The year 1984 was one of the greatest in heavy metal history. Some might argue the greatest. A cornucopia of genre styles and creative breakthroughs led to a mainstream explosion that would dominate the rest of the decade. Metal disciples knew something special was going on, and MTV welcomed many new bands with open arms. By the following year, the genre would fall under fire from outsiders critiquing its lyrics and imagery, leading that network to banish the music to late nights and weekends, but that just added to the “dangerous” allure of the music.
The following very lucky 13 list of albums represents some of the greatest metal achievements of the year. It would be easy to argue for a list thrice as long—yes, there are going to be omissions from your favorites—but that’s just the nature of the beast. And man, it was raging in 1984.
Fistful of Metal by Anthrax
Fistful Of Metal has a cartoonishly gory cover, but it certainly represents the thrash metal intensity found within its grooves. Featuring original screamer Neil Turbin, Anthrax’s debut already proved they were a force to be reckoned. “Metal Thrashing Mad” and “Panic” run on pure adrenaline, while “Howling Furies” invokes appropriately ominous imagery.
The Last in Line by Dio
After years fronting Elf, Rainbow, and then Black Sabbath—and that’s already quite a rocking resume—Ronnie James Dio founded his own band. Their sophomore album finds his original lineup—guitarist Vivian Campbell, bassist Jimmy Bain, keyboardist Claude Schnell, and drummer Vinny Appice—firing on all cylinders, from the high octane “We Rock” and “I Speed at Night” to the melodic rocker “Mystery.” Dio made fantasy nerdom in metal cool thanks to his thoughtful lyrics.
Tooth and Nail by Dokken
Although this Sunset Strip band fell into the more commercial side of things, Tooth and Nail delivered the perfect combination of hooky melodies and metal aggression, thanks to the stellar guitar shredding of George Lynch and unrelenting drumming of Mick Brown, who probably had the punchiest kick-drum sound of the time. Listen to the swinging vigor of “Turn on the Action” and relentless propulsion of the title track as proof of their power then.
Evil’s Message by Evil
This is a bit of a cheat because it’s only 22 minutes. But what a 22 minutes it is. Ignore the cartoonish packaging and tune out the boneheaded lyrics that no doubt relegated them to the back of many record bins. This Danish band sound akin to their countrymen Mercyful Fate given a speed-metal injection. The music is really invigorating, and the performances still sound fresh 40 years later.
Violence and Force by Exciter
This Canadian speed metal power trio emphasized the power in that designation—the intense screams and pounding drums of Dan Beehler, pummeling bass of Allan Johnson, and roaring guitars of John Ricci. Don’t worry about subtlety—Violence and Force bludgeons you into submission. Exciter have returned to stages worldwide in recent years with young gun Daniel Dekay in tow.
Powerslave by Iron Maiden
The aptly titled Powerslave took Maiden’s penchant for epic, grandiose songwriting with historical and mythological subjects to new heights. From the opening salvos of “Aces High” to their 13-minute adaptation of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s famed poem “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” these Brits stood out from the pack with their literate approach.
Defenders of the Faith by Judas Priest
Screaming For Vengeance was Priest’s mainstream breakthrough and remains their most successful album, but Defenders upped the ante as a superior and less commercial release. They whip up an intoxicating brew of intense screams, dueling guitar work, and diverse songs. “Rock Hard Ride Free” elevates the time-honored ode to metal into a supreme showcase of guitar prowess and impassioned vocals.
Vices by Kick Axe
Produced by Spencer Proffer (Quiet Riot’s Metal Health), these underrated Canadian purveyors of arena-ready heavy rock were one of the most original sounding outfits of the ‘80s. Their special blend of gnarly guitars, rich vocal harmonies (they all sang), and killer grooves was simply exhilirating. It even had a little funk underneath. Get “On the Road to Rock!”
Sign of the Hammer by Manowar
Yes, this rambunctious New York quartet overdid it with the machismo and fantasy bravado, but get past that and there is some really good songwriting and an unusual sound for the time. The group is on fire here, moving from the unrelenting pace of “The Oath” to the majestic ballad “Mountains” and dark, cinematic epic “Guyana (Cult of the Damned).”
Don’t Break the Oath by Mercyful Fate
One of the most original and talented metal bands ever, this Danish quintet helped spawn the black metal movement, although it really is more of a gothic progressive metal band. The shift from King Diamond’s ghostly baritone to shrieking falsetto can be off-putting to some, but there’s no denying the power of the music and the impressively intricate, multifaceted songwriting. “Desecration of Souls” is one of the most evil-sounding metal songs ever recorded.
Ride the Lightning by Metallica
The second of three albums from the Cliff Burton era, Ride the Lightning is dominated by dark themes—suicide, fear of entombment, and nuclear annihilation among them. There’s a ferocious intensity to the whole record that would influence a legion of imitators to come, from the melodic anthem “Escape” to the unrelenting chaos of “Fight Fire with Fire.” It set the stage for the multifaceted Master of Puppets.
El Que Más by Obús
Other than Baron Rojo getting a smidge of attention over here, the Spanish heavy metal scene was criminally neglected by America in the ‘80s. It was probably the language barrier. Dive into to this classic platter of melodic metal—including one of the greatest party-hearty rockers, “Vamos Muy Bien”—and get swept up in its power. The instrumental “F.M.” is a great drive-and-blast track. Like Ratt on their ‘84 debut Out of the Cellar, Obús combined hard-rocking guitars with what sound like synth toms to great effect. Fun fact: Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith co-wrote “Alguien”.
W.A.S.P. by W.A.S.P
On their debut, these L.A. misfits hit that sweet spot between shock rock outrageousness, mainstream accessibility, and metal theatricality. Blackie Lawless is one of the most distinct singers/shriekers of that era—no one else sounds like him. The reissued album includes their infamous anthem “Animal (F**k Like a Beast)” which, while ridiculously juvenile, was one of the most coveted singles of that era. The Parents Music Resource Center certainly hated it and them.
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