Don't Break the Oath is the second studio album by Danish heavy metal band Mercyful Fate, released on 7 September 1984 through Roadrunner Records.
Lightning to the Nations is the debut album by British heavy metal band Diamond Head. The album was recorded in 1979 and released in 1980 through Happy Face Records, a label owned by the producer Muff Murfin of The Old Smithy studio of Worcester, due to lack of interest from major labels and the band feeling that they needed to get the ball rolling as other bands from the same era, such as Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, were already becoming big names. It was originally released in a plain white sleeve with no title or track listing, and was subsequently named after the first track on the album. Metal Blade Records re-released it on CD in 1992. In 2001, it was re-issued in its original "White Album" form by Sanctuary Records, featuring seven bonus tracks that were featured on singles and EPs from this era.
Borrowed Time is the second studio album by British heavy metal band Diamond Head. It was recorded in 1981 and released in 1982, reaching Number 24 on the UK Albums Chart.
Canterbury is the third studio album by British heavy metal band Diamond Head. It was recorded and released in 1983, reaching number 32 on the UK Albums Chart.
Angels Fall First is the debut studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, originally released by Spinefarm Records on 1 November 1997. The original 500-copy limited edition features seven tracks, two of which are not on the regular edition. This edition is highly sought after by collectors and in 2012 a copy was sold for $1137.23 on eBay. The album was released in the US by Century Media in March 2001.
Queen is the debut studio album by the British rock band Queen. Released on 13 July 1973 by EMI Records in the UK and by Elektra Records in the US, it was recorded at Trident Studios and De Lane Lea Music Centre, London, with production by Roy Thomas Baker, John Anthony and the band members themselves.
The Fundamental Elements of Southtown is the third studio album and major label debut of Christian nu metal band P.O.D., released on August 24, 1999. It went on to become the band's first platinum album, peaking at No. 51 on the Billboard 200 chart in April 2000. It was the 143rd best-selling album of 2000 in the United States. "Southtown" and "Rock the Party " became the album's singles, both of which were accompanied by music videos. The album also includes a cover of U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky".
Legs Diamond is an American rock band formed in 1975. They formed in Los Angeles, California, with original members Michael "Diamond" Gargano (bass), Jeff Poole (drums), Roger Romeo (guitar), Rick Sanford (vocals) and Michael Prince and were named for a 1920s gangster of the same name.
The Crimson Idol is the fifth studio album by heavy metal band W.A.S.P., released in June 1992 through Capitol Records, their last album for the label. It was the first album by W.A.S.P. since the band's temporary breakup in 1990; this was because vocalist and rhythm guitarist Blackie Lawless had intended to release The Crimson Idol as a solo album, until he decided to release it as a W.A.S.P. album. The album charted within the top 40 in five countries. The Crimson Idol is a rock opera, telling the story of the rise and fall of a fictional rock star named Jonathan Steel.
Rage for Order is the second studio album by the American progressive metal band Queensrÿche, released on June 27, 1986. The album was re-released on May 6, 2003 with four bonus tracks.
Together We're Heavy is the second release from Dallas symphonic rock group The Polyphonic Spree. Produced by Eric Drew Feldman and released in Japan on June 30, 2004, Europe on July 12 and North America on July 13. It includes the hit singles "Hold Me Now" and "Two Thousand Places". The album was released by Hollywood Records, and represents the band's first "true" album.
Spell of Iron is the debut album by Finnish metal band Tarot, released in 1986 by Flamingo Music. It was released on CD in 1994 by Bluelight Records, and a remastered version was released in 2006 by Spinefarm Records.
Metal Rendez-vous is the fourth studio album by the Swiss hard rock band Krokus, released in June 1980. It is the first Krokus release to feature vocalist Marc Storace; Chris von Rohr had formerly served as the band's lead vocalist but appears on Metal Rendez-vous as the band's bassist. The track "Heatstrokes" charted number one in the British Heavy Metal Charts, and arguably opened up markets for Krokus in Britain and the United States, along with "Bedside Radio" and "Tokyo Nights". Strangely, the song "Tokyo Nights" features a reggae beat halfway through. The album sold more than 150,000 copies in Switzerland and was certified Triple Platinum.
Great White is the first full-length album by the American rock band Great White. Three tracks are taken from the band's previous EP, albeit in re-recorded versions. The musical style of this album is very different from the following highly successful releases of Great White, as they display here a more hard-driving metal sound as opposed to their later, blues-infused rock sound. EMI America judged the album a disaster and Great White was dropped. This led to a rethink by the band, and they became less heavy, introducing a tame hard rock sound for later albums.
Doctor Butcher was a side project involving Jon Oliva and Chris Caffery of Savatage which released one major self-titled studio album in 1994. The original album title, A Living Hell, was changed at the last minute.
Screaming Blue Murder is the third studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool. It was released on Bronze Records in 1982, and featured one line-up change in bassist Ghislaine 'Gil' Weston, formerly of The Killjoys, replacing the recently departed founding member Enid Williams. Nigel Gray, who had previously worked with The Police, produced the album.
Shot in the Dark is the second studio album by American rock band Great White, released in 1986. It was originally released by Telegraph Records and distributed by Greenworld Entertainment. Later that same year it was picked up and re-issued by Capitol Records. The original issue featured a different intro to "She Shakes Me", a different recording entirely of the song "Run Away", and a different mix of the several tracks. Great White's music in this album shows the transition from the pure heavy metal of the first album to a more blues-influenced style of heavy metal, paying homage to the great rock bands of the 1970s, like Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. This was the first album to feature drummer Audie Desbrow.
Sail Away is the seventh studio album by American hard rock band Great White, released in 1994. It was a much mellower effort, dominated by acoustic guitars and laid back performances. Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band plays the sax solo on "Gone with the Wind". This is the band's first and only recording with bassist Teddy Cook, as well as their first release for Zoo Entertainment. The original issue came with a bonus CD entitled Anaheim Live. Though these CD's state that the bonus disc was part of a limited edition pressing, no other pressings on CD were made without Anaheim Live, likely because of the poor sales of the album.
Night of the Crime is the second album by the heavy metal band Icon. It was far more polished than their self-titled debut and forayed into areas of glam only previously alluded to on their debut. It was produced and engineered by Eddie Kramer. Around 30 songs were demoed for the album, and Kramer´s version included one more finished track, "Hang Tough". Ron Nevison mixed the album and "Hang Tough" did not make it to the final release. The album has, like the debut, been remastered and re-released several times on CD. Night of the Crime was voted third best AOR album of all time by Kerrang! magazine readers in 1988, behind multimillion-selling classic albums by Journey and Michael Bolton.
A Diamond Is a Hard Rock is the second album by the American rock band Legs Diamond.
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