Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on June 12, 1985, by Combat Records. At the beginning of 1985, the band was given $8,000 by Combat to record and produce its debut album. The band was forced to fire their original producer and produce the album by themselves, after spending half of the album's budget on drugs, alcohol, and food. Despite the poor production, the album was a well-received effort that obtained strong reviews in various music publications. Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! played an essential role in establishing thrash metal as an authentic subgenre of heavy metal music. It explores themes of death, occultism, and violence.
Blind Illusion is an American progressive thrash metal band from Richmond, California. Formed in 1978 by lead guitarist and main songwriter Mark Biedermann, the band has had several lineup changes, with Biedermann being the only constant member. Blind Illusion is also notable for featuring Les Claypool and Larry LaLonde, both later of Primus, who performed bass and guitar respectively on their 1988 debut album The Sane Asylum.
Haunting the Chapel is an extended play (EP) released by American thrash metal band Slayer in 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.
Live Undead is the first live album by American thrash metal band Slayer. It was released through Metal Blade Records and recorded in New York City in front of a room of people. It has been questioned by both critics and authors that the audience sound may or may not be faked. However, in 1984, WBAB Fingers Metal Shop, a radio station, held a contest to meet and hang out with Slayer during a live recording. The album was recorded at Tiki Recording Studios in Glen Cove, NY in front of around a dozen people. The album was originally intended to be recorded in front of a live audience, but things went wrong. Nevertheless, when asked if they were fake, producer Bill Metoyer said, "I don't know if I should tell you." The album begins with an extended introduction of "Black Magic", followed by a small speech. The remaining tracks include both those of 1983's Show No Mercy and 1984's Haunting the Chapel.
Helstar is an American heavy metal band formed in Houston, Texas, in 1982 by guitarist Larry Barragan. They were an influential force in the American power metal genre emerging in the mid-1980s.
Trouble is an American doom metal band from Aurora, Illinois, formed in 1979. They are often considered one of the pioneers of doom metal, and have been referred to as one of the genre's "big four" alongside Candlemass, Pentagram and Saint Vitus. The band created a distinct style, taking influences of the British heavy metal bands Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, and psychedelic rock of the 1970s.
Stop the Bleeding is the debut studio album by the American Christian metal band Tourniquet. It was originally released on Intense Records in 1990. A remastered version was released independently on Pathogenic Records in 2001, which was later re-released in 2011. Retroactive Records released a Collector's Edition remaster on June 26, 2020. The remasters include updated artwork, expanded album booklets, and bonus tracks.
Pentagram is an American heavy metal band from Alexandria, Virginia, most famous as one of the pioneers of heavy metal, and the sub-genre of doom metal in particular. As such, they are considered one of the "big four of doom metal," alongside Candlemass, Saint Vitus and Trouble. The band was prolific in the underground scene of the 1970s, producing many demos and rehearsal tapes, but did not release a full-length album until re-forming in the early 1980s with an almost completely new line-up. Throughout the band's history, the only constant member has been vocalist Bobby Liebling. The revolving line-up of Pentagram has featured many well-respected musicians in the local doom metal scene, with members spending time in other acts such as the Obsessed, Place of Skulls, Internal Void, Spirit Caravan, among many others. The band's current line-up consists of Liebling (vocals), Matt Goldsborough (guitar), Greg Turley (bass), and "Minnesota" Pete Campbell (drums).
Awaken the Guardian is the third studio album by American progressive metal band Fates Warning, released in 1986 through Metal Blade Records. The album was the band and their label's first to enter the U.S. Billboard 200, reaching No. 191 and remaining on the chart for four weeks. It is also the first Fates Warning album to feature guitarist Frank Aresti and the last with original singer John Arch, who was replaced by Ray Alder on their subsequent 1988 album No Exit.
Psalm 9 is the debut studio album by American doom metal band Trouble, released by Metal Blade Records on March 10, 1984. The album was originally released eponymously and later renamed to Psalm 9 after the release of the band's fourth studio album, which was their 1990 self-titled release. Along with Saint Vitus' self-titled debut album from the same year, Psalm 9 is considered by many critics to be one of the first doom metal releases.
Trouble is the fourth studio album by American doom metal band Trouble, released on Def American on February 13, 1990. It was the first Trouble album to have Barry Stern on drums. Music videos were made for "At the End of My Daze," "Psychotic Reaction," "R.I.P.," and "The Misery Shows ;" the music videos were released on the Videos DVD by the band's Trouble, Inc. label in 2007. The album was reissued and remastered by Hammerheart Records, cooperating alongside Trouble, Inc., on November 27, 2020.
Plastic Green Head is the sixth studio album by the American doom metal band Trouble. It was first released on the Music for Nations label in Europe in 1995 and later distributed in the United States by Century Media Records with a bonus track in 1996. The album marked the return of original Trouble drummer Jeff Olson, who left the band in 1986 and returned in 1993. The album contains covers of The Monkees' 1968 track "Porpoise Song" and The Beatles' 1966 song "Tomorrow Never Knows". A promotional disc was released with "The Eye," "Plastic Green Head," and "Hear the Earth" in 1995. Following the release of Plastic Green Head, Trouble went on an extended hiatus after their European tour was canceled. The album was reissued and remastered by Escapi Music in 2006 with a bonus DVD containing concert footage of Trouble on February 21, 1996, in Hamburg, Germany, live video of English rock band Hawkwind, and footage that was included with the 2006 reissue of Trouble's debut album Psalm 9. It was reissued and remastered by Hammerheart Records in 2022.
Simple Mind Condition is the seventh studio album by American doom metal band Trouble. It was the band's first full-length studio release in twelve years, the longest gap between Trouble's studio albums to date; the band's previous album, Plastic Green Head, was released in 1995. The album is dedicated to former drummer Barry Stern, who died in 2005. To date, this is Trouble's last release with vocalist Eric Wagner and drummer Jeff Olson, who both left in 2008. Wagner died in 2021.
The American Way is the second studio album by American thrash metal band Sacred Reich, released on May 15, 1990 via Metal Blade Records. The video for "The American Way" was used in the 1992 film Encino Man. The album debuted at No. 153 on September 1, 1990 on the Billboard 200 charts, lasting for nine weeks. An enhanced remastered version released in 2009 contains pre-production demo recordings and a free patch. A second remastered version released that year contains the same songs plus "The American Way" promo video CD-ROM. The American Way is also Sacred Reich's final full-length studio album with drummer Greg Hall, who left the band in 1991.
Impious is a Swedish thrash/death metal band.
Sacrifice is a Canadian thrash metal band from Toronto, Ontario. The band was formed by guitarists Rob Urbinati and Joe Rico in 1983. Sacrifice played a prominent role in the 1980s underground metal scene in Toronto, and along with Voivod, Razor and Annihilator, they are considered one of the "big four" of Canadian thrash metal. The band released four studio albums before parting ways in 1993. After coming back together to play a reunion concert in 2006, they released their fifth studio album The Ones I Condemn on Brazilian label Marquee Records in 2009. Although the band faced numerous line-up changes, especially in their early days, founding guitarists Urbinati, Rico and bassist Scott Watts recorded every studio album and demo with drummer Gus Pynn on everything but the Apocalypse Inside demo and CD.
The Skull is an American doom metal band founded by three former members of Trouble, vocalist Eric Wagner, bassist Ron Holzner, and drummer Jeff "Oly" Olson. It was founded in 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. The band's name is derived from Trouble's second studio album, The Skull.
Bringer Of Evil is the debut album by the Swedish heavy metal band Syron Vanes released in 1984. It was produced by Darryl Johnston. It was remastered 2012 with two bonus tracks added.
Bill Metoyer is an American record producer who has recorded with Slayer, Deliverance, Hirax, Morbid Angel, Trouble and Tourniquet. He has worked at Metal Blade Records for several years as house producer and currently works as A&R. He also works with Alpha Omega Management as A&R as well. Metoyer formed Skull Seven Productions.
