Metal

In 1987, heavy-music scenes were strictly divided and definitely did not play nice with each other. But looking back on such a landmark year some three decades later, we can now appreciate the influence of Guns N Roses Appetite for Destruction alongside the impact of Deaths debut and the bombast of Candlemass—because not only can those records be seen in a clearer context, they also proudly share some of the same fans. And thats the beauty of time: things marinate and evolve. Ideas change, mentalities change, landscapes change. But when it comes to the heavy-metal revolution that was happening around the world 30 years ago, what was rad stayed rad—and thats what were celebrating with this playlist.Thrash adheres to the same face-ripping formula today as it did back then, and those who are into it are still completely stoked to be caught in a mosh. Monster ballads are now less polarizing to Beavis and Butthead types because most of us decided its not only okay to have guilty pleasures, it actually might be a lot cooler if you did. And yeah, there might still be some purists who will forever ignore the fact that Whitesnakes finest hour came at the same time as Napalm Deaths (and who think the two bands have no business being on the same playlist), but the variety of heavy music and abundance of killer guitar solos that define 1987 are actually pretty impressive to see in one place.It was a year where you could venture deep into the darkness with Sodom and Bathory, glimpse the future of extreme music with Death, scale the highest heights (and notes) on King Diamond and Helloweens most iconic albums, or maybe even get a little emotional with Def Leppards biggest commercial hit. You also got essential records from one of the greatest metal singers of all time (Dio), one of dooms most prolific bands (Candlemass), one of extreme metals sacred godfathers (Celtic Frost), not to mention a few of thrashs big guns (Testament, Anthrax, Death Angel, Overkill). It wasnt all just happening then; much of it was still emerging then, taking shape and branding its scorched mark on heavy and popular music worldwide. Heres a 30-year flashback of all the awesome varieties of metal from 1987.This feature is part of our Thrash 101 online course that was produced in partnership with the good rocking folks at GimmeRadio, a free 24/7 metal radio station hosted by heavy-music experts like Megadeths Dave Mustaine and Lamb of Gods Randy Blythe. Check them out here and sign up for the Thrash 101 course here.

These days, metal’s eclecticism runs pretty deep, and in a climate where so much unrest is bubbling up to the surface, its gratifying to have all this music provide a place of refuge for those who want/need to look away from the news. Metal has always possessed a degree of defiance and attitude, serving as a counterpoint to a mainstream thinking. And now its added more ambience and a broader range of emotion. Its thought-provoking, ability-defying, and at times just a pure exorcism of rage—totally fitting for 2017.Check out the right-on-point sheer aggression of Full Of Hells "Deluminate," the interstellar sound of Mastodon soaring even higher on "Sultans Curse," and the continuing rise of Power Trip on "Executioners Tax (Swing of the Axe)." Our 2017 survey also includes buzzed-about up-and-comers like Code Orange, hardcore revivalists like Higher Power and Trapped Under Ice, heralded mainstays like Pallbearer, the oft mentioned (and must-hear) 83-minute opus by Bell Witch (pictured above), as well as smouldering southern crew Royal Thunder, and total wrenches in the machine like the spastic Pyrrhon. And those are just some of the many far corners metal stretched into this year. We also saw comebacks from Godflesh and Glassjaw, polarizing Grammy recognition for August Burns Red, and then glimpses of future releases from Windhand, Turnstile, Old Wounds, and Gatecreeper. Theyre all here in our round-up of this years best metal.

Rock ’n’ roll is all about relentless forward propulsion, and its success hinges on how well a musician can balance his or her violent adrenaline rushes and animalistic urges with the self-discipline and focus that comes with heady groove research. This is something at which AC/DC’s Malcolm Young—who recently left us after succumbing to the dementia that had plagued him for nearly a decade—excelled. If his brother, Angus, is Chuck Berry (all about dazzling flashes of lightning and speeding, razor-wire licks) then Malcolm was Bo Diddley, a brilliant groove engineer (as well as songwriter—let’s not forget that) who could ceaselessly combine and recombine the essential, fundamental components of boogie (rock, as well as the blues). He was not unlike a minimalist architect, only Malcolm’s geometry unfolds across time, which certainly adds a whole new level of intelligence to it. In fact, a friend of mine recently said something quite relevant to this point: There should be a chapter on AC/DC in any quality book chronicling the rise of minimalism in 20th-century music and art. Amen. Such a proclamation is a testament to Malcolm’s belief in the effectiveness of simplicity and archetypal forms and how this belief shaped AC/DC’s mission statement. To really bask in his understated genius, check out berga570’s fantastic YouTube clip, which isolates and loops his riff for “Thunderstruck.” It’s insane—a sublime blending of off-kilter, intuitive swing with a kind of mechanized symmetry. It’s maniacally stuttering and repetitive, falling somewhere between John Lee Hooker and avant-garde oddity Henry Flynt.But Malcolm took things another couple steps further; blast the extended live version of “Bad Boy Boogie” or the locked-tight “Overdose” (both representative of the deeper-style cuts you’ll hear on our playlist) and what you have is the grease of vintage rock and blues fed through the grinding gears of the modern industrial world. We’re talking savage robotics here. Hell, you could even argue that AC/DC were proto-techno rockers before such a concept even existed! So yeah, thanks to Malcolm, these dudes weren’t just debauched rock ’n’ rollers; they were (along with ZZ Top and Motörhead) real-deal innovators of what I like to call rough-neck, working-class minimalism. R.I.P. to the greatest rhythm guitarist in the history of hard rock.

For over three decades, Anthrax have been at the forefront of the thrash revolution, a campaign that continues on their most recent album, For All Kings. Here, guitarists Scott Ian and Jonathan Donais, and drummer Charlie Benante share their all-time favorite hard-rock and metal jams—plus the odd curveball—in these playlists created exclusively for The Dowsers.SCOTT IAN (GUITAR)Listen to his playlist above.CHARLIE BENANTE (DRUMS)

JONATHAN DONAIS (GUITAR)

This feature is part of our Thrash 101 online course that was produced in partnership with the good rocking folks at GimmeRadio, a free 24/7 metal radio station hosted by heavy-music experts like Megadeths Dave Mustaine and Lamb of Gods Randy Blythe. Check them out here and sign up for the Thrash 101 course here.

Thank you for checking out the 13th installment of our Thrash 101 program, produced in conjunction with GimmeRadio, your free 24/7 radio station hosted by heavy-music experts and artists such as The Dillinger Escape Plans Ben Weinman and Death Angels Will Carroll. Listen for free here.For over three decades, Anthrax have been at the forefront of the thrash revolution, a campaign that continues on their most recent album, For All Kings. Here, guitarists Scott Ian and Jonathan Donais, and drummer Charlie Benante share their all-time favorite hard-rock and metal jams—plus the odd curveball—in these playlists created exclusively for The Dowsers.SCOTT IAN (GUITAR)Listen to his playlist above.CHARLIE BENANTE (DRUMS)

JONATHAN DONAIS (GUITAR)

Growing up in the Bay Area throughout the 80s and early 90s was quite a special thing for a metalhead. Having the option to see bands like Exodus, Vio-lence, or Death Angel (to name just a few) on an almost weekly basis... not to mention all the thrash bands from around the world playing week in and week out... it seemed the norm. It was the norm. I was surrounded by one of the biggest movements in metal history, and Bay Area Thrash (BAT) was truly as fun as it sounds. Here are 20 songs that I think are not only each bands best, but also the songs that best represent the time, the era, the scene, the parties, and the RAGING! Enjoy...1. Metallica, "Fight Fire With Fire"The song that truly sent me down the thrash-metal rabbit hole. It opens Metallicas greatest opus and arguably the greatest thrash-metal album of all time: Ride The Lightning. That opening riff, that brutal guitar tone... it rips your fucking face off and sets the tone for the rest of the album. And, at the time, that was the fastest double-bass Id ever heard. I know its hard to imagine now, but its true.2. Exodus, "Fabulous Disaster"After the now-legendary debut Bonded by Blood, the firing of Paul Baloff, the hiring of Steve "Zetro" Souza, and the not-so-legendary release of Pleasures of the Flesh, Exodus were kind of on shaky ground. Then they released a little album called Fabulous Disaster and BOOM!—theyre on MTV. Theyre touring the world multiple times over. Theyre HUGE! And thats because this record is FUCKING AWESOME!!! It rivals their debut for best Exodus album. With crystal-clean production, souped-up tempos, and razor-sharp guitar tones, this album shows the Slay Team at the top of their game.3. Death Angel, "Mistress of Pain"I grew up in the San Francisco suburb of Daly City, which, by chance, is home to three of the original members of Death Angel. They used to sometimes rehearse in DC as well, which kind of made them legends around town. So when The Ultra-Violence came out, it was like, "someone from this shit town put out a record?" It was quite inspiring to say the least. Not to mention every member was related, Filipino, and under the age of 18. This is the stuff of legends...4. Ulysses Siren, "No Trace Of Shame6"Another band with Daly City ties, Ulysses Siren were plagued by drugs, booze, and infighting. These are the only reasons I can possibly think of why they never got signed, because the two demos they put out are the best Bay Area Thrash demos ever, period. Listen for yourself.5. Vio-lence, "Bodies on Bodies"*My personal favorite BAT band, Vio-lence lived up to their name. Their shows were a true test of endurance. More times than not, Id walk out of a Vio-lence gig with my face in pain. Their not-so-secret weapon is vocalist Sean Killian. Love or hate his manic vocal stylings, he was the most unique in the scene. With demented lyrics to match, its a perfect combination. Youre definitely taking your thrash-metal training wheels off when listening to an album like Eternal Nightmare.* Note: this song isnt available on Spotify; listen to it here.6. Possessed, "Pentagram"So in the mid-80s, the metal world was focused on the Bay Area Thrash scene. But all the while, there was a death-metal scene a-brewin before death metal was really a thing. Since there were only a few other death-metal bands to play with (Insanity, for example), Possessed would usually be on thrash bills. Because of their guttural vocals and overtly satanic lyrical themes, they would usually be the odd band out.7. Testament, "Over the Wall"This song definitely is the best representation of Testament. It showcases all of their strengths and its a perfect opener to their debut, The Legacy. Alex Skolnicks solo is practically its own song. Its brilliant. Very cool video, too.8. Blind Illusion, "Blood Shower"In the ashes of Possessed comes Blind Illusion. Musically, there is no connection whatsoever—though future Primus guitarist Larry Lalonde was in both bands. And the bassist for Blind Illusion was Les Claypool, also of Primus fame. These guys didnt make too much of a splash in the scene. Their music is very avant garde and sometimes a tough sell. The Sane Asylum, their only full-length record, is something you need to let grow on you. But once you do, youll realize its a masterpiece.9. Forbidden, "Chalice of Blood"Of all the thrash bands I saw live, none of them made as huge an impression on me as the first time I saw Forbidden. I cant remember being more excited than when I rushed home from the Record Vault with my copy of Forbidden Evil. After hearing it, I started practicing a whole lot more. This is next-level thrash for sure.10. D.R.I., "Five Year Plan"While there was an embryonic death-metal scene going on in the 80s, the Bay Area had a huge hardcore scene that crossbred with the thrash scene frequently. D.R.I. were and are the kings of the Crossover Thrash scene. This song starts off the album Crossover, which was considered an album with a more metal approach. They both lost and gained fans by this move. I was on board with this record.11. Epidemic, "Circle of Fools"These guys were the top dogs of the third wave of BAT. If there was a big thrash or death-metal show rolling through The Bay, theyd be opening, guaranteed. In fact, playing all these high-profile shows (along with selling thousands of copies of their Demo 89 worldwide) is what got them signed to Metal Blade Records. Unfortunately, their debut for the label, Decameron, came out in 1992, during thrashs death knell. The scene was shifting to death-metal rapidly, and Epidemic followed suit. Their second album, Exit Paradise, sounded like a completely different band. They broke up shortly thereafter.12. Heathen, "Death By Hanging"These guys had the potential to be one of the top bands in the scene but, for some reason, couldnt keep the ball rolling consistently. Having huge gaps between albums (three full-lengths in the span of 22 years) and an ever-changing lineup definitely didnt help. These guys have a very unique, almost melodic approach to the Bay Area Thrash sound.13. Defiance, "Inside Looking Out"Many people in the scene would unfairly compare Defiance to Testament—to the point where folks would call them "Little Testament" or "Testament Jr." You get the idea. But quite frankly, that couldnt be further from the truth. The vocals do bear some similarity to Chuck Billy but musically theres no comparison. Defiance are a much more technical band and the drumming smokes! Dave White from Heathen does guest backing vocals on this track.14. Hexx, "Watery Graves"You would be more likely to see Hexx playing with Autopsy or Sadus than Vio-lence or Forbidden. They blurred the line between thrash and death and did it very well. Unfortunately, they never really got past the opening-slot stage.15. Laaz Rockit, "Last Breath"These dudes are definitely a product of their surroundings. Not many bands morph from an almost-glam band to an almost-thrash band, but Laaz did. By the time they released their third record, 1987s ripping Know Your Enemy, they had toughened up their sound and image. But their music never fully went all the way with the BAT sound, so they were always on the outside looking in.16. Sacrilege BC, "Fun With Napalm"Sacrilege BC are on the more obscure side of Bay Area Thrash. (The BC stands for Berkely, California.) Equal parts metal, hardcore, and just plain weird, they put out two records and abruptly called it quits.17. Sadus, "Certain Death"The fastest thrash band in the Bay. Sometimes, at Sadus gigs, theyd be playing so fast, it became hard to figure out what the hell was going on. And on top of these insane tempos, youd have the bass wizardry of Steve Di Giorgio throwing fuel on the fire. Another band that could easily fit on a death-metal bill as well as a thrash one. A severely underrated band that I feel never truly got their due.18. Mordred, "Sever And Splice"*Like Laaz Rockit, Mordred morphed over the years—but Mordreds changes were much, much more drastic. They went from a standard thrash band with a sword-wielding lead singer to a hip-hop-influenced funk-thrash band with a DJ. This tune is off their debut, Fools Game, which was when they were fully realizing their funky potential—but its an older song dating back to their heavier days.Note: This song isnt available on Spotify; listen to it here.19. Dekapitator, "Toxic Sanctuary"80s thrash all down the West Coast. In the Bay, we had bands like Hatchet, Fog of War, and Scarecrow. But the best of the bunch was Dekapitator. This is a side project of Matt Harvey from Bay Area gore gods Exhumed. They actually formed in the late-90s and put out two records. This is off their second album, 2007s The Storm Before The Calm. Definite Anthrax mosh vibe here.20. Exodus, "Deliver Us to Evil"Its impossible to make a list of BAT songs without including the late Paul Baloff—and thats why Exodus is on here twice. I have never met someone in my life who so many people in so many different circles, scenes, and places in the world have stories about. Hell, I have multiple stories about him. He was a one-of-a-kind vocalist and character. Some singers are heavy-metal heroes; he was a heavy-metal villain in the best way. Bonded By Blood is an album youll see on lists for greatest thrash albums ever.This feature is part of our Thrash 101 online course that was produced in partnership with the good rocking folks at GimmeRadio, a free 24/7 metal radio station hosted by heavy-music experts like Megadeths Dave Mustaine, Lamb of Gods Randy Blythe, and Death Angels Will Carroll. Check them out here and sign up for the Thrash 101 course here.

Thank you for checking out the fourth installment of Thrash 101, produced in conjunction with GimmeRadio, your free 24/7 radio station hosted by heavy-music experts and artists such as The Dillinger Escape Plans Ben Weinman and Death Angels Will Carroll, who brings us this history of Bay Area Thrash. Check out his GimmeRadio show here.Growing up in the Bay Area throughout the 80s and early 90s was quite a special thing for a metalhead. Having the option to see bands like Exodus, Vio-lence, or Death Angel (to name just a few) on an almost weekly basis... not to mention all the thrash bands from around the world playing week in and week out... it seemed the norm. It was the norm. I was surrounded by one of the biggest movements in metal history, and Bay Area Thrash (BAT) was truly as fun as it sounds. Here are 20 songs that I think are not only each bands best, but also the songs that best represent the time, the era, the scene, the parties, and the RAGING! Enjoy...1. Metallica, "Fight Fire With Fire"The song that truly sent me down the thrash-metal rabbit hole. It opens Metallicas greatest opus and arguably the greatest thrash-metal album of all time: Ride The Lightning. That opening riff, that brutal guitar tone... it rips your fucking face off and sets the tone for the rest of the album. And, at the time, that was the fastest double-bass Id ever heard. I know its hard to imagine now, but its true.2. Exodus, "Fabulous Disaster"After the now-legendary debut Bonded by Blood, the firing of Paul Baloff, the hiring of Steve "Zetro" Souza, and the not-so-legendary release of Pleasures of the Flesh, Exodus were kind of on shaky ground. Then they released a little album called Fabulous Disaster and BOOM!—theyre on MTV. Theyre touring the world multiple times over. Theyre HUGE! And thats because this record is FUCKING AWESOME!!! It rivals their debut for best Exodus album. With crystal-clean production, souped-up tempos, and razor-sharp guitar tones, this album shows the Slay Team at the top of their game.3. Death Angel, "Mistress of Pain"I grew up in the San Francisco suburb of Daly City, which, by chance, is home to three of the original members of Death Angel. They used to sometimes rehearse in DC as well, which kind of made them legends around town. So when The Ultra-Violence came out, it was like, "someone from this shit town put out a record?" It was quite inspiring to say the least. Not to mention every member was related, Filipino, and under the age of 18. This is the stuff of legends...4. Ulysses Siren, "No Trace Of Shame6"Another band with Daly City ties, Ulysses Siren were plagued by drugs, booze, and infighting. These are the only reasons I can possibly think of why they never got signed, because the two demos they put out are the best Bay Area Thrash demos ever, period. Listen for yourself.5. Vio-lence, "Bodies on Bodies"*My personal favorite BAT band, Vio-lence lived up to their name. Their shows were a true test of endurance. More times than not, Id walk out of a Vio-lence gig with my face in pain. Their not-so-secret weapon is vocalist Sean Killian. Love or hate his manic vocal stylings, he was the most unique in the scene. With demented lyrics to match, its a perfect combination. Youre definitely taking your thrash-metal training wheels off when listening to an album like Eternal Nightmare.* Note: this song isnt available on Spotify; listen to it here.6. Possessed, "Pentagram"So in the mid-80s, the metal world was focused on the Bay Area Thrash scene. But all the while, there was a death-metal scene a-brewin before death metal was really a thing. Since there were only a few other death-metal bands to play with (Insanity, for example), Possessed would usually be on thrash bills. Because of their guttural vocals and overtly satanic lyrical themes, they would usually be the odd band out.7. Testament, "Over the Wall"This song definitely is the best representation of Testament. It showcases all of their strengths and its a perfect opener to their debut, The Legacy. Alex Skolnicks solo is practically its own song. Its brilliant. Very cool video, too.8. Blind Illusion, "Blood Shower"In the ashes of Possessed comes Blind Illusion. Musically, there is no connection whatsoever—though future Primus guitarist Larry Lalonde was in both bands. And the bassist for Blind Illusion was Les Claypool, also of Primus fame. These guys didnt make too much of a splash in the scene. Their music is very avant garde and sometimes a tough sell. The Sane Asylum, their only full-length record, is something you need to let grow on you. But once you do, youll realize its a masterpiece.9. Forbidden, "Chalice of Blood"Of all the thrash bands I saw live, none of them made as huge an impression on me as the first time I saw Forbidden. I cant remember being more excited than when I rushed home from the Record Vault with my copy of Forbidden Evil. After hearing it, I started practicing a whole lot more. This is next-level thrash for sure.10. D.R.I., "Five Year Plan"While there was an embryonic death-metal scene going on in the 80s, the Bay Area had a huge hardcore scene that crossbred with the thrash scene frequently. D.R.I. were and are the kings of the Crossover Thrash scene. This song starts off the album Crossover, which was considered an album with a more metal approach. They both lost and gained fans by this move. I was on board with this record.11. Epidemic, "Circle of Fools"These guys were the top dogs of the third wave of BAT. If there was a big thrash or death-metal show rolling through The Bay, theyd be opening, guaranteed. In fact, playing all these high-profile shows (along with selling thousands of copies of their Demo 89 worldwide) is what got them signed to Metal Blade Records. Unfortunately, their debut for the label, Decameron, came out in 1992, during thrashs death knell. The scene was shifting to death-metal rapidly, and Epidemic followed suit. Their second album, Exit Paradise, sounded like a completely different band. They broke up shortly thereafter.12. Heathen, "Death By Hanging"These guys had the potential to be one of the top bands in the scene but, for some reason, couldnt keep the ball rolling consistently. Having huge gaps between albums (three full-lengths in the span of 22 years) and an ever-changing lineup definitely didnt help. These guys have a very unique, almost melodic approach to the Bay Area Thrash sound.13. Defiance, "Inside Looking Out"Many people in the scene would unfairly compare Defiance to Testament—to the point where folks would call them "Little Testament" or "Testament Jr." You get the idea. But quite frankly, that couldnt be further from the truth. The vocals do bear some similarity to Chuck Billy but musically theres no comparison. Defiance are a much more technical band and the drumming smokes! Dave White from Heathen does guest backing vocals on this track.14. Hexx, "Watery Graves"You would be more likely to see Hexx playing with Autopsy or Sadus than Vio-lence or Forbidden. They blurred the line between thrash and death and did it very well. Unfortunately, they never really got past the opening-slot stage.15. Laaz Rockit, "Last Breath"These dudes are definitely a product of their surroundings. Not many bands morph from an almost-glam band to an almost-thrash band, but Laaz did. By the time they released their third record, 1987s ripping Know Your Enemy, they had toughened up their sound and image. But their music never fully went all the way with the BAT sound, so they were always on the outside looking in.16. Sacrilege BC, "Fun With Napalm"Sacrilege BC are on the more obscure side of Bay Area Thrash. (The BC stands for Berkely, California.) Equal parts metal, hardcore, and just plain weird, they put out two records and abruptly called it quits.17. Sadus, "Certain Death"The fastest thrash band in the Bay. Sometimes, at Sadus gigs, theyd be playing so fast, it became hard to figure out what the hell was going on. And on top of these insane tempos, youd have the bass wizardry of Steve Di Giorgio throwing fuel on the fire. Another band that could easily fit on a death-metal bill as well as a thrash one. A severely underrated band that I feel never truly got their due.18. Mordred, "Sever And Splice"*Like Laaz Rockit, Mordred morphed over the years—but Mordreds changes were much, much more drastic. They went from a standard thrash band with a sword-wielding lead singer to a hip-hop-influenced funk-thrash band with a DJ. This tune is off their debut, Fools Game, which was when they were fully realizing their funky potential—but its an older song dating back to their heavier days.Note: This song isnt available on Spotify; listen to it here.19. Dekapitator, "Toxic Sanctuary"80s thrash all down the West Coast. In the Bay, we had bands like Hatchet, Fog of War, and Scarecrow. But the best of the bunch was Dekapitator. This is a side project of Matt Harvey from Bay Area gore gods Exhumed. They actually formed in the late-90s and put out two records. This is off their second album, 2007s The Storm Before The Calm. Definite Anthrax mosh vibe here.20. Exodus, "Deliver Us to Evil"Its impossible to make a list of BAT songs without including the late Paul Baloff—and thats why Exodus is on here twice. I have never met someone in my life who so many people in so many different circles, scenes, and places in the world have stories about. Hell, I have multiple stories about him. He was a one-of-a-kind vocalist and character. Some singers are heavy-metal heroes; he was a heavy-metal villain in the best way. Bonded By Blood is an album youll see on lists for greatest thrash albums ever.Listen to Will Carrolls show, Fool Metal Jacket, on GimmeRadio.com.

One cannot listen to Slayer without intent. When you listen to Slayer, you are not just listening to Slayer, but committing to a philosophy—the mere act of listening to Slayer situates you as a bearer of dualities: reflective, yet aggressive; grizzled, yet tender. Of all the American thrash metal bands that came out of the ‘80s, Slayer has been one of the most enduring, and for good reason. They are the a dependable machine. Frankly, they slay. Built on the partnership of guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, as well as bassist and singer Tom Araya, most of Slayer’s discography boasts a remarkably united sound, consisting of a perfect blend of grimy guitars, kerosene-fueled solos, and bone-crushing percussion. Between their macabre themes and hellish garb, their demonic affect is total. Araya’s howls are so iconic by now that, for many, his voice *is,* categorically, metal itself. And being a fan of Slayer has social currency: when you encounter someone in public wearing a Slayer shirt or sporting a Slayer tattoo, you can be reasonably sure that that person is sick as hell. Here are a few essential tracks that go right to the deep end of the inferno.

Thank you for checking out the seventh installment of our Thrash 101 program, produced in conjunction with GimmeRadio, your free 24/7 radio station hosted by heavy-music experts and artists. Check it out here.In 1987, heavy-music scenes were strictly divided and definitely did not play nice with each other. But looking back on such a landmark year some three decades later, we can now appreciate the influence of Guns N Roses Appetite for Destruction alongside the impact of Deaths debut and the bombast of Candlemass—because not only can those records be seen in a clearer context, they also proudly share some of the same fans. And thats the beauty of time: things marinate and evolve. Ideas change, mentalities change, landscapes change. But when it comes to the heavy-metal revolution that was happening around the world 30 years ago, what was rad stayed rad—and thats what were celebrating with this playlist.Thrash adheres to the same face-ripping formula today as it did back then, and those who are into it are still completely stoked to be caught in a mosh. Monster ballads are now less polarizing to Beavis and Butthead types because most of us decided its not only okay to have guilty pleasures, it actually might be a lot cooler if you did. And yeah, there might still be some purists who will forever ignore the fact that Whitesnakes finest hour came at the same time as Napalm Deaths (and who think the two bands have no business being on the same playlist), but the variety of heavy music and abundance of killer guitar solos that define 1987 are actually pretty impressive to see in one place.It was a year where you could venture deep into the darkness with Sodom and Bathory, glimpse the future of extreme music with Death, scale the highest heights (and notes) on King Diamond and Helloweens most iconic albums, or maybe even get a little emotional with Def Leppards biggest commercial hit. You also got essential records from one of the greatest metal singers of all time (Dio), one of dooms most prolific bands (Candlemass), one of extreme metals sacred godfathers (Celtic Frost), not to mention a few of thrashs big guns (Testament, Anthrax, Death Angel, Overkill). It wasnt all just happening then; much of it was still emerging then, taking shape and branding its scorched mark on heavy and popular music worldwide. Heres a 30-year flashback of all the awesome varieties of metal from 1987.

So long as the world is home to easily offended Christians and alienated teens addicted to horror movies and loud guitar jams, that modern day manifestation of the Grand Guignol known as shock rock will continue to be a viable pastime. As a matter of fact, the past few years have been deliciously gory ones for those unleashing malevolent riffs while smothered in freaky makeup and latex (or, in the case of the Butcher Babies, very little at all). The reigning rulers of 21st-century shock rock, Maria Brink and In This Moment, have returned with in 2017 with both a new album (Ritual—more hard rock, less Warped-brand metal) and new look. (The video for “Oh Lord” lifts its cryptic religious vibes from possession flicks like The Last Exorcism and The Witch, with a dash of Gaga’sAmerican Horror Story thrown in for good measure.) There’s also Motionless in White, who are like the metalcore reincarnation of mid-’90s Marilyn Manson (a huge compliment, of course), and Ghost B.C., who admittedly may not be looking to shock anybody; it’s entirely possible they’re just earnest, card-carrying Satanists.Now speaking of alleged devil-worshipper Marilyn Manson, a good deal of the shock rock that has emerged since he had evangelicals protesting his performances steers towards the grave and graphic. After all, there simply isn’t a lot of (intended) chuckles to be found in something like the Butcher Babies’ “Mr. Slowdeath” video, which basically is the groove metal equivalent of torture porn. Older shock rockers, on the other hand, are way more campy. They embraced their roles as villains and outcasts holding a cracked mirror up to our diseased society, but they did it with a nod and wink (most of the time). Mercyful Fate’s King Diamond—who needs to be credited with kickstarting the corpse paint look eventually adopted by the black-metal tribe—wails about the occult and Satanism with a lavish, theatrical flair. And if you travel all the way back to the ’70s, you run into Kiss, who reveled in comic-book absurdism even when launching into dungeon-clanking nightmares like “God of Thunder,” and Alice Cooper, whose ambitious concerts were Broadway productions topped off with guillotines, boa constrictors, and even dance numbers. The Coop may be my favorite shock rocker of all time—and he’d be the first to admit shock rock is just good, old fashioned show biz with a bucket of blood on the side.