Darkness Descends is the second studio album by the American thrash metal band Dark Angel, released on November 17, 1986. Released at the height of thrash metal's popularity, Darkness Descends received positive reviews from music critics, and has been cited as a major influence on the death metal, doom metal and groove metal scenes of the late 1980s and 1990s.
Battle Hymns is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Manowar, released in 1982 by Liberty Records.
Pleasures of the Flesh is the second studio album by the American thrash metal band Exodus. Released in 1987, it is the group's first album to feature Steve Souza on vocals after Paul Baloff was fired from the band. The record was remastered and re-issued by Century Media in 1998 for distribution in Europe only.
Bathory is the debut studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Bathory. It was released in October 1984, through Tyfon Grammofon. It is considered by fans and critics to be one of the contenders for the first black metal record.
Bonded by Blood is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Exodus. Although the album was completed in the summer of 1984, it was not released until 1985 due to issues with Exodus and the record label. It is considered one of the most influential thrash metal albums of all time. This is also the only full-length studio album of Exodus to feature Paul Baloff on vocals, though he was also on their 1982 Demo and appeared on their 1997 live album Another Lesson in Violence.
Saxon is the debut studio album by English heavy metal band Saxon, released in 1979.
Impact Is Imminent is the fourth studio album by American thrash metal band Exodus, released in 1990. Impact Is Imminent was Exodus' first album on Capitol Records as well as their first album to feature John Tempesta on drums. It was also the last studio album to feature Rob McKillop on bass, though he appeared on their first live album, Good Friendly Violent Fun, which was recorded live in 1989 but not released until 1991. Impact Is Imminent was re-released in 2008 in a limited edition mini-album packaging to resemble the original vinyl release, including the inner sleeve.
Welcome to Hell is the debut studio album by English heavy metal band Venom released in December 1981 through Neat Records. After various line-up changes and recording several demo tapes in Impulse Studios, Venom gained success and attention with the single "In League with Satan", their dark, satanic image and their fast, raw sound. The band re-recorded all of the demos' songs, which Neat Records released as an album.
Pleasure to Kill is the second studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator, released in November 1986 by Noise Records.
Act III is the third studio album by the thrash metal band Death Angel, released in 1990 on Geffen Records. This is the band's final studio album to feature guitarist Gus Pepa, and their only recording on Geffen. It was also their last studio album before their ten-year hiatus from 1991 to 2001.
Frolic Through the Park is the second studio album by the American thrash metal band Death Angel, released in 1988. This was the band's last full-length studio album released on Enigma Records before signing to Geffen Records in 1989.
The Ultra-Violence is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Death Angel, released in 1987. The album was recorded while all members were under 20, with drummer Andy Galeon just 14 years old. It was mixed at George Tobin Studios in Hollywood, California.
Cause for Conflict is the seventh studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator released on 1 August, 1995.
Fall from Grace is a live album by the American thrash metal band Death Angel, released in 1990. Due to label changes, the album was released without input from the band and new label Geffen Records, hence the lack of the band's trademark logo on the artwork.
Leave Scars is the third studio album released by the American thrash metal band, Dark Angel, released on January 24, 1989. It was their first album with vocalist Ron Rinehart and bassist Mike Gonzalez, and the last to feature guitarist Jim Durkin. Leave Scars was Dark Angel's most successful release, peaking at number 159 on the Billboard 200.
Survive is the second studio album by American thrash metal band Nuclear Assault, released in 1988 on vinyl, compact disc and cassette. As of 2012, the album has been out of print. Propelled by the single "Brainwashed", Survive was the album that broke Nuclear Assault into the thrash metal mainstream, and was their first album to enter the Billboard 200, reaching number 145 on that chart. "Good Times Bad Times" was originally recorded by Led Zeppelin in 1968.
Shot in the Dark is the second studio album by American rock band Great White, released in 1986. It was originally released by Telegraph Records and distributed by Greenworld Entertainment. Later that same year it was picked up and re-issued by Capitol Records. The original issue featured a different intro to "She Shakes Me", a different recording entirely of the song "Run Away", and a different mix of the several tracks. Great White's music in this album shows the transition from the pure heavy metal of the first album to a more blues-influenced style of heavy metal, paying homage to the great rock bands of the 1970s, like Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. This was the first album to feature drummer Audie Desbrow.
The Natives Are Restless is the third and last studio release by the American speed metal band Hawaii and the only one to feature guitarist Tom Azevedo, formerly of Honolulu band Rat Attack.
Head On is the second studio album by British heavy metal band Samson, released in 1980. The cover art features the band's masked drummer, Thunderstick. This is the first album with future Iron Maiden-frontman Bruce Dickinson on vocal duties, although some later re-issues of the debut do feature alternative bonus versions of songs, re-done with Dickinson vocals.
Fifth Angel is the first studio album by the American heavy metal band Fifth Angel. It was originally released in 1986. Musically, it shows much more resemblance to modern power metal than their other albums. After recording a four song demo in late 1983 and early 1984, which they sent to over 100 record labels, Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records signed the band and financed the recording of five additional songs and released the album in 1986. Epic Records re-released it in 1988 with new artwork.
