Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres. Both the music and the lyrics are intended to evoke a sense of despair, dread, and impending doom. The genre is strongly influenced by the early work of Black Sabbath, who formed a prototype for doom metal. During the first half of the 1980s, a number of bands such as Witchfinder General and Pagan Altar from England, American bands Pentagram, Saint Vitus, the Obsessed, Trouble, and Cirith Ungol, and Swedish band Candlemass defined doom metal as a distinct genre. Pentagram, Saint Vitus, Trouble and Candlemass have been referred to as "the Big Four of Doom Metal".
The Varukers are a British punk rock band formed in 1979 by vocalist Anthony "Rat" Martin. They produced their most influential recordings in the early 1980s. The band play in D-beat, the musical style of Discharge. Also like Discharge, the Varukers' lyrics carry an anarchist political ideology.
Sin After Sin is the third studio album by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 8 April 1977 by Columbia Records. Produced by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover, it was the band's major label debut, their first album for the label, and their only album to feature drummer Simon Phillips, a studio musician who replaced original drummer Alan Moore for the recording sessions.
Tygers of Pan Tang are an English heavy metal band who are part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. They formed in 1978 in Whitley Bay, England, and were active until 1987. The band reformed in 1999 and continue to record and perform. The name is derived from Pan Tang, a fictional archipelago in Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné fantasy series whose wizards keep tigers as pets.
Persian Risk are a Welsh heavy metal band from the new wave of British heavy metal era formed in 1979 and hailing from Cardiff, Wales. The brainchild of ex-Stoned Soul Party guitarist Phil Campbell, he recruited vocalist Jon Deverill, second guitarist Dave Bell, bass player Nick Hughes, and drummer Razz. The group was active until 1986. In 2012, the band was re-activated by vocalist Carl Sentance albeit without the involvement of any other past members.
Barry Graham Purkis, more commonly known as Thunderstick, is an English drummer who wore various masks and used to perform on-stage closed in a cage. He was in the cult-band Samson, with whom his name is most associated.
Witchfynde are an English heavy metal band, forerunners of the new wave of British heavy metal in the late 1970s.
Demon is an English heavy metal band, formed in 1979 by vocalist Dave Hill and guitarist Mal Spooner, both hailing from Leek, Staffordshire. The band is considered important to the new wave of British heavy metal movement.
Death Penalty is the debut studio album by British heavy metal band Witchfinder General. It was released in 1982 on Heavy Metal Records. The album received some criticism for the cover photograph, which featured topless model Joanne Latham. The photograph had been taken in the yard of St Mary the Blessed Virgin Church in Enville, Staffordshire, without the permission of the local Reverend. The album was originally released on LP and picture disc and was later reissued on CD. Pictured on the cover is Phil Cope, Zeeb Parkes, Graham Ditchfield and a member of their road crew. While Peter Hinton is credited with producing this recording, the writers Phil Cope and Zeeb Parkes always felt the credit should have gone to the engineer Robin George.
Praying Mantis are an English heavy metal band. Although a part of the new wave of British heavy metal scene, they pursued a musical direction more melodic and AOR-sounding than their contemporaries Iron Maiden and Saxon.
Jaguar are an English heavy metal band formed in Bristol in December 1979. They had moderate success throughout Europe and Asia in the early 1980s, during the heyday of the new wave of British heavy metal movement.
Oz is a Finnish heavy metal band, originally from Nakkila, Finland. It was formed in 1977, split in 1991 and re-established 2010.
Tokyo Blade are an English heavy metal band, active since 1982. Tokyo Blade is one of the many acts considered part of the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) movement, which lasted from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Tokyo Blade have been through many changes of formation and have disbanded twice, often changing their musical style during their years of activity. However, the band is still active, with most of the original members in the lineup.
Quartz are an English heavy metal band active during the new wave of British heavy metal. Their origins can be traced back to the mid-1970s.
Pagan Altar is an English doom metal band formed by Terry Jones and his son Alan in 1978 in the borough of Brockley in London.
Friends of Hell is the second studio album by the British doom metal band Witchfinder General. It was released in 1983 on Heavy Metal Records. Drummer Graham Ditchfield was dismissed at the end of the recording sessions and is not listed as a band member.
Avenger are an English heavy metal band from Newcastle upon Tyne that were apart of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. They released two studio albums during the 1980s before disbanding. The band reunited in 2005.
Soviet Invasion is the second release from British doom metal band Witchfinder General. It was released in 1982 on Heavy Metal Records. The EP was released on 12" vinyl. In 2004 it was reissued on 12" vinyl with "Soviet Invasion" and "Rabies" on the A-side and the "Burning a Sinner" single on the b-side. In 2007 it was released on CD for the first time on the compilation Buried Amongst the Ruins. The song was written by the Phillip Cope & Zeeb Parkes Partnership before the Berlin Wall came down and the end of the Cold War. The so-called 'live' track on the single 'Rabies' was not actually a live recording at all. It was in fact a studio production with crowd effects over-dubbed. The fake live recording was done at the request of Paul Birch Head of Heavy Metal Records.
Resurrected is the third and final full-length album by doom metal band Witchfinder General. It was released on 30 August 2008 in the U.S. on 2 September 2008 in the UK.
Chateaux were a new wave of British heavy metal band formed in 1981 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. They released three albums during the 1980s through Ebony Records, then home to the likes of Grim Reaper and Savage. The band is notable for launching the career of Steve Grimmett, later of Grim Reaper and Onslaught.
