Metal Reviews

This is a list of some cds i want to purchase in the future.I need some advice:help me choose 4 albums among these,and maybe quote them.

Riot-Fire Down Under(81)
Cirith Ungol-Frost&Fire(81) or King of the Dead(84)
Dio-Holy Diver(83)...i have only The Last in Line :oops:
Savatage-Sirens(83)...i have Streets,Gutter Ballet,Hall of the MK,and Power of the Night already
Warlord-Deliver Us(83)
Manilla Road-Crystal Logic(83)
Jag Panzer-Ample Destruction(84)
Armored Saint-March of the Saint(84)
Metal Church-st(84)
Anthrax-Fistfull of Metal(84)...i miss this one+State of Euphoria+Vol.8
Kiss-Creatures of the Night(82) or Lick it Up(83)...i have Destroyer,Dinasty and st already
Blue Oyster Cult-Fire of Unknown Origin(81)...i have all the previous ones
Trouble-Psalm 9(84) or St Vitus-st(84)

Now here's a topic I like! Here's my proposal (not an easy pick by any means) :

Warlord - Deliver Us .Warlord are a huge influence on everything under the title "lyrical epic metal".

Manilla Road - "Crystal Logic" Simply put ONE OF THE TOP 5 HEAVY METAL ALBUMS EVER!!!! Absolutely mind blowing musicianship, some of the best and most original guitar leads you'll ever hear, complex and ingenious songwriting, amazing lyrics, simply a MUST buy!

Jag Panzer - "Ample Destruction" This is the album that - along with Liege Lord's "Freedom's rise" - gave birth to what we call U.S. power metal! This along with "4th judgement" and "Age of mastery" are absolute must buys. I watched Panzer live in Greece a few months ago btw, they still RULE!!!

Cirith Ungol - "King of the Dead" I'm too young and ignorant to even begin to judge an album like this! A dark opus in epic metal, a true mystyfying experience! Guitars sharp as razors, walloping bass producing incredible groove, and the screeching vocals of Tim Baker that send old ladies and Euro power gaylords screaming for their lives! And did I mention it's epic as fuck? Plus it's got one of the best covers of all time (Michael Wheelan both rules, and ownz!). THE FINGER OF SCOOOOORN!!!

Now as far as the other bands go, make sure you also get hold of:

Riot - Thundersteel, an opus of american metal.
Dio - Holy Diver, pretty much the same as last in line, his two best solo efforts btw.
Armored Saint - March of the Saint, A.S. are the most american sounding american band ever!!! I know that sounds weird but this is as U.S. metal as it gets, I love them!
Metal Church - St, again patriarchs in U.S. metal.
Anthrax - Fistful of metal, not really my style, but as far as early ballsy u.s. speed goes this is a must
Trouble - "Psalm 9", "The Skull". These two, along with Candlemass "Epicus Doomicus"/"Nightfall" and Scald "Will of the Gods is great power" are the top doom albums ever imo!

Hope I could help, CURSE GOD I WASN'T BORN IN THE 80's OHIO SCENE!!! CURSE HIIIIM!!!

Buff... very difficult, realy a lot of masterpieces in this list.

For me, the four will be.

Dio-Holy Diver(83) THe only I'll never doubt to put in this list.
Metal Church-st(84) Or, better, The Dark (86), their second album.
Riot-Fire Down Under(81) or Narita (79)
Cirith Ungol- King of the Dead(84) or Frost&Fire(81)

Nearby
Warlord-Deliver Us(83) or And the cannons of destruction have begun (84)
Manilla Road-Crystal Logic(83) or open the gates (85)
Jag Panzer-Ample Destruction(84)
Armored Saint-March of the Saint(84)
Anthrax-Fistfull of Metal(84)

and the last in line:

Savatage-Sirens(83)... If the cd is the remaster version with the mini-lp "The dungeons are calling" (I've got these two in vynil) this will go one step up, to the nearby list. Sirens, alone, not as important as the other two
Kiss-Creatures of the Night(82) or Lick it Up(83) the kiss albums you have are better than these two.
Blue Oyster Cult-Fire of Unknown Origin(81) - I can't remember how this record sounds, and which songs I like. Boc was a 70's band, not a 80, and you got the basic records.
Trouble-Psalm 9(84) - More important for the influences than for their music.
St Vitus-st(84) - A less album in st. vitus discography... Born Too Late(86) and Mournful cries(88) are a lot better.

All that, of course, is IMO.

Holy Diver, Ample Destruction, Chrystal Logic and Metal Church are what you need.

I definately recommend Satan's Court in the Act, Rock til you Drop by Raven, The Unknown by Gotham City. These albums in addition to those already mentioned.

Of course these are the ones I think you should get first. After these albums which go from 81-83 will tell you everything there is to know about heavy metal that came afterwards. I should put some Motorhead and Veonom in there too. So do that as well, any Motorhead album will do as the sound never changes....same with Venom, at least until the 90's.

HOLY DIVER

YOU ARE INCOMPLETE WITHOUT THIS

(My friend lost it on me so I have to buy it again aswell uurgh)

Actually i'll start another thread specially about early 80s British metal.This thread is only about American metal.

BTW,i don't have the 3 albums you mentioned;but at least i have almost all the Motorhead catalogue,Venom's Black Metal,and Satan's.....Suspended Sentence!

Gotham City aren't british, they're Sweedish Speaking of which, any heavy metal list is incomplete without Sweedish gods Heavy Load \m/

Wow!So many new old bands to discover...Thank you guys!!!

Gotham City...my favourite release of theirs is probably the Live In Umea demo. It just seems, I dunno, better than their studio stuff.

The Unknown is great, it has Anders Zackrisson on it who would later be in Nocturnal Rites. Its from 83 and it totally rules.

man, you know your stuff. that Scald album is so epic that it blows my mind.

..so I'm going to go check out Crystal Logic. i'll be watching your posts from now on, haha.

Don't be afraid of getting Creatures.. the best and heaviest Kiss album IMO.

Riot-Fire Down Under(81)
Dio-Holy Diver(83)
Armored Saint-March of the Saint(84) & Delirious Nomad (85)
Anthrax-Fistfull of Metal(84)... get State of Euphoria too, not their best but a fun album (with Two Trust covers)
Kiss-Lick it Up(83) is better... if you like Hair Metal !
Trouble-Psalm 9(84)..if you like early american Doom (aka BS rip-off) :roll:

get the RED first 8)

Oh, my.

I would avoid March of the Saint.. too boring and cliche.

Well ,i guess i'll have to choose among Dio,Riot,Metal Church,Jag Panzer,Manilla Road and Cirith Ungol.Maybe also some Kiss....and later some Armored Saint.

Didn't know such a release existed!! Now I have to look for it!! See what you made me do?




I actually had the priviledge of interviewing Scald for Forgotten Scroll issue 1! It's tragic how Agyl's death meant the end of such a great band. You are so right, whenever I listen to that album I get goosebumps! Same with Crystal Logic which you should get ASAP!!! :p

I'll admit I haven't heard all the albums on the list but I as for some of the ones I have heard...

Dio-Holy Diver: An obvious classic as we all know. There's really nothing more to say about it. I'd also recomend Heven and Hell by Black Sabbath (if you don't already have it). I know Dio's the only American on this record but I just figured I'd bring it up while on the subbject of Dio. Great Album as you've probably already heard.

Armored Saint-March of the Saint: Great songs but the intensity of their live shows is lost in the studio as was this bands problem for years (although they would improve with each album). I agree with Stefan, Delirious Nomad is better but don't let that discaourage you from getting March... as the music is still top notch. My personal favorite is Symbol of Salvation I'm getting off subject again as that album came out in the 90s.

Anthrax-Fist Full of Metal: A lot of people don't like this one. I love it like I lave all 80s Anthrax. Pretty raw thrash with a lot of energy. Kinda reminds me of Kill 'Em All and Show No Mercy but not as fast overall. Deathrider and Metal Thrashing Mad are great tracks.

Also check Chastain, CJSS, Metal Church, Omen, Virgin Steele, Manilla Road