The 1980s saw an explosion of different styles of heavy metal… from thrash to death metal, glam, black metal and more. Bands from around the globe took the seeds planted by Black Sabbath and Judas Priest and created some phenomenal works.
Spanning just about every '80s metal genre, here are some underrated albums that deserve another few minutes in the spotlight.
Satan – Court in the Act
Satan had one of heavy metal's best comebacks with 2013's Life Sentence, essentially because they kept up the energy and quality of their debut from 30 years earlier, Court in the Act. This album is pure NWOBHM excellence, bursting at the seams with stellar musicianship and chemistry between bandmates. Court in the Act is one of those albums where every creative decision seems to be the correct one, even down to the small rhythmic changes between sections.
Bleak House – Rainbow Warrior
Metallica straight-up stole the riff to "Rainbow Warrior." I mean, you can't blame them for Zeppelin-ing this one… Bleak House were onto something with their 1980 debut EP. Though it only clocks in at 10 minutes in length, Bleak House packed the Rainbow Warrior EP with gigantic riffs, dramatic vocal leads and top-notch drumming. Set aside 10 minutes of your day to crank this NWOBHM gem.
Lȧȧz Rockit – Annihilation Principle
Did this Bay Area thrash band break up before they could get their due respect? Lȧȧz Rockit showed signs of greatness on their 1987 album, Know Your Enemy, but they really cranked it up on their 1989 follow-up, Annihilation Principle. This album rips… and it's fun in the way all great thrash albums should be fun. Toxic waste, human extinction, absolute fucking warfare… all the good stuff is here.
Chastain – Ruler of the Wasteland
Judas Priest guitar work meets power metal with Sunset Strip attitude… and somehow it all came from Ohio. From the land of Pete Rose and Jerry Springer, Cincinnati's Chastain had a nice little run in the mid-to-late ‘80s, sparking off with their sophomore album, Ruler of the Wasteland. Frontwoman Leather Leone could really let her vocal cords rip. If only her parts weren't so pushed to the back of the mix, she could've had the front-and-center presence of Rob Halford.
DBC – Dead Brain Cells
An excuse to write about DBC? Don't mind if I do! Crossover thrash was like the bastard child of ‘80s metal… it was gnarly in every way, thus never getting the attention of its NWOBHM-influenced older brothers. Dead Brain Cells delivers speed metal, thrash and hardcore breakdowns with ease, giving no shits in the process. 100-percent in-the-pocket from beginning to end.
Necrodeath – Into the Macabre
Was anyone else blending black metal, death metal and thrash like this in 1987? Italy's Necrodeath were mainlining pure evil while recording Into the Macabre, pushing the boundaries of extreme metal further than the extreme icons of the age. Discovering this album as a burgeoning Slayer or Celtic Frost fan was like discovering Cannibal Holocaust after just getting into the Friday the 13th films. It's pure terror on an entirely different wavelength.
Tokyo Blade – Tokyo Blade
Tokyo Blade made an ultimate sleeper hit with "If Heaven Is Hell," only getting some cult recognition in the YouTube era. The entirety of the band's 1983 debut is great though, touching on the iconic sound of Iron Maiden with some clear Deep Purple influence mixed in. Tokyo Blade were really into those "Two Minutes to Midnight" riffs too, making them work really well on "Break the Chains" and "Sunrise in Tokyo."
Tank – Filth Hounds of Hades
When it comes to early ‘80s power trios, these dudes were right on the heels of Motörhead and Venom. Tank had plenty of speed and attitude, but they didn't get into the grimy, raw sound of their contemporaries. Maybe that hindered Tank's potential cult status, but the band's debut, Filth Hounds of Hades, holds up as a killer heavy metal record with deep rock 'n' roll roots.
Praying Mantis – Time Tells No Lies
There are way cooler albums we could have included here, but the 1981 debut from Praying Mantis is a guilty pleasure. Tastefully walking the line between heavy metal and arena rock, Time Tells No Lies feels like Saxon melded with Steely Dan. You won't see this album cover on the back of any battle vests, but if you want to sit in the garage with a beer in your hand after a long day's work, Praying Mantis will meet you there.
Dead Horse – Horsecore
Was death metal meant to be silly all along? Macabre brilliantly blended death metal and serial killers with absurdity, but Texas' Dead Horse brought the unseriousness even further with their 1989 debut, Horsecore: An Unrelated Story That's Time Consuming. Simply put, this record is fascinating the same way an Anal Cunt album is fascinating. How? Why? The fuck were these guys thinking? Wait… why can't I stop listening? I guess this is my favorite thing now.
