If you’ve been in the game for a pile of years and have frequented a number of different forums, blogs and even a heavy metal venue bathroom stall or two, you’re probably aware that our genre is no stranger to the world of haikus. These verses are different, however, because I’m about a hundred miles away from Mensa material, and most of them were written while pulling back Pacificos in the corner of a dirty bar. Then again, maybe that’s how most haikus were birthed – someone get Matsuo Basho on the horn.
If you missed last week’s round #1, you can catch up with the first ten albums right’chere. And if you’re interested in a quick summary of precisely what’s going on:
The purpose of this list is really pretty simple: A means to assuage an ailing mind and make me feel a little better about some of my favorite metal from the 1980s being left off our collective list.
So, yeah, I’ll be throwing fifty additional 80s metal albums under the spotlight that have become very near and dear to my heart over the years.
Again, loads of these releases are available through a few different avenues, so be sure to check themetaldetektor to see who’s still delivering the goods.
And with that, on to Round #2: Samurais, serpents, swords, chainsaws, street life, and skulls that are numb…
• • • • •
Genocide – Black Sanctuary
Released: 1988 on King Klassic Records
Location: Takefu, Fukui, Japan
Style: “What’s the use of worrying about your beard when your head’s about to be taken?”
Status: Active
Sample: “Doomsday”
~ Japan’s King Diamond?
“The spirit of Ayamele
Is inside your wife.” ~
• • • • •
Incubus – Serpent Temptation
Released: 1988 on Brutal Productions Records
Location: Metairie, Louisiana, USA
Style: Death/Thrash Metal to Rattle Your Neighbor’s Bones to Dust
Status: Split up (Changed name to Opprobrium)
Sample: “Sadistic Sinner”
~ Serpently tempted
To snake a nap ‘neath this tree
Woke up really dead ~
• • • • •
Hallows Eve – Death & Insanity
Released: 1986 on Metal Blade Records
Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Style: Speed/Thrash Metal Featuring Slash Carrying a Dead Rat on the Cover
Status: Active
Sample: “Lethal Tendencies”
~ Watch The River’s Edge
“Lethal Tendencies” gets played
On the way to Feck’s ~
• • • • •
Zoetrope – Amnesty
Released: 1985 on Combat Records
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Style: “Street Metal” – Speed/Thrash Metal Cranked Out in an Alley Behind the Dumpster
Status: Split up
R.I.P. Barry Stern
Sample: “Indecent Obsessions”
~ Is the “Z” pronounced?
Don’t trust the dictionary
The band says “ee-trope” ~
• • • • •
Num Skull – Ritually Abused
Released: 1988 on Medusa Records
Location: Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, USA
Style: Thrash Metal that Will Make You Want to Kick A Church in the Nuts
Status: Split up
Sample: “Ritually Abused”
~ “I don’t trust that priest
He’s got a skull for a head
What would Jesus do?” ~
• • • • •
Sword – Metalized
Released: 1986 on GWR Records
Location: St. Bruno, Québec, Canada
Style: Heavy Metal with Fringe on the Sleeves
Status: Active
Sample: “F.T.W. (Follow the Wheel)”
~ This is the real Sword
Not that wanky beatnik band
Hosers 4 life, eh? ~
• • • • •
Blood Money – Red, Raw and Bleeding
Released: 1986 on Ebony Records
Location: Manchester, UK
Style: Thrash Metal that Rams a Burning Chainsaw Into Your Gibblets
Status: Split up
Sample: “Metalyzed”
~ Red, raw and Bleeding
A brutal Brazilian wax?
Nope, just speed metal ~
• • • • •
Griffin – Flight of the Griffin
Released: 1985 on Shrapnel Records
Location: San Francisco, California, USA
Style: Power/Speed Metal that’s Not Afraid to Wear a Headband
Status: Active
R.I.P. Mike “Yax” Jastremski
Sample: “Heavy Metal Attack”
~ “Hey Lois, listen…
Bird, bird, bird – bird is the word.”
“Peter, turn that down!” ~
• • • • •
Dr. Know – Wreckage in Flesh
Released: 1988 on Metal Blade Records
Location: Oxnard, California, USA
Style: Amazing Speed/Thrash Metal that Doesn’t Give a Fuck About Album Cover Artwork
Status: Active
Sample: “Rise”
~ Dr. Know knew punk
Then Dr. Know knew metal
What do they know now? ~
• • • • •
Heretic – Breaking Point
Released: 1988 on Metal Blade Records
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Style: Power/Speed Metal with Sassy Bangs
Status: Active
Sample: “Time Runs Short”
~ “Singer Mike Howe dead!!”
That was a recent rumor
Nope, just hiding out ~
• • • • •
