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Kai vs RYM metal charts 1989

      Well, we made it to the last year of the 80s.  To the underground, a challenger approaches and establishes dominance frighteningly quick.  The last year of metal's ultimate decade is very much a harbinger of the sounds to come.  You will find very quickly this list is dominated by one sub-genre and it is NOT the one you think of if you are a "That Metal Show" type.  Like 1987, 1989 seems like a dead year as the previous year the A-leagues put out albums and spent the next two years touring for it.  If you truly think that, well that's your opinion, but don't you go spouting that mess on any online forum or they'll take your favorite glam vinyl and shove it up your hiney.  So let's assess whether or not RYM has the pulse on the metal culture for 1989....... 1. Morbid Angel- Altars of Madness      I mean, goes without saying.  The greatest death metal album ever made.  Hell, if you follow the liner notes it declar...

Kai vs. RYM metal charts: 1988

     1988 might just be my favorite year in metal of all time.   It's the closest it comes to every heavy hitter bringing it.  The only one I can think of that was AWOL was Motorhead, and they at least put out a live album (albeit one inferior to the legendary No Sleep Til Hammersmith ).  And I can't really think of anyone releasing an absolute stinker.  Off the top of my head the only albums I can think of that approach low B-high C tier are  Ram   it Down, Kings of Metal, maybe No Rest For the Wicked.   It's certainly the last important year for mainstream metal in terms of quantity.  So it could certainly be argued that the one's who made the top 10 this year are the cream of the crop, right?  RIGHT?     I'm gonna make the decision to leave EPs off.  Possibly for good.  I could be wrong, but anything that wasn't album was only notable if it was a demo, and when it comes to demos I'm more discriminating th...

Kai vs. RYM metal charts: 1987

     1987 was when metal became a type of pop music, thanks to the likes of  Appetite For Destruction , Whitesnake, Hysteria,  or  Slippery When Wet .  It's also another odd year where the major players who released an album in 1986 are either touring/writing/catching their breath. As a result, many filthy casuals might think 1987 was nothing to talk about beyond the above mentioned pop-metal releases.  Well, those people would be dead wrong, as the spotlight is snatched by those whom, when you think about it, sew the seeds for metal's direction in the 90s.  While this might not be a "better" year for metal than 1986, it's easily a more interesting one.  No EPs this time, for reasons that will be explained: 1. Candlemass- Nightfall       Huh… I mean I love Nightfall and it should absolutely be here, but #1?  Under The Sign of The Black Mark must have been star-bombed by hipsters.  Still, Nightfall is arguably...

Kai vs RYM metal charts: 1986

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      1986 and heavy metal, in the minds of classic aficionados they go together like peanut butter and chocolate.  Some important albums came out this year for sure, but does RYM know what those are, mainstream, and underground?  Or do disproportionate voting calculations vote never-weres up, and important records down, like usual?  We're including still including EPs, but I'm beginning to feel like that's a bad idea.....letsago! 1. Metallica- Master Of Puppets     So, I actually misspoke in the 1984 entry where I said that 1986 was one of a handful of years where a heavy metal album legitimately tops the albums of the year list of any genre.  Which is hilarious because I also knew this in the back of my head, but my brain farted.  This is #2 of all genres for 1986.  #1 is The Smiths The Queen Is Dead .  I agree with the RYM fanbase.  At least in that the latter is better than the former.  That said, The Smiths'...

Kai vs. RYM metal charts: 1985

       1985 is interesting because no immediate A-listers put out an album this year (there's an exception to the rule, which without looking at the chart I just know will not  be in the top 10; We'll address that at the end).  We have bands that would become A-listers releasing albums this year, but while they were great albums, none of them can be really classified as "putting them on the map."  At least not the map where Ozzy, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metallica etc., dwell.  Reason for this is all the heavy hitters had put out the albums the previous year, and had become big enough to where they kept touring for it (the general rule was if the album was still selling, keep em touring).  Hell, Iron Maiden's legendary World Slavery Tour (which Live After Death  was recorded ) took place in 1985.  So big bands were spending one year putting out an album, the next year touring for it, then the following year the follow-up would be...