Ultramega OK is the debut studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on October 31, 1988, by SST Records. Following the release of the EPs Screaming Life (1987) and Fopp (1988), both for the Sub Pop record label, Soundgarden signed with SST and went to work on their debut full-length. The resulting album contained elements of heavy metal, psychedelic rock, and hardcore punk. The band supported the album with a tour of the United States, as well as its first overseas tour.
Hall of the Mountain King is the fourth studio album by the American heavy metal band Savatage, released in 1987 under the direction of producer Paul O'Neill. It is their first album produced by O'Neill, who was assigned to the band after the tour in support of Fight for the Rock. O'Neill's influence pushed Savatage to adopt a conceptual progressive metal style beginning with this album.
Edge of Thorns is the seventh studio album by the American heavy metal band Savatage, released on April 2, 1993, by Atlantic Records. It was the last Savatage album to feature guitarist Criss Oliva, who died six months after its release, and their first release with Zachary Stevens on lead vocals, following the departure of Jon Oliva from his role as singer in Savatage, although he did produce and write songs for the album.
Sirens is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Savatage, released on April 11, 1983. The music on this album is heavier than in later Savatage albums, where the band developed their own style of progressive metal. It has also been cited as a key inspiration for the then-burgeoning thrash metal scene.
Burn the Priest is the debut studio album by the American heavy metal band Burn the Priest. The album was released on April 4, 1999, by Legion Records. It was the band's only release before being re-named to Lamb of God until the release of Legion: XX, and also the only album by the band to feature guitarist Abe Spear.
Scream Bloody Gore is the debut studio album by American death metal band Death, released on May 25, 1987, by Combat Records. It is considered by many to be "the first true death metal record". Chuck Schuldiner, the band’s founder and leader, performed guitar, bass and vocals, and composed all tracks on the album.
Leprosy is the second studio album by American death metal band Death, released on November 16, 1988, by Combat Records. The album is notable in its different tone and quality from the band's 1987 debut, it is the first example of Scott Burns' work heard on many of the death metal and grindcore albums of that era. The cover is featured in Metal: A Headbanger's Journey. It is the first album to feature drummer Bill Andrews and the only one to feature guitarist Rick Rozz.
Human is the fourth studio album by American death metal band Death, released on October 22, 1991, by Relativity Records. The album marked the beginning of a major stylistic change for Death, being more technically complex and progressive than the band's previous efforts. The lyrics are more introspective when compared to the gore-based lyrics of Scream Bloody Gore and Leprosy or the social commentary on Spiritual Healing. This new style would continue to evolve on all following Death albums. This is the only album to feature Cynic members Paul Masvidal on guitars and Sean Reinert on drums, both 20 at the time, and the first to feature bassist Steve DiGiorgio.
Individual Thought Patterns is the fifth studio album by American death metal band Death, released on June 22, 1993, by Relativity Records. It is the only album by the band to feature guitarist Andy LaRocque, the first to feature drummer Gene Hoglan and the second and last to feature bassist Steve DiGiorgio. Manager Eric Greif described the album as "an angry record, angry lyrically", attributing it to his conflict with Chuck Schuldiner at the time.
Symbolic is the sixth and penultimate studio album by American death metal band Death, released on March 21, 1995, by Roadrunner Records. The album was remastered and reissued on April 1, 2008, with five bonus tracks. It is the only album to feature Bobby Koelble and Kelly Conlon on guitar and bass, respectively, and the second and last album to feature drummer Gene Hoglan. The album has received unanimous critical acclaim.
The Sound of Perseverance is the seventh and final studio album by American death metal band Death, released on August 31, 1998, by Nuclear Blast. The album features a whole new lineup of members except Chuck Schuldiner; it is the only album to feature guitarist Shannon Hamm, drummer Richard Christy, and bassist Scott Clendenin. It is also Death's final commercial release, as Chuck Schuldiner would die due to brain cancer-related issues in 2001, and Death would subsequently disband.
Forever Free is the eleventh studio album by heavy metal band Saxon released in 1992.
Agent Steel is an American speed metal band from Los Angeles, formed in 1984 by vocalist John Cyriis with drummer Chuck Profus. The band released two full-length albums and one EP before disbanding in 1988. They were most notable for Cyriis' high-pitched vocals, catchy songs, melodic riffs, and fast tempos mixed in with interest in UFOs. Agent Steel reformed in 1998 and released three more full-length albums before going on hiatus in 2011. The band reformed again in 2018, this time with Cyriis returning as the vocalist and without any previous members ; under this new lineup, Agent Steel released their first studio album in 14 years, No Other Godz Before Me, in 2021.
Skeptics Apocalypse is the debut album by American heavy metal band Agent Steel. It was recorded in Los Angeles, California and mastered at Frankort Wayne Studios in Miami, Florida by Tom Coyne from December 1984 to February 1985. The album was released by Combat Records in June 1985 and reissued in 1998 by Century Media Records.
Mad Locust Rising is an EP by the American heavy metal band Agent Steel, released in January 1986 by Combat Records. It was recorded at Indigo Ranch Studios in October 1985 in Malibu, California. The EP features a cover of the Judas Priest song "The Ripper". It is also included on the 1999 reissue of the 1987 album Unstoppable Force. Former bassist Mike Zaputil is credited on the album, but the bass tracks were actually recorded by George Robb, who was then fired after the recordings, while Zaputil joined in early 1986 from Letchen Grey.
Transcendence is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Crimson Glory, released in 1988 via Roadracer Records in Europe and MCA Records in United States. It is considered by many to be their finest work. It was recorded at Morrisound Studios.
Grin is the fifth studio album by the Swiss thrash metal band Coroner, released in 1993. It was the band's final album before their fourteen-year break up from 1996 to 2010, and to date, other than several new tracks on the 1995 compilation album Coroner, Grin remains the most recent studio album by the band. It is also the last Coroner album to feature drummer Marky Edelmann, who left the band in 2014.
Lunar Womb is the second studio album by American heavy metal band The Obsessed. It was released in 1991 by Hellhound Records and reissued in 2006 by MeteorCity. The painting on the cover is entitled Saturn Devouring His Son by Francisco de Goya.
Juan Garcia , also known as Juan of the Dead, is a Cuban-American guitarist. He is perhaps best known as the guitarist for the thrash metal bands Agent Steel and Evildead and the power metal/speed metal band Abattoir. Garcia is also the rhythm guitarist of Body Count.
Love You to Pieces is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Lizzy Borden, released in 1985 by Metal Blade Records. The album would produce the song "American Metal" which would later be added to the Metal Blade Records 20th Anniversary box set.
