1983 was interesting for metal. We’re still picking things up and there are obviously important records here. Just for starters we have these things that have been talked to death:
Accept – Ball to the Wall
Dio – Holy Diver
Iron Maiden – Piece of Mind
Mercyful Fate - Melissa
Metallica – Kill ‘Em All
Motley Crue – Shout at the Devil
Ozzy – Bark at the Moon
Quiet Riot – Metal Health
Slayer – Show No Mercy
Rightfully so, most of these records would make a Top Ten of ’83 for the genre for me, but I’m also a pretentious bitch so I’m going to talk about these instead:
Speaking of some 1983 metal, there were two very good hair metal albums released in 1983, and they both involved Yngwie Malmsteen
The first and really only album from Steeler, the band that introduced Yngwie to the world, and it's one of the best hair metal albums ever made (also featuring Rik Fox from WASP)
Gowi's already listed pretty much all of my favorite (real) metal records from 1983, but I can't pass up a chance to preach some hair metal _________________ 2023 Chart
1983 was interesting for metal. We’re still picking things up and there are obviously important records here. Just for starters we have these things that have been talked to death:
Accept – Ball to the Wall
Dio – Holy Diver
Iron Maiden – Piece of Mind
Mercyful Fate - Melissa
Metallica – Kill ‘Em All
Motley Crue – Shout at the Devil Ozzy – Bark at the Moon
Quiet Riot – Metal Health
Slayer – Show No Mercy
Rightfully so, most of these records would make a Top Ten of ’83 for the genre for me,
RockyRacoon wrote:
Speaking of some 1983 metal, there were two very good Hair Metal albums released in 1983, and they both involved Yngwie Malmsteen
The first and really only album from Steeler, the band that introduced Yngwie to the world, and it's one of the best hair metal albums ever made (also featuring Rik Fox from WASP)
Great picks, guys!!! BUT I think if we're talking about 1983, and Hair Metal in particular, than we really need to talk about ...
Just an album chock full of radio-friendly bangers!!! Got my kids hooked on this baby just this past week. So cute hearing them sing all the words in the back seat!
1983 was probably Heavy Metal's commercial peak with Quiet Riot and Def Leppard ruling my junior high halls.
My rankings of just Commercial/AOR Metal from 1983 would probably look a bit like this...
1. Dio - Holy Diver
2. Def Leppard - Pyromania
3. Motley Crue - Shout At The Devil
4. Twisted Sister - You Can't Stop Rock n' Roll
5. Ozzy Osbourne - Bark At The Moon
6. Alcatrazz - No parole From Rock n' Roll
7. Rainbow - Bent Out Of Shape ( I LOVE "Stranded" & "Can't Let You Go")
8. Quiet Riot - Metal Health
Which of these would you consider Hair Metal?!?!
Never heard Steeler!!! Will have to check them out!
Last edited by Repo on 04/29/2022 01:42; edited 2 times in total
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When I last heard it, I wasn’t really overwhelmed, maybe I should listen again to the 2 tracks you mention.
As for hair metal which I don’t really like I suppose I would rank your number 2,3,4 under that. I don’t know Alcatrazz.
And to the general list I would add Flick of the Switch although it’s certainly not the best ac/dc album around.
Dollar signs. That’s what everyone was seeing in the wake of Back In Black. Loading up their brink trucks with moola. So Pop Metal wunderkind Mutt Lange was brought in once again to print some dolla' bills with For Those About To Rock. BUT, this time the machine was spitting out blanks. Duds. The songs were weak ass applesauce. Timid Timothys mailed in with little to no personality. And that shit didn’t carry. We metal loonies in 8th grade knew we’d been had this time around. "This shit sucks big balls!", we declared. And the word spread.
Angus sure & hell heard it. So he started sacking people. First to go? Producer extraloadinaire “Mutt” Lange! Off with his head & good riddance! We’ll do it ourselves, Angus & Malcolm say. Go back to the basics. Grinding raw through denim in some graffitied, smelly ass back stall with its very own gloryhole. "That’s what the next record is gonna be about", Angus says after one too many pints one night! And let me tell you, it was so good to have our boys back again. The band I grew up with in the 70s. Riding in the back of pickup trucks sans seatbelts or any reasonable sense of safety. One hand on the rail and one on your beer. An album made for people who like sand in their shorts because how else can you have a beach side kegger. Sure it's not comfortable. But, fuck comfort. I want to feel alive. And after two albums made for the malls of America, AC/DC went back to the bathroom stalls where they belonged.
Early 80's Rainbow was Finally getting comfortable with both having the Metal Bonafides of their past, and Richie Blackmore's want to get paid. The result is some of the most polished and well performed Heavy Metal of the era....
With one Caveat.
Some People like Joe Lynn Turner...and...Well..>
He's Okay, especially in the high end.
The Problem is who left to bring Joe Lynn in.
Graham Bonnet Leaving Rainbow to go to Alcatrazz. Managed to do THREE things for me.
1. Show Graham Bonnet wasn't just some lucky singer in the metal scene.
2. Gave us Yngwie (For better or for worse.)
3. Would eventually give us Vai.
The only thing Alcatrazz lacked was any commercial viability to get them across the bridge.
My argument being is that if Graham elected to STAY in Rainbow...His Legacy as a Rainbow vocalist wouldn't just be more secure...he probably would've made Rainbow even MORE Successful in the 80's than they already were.
But To Discuss Metal in 83...
WHEW DAMN.
When things got hot.
I'm not going to mention the bands who formed in this time period (The Amount that Started here who would become outright Legends would be staggering, Specifically this Swedish kid who liked calling himself Ace...Said he was gonna join his papa's record label and he had a kickass band...Forgot What that band name was.)
But let's start off simple and a bit...dirty.
Saxon
Who released Power and Glory in this Year.
Whilst Power and the Glory is raw in alot of Areas, It is essentially the point where Saxon I think Finally figured out what they wanted to be musically (Something they would constantly battle as time went on...For Better or worse.) And while the Production sadly does not stick to snuff, I overall dig the result. "Warrior" and "The Eagle Has Landed." Are both Kickass Tunes.
(Not sure how Double Posting is viewed in this forum, if It's viewed Negatively, I do sincerely apologize and will exit the previous post with this one included.)
Today I WAS Going to talk about Mercyful Fate, EXCELLENT Debut with Melillisa, but I got distracted. Now, usually nothing distracts me from listening to anything adjacent to King Diamond unless of course, it's god.
Just turns out god Intervened.
In 1983, Lemmy Kilmister (AKA GOD.) was in a tough spot, “Fast” Eddie Clarke (Who I’ll probably cover later as Fastway’s Debut album ALSO Released this year.) left the previous year due to conflicts with Lemmy about song direction, and Lemmy essentially strong arming the band to do a Cover of “Stand By Your Man” with The Plasmatics simply on the strength of Lemmy FUCKING The lead Singer Wendy O. Williams. Something I think contributes to the previous years’ effort: Iron Fist, Being Sort of on the weaker side (And I mean weaker by Motorhead Standards, Motorhead don’t make bad albums.). Now without a guitarist, it was up to Lemmy to find a replacement; however, his drummer Philthy Animal Taylor being a huge fan of Hard Rock LEGENDS Thin Lizzy…had a different idea.
Incoming…Brian Robertson.
Probably one of the most underrated guitar talents of the 70’s and 80’s, Dude was a Goddamn MONSTER with Thin Lizzy, him and Lynott being the principal song writers. His work with Thin Lizzy doesn’t need to be covered here. All in All, pretty much a steal if you’re Lemmy looking for a godlike guitarist to replace your OTHER Godlike guitarist…right?
No.
Brian Robertson is a well-known snob, which goes in complete contrast to the more relaxed and chill style of band leader Lemmy. Now…one would Expect this means Motorhead’s next release would be doomed.
But This is Motorhead, they don’t make bad albums.
Another Perfect Day, was the end result, and in my eyes a rather underrated album in the Motorhead canon. It’s also my A1 argument to people who tend to make THAT Asinine Statement.
You know the one.
“Motorhead makes the same song over and over.”
Oh Jeez….Well let’s give them a kick in the Pants shall well?
Another Perfect Day marks Lemmy’s great attempt at making his relationship with Brian Robertson work. This added the extra effort of Lemmy experimenting More with the sound He cultivated on the previous four releases. The end result is a SUPERB Effort in my eyes to both expand their previous sound, while not becoming direct quotation (Which Iron Fist can sometimes be at point.)
Starting off with the the Familiar but still rocking “Back at the Funny Farm” You can see how Brian Robertson’s addition while weird at the onset actually BENEFITTED the albums direction. Harder Solos with more insane passages that even Eddie Clark couldn’t catch, and with Philthy Animal…well…being fucking Filthy you get a strange combination of The Motorhead Sound with a bit of that 70’s Thin Lizzy and it fucking WORKS.
But even when things stroll to the unfamiliar you can get damn good results. Such as “Marching off to War.” A somber tune that fans of Brutal Legend would actually be familiar with. Lemmy writing shines in this as is probably one of the first examples of Lemmy writing on the topics of War in a way that seemed more defeatist and grittier, combined with the badass solos by Brian to compliment the sound overall, it’s probably the quintessential example of the experimentation that people (HINT: Stupid people) Think Motorhead has never done in their careers.
Overall, Another Perfect Day while far from the best of the 80’s for Motorhead is a standout for many reasons. It Proved that Motorhead was far more varied than a lot of people gave them credit for then and even now in some circles. It showed that even if Lemmy disagreed with a bandmate he could still write kickass tunes that actually complimented them. Finally, it showcases probably the best performance of Philthy Animal. Fitting, as Lemmy would kick out Brian Robertson the next year and due to Philthy Animal introducing said guitarist…he left with him to form Operator.
Leading to one of the…weirder…band lineup for Lemmy Kilmeister's band of Hired Guns; However, that my friends…is for another time.
(Not sure how Double Posting is viewed in this forum, if It's viewed Negatively, I do sincerely apologize and will exit the previous post with this one included.)
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Nice!!! LOVE it! <Keep it up!>
The Riot Fest lineup just dropped so I'll b pretty preoccupied by that, but love these write-ups!
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