Some heavy metal albums, particularly in the 1980s, really did kick off some truly incredible and still-loved subgenres. Let’s look at a few classics that will have you headbanging for the rest of the day.
‘Welcome To Hell’ by Venom (1981)
The English heavy metal band Venom’s debut album, Welcome To Hell, is considered one of the most integral albums in the creation of black metal. And more extreme subgenres of metal in general, honestly. It arrived just in time for the Satanic Panic to grip parents in the UK and US. This album came to prominence after the band got some attention for their single “In League With Satan”. Their imagery was dark, occultish, and spooky; but Venom never really took themselves too seriously. And that fast and raw sound was something few had experienced before Welcome To Hell hit the shelves.
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‘Kill ‘Em All’ by Metallica (1983)
Kill ‘Em All, Metallica’s legendary debut album, didn’t necessarily “invent” thrash metal. But it is certainly regarded as one of the groundbreaking albums that brought the subgenre to the ears of classic metal fans… and non-fans, too, honestly. By the end of 1984 and two tours later, Kill ‘Em All was a smash hit. Though, despite its success, the album didn’t make it to the Billboard 200 until 1986 after the breakthrough success of the band’s third album, Master Of Puppets. But it was Kill ‘Em All that inspired quite a few young metalheads to start their own thrash bands.
‘Seven Churches’ by Possessed (1985)
According to many an amateur music historian and diehard metal fan, this debut record from the American band Possessed is considered the first-ever death metal album to exist. Complete with biblical imagery, horror film references, and a notably evil sound, Seven Churches would go on to become one of the most influential albums in the death metal subgenre. While it didn’t chart, it became an important entry in heavy metal history. And, shockingly, core members Jeff Becerra and Larry Lalonde were only 16 years old when they hit the studio to record it.
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