Iron Maiden were one of the leaders of the early-1980s New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement energized by the spirit of punk. Maiden built upon their initial cult success, eventually leading to global domination by the mid '80s. The band's singer …

Heavy metal had existed for several years before Judas Priest hit the scene in the mid 1970s, but the mighty Priest drove it all home--many still consider them to be the quintessential metal band. Dressed in studs and leather from head to toe, the ba…

Getting his start with one of heavy metal monolith Black Sabbath, singer Ozzy Osbourne split from the band in 1979, and forged a highly successful solo career that quickly eclipsed his former outfit. While Osbourne's strange antics sometimes overshad…

Scorpions are one of Germany's most popular rock exports. As part of the first wave of 1970s heavy metal, the band played a tight melodic version of the increasingly harder and heavier rock that was becoming popular at the time. Scorpions would go on…

While the 1980s Los Angeles rock scene will forever be associated with pretty-boy glam metal, it also spawned Guns N' Roses, one of the most in-your-face, streetwise, and controversial bands of the era. Axl Rose & company's roots lay in The Stones, A…

Motley Crue were undeniably one of the most popular hard rock/pop-metal acts of the 1980s. Combining the theatrics and glam of Kiss with the hard power pop hooks of Cheap Trick, The Crue out-partied, out-rocked, and out-sold most of their competition…

Before founding Megadeth in 1983, Dave Mustaine was an original member of Metallica (his songs were recorded by them after his departure). With Megadeth, however, he pursued his own vision; equally inspired by heavy metal and punk, Mustaine and compa…

Before Def Leppard, heavy metal was associated with leather, studs, and motorcycles. After a pair of mega-platinum albums in the '80s, Leppard proved that pop hooks, hard rock, and good looks could equal massive success, hatching a slew of imitators …

Van Halen rode the crest of 1970s riff-rock into 1980s abandon. Always able to produce a smile and a killer hook, their songs captured a West Coast attitude that combined Eddie Van Halen's guitar gymnastics and the high-energy antics of vocalist Davi…

A theatrical rock band formed in the 1970s heyday of glitter, Kiss brought to life a cast of cartoonish figures sustained by heavy riffs and an endless supply of face paint. With each band member assuming an alter-ego (Gene Simmons, demon; Paul Stanl…

Formed in 1976, this New York, USA-based quintet's original purpose was to provide the antidote to the disco music that was saturating the airwaves during the mid-70s. Featuring Dee Snider (b. Daniel Snider, 15 March 1955, Massapequa, Long Island, Ne…

Known worldwide as the embodiment of heavy metal, England's Black Sabbath enveloped the 1970s in a dense fog of apocalyptic imagery, monolithic guitar riffs, and horror-movie lyrics. When frontman Ozzy Osbourne left the band in 1979 for a highly succ…

Skid Row were formed in New Jersey, USA, in 1986 by Dave "The Snake" Sabo (b. 16 September 1964; guitar) and Rachel Bolan (b. 9 February 1964; bass). Sebastian "Bach" Bierk (b. 3 April 1968, Freeport, Bahamas; vocals, ex-Madam X), Scott Hill (b. 31 M…

This heavy metal band was formed in Los Angeles, California, USA, by Stephen Pearcy (vocals), Robbin Crosby (b. 4 August 1959, San Diego, California, USA, d. 6 June 2002, Los Angeles, California, USA; guitar), Warren DeMartini (guitar), Juan Croucier…

Critics of heavy metal have long pointed out the genre's penchant for often taking itself far too seriously, and N.Y.C. thrash metallists Anthrax showed that metal could indeed have a light-hearted side. Besides helping to put thrash metal on the map…

After a false start as a 1980s glam-metal band, Pantera reinvented itself as a fierce thrash combo for 1990's landmark album COWBOYS FROM HELL. The Texan band distinguished itself by offering up its trademark "power groove" sound--a potent, slowed-do…

Former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale formed the hard-rock/metal outfit Whitesnake in 1978. While the band's macho rock sound and "whats-wrong-with-being-sexy?" sexist aesthetic garnered them a respectable amount of commercial success in the U.…

Metallica deflated the pomposity of 1970s rock, while reinvigorating heavy metal with their fast, fierce, and surprisingly melodic sound. Pioneers of the thrash metal subgenre, vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich set down the fo…

Alice Cooper, AKA Vincent Furnier, became famous with a mixture of hard rock and sideshow horror. With his outrageous image and stage show, entertainer extraordinaire Cooper (who eventually adopted the band's name as his own) almost single-handedly i…

One of the longest running and most prolific of hard rock/proto-heavy-metal bands, Deep Purple appeared in the wake of the psychedelic era, sporting a harder sound than anything that had come before. The classic 1970s lineup (featuring virtuoso guita…