Show No Mercy is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released on December 3, 1983, by Metal Blade Records. Brian Slagel signed the band to the label after watching them perform the song "Phantom of the Opera" by Iron Maiden. The band self-financed their full-length debut, combining the savings of vocalist Tom Araya, who was employed as a respiratory therapist, and money borrowed from guitarist Kerry King's father. Touring extensively promoting the album, the band brought close friends and family members along the trip, who helped backstage with lighting and sound.
Sirens is the debut album by American heavy metal band Savatage, released in 1983. The music on this album is heavier than in later Savatage albums, where the band developed their own style of progressive metal.
Under the Blade is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Twisted Sister, released on Secret Records on September 18, 1982. It was produced by UFO/Waysted bassist Pete Way and featured an aggressive and hard-hitting sound, which was eventually ignored on a remixed re-release by Atlantic Records on July 14, 1985. The re-release also added a remixed version of the song "I'll Never Grow Up, Now!", the band's long forgotten 1979 single. The Atlantic Records release was both a try to emphasize on the commercial success of Stay Hungry and, by then the only official way to get the album as Secret Records was no more. However, bootlegs with the original mix were still in circulation. On May 31, 2016, Eagle Records re-released Under the Blade in a digital remastered form with the original mix finally restored. Under the Blade has sold over two million copies worldwide.
Anaal Nathrakh are a British extreme metal band formed in 1999 in Birmingham, England by multi-instrumentalist Mick Kenney and vocalist Dave Hunt. They are currently signed to Metal Blade Records. The band's name is Irish for snake's breath and was taken from Merlin's Charm of Making in John Boorman's 1981 film Excalibur. The band recorded two demos in 1999, which were later released as an album.
The Bell Witch is a short, promotional EP released by Danish heavy metal band Mercyful Fate to herald their reunion album. It features two tracks off In the Shadows, of which one is based on the American legend of the Bell Witch, plus four live tracks. The EP was released in 1994. It was re-released in 2004 on Metal Blade Records.
Walls of Jericho is the debut full-length studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1985 on LP by Noise Records. It is the only album featuring Kai Hansen as lead vocalist until 2021's Helloween, although he would continue to act as guitarist on the two following albums.
Abominog is the 14th studio album by British rock band Uriah Heep, released in March 1982 by Bronze Records in the United Kingdom, and in September 1982 by Mercury Records in the United States. It was their first album without keyboardist Ken Hensley. The album was critically acclaimed and fairly commercially successful, due in part to the band retooling and updating their sound to a contemporary style and delivering a "punchier, more pop metal era-appropriate effort.
Rock Until You Drop is the first full-length album by British heavy metal band Raven, released in 1981. The album was the first of many heavy metal studio albums issued by British independent label Neat Records. It reached position No. 63 in the UK Albums Chart.
Demolition is the first studio album by the British heavy metal band, Girlschool. It was released in Europe on Bronze Records in 1980.
Martin Popoff is a Canadian music journalist, critic and author. He is mainly known for writing about the genre of heavy metal music. The senior editor and co-founder of Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, he has additionally written over twenty books that both critically evaluate heavy metal and document its history. He has been called "heavy metal's most widely recognized journalist" by his publisher. Popoff lives in Toronto, Ontario.
Gospel of the Horns is a black metal band that was formed in 1993 by guitarist Shane Transvaal D and Mark Howitzer. Originating from Brisbane, Australia, the band released 2 EP's and 2 full-length albums.
Bitch is an American heavy metal band, formed in Los Angeles in December 1980. They gained notoriety as a result of their theatrical live performances inspired by Alice Cooper, which featured sadomasochistic themes. Bitch was the first artist ever signed to Metal Blade Records.
Restless Breed is the fourth album by American heavy metal band Riot, released in 1982, and their first with vocalist Rhett Forrester. "When I Was Young" is an Eric Burdon and the Animals' cover.
The Bitch Is Back is a studio album by American heavy metal band Bitch, released in 1987 on Metal Blade Records. It gets its name from the cover version of the Elton John song "The Bitch Is Back". AllMusic's Alex Henderson gave the records 4.5 stars, calling it a reminder of "how brutally fun real metal can be".
Riot Live is Riot's first full-length live album, recorded in the UK in 1980, but not issued until 1989 on CBS/Sony Music in Japan. This is the band's last output with original vocalist Guy Speranza.
Be My Slave is a 1983 album by the American heavy metal band Bitch, released on the Metal Blade Records label under the genre "dominatrix metal". Be My Slave was cited by Tipper Gore, during the Parents Music Resource Center campaign against violent and sexually explicit content in the music industry and was held as an example in the hearing before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on September 19, 1985. The album was re-issued in 1989 on a single CD with the EP Damnation Alley.
Riot Live is the first official extended play live recording by New York City heavy metal band Riot. Released in 1982, it followed on the heels of Restless Breed, the group's first studio album with vocalist Rhett Forrester. It was issued with different cover artwork in Europe.
Tokyo Blade is the debut album by English heavy metal band Tokyo Blade. It was originally released in 1983 and reissued by High Vaultage Records in a remastered edition on CD in 1997, including all the 4 tracks from the 1984 Midnight Rendezvous EP, which actually were recorded in early 1983 while the band was called Genghis Khan plus "Death On Main Street" which was originally the b-side on "Powergame" 7" and recorded at the same sessions as the album.
A Sound of Thunder is an American heavy metal band from the Washington D.C. metro area, United States. This four piece band is known for its varying styles of musical composition, powerful female vocals, and energetic live shows.
Betsy is a studio album by Betsy Weiss and members of American heavy metal band Bitch, released in 1988 on Metal Blade Records. Although the album was recorded by the same group as the previous two heavier, and S&M-themed, heavy metal albums, the band released this third album under the artist name Betsy, the name of Betsy Weiss aka "Betsy Bitch", their lead singer, and with a softer and more commercial sound which was all done in an effort and in hopes to appeal to a wider audience. After the album the band reverted to their heavier sound along with the name Bitch after this attempt at commercialism proved unsuccessful.
