

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

/ Heavy Metal, Speed Metal

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

/ Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal

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

ARTISTMETALLICA
/ Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal

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

/ Heavy Metal, Hard Rock

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

ARTISTPOISON
/ Glam Metal, Hard Rock

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

/ Progressive Metal, Heavy Metal

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

/ Glam Metal, Hard Rock

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

ARTISTRAGE
/ Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal

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

ARTISTRATT
/ Glam Metal, Hard Rock

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

/ Glam Metal, Hard Rock

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

ARTISTSLAYER
/ Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal

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

ARTISTTESLA
/ Hard Rock, Blues Rock

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

ARTISTTOTO
/ AOR, Classic Rock

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

ARTISTTREAT
/ Melodic Rock, Hard Rock

The Pleasure Principle builds Treat’s catchy melodies and hard guitar riffs around bright keyboard color.

ARTISTVAN HALEN
ALBUM5150 CD
/ Hard Rock, Heavy Metal

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

ARTISTW.A.S.P.
/ Heavy Metal, Glam Metal

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

/ Neoclassical Metal, Heavy Metal

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