Music From Heavy Metal 1981
Contents
Looking for some new music to get into? Check out our list of the best metal albums from 1981. From classic records like Iron Maiden’s “Killers” to lesser-known gems like Warlock’s “Triumph and Agony”, there’s something for everyone here.
Introduction
Welcome to Music From Heavy Metal 1981. This site is dedicated to showcasing the best in heavy metal music from 1981. This was a truly groundbreaking year for the genre, with many bands pushing the boundaries of what was possible. We hope you enjoy exploring the music of this incredible year.
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal
1981 was a great year for heavy metal music. New bands were emerging and the genre was evolving. The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was in full force. Bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Motorhead were leading the charge. This was a time when metal was truly exciting.
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden is one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time. They formed in 1975 and released their debut album in 1980. Since then, they’ve released a total of fifteen studio albums, five live albums, and four EPs. They’ve sold over 90 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time.
Iron Maiden is known for their complex song structures, intricate guitar work, and powerful vocal performances. They’re considered pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Some of their most popular songs include “The Trooper”, “Aces High”, “Fear of the Dark”, and “Hallowed Be Thy Name”.
Def Leppard
Def Leppard is a British heavy metal band formed in 1977 in Sheffield. The band’s core members are vocalist Joe Elliott, guitarist Phil Collen, bassist Rick Savage, and drummer Rick Allen. With their Pyromania album (1983), they achieved widespread success and became one of the world’s best-selling music artists. The album spawned several hit singles, including “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages”.
Saxon
Saxon is a British heavy metal band that was formed in 1977 in Barnsley, England. The band’s musical style is rooted in NWOBHM, with strong influences from classic 1970s hard rock. They are considered to be one of the leaders of the new wave of British heavy metal movement.
The band has released twenty studio albums, eleven live albums, seventeen video albums, and twelve compilation albums. Their first album, Wheels of Steel, was released in 1980 and is considered to be one of the classic heavy metal albums of all time. The band has had several lineup changes over the years, but the current members are: Ian Gillan (vocals), Paul Quinn (guitar), Doug Scarratt (guitar), Nigel Glockler (drums), and Steve Dawson (bass).
The American Scene
In the early 1980s, American heavy metal was at the height of its popularity. This was in part due to the success of bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax, who were all signed to major record labels. This article will take a look at the American heavy metal scene in 1981.
Metallica
headquartered in San Francisco. The band was formed in 1981 by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in the United States for most of its career. The band’s fast tempos, instrumentals, and aggressive musicianship placed them as one of the founding “big four” bands of thrash metal, alongside Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer. Metallica’s current lineup comprises founding members Hetfield and Ulrich, longtime lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, and bassist Robert Trujillo. Guitarist Dave Mustaine (who went on to form Megadeth) and bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton (who died in 1986), Jason Newsted (who left the band in 2001), and Rob Trujillo (who joined in 2003) are former members of the band.
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. The group was formed in 1983 by guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson, shortly after Mustaine’s dismissal from Metallica. A pioneer of the American thrash metal scene, the band is credited as one of the genre’s “big four” with Anthrax, Metallica and Slayer; responsible for its development and popularization. Megadeth plays in a technical style, featuring fast rhythm sections and complex arrangements. Themes of death, war, politics and religion are prominent in the group’s lyrics. In 1985, the band released its debut album on the independent label Combat Records. The album sold poorly initially but was celebrated by the growing thrash metal community.
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo, and bassist and vocalist Lakie Glover. Slayer’s fast and aggressive musical style made them one of the founding “big four” bands of thrash metal, alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax. Hanneman and King are the band’s main songwriters; their lyrics often had a dark misanthropic perspective.
Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release Reign in Blood, which was credited for having greatly influential in popularizing the fast tempo and extreme styles of both death metal and black metal. It has been awarded certified platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Slayer’s popularity brought them to the top of Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart three times throughout their career: with South of Heaven (1988), Seasons in the Abyss (1990), and God Hates Us All (2001).
The band has also received five Grammy Award nominations, winning one in 2007 for the song “Eyes of the Insane” and one in 2008 for “Final Six”. They were nominated again in 2010 for “Hate Worldwide”, in 2013 for “Psychopathy Red”, and in 2015 for “Repentless”.
Conclusion
While there are plenty of other great metal albums from 1981, these 10 stand out as essential listens from one of metal’s most important years. From the New Wave of British Heavy Metal to American power metal and even proto-black metal, 1981 was a year that saw metal begin to diversify and grow in popularity. If you’re looking to get into metal or just want to revisit some of the genre’s classic albums, these are the 10 you need to hear.
