Los Angeles-based metal band Cirith Ungol formed in 1981, taking their name from a tower which played a key role in author J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series. The lineup originally comprised singer Tim Baker, guitarist Jerry Fogle, bassist Michael Flint, and drummer Robert Garvin, and made its debut with the Enigma release Frost and Fire,... [+] Read More

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Conceived during the late '80s when death metal did everything it could to gain credibility as a substantial niche, Entombed instantly championed the eerie variation of brutal heavy metal, giving it credibility before quickly abandoning the style in the early '90s. In their post-death metal years, the band retained the niche genre's most... [+] Read More

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When prog rock first reared its head during the early '70s it contained elements of hard rock, but few bands crossed the line into heavy metal. This all changed during the '80s, when bands such as Dream Theater, Watchtower, and Fates Warning merged their love of Yes and Rush with their admiration for Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Formed in... [+] Read More

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Flotsam and Jetsam initially showed a lot of promise within thrash metal circles and, though they've continued to record over the past 15 years, their talent and professionalism never quite translated into significant sales or mainstream recognition. Formed in Arizona by vocalist Eric A. K., guitarists Michael Gilbert and Edward Carlson, bassist... [+] Read More

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Fashion trends may come and go, but Florida's Iced Earth has remained steadfastly committed to championing the cause of heavy metal through thick and thin. After years of laboring in obscurity and undergoing countless lineup changes, they have slowly emerged as one of the greatest hopes for classic metal in America.

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Arguably the most influential and successful European thrash metal band ever, Germany's Kreator is also by far the most enduring. Like many of their European speed metal brethren.Kreator fused Metallica's thrash innovations with Venom's proto-black metal imagery, sparked it with Motörhead's balls-out velocity, and capped it off with the... [+] Read More

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Danish band featuring vocalist King Diamond, guitarists Hank Shermann and Michael Denner, bassist Timi Hansen, and drummer Kim Ruzz. Mercyful Fate won a large cult following thanks to their dramatic lyrics, showing a Gothic obsession with evil and the occult, and Diamond's amazing vocal range, which shifted from a low growl to a banshee scream,... [+] Read More

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New York thrash quartet Overkill was formed in 1984 by vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and guitarist Bobby Gustafson, also including bassist D.D. Verni and drummer Sid Falck. The band garnered a reputation for brutal, pounding speed and technique, but lacked the musical diversity to compete with heavy hitters like Metallica; still, they built... [+] Read More

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No band affected the metal world more than Pantera during the early to mid-'90s. Beginning with its 1990 album, Cowboys from Hell, the post-thrash band put to rest any and all remnants of the '80s metal scene, almost single-handedly demolishing any notion that hair metal, speed metal, power metal, et al., were anything but passé. Sure, a lot of... [+] Read More

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Sanctuary, formed in Seattle in 1985, was a pet discovery of Megadeth guitarist Dave Mustaine. He helped get the band signed to CBS/Epic Records, produced their first album, and took them on the road with Megadeth. The band consisted of vocalist Warrel Dane, guitarists Lenny Rutledge and Sean Blosl, bassist Jim Sheppard, and drummer Dave... [+] Read More

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Taking their name from the Norewgian word for wolf, Ulver is a black metal band employing both noisy death-metal blasting and more relaxed, morose acoustic instrumentation, depending on the concept of their work. Led by vocalist Garm, Ulver recorded two concept albums beginning in 1995; Bergtatt detailed a Norse legend in which maidens are... [+] Read More

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