Vote For Your Five Best Metal/Hard Rock Albums From 1985

[Jack the Stripper]

1985 - The mid-'80s was a period where heavy metal got decidedly heavier and faster. Building on the foundation laid by bands like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Motorhead and Venom in earlier years...The genre was also starting to branch out into the multi-subgenre's we know today. Thrash was defining its sound while also paving the way for death metal.

Meanwhile, glam was taking things in a completely separate and commercial direction. It was a time where heavy metal fully started its stranglehold on radio, arenas and underground clubs.

1985 saw some of metal's finest contributions hit the shelves, releases that are still being praised today.


Vote for what you consider to be the five best albums from 1985

Once this poll is done and we have a winner we'll move onto 1986 and so on...

Then we'll put all the winners from the years 80-89 up against each other to determine the greatest metal/hard rock album from the 80's.

Poll will run for five days before closing.

Vote away 

Phew! Biggest poll yet!

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Bum!! I only voted for 4, I thought I had picked a 5th... oh well!

AC/DC (Not one of their best)
Dio (Not one of his best)
Rush (Not one of their best)
Magnum (One of their best!)

[Jack the Stripper]

I've found this poll the hardest to choose. Bonded by Blood is a standout pick, Metal Heart next, but after that nothing really stands out. Just a bunch of good to solid albums without being amazing or stone cold classics

I need more time on this one...

[Tyr66]

What a monstrous list , Jack !
Huge choice demonstrating ,whether it still needed to demonstrate, this pivotal year was so creative.
this time, I prefer to vote according to my tastes for that year as well as my current preferences because, I admit, I was a little lost in many directions  and sometimes that led me to a stalemate during following years. Common Youth's errors that will fade over the years but other choices that turn out to be right decades later.

The Return ... Bathory
To Mega Therion - Celtic Frost , which I associate the EP Emperor's Return published 2 months before to introduce their new drummer.
Run for Cover - Gary Moore
Hell Awaits - Slayer
The Good, The Bad and the Waysted - Waysted

Special Mention to :
Feel the Fire - Overkill
Long Live the Loud - Exciter
Yngwie J Malmsteen - Marching Out

[Charger]

I thought it might be hard to find 5 albums worth picking here as most of these are total unknowns to me...

But I did find 5 quite easily after all...but if I would have had to choose 6...I doubt I would have found it...

Anyways.

Anthrax - Spreading The Disease
DIO - Sacred Heart
Savatage - Power Of The Night
Megadeth - Killing Is My Business
Slayer - Hell Awaits

They all stand proudly above all the rest. Eventhough none of those albums are those bands best offerings.

[Jack the Stripper]

Bonded By Blood - Pure unadulterated thrash from go to woe. Just a classic!

Metal Heart - The last great Accept of the 80's.

Feel The Fire - Very underrated thrash debut from America's finest East Coast thrash band.

Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good - Raw, fast, complex and combative thrash debut that's a little let down by poor production.

The Last Command - Not as great as the debut but still loved this album when it came out and still spin it today. I'll never get tired of hearing Wild Child.

A shout out to Walls Of Jericho, Spreading the Disease, Under Lock And Key, Theatre of Pain and Speak English Or Die.

1985 is not what I'd call a vintage year compared to the previous year and the year that followed but still many good releases.

[Zzzptm]

Dio, Megadeth, Twisted Sister, and The Cult are my picks.

But my top pick is Armored Saint's Delerious Nomad. Love that album!

[Thelemech]

Spreading  The Disease - Anthrax
Delirious Nomad - Armored Saint
To Mega Therion - Celtic Frost
Feel The Fire – Overkill
Hell Awaits - Slayer


 

[Tyr66]

... and I remember enjoying the first album of Rogue Male - First Visit during this year .

[Jack the Stripper]

*Bumpity Bump*

Really need to get 10 or more voters to make this worthwhile

[Charger]

Again so far very diverse votes....and looks like thrash is taking the lead here too!

[Ted Sallis]

Voted for Exodus and Slayer.

Ted

[discman69]

I am the straight ahead hard/classic rock guy my vote was pretty easy.

Fly on the Wall-ac/dc   Personally I think this one is underrated
Done with mirrors-Aerosmith   Not the best way to start over, but still better than people think
Metal Heart- Accept My favorite Accept album
Under Lock and Key- Only Dokken album I owned. Played this a lot
Theatre of Pain- Motley Crue  Not as good as Shout, but still some great tunes.

[Typhon]

I am the straight ahead hard/classic rock guy my vote was pretty easy.

Done with mirrors-Aerosmith   Not the best way to start over, but still better than people

This. 

[Billy Underdog]

Bathory, Celtic Frost, Exodus, Megadeth, Slayer.

What a year it must've been being older than 2...