Well October is almost over and that means Halloween is here! A time for slutty costumes, binge drinking, and parental shame! Oh yeah, and scary stuff I guess… So what better time is there to catch up on the scariest genre of all? Metal!!! These albums are the REAL DEAL metal masterpieces of the eighties, so if you’re hoping to see some Poison or Bon-Jovi, i’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong place (and you need your ears checked). These albums will rock your faces right into thanksgiving, give ‘em a try, you might just find a new favorite genre!
#10. Napalm Death- Scum (1987)
Ok I didn’t intend for the first entry of our list to have such a, well… “Heavy” name, but hear me out: Scum is one of the finest, fastest, and funest “Grind-core” records you’ll hear ever, let alone in the eighties. The 28 tracks on this album speed past you like bullets, few lasting more than a minute, let alone 2. (It actually holds a Guinness record for the worlds shortest track, “You Suffer”, clocking in at a blistering 1.3 seconds long). The hyper-speed drums, frenetic but focused guitars, and downright guttural vocals all merge to create one of the most truly “extreme” albums ever set to wax.
Favorite Tracks: “You Suffer”, “Caught in a Dream”, “Pseudo Youth”
#9. Venom- Black Metal (1982)
It’s rare for a song and its accompanying album to name and set the blueprint for an entire genre, but with Black Metal, thats exactly what Venom did. In 1982 the speedy riffs and spooky lyrics, while campy by todays standards, were like nothing anyone had heard before and inspired countless Black and Thrash metal artists worldwide (Most notably being a major influence on Norway's Black Metal scene). Black Metal truly was the first of its kind, and well worth a listen to really hear the roots of modern metal. The tunes on here are all metal classics in their own right, but the title track’s influence and quality still hold up to this day (check out the stellar cover by electronic eccentric The Soft Pink Truth).
Favorite Tracks: “Black Metal”, “Raise the Dead”, “Heavens on Fire”
#8. Judas Priest- British Steel (1980)
Today we all know Judas Priest frontman, metal legend, and S&M aficionado Rob Halford is gay (and an all around badass), but in 1980, the dawn of the “New Wave Of British Metal”, those spikes and tight leather looked about as “Masculine” and "Tough" as you could get! Arguably the definitive Judas Priest album, it also stands as a pillar of the British metal style. The heavy, yet relatively commercial rock sound, the heavy pounding drums (ala’ new addition Dave Holland), and of course Halford’s powerhouse air-raid siren vocal range, make this one of the undisputed classics of the era, metal album or otherwise.
Favorite Tracks: “Breaking the Law”, “Living After Midnight”, “Metal Gods”
#7. Godflesh- Streetcleaner (1989)
Released in November of 1989, Streetcleaner almost couldn’t make our list, but thank god it did because this Birmingham Metal outfit’s debut is one of the most celebrated underground metal albums of all time. The pummeling industrial drum-machine provides the primary sonic assault while the heavy guitar riffage crush the listener with pinpoint precision. Equally inspired by Hip/hop and electronic music, the rhythm and tone of the drum beats and guitar feedback create a wall of noise unparalleled in most metal albums. While Godflesh went on to experiment with their sound on subsequent releases, this claustrophobic and bludgeoning masterpiece remains unequalled.
Favorite Tracks: “Tiny Tears”, “Christbait Rising”, “Streetcleaner”
#6. Megadeath- Peace Sells…Who’s Buying? (1986)
Finally some good, old fashioned, thrash metal! Along with rivals Metallica, and metal heavyweights Slayer and Anthrax, Megadeath is one of the “Big Four” of Thrash Metal, and this album is one of the major reasons why. After his firing from Metallica in 1983, Megadeath main-brain Dave Mustaine was understandably pissed. This anger comes through on every one of these eight classic thrash anthems. Mustaine’s biting wit and punkish political awareness were a breath of fresh air to the typical dark metal worldview. As were the albums steady fluidity, and hard rock accessibility. While it may not be the Metallica-Killer Mustaine hoped for, it still remains a landmark of the genre: A truly spectacular failure.
Favorite Tracks: “Peace Sells…Who’s Buying?”, “Wake Up Dead”, “Bad Omen”
#5.Motörhead- Ace of Spades (1980)
It could have been sheer luck that the very year Motörhead released their first genuinely great record, 1980’s Ace Of Spades, British Heavy Metal was reaching new heights of critical and commercial appeal; giving this album huge boost in popularity and record sales. Or, far more likely, it was the multitude of killer riffs, hard hitting rhythms, and stellar tunes that made this album shine so brightly. Motörhead’s new found focus came from legendary rock producer Vic Maile, who took on the sole production duties (the first record Motörhead themselves didn’t have a hand in mixing). The result was, as guitarist Eddie Clark states: "you can finally hear everything that's going on”. This clarity means you can really hear the speed and raw energy the band brought to Heavy Metal. “Ace of Spades”, went on to become the group’s anthem (2 minutes and 49 seconds of raw dirty awesomeness), but every track here brings the same amount of quality and sheer-intensity that makes this record an undisputed metal classic.
Favorite Tracks: “Ace of Spades”, “Jailbait”, “Bite the Bullet”, “The Hammer”
#4. Iron Maiden- The Number of the Beast (1982)
Arguably the apex of the British Heavy Metal scene of the early eighties, this record heralded the birth of Iron Maiden as everyone knows them today. Although it was their third record, it was the first Maiden record to feature legendary frontman Bruce Dickinson’s operatic wail (also the last record to feature drummer Clive Burr). Dickinson’s instantly recognizable powerhouse vocals were a huge departure from previous frontman Paul Di’Anno’s bitter rasp, and helped launch these songs to truly anthemic status. “Run to the Hills” and “Number of the Beast” are the classics, but the rest of the album rocks as well, taking the blueprint Judas Priest started a few years prior, (Twin guitar interplay, banshee-like power vocals, hard hitting tempos) and cranked up the speed and power to 11. The satanic imagery and lyrical content landed the band in hot water for some, but those who listened beyond the shock found one of the most essential Heavy Metal albums ever recorded, in the eighties or otherwise.
Favorite Tracks: “Run to the Hills”, “Children of the Damned”, “Run to the Hills”
#3. Slayer- Reign in Blood (1986)
This could be the most “Metal” album ever recorded. One track, (the opening song on the record no less) contains the lyric : “Auschwitz, the meaning of pain, the way I want you to die”, and thats just the first line! (The band and the song don’t condone nazi sympathy, it’s more of just a morbid fascination) I mean jesus just look at this album! Do I even need to explain it’s inclusion on this list? Producer Rick Rubin’s cleaner, and tighter production, along with faster more immediate tunes helped to evolve the band’s sound; resulting in an album both critics and fans could enjoy. You can hear every blistering guitar lead, every pummeling drumbeat, every last hard-hitting note, and the results are mesmerizing. Reign in blood, alongside other 80’s metal classics, helped define and popularize “Thrash Metal” and it remains one of the finest records the genre has ever produced.
Favorite Tracks: “Angel of Death”, “Raining Blood”, “Jesus Saves”
#2. Death- Scream Bloody Gore (1987)
Catchy title huh? Death’s debut full length record is arguably the first real death metal record. After a listen to this, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest sound practically tame! Although Death truly perfected their sound with 1995’s Symbolic, this record created the basis for their (and all subsequent death metal band’s) distinct and heavy sound. The guitars are tuned down and distorted to create a dark blast of tremolo picked power, accompanied by thumping double bass drums, guttural growls and screams, and abrupt key and tempo changes, this album set the blueprint for death metal development in the 90’s. Warning: A turning point in extreme metal, this album is not for the feint of heart. But, if can stomach it, it can reward tenfold.
Favorite Tracks: “Infernal Death”, “Baptized in Blood”, “Zombie Ritual”
#1. Metallica- Master of Puppets (1986)
I don’t think i’m being even slightly controversial placing Metallica’s thrash opus as number one on this list. Master of Puppets is not only Metallica’s greatest achievement (Sorry Black Album Fans), but one of the single greatest metal albums ever recorded. This record is simply the sound of a band at the peak of their powers. It was the first thrash-metal album to be certified Platinum, a testament to the overwhelming quality every one of these songs still have. The playing is impeccable, and the thick, muscular, arrangements refine the band’s heavy sound without reinventing the wheel. Lyrically the album is a bit of a departure from typical metal cliches, with vocalist James Hettfield dealing with his own internal fear and powerlessness, something thousands of alienated youth could undoubtedly relate to. The critical, and commercial peak of “Thrash Metal” this record is an absolutely essential listen for anyone even slightly interested in metal music.
Favorite Tracks:“Welcome Home (Sanitarium),“Master of Puppets”, “Disposable Heroes”
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