1980...The New Wave of Heavy Metal Invasion!

1980...The New Wave of Heavy Metal Invasion!

Hard rock and heavy metal seemed like it was dying by the end of the 1970's, especially in the U.S. However, there was a whole new wave of heavy metal bubbling up from the underground, especially in Europe. The NWOBHM was beginning to build momentum. Iron Maiden, Samson, Def Leppard, Saxon, Tygers of Pan Tang, Angel Witch, etc. were all coming from that scene, building on what bands like UFO, Judas Priest and Thin Lizzy had done before them. In the U.S. the scene was beginning to build momentum as well, though it wouldn't start to see major popularity for a couple more years. Several bands were seeing growing success in the clubs on both the East and West Coast. In California Quiet Riot were regulars at the Starwood. In 1980 they lost their guitar player to a band that was to be called Blizzard of Ozz, but was later billed as Ozzy Osbourne. Van Halen were still hugely popular at this time as well. On the East Coast, Twisted Sister were filling up clubs with only a couple of self released 45RPM singles to promote themselves. Riot was still gaining momentum as well with two albums already under their belts. The New Wave of Heavy Metal had begun!




AC/DC - Back in Black
Accept - I'm a Rebel
Aerosmith - Greatest Hits
Alice Cooper - Flush the Fashion
Angel Witch - s/t
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
Blackfoot - Tomcattin'
Blue Öyster Cult - Cultösaurus Erectus
Def Leppard - On Through the Night
Diamond Head - Lightning to the Nations
Fist - Turn the Hell On
Frank Marino - Juggernaut
Gamma - Gamma 2
Gillan - Glory Road
Girlschool - Demolition
Iron Maiden -s/t
Joe Perry Project - Let the Music Do the Talking
Judas Priest - British Steel
Kiss - Unmasked
Krokus - Metal Rendez-vous
Michael Schenker Group - The Michael Schenker Group
Motörhead - Ace of Spades
Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz
Rush - Permanent Waves
Samson - Head On
Saxon - Wheels of Steel
Saxon - Strong Arm of the Law
Scorpions - Animal Magnetism
Ted Nugent - Scream Dream
Thin Lizzy - Chinatown
Tygers Of Pan Tang - Wild Cat
UFO - No Place to Run
Van Halen - Women and Children First
Whitesnake - Ready An' Willing

Also released the infamous "Metal for Muthas" and "Axe Attack" compilations.

I think that Anvil - Hard n Heavy was recorded and released in 1980 as well, only under the name Lips and independently released. The first official Anvil release of "Hard n Heavy" wouldn't be until 1981. As well, Raven were recording their first album in 1980 as well.

The poll is limited to only 15, so I tried to pick the ones I thought would be most popular.

Ac/Dc - Back in Black!

It's almost perfect from start to finish.

I am going for the obvious choice but I choice 'Back In Black' which I know is overplayed on the radio, but I choose it because, well the main reason I choose it is because I love the album but also the band rebounded so quickly from a tragedy, any other band losing a frontman like Bon Scott would have folded but AC/DC solider on and wisely choice Brian Johnson, the only man who could have stepped into the great man's shoes, and did not try to be Bon Scott II but was his own man while at the same time paying tribute to Bon's spirit.

Also the album is haunted by the spirit of Bon Scott IMO, from the opening tolling bells in mourning, to the album cover to the title track itself that even mentions Bon's braggado in the lyrics:


I keep looking at the sky cause it's gettin' me high
forget the hearse cause I’ll never die
I got nine lives cat's eyes

That is one of the few reasons while I choose this album.

BEST? BS - Heaven & Hell
FAVORITE? - Krokus - Metal Rendez-vous or Def Leppard - OTTN

Gonna go with Sabbath's HEAVEN & HELL on this one.

Wow,I didn't realize how many awesome releases came out that year til I saw that list. Very hard to choose. Like many said the obvious choice would be Back In Black but I'll go against that and instead choose Heaven and Hell.


Oh and I love on that cover about the return of Heavy Metal -" Here Come The Goons "

A lot of favorites from that year; Maiden, Priest, Nugent, BOC, Motorhead, Thin Lizzy, etc. I went with Heaven & Hell.

I think that Joe Perry Project album is one helluva underrated gem as well.

Now the lists will really be tough but I went Saxon here.

Wow, some great choices, but I gotta go with Lemmy & Co.

Quote :

You know I'm born to lose,
and gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby,
I don't wanna live forever,

Although Ozzy's Blizzard was one of the very first cd's I ever purchased.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Gonna go with Sabbath's HEAVEN & HELL on this one.

Like AC/DC ( without the tragic circumstances of course) here is a band who had to do the replace an iconic frontman and picked a man who was the complete opposite of Ozzy and managed to revive the fortunes of the band.

Are you kidding me???? There are way too many good choices here. What a great year for metal!

I gonna go with.........


On Through The Night.

Back in Black definitely for me.

To my liking:

1) Saxon Strong Arm of the Law (my vote)

2) Black Sabbath Heaven and Hell
3) Iron Maiden s/t
Tygers of Pan Tang Wild Cat
4) Motorhead Ace of Spades
5) Angel Witch s/t
Diamond Head Lightening to the Nations
Saxon Wheels of Steel

Gotta give the vote to Iron Maiden, but holy frak some AWESOME albums this year!!! I could have easily chosen AC/DC (what a way to keep it going, Manny already said what needed to be said about this one!), Black Sabbath (DIO saves the day!!!), Priest, Motorhead, Scorps or Def Leppard!!!!!!! Other classics from Saxon and Van Halen included too? Frak me... Time to set the "time machine" to 1980 for my music playlist for a few days!!!!!

I had a hard time choosing between Heaven And Hell and British Steel...guess which way I went?

<-----------

British Steel > Ace Of Spades > Animal Magnetism > Heaven And Hell > Iron Maiden

1980 was declared I believe by Classic Rock Magazine as the best year in metal history anyone disagree?

manny wrote:

1980 was declared I believe by Classic Rock Magazine as the best year in metal history anyone disagree?

Personally, I like 1981.

manny wrote:

1980 was declared I believe by Classic Rock Magazine as the best year in metal history anyone disagree?

I'd say 1983 or '84, but then those were the two years where I really got full tilt into Metal so it might just be my personal preference.

Fat Freddy wrote:

manny wrote:

1980 was declared I believe by Classic Rock Magazine as the best year in metal history anyone disagree?

I'd say 1983 or '84, but then those were the two years where I really got full tilt into Metal so it might just be my personal preference.

Same here I was only ten in 1980 so I was not rocking out to any rock band at this point, from historic viewpoint it seems more landmark albums where released in 1980 then any year prior or since.

1986 was the best year for metal. Tons of awesome releases that year.

Temple of Blood wrote:

1986 was the best year for metal. Tons of awesome releases that year.

It was definitely the best year for Thrash. You had MASTER OF PUPPETS, PEACE SELLS and REIGN IN BLOOD all in one year.

Temple of Blood wrote:

1986 was the best year for metal. Tons of awesome releases that year.

I am not sure if it was best year or not but definitley a year of landmark metal releases that year.

i will not vote cos i must give the vote to every band. there's no weak album.
1980 is just heavy metal year as never be again in the future and last.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

1986 was the best year for metal. Tons of awesome releases that year.

It was definitely the best year for Thrash. You had MASTER OF PUPPETS, PEACE SELLS and REIGN IN BLOOD all in one year.

Yep,very good year indeed!


I went with Black Sabbath here.