1983 was an amazing year. Why? Well, that was the year I came out of my mothers vagina. Also was the year for some really good albums. Will you like all of my top 10? Probably not.
Go make the jump to view the list!
#10 Venom – At War with Satan
If you want an album that mixes everything from black metal (black metal sounded different in the early 80s), speed metal, hints of thrash metal and the sound of NWOBHM, then you must own At War With Satan from Venom. The big stand out track for this would be the 19 minute epic At War With Satan. This album definitely had a huge influences on the more extrme bands down the road.
#9 Savatage – Sirens
I bet if I played this for the average Joe, they would call it “cheese metal”. That average Joe would be somewhat right, Savatage are known to be kinda cheese(in my opinion), but this album is still a rocker. If you’re not interested in this, at least give Rage, track number 4 a listen, probably the best song on the album. Out on the Streets is a song i wish i could bang to back in 1983. Not really an original album, just fun, straight forward metal/hard rock.
#8 Slayer – Show No Mercy
It may be my least favourite Slayer album of the 1980s, but I can’t deny that this is a pretty solid debut album from the boys. Show No Mercy easily has some of Tom’s best vocal performances ever(oh, how I wish he still had that high pitch scream today), while Black Magic remains to be one of my favourite Slayer songs.
#7 Manowar – Into Glory Ride
Others bands play…Manowar Kill! I know that lyric is not from this album but I had to post it because Manowar are fantastic. Battle Hymns is a nice little debut but Into Glory Ride is the album where, in my opinion, Manowar slowly started to become truly a great band and really epic. Manowar are clearly not for everyone but you got to respect them for staying true and worshipping the metal genre.
#6 Mötley Crüe – Shout At the Devil
Let’s get one thing straight. Shout At The Devil is metal. Mötley Crüe are known to be a hair metal/commercial rock type of band but Mötley Crüe‘s first two records are metal. It’s just a shame they didn’t continue with that direction and decided to sell out(whatever, I would have done the same, money/fame/sluts>everything)
#5 Dio – Holy Diver
When people think of this album, they usually only bring up the title track. That song is awesome but you can’t ignore songs like Stand Up And Shout, Caught In The Middle, and the brilliant Rainbow In The Dark.
#4 Accept – Balls To The Wall
First thing….. This has got to be the worst title ever. As for the music, it’s simply awesome. Honestly, this album has a lot of songs that had the potential to be a big commercial success(Turn Me On and Winterdreams, etc). Balls To The Wall is a song i’m sure you have heard of and chances are you thought Udo Dirkschneider sounded like Brian Johnson, right? Yeah thought so.
#3 Iron maiden – Piece of Mind
Every single Iron Maiden album from the 1980’s is amazing and that obviously includes Piece Of Mind. By 1983, I’d say Piece Of Mind was Maidens best album to date. It was also Bruce Dickinson‘s second album with the band and he did an outstanding job, especially on tracks like Where Eagles Dare, Die With Your Boots on and the underrated Sun And Steel.
#2 Mercyful Fate – Melissa
Satanism…pure evilness… and an absolute classic… That’s what I would say if someone asked me to describe the debut album from Mercyful Fate. All the songs are fresh and original, especially Curse Of The Pharaoh, which to me is the best Mercyful Fate/King Diamond song ever. Every metal fan needs to give this album a spin.
#1 Metallica – Kill ‘Em All
Say what you want about Metallica, but you can’t deny how badass Kill ‘Em All is. It’s just a thrash fest from start to finish, including some of Metallica‘s fastest songs like Motorbreath, Metal Militia and the really popular Seek And Destroy. Can’t be a thrash fan and not enjoy Kill ‘Em All. No way. No.
