Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I is the second studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1987. It marks the first appearance of vocalist Michael Kiske, and is considered the album that created the genre of European-style power metal.
Cloven Hoof, released in 1984, is the first full-length studio album by the British heavy metal band Cloven Hoof. The track "Gates Of Gehenna" from the band's debut E.P., The Opening Ritual, was re-recorded in this album. Neat Records re-released this album on CD in 2002 and included 3 bonus tracks that were recorded on 10 June 1983 for the BBC Friday Rock Show.
Demolition is the first studio album by the British heavy metal band, Girlschool. It was released in Europe on Bronze Records in 1980.
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.
A Matter of Attitude is the second album by Danish heavy metal band Fate, released in 1986.
Thunder in the East is the fifth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness, and the first released by a major American label after the contract signed with Atco Records, then a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. Aside from being the band's first all-English release, it is the first Loudness album produced by Max Norman, best known for his previous work with Ozzy Osbourne, who also produced Lightning Strikes in 1986 and Soldier of Fortune in 1989. Thunder in the East features the single "Crazy Nights", the band's biggest hit in America, and the power ballad "Never Change Your Mind". This album marked the first time a Japanese band entered the US Top 100 chart, where it remained for 23 weeks, peaking at No. 74.
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.
Fastway is the debut studio album by British heavy metal band Fastway, released on 1 April 1983.
The Birthday Eve is the first studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 1981 only in Japan. The 24bit digitally remastered Japanese limited edition CD includes two additional tracks not on the original release, coming from the first single of the band. The success of the album was measured by Loudness' sold out debut concert at Asakusa International Theater, in front of an audience of 2.700.
A Time of Changes is the debut studio album by the British heavy metal band Blitzkrieg, released in 1985.
Filth Hounds of Hades is the debut studio album by heavy metal band Tank, released in March 1982 on the Kamaflage label.
Wild Horses is the debut studio album by the British rock band, Wild Horses, co-produced with Trevor Rabin at Konk Studios in London, and released on 14 April 1980 on EMI Records. It peaked at No. 38, and spent four weeks in the UK Albums Chart.
Devil Soldier is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 1982. The American Daniel McClendon was called to engineer the sound of this album, because there was no Japanese technician experienced enough in heavy metal records at the time. The album won the award for Best Heavy Metal record of the year in Japan. The reissue in CD of 2005 contains two bonus tracks, coming from the second single of the band.
The Law of Devil's Land is the third studio album by the Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was released in 1983 only in Japan and later distributed in Europe by Roadrunner Records. The CD reissue of 2005 contains two extra songs coming from the English version of the band's third single.
Disillusion is the fourth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Loudness. It was recorded, mixed and mastered in London, England, in 1983 and released at the beginning of 1984. The sound engineer chosen for the recording sessions was the expert Julian Mendelsohn, who had previously worked with acts like Yes, Elton John, Jimmy Page and Bob Marley. The original Japanese version was licensed and released by Music for Nations in the UK and Roadrunner Records in Europe. Attention by major US labels for the band and the need to make their work accessible to Western audiences, prompted a new release of the album with vocal tracks sung in English on July 1, 1984. The English version opened the album with the instrumental "Anthem " by Akira Takasaki, which was missing in the original Japanese release.
...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble is the debut studio album by British rock band Uriah Heep.
This Means War is the third album by British heavy metal band Tank, released in 1983. On this album, the line-up expanded to a four-piece, with the addition of second guitarist Mick Tucker, former member of the NWOBHM band White Spirit. Thanks to Tucker's songwriting contributions and to the sound expanded by an extra guitar, the band changed their music in comparison with their previous albums with longer, more melodic compositions, which helped differentiate Tank from Motörhead, the band they were often compared to.
Honour & Blood is the fourth album by the British heavy metal band Tank, released in 1984. By the time of this album Algy Ward was the last original member of the group remaining, as the Brabbs brothers had been replaced by Cliff Evans on guitar and Graeme Crallan on drums. The album follows much the same format as the band's previous album This Means War, with seven songs, several quite lengthy, of melodic heavy metal primarily about the topic of war. However, the band explores some different subject matter on side two, as "W.M.L.A." and "Too Tired to Wait for Love", express frustration in love, while "Chain of Fools" is a cover of the 1967 hit by Aretha Franklin.
The Son of Odin is the debut album of British heavy metal band Elixir, released in 1986 on 12" vinyl. Cult Metal Classics re-released the album on CD in 2001. The album also included 3 bonus tracks. The album was also released on CD by TPL records in 2004, Majestic Rock in 2006 and CTR in 2011 as a 25th Anniversary Edition. In issue 137 of Terrorizer magazine, the album was included in the top 20 power metal albums of all time, alongside Judas Priest's Painkiller, Helloween's Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II and Cirith Ungol's King of the Dead. In 2019, Metal Hammer ranked it as the 21st best power metal album of all time.
The Good the Bad the Waysted is British band Waysted's third studio album, released in 1985. This album gained relative recognition with its song "Hang 'em High". It was re-issued on CD in 1995 with the songs of the EP Waysted as bonus tracks.
