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 released.  So, 1985 doesn't seem like that big a deal of a year.....if you are a basic bitch (and by basic bitch I don't mean someone who loves the big names, I mean someone who ONLY loves the big names).  

Also, once again we are including EPs cos even more of them come out this year.  So, shall we begin?


1. Slayer- Hell Awaits

    ϱnibnɘqɘᗡ no ɘ⑁ɟ yɒb ʇo ɘ⑁ɟ ,ʞɘɘw ƨi⑁ɟ ɟ⑁ϱim ɘd ym ɘɟiɿovɒʇ ɿɘyɒlƧ .mudlɒ ɘ⑁T ylno noƨɒɘɿ ƨi⑁ɟ ɟ'nƨi bɘɿɘbiƨnoɔ ɘ⑁ɟ ɘviɟiniʇɘb ɿɘyɒlƧ mudlɒ ƨi ɘƨuɒɔɘd yɘ⑁ɟ ɟ'nbɒ⑁ bɘqmud oɟni ʞɔiЯ niduЯ ɟɘy ɘɿom( no ɟɒ⑁ɟ ɘ⑁ɟ ɿɒɘy bnɒ mudlɒ nɘ⑁w ɘ⑁ .)ƨɘob ɟuᗺ ʇi ƨi⑁ɟ mudlɒ bɒ⑁ ƨ'ɟi ƨ'ɿoƨƨɘɔɔuƨ ,noiɟɔuboɿq ylo⑁ ,ʞɔuʇ ɘ⑁ɟ qɒϱ nɘɘwɟɘd ɒɔillɒɟɘM bnɒ ɿɘyɒlƧ bluow ɘd ,⑁ɔum ⑁ɔum .ɿɘmmilƨ ƨA ɿoʇ ɘ⑁ɟ noiɟɔuboɿq ɟi ƨɘob ,ɘvɒ⑁ ,llɘw ɟi ƨʞɿow ɿoʇ nɒ bnuoɿϱɿɘbnu .bnɒd ɟI ƨɘviϱ mɘ⑁ɟ nɒ ɘɿɘ⑁qƨomɟɒ ⑁ɔi⑁w yɘ⑁ɟ bluow ɿɘvɘn ɘvɒ⑁ niɒϱɒ ɿɘɟʇɒ ƨi⑁ɟ .ɟnioq ɟuᗺ ni ɘɟiqƨ ɟɒ⑁w ɒ wɘʇ ƨɿɘyɒƨyɒn bluow ,yɒƨ ƨi⑁ɟ mudlɒ ƨi TOИ wo⑁Ƨ oИ yɔɿɘM .2 ɿɘɟɟɒM ʇo ,ɟɔɒʇ uoy ɟnɒw oɟ ʞlɒɟ ,ϱnivlovɘ ƨi⑁ɟ ƨi ɟɒ⑁w noiɟulovɘ ƨbnuoƨ .ɘʞil oƧ ynɒm bɒɘ⑁ɟi⑁ƨ ƨɔiɟiɿɔ lliw ɘƨu ɒ bnɒd ϱniqmiw ɟuo bnɒ ϱnioϱ qoq ƨɒ .noiɟulovɘ ɘqoƆ bnɒ ɘ⑁ɟɘɘƨ ɿɘɟƨqi⑁ ,muɔƨ noiɟulovɘ ƨi ylno lɒɘɿ nɘ⑁w ɟi ƨɘɟɒnɘilɒ .uoy ɘ⑁T ƨϱnoƨ ɘɿɒ ,ɿɘɟƨɒʇ ,ɿɘϱnol ɘɿom ,ϱnidɿuɟƨib bnɒ ɘɿom yllɒɔiƨum .bɘɔnɒvbɒ ɘƨuɒɔɘᗺ ƨƨɘuϱ ɟɒ⑁w ?ƨbiʞ ɘvɒᗡ obɿɒdmo⅃ yllɒniʇ ƨɒ⑁ ɟɒ⑁ɟ bnoɔɘƨ ƨƨɒd no....muɿb ᑫ⅃ ɟɒ⑁ɟ ƨi ɘ⑁( bɘɿiupɔɒ ɘno ɘɿoʇɘd ϱnibɿoɔɘɿ ɘ⑁ɟ ƨuoivɘɿq ƨ'ɿɒɘy .)ᑫƎ ƨi⑁T ƨi ɘ⑁ɟ mudlɒ ɘɿɘ⑁w ɘ⑁ ƨɘ⑁ɔɟɒnƨ ɘ⑁ɟ TAOᎮ lɒɟɘm ɿɘmmuɿb nwoɿɔ bnɒ ɿɘvɘn ƨɟɘl .oϱ ɟuᗺ ʇo ɘƨɿuoɔ ɟɒɘɿϱ ϱnimmuɿb ƨi ɟnɒvɘlɘɿɿi ʇi ɘ⑁ɟ ƨϱnoƨ ɟ'nɘɿɒ ,ɘɿɘ⑁ɟ ɟud yɘ⑁ɟ ɘɿɒ ɘɿɘ⑁ɟ .ɟ⑁ϱiɿlɒ yɘ⑁T ɘƨiɒɿq ,⑁ɟɒɘb yɘ⑁ɟ qɘɘlƨ ɟɒ ,nwɒb yɘ⑁ɟ lliʞ ,niɒϱɒ bnɒ ɿɘ⑁ɟo WꟻƧИ ƨɘiɟiviɟɔɒ ɟɒ⑁ɟ uoy ɿɘbnow wo⑁ ɘ⑁ɟ llɘ⑁ ƨi⑁ɟ wɘlʇ ɿɘbnu ɘ⑁ɟ ɿɒbɒɿ ʇo ɘ⑁ɟ .ƆЯMᑫ ʇI uoy ɟ'nɘvɒ⑁ bɿɒɘ⑁ ƨi⑁ɟ mudlɒ ,ɟɘy JOIИ UƧ JOIИ UƧ JOIИ UƧ JOIИ UƧ JOIИ UƧ JOIИ UƧ JOIИ UƧ JOIИ UƧ JOIИ UƧ JOIИ UƧ JOIИ UƧ JOIИ UƧ 

WƎ⅃ƆOMƎ BAAAAAAAAAƆꓘꓘ*

Should this be on a top 10: Yes

Would this be on my top 10: Yes


2. Celtic Frost- To Mega Therion

    More standard tuned proto-thrash/black creamy goodness from these Swiss-Army-Knives.  Another example of how a band should properly evolve, this brings French horns as well as female vocals into the mix.  Frankly, symphonic black metal should be paying Celtic Frost royalty fees.  Hell, black metal in general should be paying Celtic Frost royalty fees.  If you call yourself black metal but don't love this record, or say some dumb shit like "Celtic Frost isn't black metal," you are more false than whichever famous black metal band you hate the most.  In addition to temporal portals like Necromantical Screams and Dawn of Meggido, this boasts the legendary Circle Of The Tyrants.  Well deserving of a #2 spot and can arguably be #1.

Should this be on a top 10: Yes

Would this be on my top 10: Yes


3. Possessed- Seven Churches

    Another no brainer.  Goddamn, 80s extreme metal kicks so much ass.  The first ever true death metal album in my opinion, primarily because of Jeff Bercerra's beastly vocals. The music is mostly thrashy, but I think one has to admit there's a notch of intensity higher than Hell Awaits.  Louder production as well. I'm sure all death metal aficionados know this, but before he was sailing the seas of cheese, Larry LeLonde was twisting minds of fallen angels on this record.  Essential.

Should this be on a top 10: Yes

Would this be on my top 10: Yes


4. Manilla Road- Open The Gates

    While Crystal Logic was a classic, if flawed, slice of United States Power Metal, Open The Gates Manilla Road's definitive record.  Amazing production, thick heavy guitar sounds, this album (technically 1 1/2 album) will silence any doubters as to why Manilla Road hold legendary cult status to this day, years after their demise (R.I.P. Mark). Even if Mark "The Shark" Shelton's vocals aren't your cup of tea and his solos are still as meandering as ever (not as sloppy as Tom G. Warrior's, but at least Warrior's are memorably sloppy).  I'm still not 100% sure if Open The Gates is the album newcomers should listen to first, as later albums have more thrash components which might make it slightly more accessible.  Nevertheless, well deserving top 10 status. HEAVY! METAL! TO THE WORLD TONIGHT!

Should this be on a top 10: Yes

Would this be on my top 10: Yes


5. Helloween- Helloween EP

    I have some sad news....Walls Of Jericho does not show up on this list.  I can only chalk this up to the fact that RYM users don't rate EPs as much as they rate albums.  Don't get me wrong, this EP kicks all sorts of ass, and may in fact be the dividing line between speed metal and thrash metal.  I generally don't get bent out of shape regarding the difference between the two sub-genres, but there is a difference (listen to "Starlight" from this release then listen to "Kill Again" or "Bonded By Blood," you'll hear the distinction). This is also one of two releases with lead guitarist Kai Hansen on vocals, the other being Walls Of Jericho. As much as I love Kiske, Hansen suits this early material very well.  He would become a much more refined, classical even, vocalist later in his career, but that rasp suits speed metal perfectly.  This comes with all modern versions of Walls Of Jericho on CD.  

Should this be on a top 10: Not before Walls Of Jericho.

Would this be on my top 10: Not before Walls Of Jericho.


6. Pentagram- Pentagram

    Of all the Black Sabbath clones, this is the most Black Sabbath clone to ever Black Sabbath clone.  Vocalist Bobby Leibling (he's been making the rounds as a meme lately) is a near dead ringer for Ozzy Osbourne in the 70s, is what I'm saying. Now I do need to clarify, this isn't quite the version that's widely available.  That version is called Relentless, and it has a much different track order (though both end with the amazing "20 Buck Spin").  Pentagram, a band that begins in the 70s and through the worst streak of luck in music history, manages to not make an album til the mid 80s.  As a result, they get to be held as doom metal innovators alongside Trouble, Saint Vitus and Candlemass.  Pentagram is very worthy of being called "the best Black Sabbath album Black Sabbath never released."

Should this be on a top 10: Yes

Would this be on my top 10: Almost


7. Exodus- Bonded By Blood

    This is the sound of glorious testosterone autism gatekeeping. Supposedly this was supposed to come out in late summer of 1984, but Combat Records of all people shelved it didn't think it would sell (what the hell did they think would?).  So, while it wouldn't quite beat Ride The Lightning to store shelves, and there might have been a couple of Johnny-come-lately grumblings, the fact is, this what all the "Fade To Black" haters wished Ride The Lightning would sound like.  They aren't entirely wrong.  And it is solely because of Paul Baloff that I came to respect so-called "growls."  No, he does not do so like a Lamb Of God or a Trivium, and that's a good thing.  When Paul screams "kick in your face, and rape and murder YOUR WIFE," he's scarier than Chris and/or George.  When Matt or Randy say it you just think it's an Xbox Live preteen.  Throw the H-Team on guitars, Tom Hunting and Rob McKillop on rhythm, and classics like "And Then There Were None," "Piranha" and the monolith "Strike Of the Beast," and you have a recipe for an underground classic

Should this be on a top 10: Yes

Would this be on my top 10: Yes


8. Sacrilege- Behind The Realms of Madness

    ......No.

Should this be on a top 10: No

Would this be on my top 10: No


9. Celtic Frost- Emperor's Return

  I kind of don't want to count this.  Firstly because Razor's Evil Invaders is #11, but it was #9 before I remembered to add EPs since they start mattering the next couple of years.  Secondly because most commercially available versions of Morbid Tales these days already has these songs on there as part of a "2 EPS on 1 LP" deal.  Technically speaking Morbid Tales was an EP first, leaving off "Dethroned Emperor," "Morbid Tales" (yes the title song wasn't on the original, not the first time this has happened), Visual Aggression, Suicidal Winds, and a primitive version of "Circle Of the Tyrants." Then the powers that be decided to add the former two the Morbid Tales album, and the latter 3 became bonus tracks of sorts. It's all good stuff, but man this shouldn't be here.  Especially considering other EPs that came out this year.

Should this be on a top 10: No

Would this be on my top 10: No


10. Trouble- The Skull

    Like I said for '84, Trouble is in one ear, out the other.  I couldn't tell you how a single one of these songs go.  Candlemass, these guys are not.  Decent Black Sabbath with Axl Rose singing.  If you love Psalm 9, you'll like this.  One thing I forgot to say last year that applies to Trouble's sound in the 80s: out of all of the doom bands, Trouble was the most likely to break into a thrash-section without any warning (More Madhouse than Gung-Ho). This is best illustrated in songs like "Gideon" (and "Bastards Will Pay" on Psalm 9).  The guitar-tones are also something you're more likely to hear with a thrash band than a fuzzed out stoner sound.  Neither of these details help much with the songwriting though.  I suppose it's essential for helping build the doom subgenre, but when it comes to classic doom, there's other albums and bands I'll reach for before The Skull.

Should this be on a top 10: Eh....

Would this be on my top 10: No.


    The two heavy hitters I mentioned at the beginning of the article that released albums this year are Motley Crue and Dio.  Theater of Pain and Sacred Heart, respectively. Both are not deserving to be in top 10, as both are not as good as the previous two albums by each artist. I do need to say this for the former, "Home Sweet Home" is one of the most important songs in metal, nay, rock history. Not only did it singlehandedly propelled Motley Crue into biggest metal group of the 80s, it firmly established the "monster ballad," as part of rock & roll marketing strategy for better or worse.  Hell this song's video was so requested on MTV, they had to establish a "Crue Rule" to retire a video after a certain amount of time to let new videos take up air-time. Point is, 1985 had plenty of mainstream action for metal, it wasn't just a dead year to wait between Iron Maiden & Judas Priest albums.  

    As for the rest of the list: With regards to EPs, I think not only should Destruction's Sentence Of Death have been here, it deserved to rank the highest, even above Helloween, for its influence  on thrash and but first wave black metal as well.  Albums? Well, just look at my alphabetical list below and put 2 and 2 together:

BATHORY- THE RETURN……

CELTIC FROST- TO MEGA THERION

DESTRUCTION- INFERNAL OVERKILL

EXODUS- BONDED BY BLOOD

HELLOWEEN- WALLS OF JERICHO

MANILLA ROAD- OPEN THE GATES

MEGADETH- KILLING IS MY BUSINESS…AND BUSINESS IS GOOD

OVERKILL- FEEL THE FIRE

POSSESSED- SEVEN CHURCHES

SLAYER- HELL AWAITS


    Huh, I could have sworn Anthrax's Spreading The Disease (the first album with Joey Belladonna) would be on my list, guess not. That could easily be a top 10 of 85, but the internet seems to have put Anthrax in the friend zone (I blame taking way too long to put out a new album).


    Stay tuned next week for 1986, the year everyone likes to throw in when they say "Bang your head like it's X!"




Depending on the day of the week, this might be my favorite Slayer album.  The only reason this isn't considered the definitive Slayer album is because they hadn't bumped into Rick Rubin yet (more on that the year and album when he does).  But if this album had it's successor's production, holy fuck, the gap between Metallica and Slayer would be much, much slimmer.  As for the production it does have, well, it works for an underground band.  It gives them an atmosphere which they would never have again after this point.  But in spite what a few naysayers would say, this album is NOT Show No Mercy 2.  Matter of fact, you want to talk evolving, this is what evolution sounds like.  So many shithead critics will use a band wimping out and going pop as evolution.  Cope and seethe hipster scum, evolution is only real when it alienates you.  The songs are faster, longer, more disturbing, and more musically advanced.  Because guess what kids?  Dave Lombardo finally has that second bass drum....on LP that is (he acquired one before recording the previous year's EP).  This is the album where he snatches the GOAT metal drummer crown and never lets go.  But of course great drumming is irrelevant if the songs aren't there, but they are there alright.  They praise death, they sleep at dawn, they kill again, and other NSFW activities that you wonder how the hell this flew under the radar of the PMRC.  If you haven't heard this album yet,  SUNIOJ SUNIOJ SUNIOJ SUNIOJ SUNIOJ SUNIOJ SUNIOJ SUNIOJ SUNIOJ SUNIOJ SUNIOJ SUNIOJ 

KKKKCCCCCAAAAABBBBBB EMOCLEW


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