For a brief spell during the mid-'80s, the heavy metal quintet Dio was one of the top U.S. concert attractions, boasting one of the most over-the-top stage acts of its time loaded with props and special effects (lasers, explosions, a giant dragon, etc.). The group's leader was singer Ronnie James Dio, who had previously become acquainted with... [+] Read More

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Known for such powerful hits as "Two Minutes to Midnight" and "The Trooper," Iron Maiden was and is one of the most influential bands of the heavy metal genre. The often-imitated band existed for over 20 years, pumping out wild rock similar to Judas Priest. Iron Maiden has always been an underground attraction; although failing to ever obtain... [+] Read More

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Canadian thrashers Annihilator are the lifework of guitarist Jeff Waters, who founded the band in his native Vancouver in 1984 -- just as the speed metal revolution was getting underway further to the south in the San Francisco Bay Area. Due in large part to this geographical isolation, Annihilator as a band phased in and out of existence over... [+] Read More

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Forming in the small German town of Krefeld, Blind Guardian perfected a fusion of Gothic- and fantasy-tinged European power metal with the velocity and technical precision of speed metal. Members Hansi Kürsch (vocals, bass), Marcus Siepen (guitar), André Olbrich (guitar), and Thomas Stauch (drums) initially called themselves Lucifer's Heritage,... [+] Read More

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Kai Hansen formed Helloween in 1984, playing guitar and singing on the speed-metal band's first four albums. He left in early 1989, however, and founded Gamma Ray with vocalist Ralf Scheepers (formerly with Tyran Pace). The duo intended to record a one-off project that Hansen originated while in Helloween, so they recruited bassist Uwe Wessel,... [+] Read More

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Alongside Switzerland's Celtic Frost and Sweden's Bathory, Germany's Helloween were possibly the most influential heavy metal band to come out of Europe during the 1980s. By taking the hard riffing and minor key melodies handed down from metal masters like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, then infusing them with the speed and energy introduced by... [+] Read More

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Power metal -- a forceful, hard-driving,and aggressive yet melodic style of heavy metal associated with headbangers like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Queensrÿche, Helloween, and King Diamond -- got started in the '70s and reached its commercial peak in the '80s. But after the '80s -- after Nirvana and Pearl Jam radically reshaped rock music in... [+] Read More

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Judas Priest was one of the most influential heavy metal bands of the '70s, spearheading the New Wave of British Heavy Metal late in the decade. Decked out in leather and chains, the band fused the gothic doom of Black Sabbath with the riffs and speed of Led Zeppelin, as well as adding a vicious two-lead guitar attack; in doing so, they set the... [+] Read More

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The brainchild of former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, Rainbow quickly developed into one of the '70s most successful heavy metal bands behind charismatic front man Ronnie James Dio. Together, the duo would produce a string of acclaimed albums which are still considered classics of the genre. But the group would change their musical... [+] Read More

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Saxon was one of the early leaders of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, along with Iron Maiden and Def Leppard. The band was formed in Barnsley in 1977 by vocalist Biff Byford, guitarists Graham Oliver and Paul Quinn, bassist Steve Dawson, and drummer Pete Gill. Originally calling themselves Son of a **** they soon decided to find a more... [+] Read More

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