Iona was a progressive Celtic Christian rock band from the United Kingdom, which was formed in the late 1980s by lead vocalist Joanne Hogg and multi-instrumentalists David Fitzgerald and Dave Bainbridge. Troy Donockley joined later, playing the uilleann pipes, low whistles, and other instruments.
Diary of a Madman is the second studio album by English heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. It was released in October 1981, and re-issued on CD on 22 August 1995. This is the last Osbourne studio album to feature guitarist Randy Rhoads and drummer Lee Kerslake. An altered version appeared in 2002 with the original bass and drum parts removed and re-recorded. In 2011, a Deluxe 30th Anniversary Edition was released with all original parts restored. To date, the album has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
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. Zazula convinced the band 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.
Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band formed in Tampa, Florida, and currently based in Columbus, Indiana. They were formed in 1984 under the name the Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer and original drummer Greg Seymour. Iced Earth released their debut album in 1990 and have since released twelve studio albums, four EPs, three compilations, three box sets, three live albums and eleven music videos.
Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in 1976. They were part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement and is acknowledged by bands such as Metallica and Megadeth as a significant early influence.
Battleaxe are an English heavy metal band from Sunderland. As one of the bands of the new wave of British heavy metal scene, they started out with the name Warrior and morphed into Battleaxe in early 1981. The band consisted of Dave King (vocals), Brian Smith (bass), Steve Hardy (guitar), and Ian Thompson (drums). After playing around the area and honing their craft, they entered the recording studio to make a demo called "Burn This Town". In doing so, they garnered the attention of Roadrunner Records, and the result was their first album, Burn This Town.
Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists, and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. Since the death of frontman and lead singer Dave Brockie in 2014, the group has continued recording and performing without any of its founding members.
Rocka Rolla is the debut studio album by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 6 September 1974 by Gull Records. It was produced by Rodger Bain, who had made a name for himself as the producer of Black Sabbath's first three albums. It is the only album to feature drummer John Hinch.
Haunting the Chapel is an extended play (EP) released by American thrash metal band Slayer in August 4, 1984 through Metal Blade and Enigma Records. Slayer's debut album Show No Mercy became Metal Blade's highest-selling, leading to producer Brian Slagel wanting to release an EP. Recorded in Hollywood, the recording process proved difficult when recording drums in a studio without carpet, although it resulted in drummer Dave Lombardo meeting Gene Hoglan who was to become an influence in his drumming style and speed. It was during the recording of this session that Lombardo first had the double bass added to his kit. Hoglan, working for Slayer at the time, sat at the kit and played a double bass for the first time. Lombardo was impressed and although Hoglan never gave him lessons, he did give him tips regarding the use of the double kick drum.
Pierced from Within is the third album by the death metal band Suffocation, released in 1995. "Synthetically Revived" is a re-recording of the song of the same name from the Human Waste EP and "Breeding the Spawn" is a re-recording of the title track from the band's previous album.
"Running Free" is the debut single by Iron Maiden, released on 8 February 1980 on the 7" 45 rpm vinyl record format. It was written by Steve Harris and Paul Di'Anno. The song appears as the third track on the band's debut album Iron Maiden. In 1985, a live version of the song was released as the first single from Live After Death. In 1990, the original single was reissued on CD and 12" vinyl as part of The First Ten Years box, in which it was combined with the band's next single, "Sanctuary". The 1985 live single was also released as part of this box set, combined with 1985's "Run to the Hills".
The Amenta are an Australian death metal and industrial metal band formed in 1997 as Crucible of Agony. By 2002 the line-up was Cesium 137 on lead vocals, Diazanon on drums, Ethion on guitar, Endrin on bass guitar and Chlordane on keyboards. In 2009 the line-up had Miehs and Pope joined by Cain Cressall on vocals, Dan Quinlan on bass guitar and Robin Stone on drums. The group has issued three studio albums, Occasus (2004), n0n (2008), and Flesh Is Heir (2013). The group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2013, but reunited in 2020.
Razor is a Canadian speed metal band formed in 1983 at Guelph, Ontario. They are also recognized as the pioneers of Canadian thrash metal and have been referred to as one of the country's "big four", alongside Sacrifice, Voivod and Annihilator.
Shotgun Justice is the sixth studio album by Canadian speed/thrash metal band Razor. Released in 1990 on Fringe Product, it is the final album to feature Adam Carlo on bass, Rob Mills on drums and their first with vocalist Bob Reid. Music videos were made for "Shotgun Justice" and "American Luck". This album is dedicated to the memory of Mark "Hamilton Headcaver" Brzezicki.
Gypsy Cowboy is the third album by the country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage. It was recorded and released in 1972.
Armed And Dangerous is the debut EP release by Canadian speed/thrash metal band Razor, released in 1984. This EP was limited to 1,200 copies on vinyl and is very rare. This album is dedicated to the memory of Paul Chapman (1964-1983).
Violent Restitution is the fifth full-length album from the Canadian speed/thrash metal band Razor released in 1988. It is the first album to feature Rob Mills on drums and Dave Carlo's brother Adam on bass and the last one to feature Stace "Sheepdog" McLaren on vocals. The album is dedicated to late actor Charles Bronson.
Awake? is the ninth studio album by American metalcore band Zao. It was released on May 5, 2009, on Ferret Records. It contains nine new tracks and a re-recording of the track "Romance of the Southern Spirit", which originally appeared on the Japanese version of The Funeral of God. Only 8,000 physical copies of the album were made. Each copy is numbered and has six interchangeable covers. The album sold approximately 2,000 copies in its first week. The single "Entropica" debuted in April 2009 prior to the album's release.
Decibels is the eighth studio album by Canadian speed/thrash metal band Razor. This was the band's first album since 1991's Open Hostility and since their split in 1992, as well as the only album to feature drummer Rich Oosterbosch and the last with bassist Jon Armstrong.
