Kai vs RYM metal charts: 1983

     Welcome back!  Time for 1983.  Having glanced over this list a couple times, I can happily say there's no Brats or Baron Rojo's here.  Still a couple of deep cuts by mainstream standards, but hell not everything should be what just sold the most!  We look over what the charts RYM have the albums rated highly the most and discuss whether or not they should be in a metal top 10 of that year.  Letsago!

1. Dio- Holy Diver

   Yup, #1 highest rated for 1983 is not what you'd think it'd be.  Or maybe you were expecting this to be #1, I don't know.  You know the more I think about it, the more I realize Holy Diver is the greatest, most complete album Dio has ever sang vocals on.  Yes, this is a better album than Heaven & Hell and Rising.  Both albums which I love, don't get me wrong, and if you asked 10 years ago, I'd have exclaimed the latter as deserving of that distinguished title.  But man, as great as Rising is, it's starting to show it's age sonically.  The performances are all S tier of course, and it is a Martin Birch production, but Ritchie Blackmore's post Deep Purple guitar tones just leave something to be desired.  Actually scratch that, Blackmore's post 1970 guitar tone leaves something to be desired.  Heaven & Hell, while boasting better tones, and also a Martin Birch production, but it also has a couple of duds like "Walk Away."  This has great sounds AND no filler.  Ronnie had super something to prove, being the replacement singer and not 2 years later and already out of the big band, if this album was less than perfect Ronnie might damn well still be a punchline.  But Ronnie delivered perfection, and it was just a couple of years ago certified double platinum in the United States (Maiden still do not have such a certification, even with streaming).  Nearly 2 decades after Ronnie's passing, this album kicks all kinds of ass, and hopefully 3 more decades later, human-ferengi hybrid's will still be extolling it's praises.

Should this be on a top 10: Damn right.

Would this be on my top 10: Damn right.

2. Mercyful Fate- Melissa

    Nope, not, #2 either. Problem?  But yes, Melissa, what a fantastic record.  What a fantastic power metal, 1st wave black metal, hell this is a better Iron Maiden record than what Iron Maiden would put out this year (more on that later)! whatever you want to call it, it's just an S tier metal classic.  Fun fact, Into The Coven was on the original SJW 15 Filthy Fifteen list by the likes of Tipper Gore and the other Washington wives.  Yeah they might have been Democrats, but what political party was Reagan again?  Mercyful Fate was a band where they might not have had mainstream success on their own, but they definitely influenced enough people with mainstream (and underground) credibility to be at least B to C tier.  I don't love this album quite as much as the one after it, but there's no complaints from me on it being this high on a 1983 list!

Should this be on a top 10: Damn right.

Would this be on my top 10: Damn right.

3. Metallica- Kill 'em All

    Here's what you were looking for, right?  Spoiler: #3 is about where this would end up on my list as well.  Unfortunately, in a post Metallica world, there is no real way to gauge just how big (or small) this album was.  Like I posted in my Metallica and sales article, this didn't start moving units until the Ozzy Osbourne tour.  It also doesn't predate the first albums by Anvil, Exciter, or even Pantera (yes, that one). Still, all the Lars Ulrich hate in the world doesn't quite cancel out the greatness of the likes of Motorbreath, Metal Militia and other soccer mom and Kendrick Lamar irritating scorchers.  Also do you like that break in the middle of The Four Horsemen?  Well too bad, because that was unintentionally stolen from Sweet Home Alabama as the result of a Mustaine piss take as another result of Lars saying the band needs to slow down more (lol no we don't, shut up you Danish manlet), and by the time they found out, the record was already release.  Prompting them to never play that breakdown, or it's amazing solo ever again.  Kill 'em All is great though.  Ignore the Cliff Burton hipsters, get this first, and if you don't like it, don't bother with anything else.

Should this be on a top 10: Yes.

Would this be on my top 10: Yes.

4. Iron Maiden- Piece Of Mind

    The only time I'll ever agree with an Iron Maiden album being ranked below a Metallica album, but the hard fact is, Piece of Mind has one or two mid-songs on side two (Quest for Fire, blech).  However, also on side two is "The Trooper," and of course you need it for that alone.  Hell you need it alone for the first 5 seconds of "Where Eagles Dare!"  In addition to the addition of Nicko, this is where Bruce Dickinson comes into his own as a songwriter, but the partnership of Dickinson and Smith congeals.  While it's not as vicious (musically or vocally) as it's predecessor, it still carries on in the tradition of quality.  Fun ass-clown litmus test, have someone listen to this and see if they complain about the use of the I-IV-V chord sequence.

Should this be on a top 10: Damn right.

Would this be on my top 10: Damn right.

5. Satan- Court In The Act

    The greatest hidden gem of 83, easily.  Hell this might be the greatest hidden gem of metal, period! Trying to track this thing down was no small feat, and when I finally got my hands on it, Court In The Act was very much worth the wait.  Hell, I could argue for this thing to be #1.  Satan was (and still is) very much a band in the NWOBHM style, so you'd probably think the vocals would be weak sauce.  If vocals were Three Bears porridge, Brian Ross would fall under just right.  Unmistakably early 80s British, but with just enough oomph to stand the test of time.  Not crazy about the Rob Halford highs though.  Blind Guardian fans should be familiar with "Trial By Fire."  If you can find this, get it!

Should this be on a top 10: Yes.

Would this be on my top 10: Yes.

6. Manilla Road- Crystal Logic

    For me, the best thing about the internet is the championing of bands that didn't have the other business factors to become superstars, like management, or bad geography.  The obscurity digging can feel like a waste of time, but like Satan, it's worth it when you stumble across one of the good ones. And arguably the best kept secret of heavy metal is the greatest act from Kansas, Manilla Road.  It's universally agreed upon that 1983's Crystal Logic is where Manilla Road found their sound and hit their stride, and I have to agree.  I wouldn't call it my favorite, or even the one a newcomer should check out first (the answer to that question comes in 1987, possibly 1985), as the production and guitar tones are a little off.  But songs like the title track, The Riddle Master, and The Ram ( yes Necropolis is here too, but that one is just kinda there for me) more than warrant this album's classic status. 

Should this be on a top 10: Yes.

Would this be on my top 10: Not quite.

7. Slayer- Show No Mercy

    Frankly, I am shocked at how low this is (I blame the fact that there's no double bass....yet).  I mean, its Slayer!  80s SLAYER!  Yeah it's not Hell Awaits or Reign In Blood but come on, Black Magic? Die By The Sword? Fight Til Death?  Crionics, arguably the greatest deep cut ever?  This album rules!  I suppose it does suffer from Brian Slagel (yes that one) not knowing what he's doing as a producer, and no one telling them "hey guys, I know you love reverb cos Mercyful Fate, but you would be so much more deadly without out it!"  If you really wanted to spit a hurtful truth, this album snatched the extreme torch from Venom and the latter never recovered from it!  Never mind this being in a top 10, if you call yourself a Slayer fan but think the Metal Blade albums are anything but megaliths, you're a fake fan.

Should this be on a top 10: Damn right.

Would this be on my top 10: Damn right.

8. Heavy Load- Stronger Than Evil

    I prefer Stronger Than Death, personally.  Like I said in the 1982 list, Heavy Load is a band that has slipped by me through these years.  And also like I said, this ranking so high on an 83 chart reeks of inverted snobbery.  Maybe I'll finally get around to it and think its the best thing ever, but this is just RYM hipster snobs being RYM hipster snobs again.

Should this be on a top 10: No.

Would this be on my top 10: No.

9. Thin Lizzy- Thunder & Lightning

    Fuck yeah!  If all you know about this band is "The Boys Are Back In Town" and "Whiskey In The Jar," prepare to have your head torn off.  If you were to make a list of the greatest "final albums" this could very well take the top spot.  Strung out on heroin, Phil Lynott decides to go out like Scarface with the M-16 w/Grenade attachment.  Creating a trad/classic metal album that's frankly, heavier than anything in 1983 not released by an American thrash band (or a Danish power metal band).  Longtime guitarist Scott Gorham and newcomer John Sykes (R.I.P.) shred like such absolute maniacs they make every 80s horror icon look like complete wimps. Lest you think I'm describing something one-dimensional, this album runs a gamut of moods and modes from ragers like the title track and Baby Please Don't Go (NOT the Them/Van Morrison song), funky rockers like The Holy War and Bad Habits (James Hetfield in the 90s tried so hard to get a 10th of the charisma Phil has here and fails miserably), to somber pieces like The Sun Goes Down.  Fantastic record.  Fantastic metal record,

Should this be on a top 10: Damn right.

Would this be on my top 10: Damn right.

10. Motorhead- Another Perfect Day

    A definite improvement from its predecessor, but didn't quite reach the Ulympian heights of the predecessor's predecessor, Another Perfect Day is Lemmy and Philthy Animal attempting to move on without Fast Eddie.  While the songs are solid, the lack of Eddie is definitely noticeable, and ultimately that guitar deficit doesn't recover until Wurzel and Phil Cambell show up.  At the time this was a very hated album, and was the scapegoat for the state of Motorhead in 1983, but it stood the test of time fairly well.  And while ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson ultimately proves to be an ill fit for Motorhead (and this would be the last relevant thing he would ever make), he still riffs and solos like a 49% motherfucker, and 51% son of a bitch on this album.   Still, as much as I love Motorhead, and think they are so unfairly judged beyond their first four records, seeing this above 1983's rock juggernauts is wrong.

Should this be on a top 10: 10 at best.

Would this be on my top 10: No

Closing thoughts:  I swear the last time I looked at this list Accept's Balls To The Wall was in the #10 spot.  Frankly, it should be.  And look, I'm not saying that sales are the ultimate governor of what's great, but the fact that neither Shout At The Devil, Pyromania or Bark At The Moon are here is also bullshit.  Those three records put heavy metal on the American mainstream map a hell of a lot more than Kill em All and Show No Mercy did.  Those two records wouldn't be discovered by the cultural consciousness until later in those band's careers.  And you know what, hot take: Bark At The Moon is Ozzy's best solo album.  Spare me the Randy Rhoads pearl-clutching, the hard truth is as great as he was, and as important to my life as he is, it's the same story with Hendrix, Morrison, Cobain and every other rockstar that dies young.  Randy's albums were great, but they weren't perfect.  If Jake E. Lee died in the 80s you'd hold him in just as high esteem as Rhoads (and likely so would Ozzy and Sharon).  Bark maintains the dark atmosphere of the previous two, and said atmosphere is further solidified with those ice cold keyboards.  Black metal bands the world over would kill for that keyboard sound.  BATM is the best, deal with it.

Here's my top 10 list of the year in alphabetical order: 

ACCEPT- BALLS TO THE WALL

DIO- HOLY DIVER

IRON MAIDEN- PIECE OF MIND

MANOWAR- INTO GLORY RIDE

MERCYFUL FATE- MELISSA

METALLICA- KILL ‘EM ALL 

OZZY OSBOURNE- BARK AT THE MOON

SATAN- COURT IN THE ACT

SLAYER- SHOW NO MERCY 

THIN LIZZY- THUNDER & LIGHTNING

Tune in next week (hopefully) for RYM's 1984 charts!