Anthrax

 Today in 1995 Anthrax released the single High Octane

Yonkers, New York Speed/Thrash, Groove Metal

Status:Active

Years active: 1981-present

As one of the so-called Big Four of 80's thrash metal (alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth), Anthrax enjoyed massive success in the 80's and still command a strong presence to this day. The group debuted with the raw, Metallica-ish Fistful Of Metal (the two bands being early signings to the Megaforce label), but it was the arrival of distinctive vocalist Joey Belladonna that coincided with the band taking off, with albums such as Spreading The Disease and Among The Living being bonafide thrash classics. By the end of the decade, however, relations between Belladonna and the others soured, resulting in his less-than-amicable departure. With new vocalist John Bush from Armored Saint in tow, Anthrax embarked on the second phase of their career. Despite good albums and Bush's unquestionable talent, Anthrax's popularity waned somewhat during the nineties, the band still holding on to their large fan base but not at the metal forefront as in years past.

The new millennium has seen the trials and tribulations of Anthrax reach almost soap-opera proportions. A reunion with Belladonna and old guitarist Dan Spitz led to a rejuvenated band and tour, and all seemed right with the world. But of course it couldn't last, and so out went Belladonna and Spitz, replaced by the unknown Dan Nelson and erstwhile guitarist Rob Caggiano. More drama ensued when Nelson was unceremoniously dumped from the band on the eve of a major tour, delaying the release of their already-recorded new album. And didn't we all see this coming? Joey Belladonna is back in the band as of May 2010, set to re-record vocals for the new album as well as tour. That new album, Worship Music, was released a year later.

Elektra Records

Scott Ian Guitars (rhythm)

Charlie Benante Drums, Percussion

Frank Bello Bass

John Bush Vocals

Guest/Session

Paul Crook Guitars (lead)

Dimebag Darrell (R.I.P. 2004) Guitars (lead) (track 3)

1. Random Acts of Senseless Violence 04:03

2. Fueled 04:02

3. King Size 03:58

12:03

Acheron

 Today in 1992 Acheron released then single Alla Xul

Tampa, Florida (early), Columbus, Ohio (now)Death/Black Metal

Status:Active

Years active: 1988-2010, 2010-present

Acheron have been an cult band for several years, releasing albums on a several underground labels and having featured a variety of well-known death metal musicians over time as their lineup has frequently changed surrounding founder Vincent Crowley. Based on the one album reviewed here (1998's Those Who Have Risen), the basics of Acheron might be described as mid-paced Satanic death metal, with heavy, down-tuned, Celtic Frost-style guitar riffs and atmospheric keyboards that give the tunes a haunted feel. This is not a complicated band, there's little in the way of technical wizardry, but the songs are catchy in a dark kind of way, and to be honest this style really isn't all that common these days. They announced their breakup in April 2010, only to reform in December.

Gutted Records

Vincent Crowley Vocals, Bass, Lyrics

Tony Blakk Guitars (rhythm)

Vincent Breeding Guitars (lead)

Mike Browning Drums

Side A

1. Alla Xul 02:22

Side B

2. One with Darkness 03:16

05:38

7" EP pressed on blood-red vinyl. Limited to 1,000 copies.

Side A runs at 33⅓ RPM.

Side B runs at 45 RPM.

Recording information:

Recorded in November 1992, at Audio Lab Recording Studio in Tampa, FL, USA.

Whitesnake

 Today in 1989 Whitesnake released the album Slip Of The Toungue

Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England Hard rock blues rock heavy metal
Status:Active
Years active 1978–1990, 1994, 1997, 2002–present
After recording two solo albums, former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale formed Whitesnake around 1977. In the glut of hard rock and heavy metal bands of the late '70s, their first albums got somewhat lost in the shuffle, although they were fairly popular in Europe and Japan. During 1982, Coverdale took some time off so he could take care of his sick daughter. When he re-emerged with a new version of Whitesnake in 1984, the band sounded revitalized and energetic. Slide It In may have relied on Led Zeppelin's and Deep Purple's old tricks, but the band had a knack for writing hooks; the record became their first platinum album. Three years later, Whitesnake released an eponymous album (titled 1987 in Europe) that was even better. Portions of the album were blatantly derivative -- "Still of the Night" was a dead ringer for early Zeppelin -- but the group could write powerful, heavy rockers like "Here I Go Again" that were driven as much by melody as riffs, as well as hit power ballads like "Is This Love." Whitesnake was an enormous international success, selling over six million copies in the U.S. alone.
Geffen/Warner Bros
David Coverdale – vocals
Steve Vai – guitar
Adrian Vandenberg – guitar (credited but not recorded)
Rudy Sarzo – bass
Tommy Aldridge – drums
Guest musicians[edit]
Don Airey, David Rosenthal, Claude Gaudette – keyboards
Glenn Hughes, Tommy Funderburk, Richard Page – backing vocals
All tracks written by David Coverdale and Adrian Vandenberg, except where noted.
No. Title Length
1. "Slip of the Tongue" 5:20
2. "Cheap an' Nasty" 3:28
3. "Fool for Your Loving '89" (Coverdale, Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody) 4:10
4. "Now You're Gone" 4:11
5. "Kittens Got Claws" 5:00
6. "Wings of the Storm" 5:00
7. "The Deeper the Love" 4:22
8. "Judgement Day" 5:15
9. "Slow Poke Music" 3:59
10. "Sailing Ships" 6:02
20th Anniversary Edition bonus tracks
No. Title Length
11. "Sweet Lady Luck" (Single B-side) 4:37
12. "Now You're Gone" (US Single Remix) 4:07
13. "Fool for Your Loving" (Vai Voltage Mix) 4:17
14. "Judgement Day" (from Live: In the Shadow of the Blues) 5:38
15. "Slip of the Tongue" (from Live at Donington 1990) 5:41
16. "Kittens Got Claws" (from Live at Donington 1990) 4:58
20th Anniversary Edition DVD
No. Title Length
1. "Fool for Your Loving '89" (Music video) 4:27
2. "Now You're Gone" (Music video) 4:09
3. "The Deeper the Love" (Music video) 4:17
4. "The Deeper the Love" (live, from Starkers in Tokyo) 4:02
5. "Sailing Ships" (live, from Starkers in Tokyo) 4:06
6. "Judgement Day" (from Live... In the Still of the Night) 5:22
7. "Slip of the Tongue" (from Live at Donington 1990) 5:54
8. "Kittens Got Claws" (from Live at Donington 1990) 5:01
Slip of the Tongue is the eighth studio album by the British hard rock band Whitesnake, released in 1989. The album peaked at number 10 on both the UK Album Chart and US Billboard 200. Four singles were released from the album: "Fool for Your Loving", "The Deeper the Love", "Now You're Gone" and "Judgement Day". All the singles hit the US Mainstream Rock Tracks top 40, and "The Deeper the Love" and "Fool For Your Loving" were top 5. Slip of the Tongue has sold over one million copies in the US, reaching platinum state.
"Fool for Your Loving" originally appeared on the album Ready an' Willing, but it was re-recorded for this album.

Manowar

 Today in 1988 Manowar released the album Kings of Metal

Auburn, New York Heavy/Power Metal

Status:Active

Years active: 1980-present

After almost thirty years in the business, Manowar continues to rally around their "Death To False Metal" battle cry. Though their over-the-top image and lyrics occasionally come across as slightly cheesy, their determination to stand by their beliefs is commendable, and the fact of the matter is that songs such as "Blood Of My Enemies", "Guyana", "Battle Hymns", and "Defender" rank as among the most brilliant, majestic metal songs ever recorded by any band. It's amazing that, after all this time, Manowar still has a sound that really isn't like anyone else, highlighted by Eric Adam's excellent vocals and a pounding rhythm section led by bassist (and chief songwriter) Joey DeMaio. While Manowar fanatics will doubtless argue that all of their albums are equally outstanding and brilliant, the opinion here is that their early work, particularly the first four albums, are far superior to their later albums, with the 1984 pair of Hail To England and Sign Of The Hammer being their best works. They've mainly stuck to releasing live albums and DVDs over the last decade, along with two studio albums in 2002 and 2007, and they're clearly still a major metal force in Europe.

Atlantic Records

Eric Adams - vocals

Ross the Boss - guitar

Joey DeMaio - bass guitar

Scott Columbus(R.I.P. 2011) - drums

Guest/Session

Grant Williams "Grandson" voice on "The Warrior's Prayer"

Arthur Pendragon Wilshire "Grandfather" voice on "The Warrior's Prayer"

1. Wheels of Fire (4:10)

2. Kings of Metal (3:45)

3. Heart of Steel (5:10)

4. Sting of the Bumblebee (2:49)

5. The Crown and the Ring (Lament of the Kings) (4:50)

6. Kingdom Come (3:56)

7. Pleasure Slave (5:38)

8. Hail and Kill (5:58)

9. The Warrior's Prayer (4:20)

10. Blood of the Kings (7:29)

Total Time: 48:09

European and American CD bonus track:

7. Pleasure Slave (5:38)

Kings of Metal is the sixth album by heavy metal band Manowar. Released in 1988 by Atlantic Records, it is thought by many to be among their very best releases.[citation needed]

The album was the last to feature guitarist and founding member Ross "The Boss" Friedman, who later went on to rejoin punk band The Dictators. Drummer Scott Columbus left the band after this album as well, but rejoined for 1996's Louder Than Hell and remained with the band until 2008

Tyrant

 Today in 1986 Tyrant released the album Running Hot

Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Heavy Metal , Speed Metal

Status:Split Up

Years active: 1981-1989

One of several bands over the years named Tyrant, this version was a German band of the mid-eighties, employing a standard Judas Priest/ Accept style that was quite prevalent in Europe at the time (see also bands such as Warrant, Gravestone and others).

Scratch Records

Kerrmit Vocals

King Carl Guitars

André Papack Bass

Micky Budde Drums

Side A

1. Rock Your Bottom 03:50

2. Breakout 02:53

3. Taste of Paradise 03:23

4. When the Raven Flies Again 03:27

5. Running Hot 04:50

Side B

6. Fire at Sea 04:06

7. Take the Most Dangerous Way 03:27

8. Get Ready 03:09

9. She's a Killer 03:33

10. Starlight 06:02

38:40

Recorded and mixed at Spygel Studios, Kirchheim / Teck, Germany, Sept/Oct. 1986.

Produced by Tyrant.

Remastered at Mighty Monster Records, Vellberg-Großaltdorf, Germany.

Beowülf

 Today in 1986 Beowülf releasesed there self titled album

Venice, California Hardcore punk,Heavy metal,Thrash metal,

Crossover thrash

Status:Active

Years active 1981–1995, 2000–present

Venice, California-based thrashers Beowulf (not to be confused with the earlier, L.A.-based hard rockers by the same name) formed in 1984 and featured singer/guitarist Dale Henderson, guitarist Mike Jensen, bassist Paul Yemada, and drummer Michael Alvarado. Friendly from the start with local legends Suicidal Tendencies, the quartet contributed two tracks to 1985's Suicidal Records' compilation Welcome to Venice, and then quickly recorded and released their self-titled debut a year later. This was followed by 1988's Lost My Head...But I'm Back on the Right Track LP, which was issued through Caroline Records and featured a thrashy version of Smokey Robinson's "Cruising." They released 2¢ in 1995 and decided to split up a short time later. They re-formed in 2000 and released Westminster & 5th in 2007.

Suicidal Records

Dale Henderson - vocals and guitar

Mike Jensen - guitar

Paul Yamada - bass

Michael Alvarado - drums

1"Took the Jewel" (2:35)

2"No Doubt" (2:47)

3"Drink, Fight, Fuck" (1:48)

4"All I Need" (2:41)

5"Shoot Them Down" (2:15)

6"Taste the Steel (Extended Fight Version)" (4:02)

7"Phuck" (3:16)

8"Get the Grind" (3:17)

9"Americanizm" (1:51)

10"Down 'Til Dead" (3:07)

11"Belligerence" (1:27)

12"Don't Give a Damn" (3:16)

13"(My Life) Alcohol" (3:03)

Beowülf is the debut album by the band of the same name, released in 1986.

Like many Beowülf albums, the recording is out of print. In 2004, the album was re-released as the first half of the Re-Releases compilation, along with its follow-up Lost My Head... But I'm Back on the Right Track.

Anthrax

 Today in 1983 Anthrax released the single Soldiers of Metal

Yonkers, New York Speed/Thrash, Groove Metal

Status:Active

Years active: 1981-present

As one of the so-called Big Four of 80's thrash metal (alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth), Anthrax enjoyed massive success in the 80's and still command a strong presence to this day. The group debuted with the raw, Metallica-ish Fistful Of Metal (the two bands being early signings to the Megaforce label), but it was the arrival of distinctive vocalist Joey Belladonna that coincided with the band taking off, with albums such as Spreading The Disease and Among The Living being bonafide thrash classics. By the end of the decade, however, relations between Belladonna and the others soured, resulting in his less-than-amicable departure. With new vocalist John Bush from Armored Saint in tow, Anthrax embarked on the second phase of their career. Despite good albums and Bush's unquestionable talent, Anthrax's popularity waned somewhat during the nineties, the band still holding on to their large fan base but not at the metal forefront as in years past.

The new millennium has seen the trials and tribulations of Anthrax reach almost soap-opera proportions. A reunion with Belladonna and old guitarist Dan Spitz led to a rejuvenated band and tour, and all seemed right with the world. But of course it couldn't last, and so out went Belladonna and Spitz, replaced by the unknown Dan Nelson and erstwhile guitarist Rob Caggiano. More drama ensued when Nelson was unceremoniously dumped from the band on the eve of a major tour, delaying the release of their already-recorded new album. And didn't we all see this coming? Joey Belladonna is back in the band as of May 2010, set to re-record vocals for the new album as well as tour. That new album, Worship Music, was released a year later.

Megaforce Records

Neil Turbin Vocals

Scott Ian Guitars

Dan Spitz Guitars

Dan Lilker Bass

Charlie Benante Drums (track 1)

Greg D'Angelo Drums (track 2)

Side A

1. Soldiers of Metal 03:08

Side B

2. Howling Furies 04:05 07:13

These tracks later appeared on European SPV's re-release of "Fistful of Metal" & "Armed and Dangerous" 2xCD set as bonus tracks.

Recording information:

Produced by Ross the Boss from Manowar. Track 1 features new drummer Charlie Benante, track 2 (from one of the demos) Greg D'Angelo.