1986 Metal & Hard Rock Albums

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.

Queen's twelfth album, from June 1986: built around the songs they wrote for the film Highlander, it entered the British chart at No. 1.

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.

Voivod's second studio album, from 1986: still as rough as the debut, and already moving towards what came next.

Sepultura's debut, eight songs issued by Cogumelo in Brazil in 1986.

Saxon's eighth album, released in September 1986. Steve Dawson had gone, so Byford played the bass himself; Elton John plays piano on one track.

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

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

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

Dead End's debut, released by the band's own Night Gallery label in June 1986, and a remarkable seller for an independent release of its time.

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.

Seikima-II's second album, recorded at CBS/Sony's Shinanomachi studio in January and February 1986 and released on 2 April that year; their first self-produced record.

Candlemass's debut, recorded at Thunderload Studios in Stockholm in February 1986 and released by Black Dragon Records on 10 June that year.

Saint Vitus's third album and the first with Scott "Wino" Weinrich singing, recorded at Total Access in Redondo Beach, California in 1986.

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.

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

The second album, out on 1 November 1986. It was made at Musiclab in Berlin with Harris Johns, the first professional producer the band worked with, and it is named as a starting point by death metal and black metal musicians alike.

Released by GWR in July 1986 and a UK No. 21, Orgasmatron is the first studio album by the four-piece with Phil Campbell, Würzel and Pete Gill.

Tightrope is Anthem's second studio album, released on 21 April 1986. It was the first record they made with a foreign producer and it followed the debut by only nine months.

Shadows of War is the sixth Loudness album, released first in Japan on 24 March 1986. The same material appeared internationally that July as Lightning Strikes, in a different running order and with one song exchanged.

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

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

The third album, released in 1986.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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