Fistful of Metal is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Anthrax, released in January 1984 by Megaforce Records and Music for Nations internationally. The album includes a cover of Alice Cooper's "I'm Eighteen". This is the band's only album to feature original frontman Neil Turbin and original bassist Dan Lilker, who were replaced by Matt Fallon and Frank Bello, respectively. Former original guitarist Greg Walls claims that Anthrax "ripped him off" as he claims he wrote the material on the album.
Spreading the Disease is the second studio album by the American thrash metal band Anthrax, released on October 30, 1985 by Megaforce Records and Island Records. It was the band's first album to feature vocalist Joey Belladonna and bassist Frank Bello. A special two-disc edition of the album was released in 2015, celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Armed and Dangerous is the first EP by American heavy metal band Anthrax, released in February 1985 through Megaforce Records. The band produced the album with Carl Canedy and Jon Zazula acting as executive producer. This is the first Anthrax release to feature Joey Belladonna on vocals, and the first Anthrax release to feature Frank Bello on bass guitar.
Cleansing is the fourth album by the American heavy metal band Prong, released on January 25, 1994 by Epic Records. It was produced by Terry Date, whereas Prong's previous two albums had been produced by Mark Dodson. The album features ex-Killing Joke members Paul Raven on bass guitar and John Bechdel on keyboards and programming. Featuring an industrial-influenced sound, the record received moderate commercial success.
Kill 'Em All is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 25, 1983, through the independent label Megaforce Records. Metallica began by playing shows in local clubs in Los Angeles. They recorded several demos to gain attention from club owners and eventually relocated to San Francisco to secure the services of bassist Cliff Burton. The group's No Life 'til Leather demo tape (1982) was noticed by Megaforce label head Jon Zazula, who signed them and provided a budget of $15,000 for recording. The album was recorded in May with producer Paul Curcio at the Music America Studios in Rochester, New York. It was originally intended to be titled Metal Up Your Ass, with cover art featuring a hand clutching a dagger emerging from a toilet bowl. The band was asked to change the name because distributors feared that releasing an album with such an offensive title and artwork would diminish its chances of commercial success.
Second Sighting is a studio album by American band Frehley's Comet. This is the second and last full-length album released under the band name Frehley's Comet and the third solo release from Ace Frehley overall.
Out of the Silent Planet is the debut studio by the American progressive metal band King's X, released in 1988. The title of the album comes from that of a book by C.S. Lewis, an author favored by band members Ty Tabor and Jerry Gaskill. "Out of the Silent Planet" is also the title of the first track from the follow up album Gretchen Goes to Nebraska. The cover art features the skyline of Houston with the southern outline of the state of Texas. The album received widespread acclaim from music contemporaries. Pantera bassist Rex Brown commented of his and Dimebag Darrell's impressions, noting "Dime called me and said, ‘Dude, have you heard this? Have you checked out King’s X?'” He says. “We went on a long road trip, and we must have listened to that first record I don’t know how many times, and we couldn’t stop! This was the sound that Dime and I were always looking for.”
Raven are an English heavy metal band, formed in 1974 by the Gallagher brothers, bassist and vocalist John and guitarist Mark. They have released fourteen studio albums to date, and had a hit with the single "On and On". Often referred to as "athletic rock", the band gained notoriety as part of the early-to-mid 1980s new wave of British heavy metal scene and is considered to be an influence and inspiration on the development of the thrash metal genre, including "the big four", as well as other bands such as Testament, Exodus, Overkill, Kreator, Sodom, Onslaught, Death Angel, Flotsam and Jetsam, Coroner, Annihilator, and Razor. Raven are also notable for headlining Metallica's first-ever national tour in 1983.
Frehley's Comet is the second solo release by American musician Ace Frehley, former lead guitarist of Kiss. Frehley also named his band after the title of this album, and in this way, it is also considered the self-titled debut album credited to Frehley's Comet, as opposed to a Frehley solo release. It was the first album that Frehley released after leaving Kiss in 1982.
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.
Wiped Out is the second full-length album by British heavy metal band Raven, released in 1982.
All for One is the third full-length album by British heavy metal band Raven, released in 1983. This would be their last album outside of a major label, also being said by fans to be their last "golden age" album, containing some of their finest work. It is also notable that Udo Dirkschneider, frontman of German band Accept would appear on a couple of the tracks recorded.
Stay Hard is the fourth full-length album by the British heavy metal band Raven, released in 1985. It is the first album recorded in the United States for the major label Atlantic Records, after the British band had passed under American management, and it was with this album that the band's more glam metal commercial sound was established.
Life's a Bitch is the sixth full-length album by the English heavy metal band Raven, released in 1987.
Nothing Exceeds Like Excess is the seventh full-length album by the band Raven, released in 1988. It was Raven's first album with drummer, Joe Hasselvander.
Architect of Fear is the eighth full-length album by the English heavy metal band Raven, released in 1991.
Destroy All Monsters is the second live album from the band Raven. It was recorded at "Club Cittá" in Tokyo, Japan, in 1995 and released a year later. Raven plays more songs from the early 1980s rather that those from late 1980s.
Mad is an EP released by English heavy metal band Raven in 1986, after the debacle of the album The Pack Is Back, which received very bad reviews and insignificant commercial success. The songs of this EP mark the return to a more aggressive and metallic sound. It has never been re-released on CD. Its tracks were released as bonus tracks on other CD releases.
Violence & Force is the second studio album by the Canadian heavy metal band Exciter, released through Megaforce Records in February 1984. The album was produced by The Rods drummer Carl Canedy, who had already produced Anthrax's debut album Fistful of Metal.
The Pack Is Back is the fifth full-length album by the English heavy metal band Raven, released in 1986. It was recorded in the USA with renowned producer Eddie Kramer and features a sound more FM-friendly and commercial than any other Raven album, retaining the glam metal vein from its predecessor Stay Hard. Despite the pressure of the label to produce a commercially successful album, The Pack Is Back did not have any relevant chart entry.
