Thrash Metal Events

1982 Jun 14 Metallica releases its first original song "Hit the Lights"
In early 1982, Metallica recorded its first original song "Hit the Lights" for the Metal Massacre I compilation. Hetfield played bass on the song and Lloyd Grant was credited with a guita...
1983 Apr 11 Savatage release Sirens
Sirens is Savatage's debut album, originally recorded in 1980 but released in 1983. It is much heavier than later Savatage albums, being closer to speed metal than the band's more recent ...
1983 Jun 29 Metallica releases Kill 'Em All
Kill 'Em All is the debut album by American heavy metal band Metallica. The album was recorded in only two weeks on a small budget. Only 1500 copies were initially printed, however it has...
1983 Dec 3 Slayer releases "Show No Mercy"
Show No Mercy is the debut album by American thrash metal band Slayer, released in December 1983 through Metal Blade Records. Brian Slagel signed the band to Metal Blade after watching th...
1984
to 1985
Metal Church releases their self-titled debut album
Metal Church is the self-titled debut album of the heavy metal band of the same name. Released in 1984, this album and its successor are considered metal classics. The cover art depicts a...
1984 Overkill releases the self-titled EP
Overkill is the first EP recorded by thrash metal band Overkill released in 1984 on Azra/Metal Storm records. The EP is included on the !!!Fuck You!!! And Then Some compilation.
1984 Jul 30 Metallica releases Ride the Lightning
Ride the Lightning is the second album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27, 1984 by Megaforce Records and re-released by Elektra Records on November 19, 1984. Ride...
1984 Aug 10 Voivod release their debut album, War and Pain
War and Pain is the debut album from Canadian thrash metal/progressive metal band Voivod, which was released on August 10, 1984 through Metal Blade Records. According to a 1986 TV intervi...
1984 Nov 5 Dark Angel releases We Have Arrived
We Have Arrived is the debut studio album by thrash metal band, Dark Angel, released in 1985. In 1986 it was re-released by the French recording label Axe Killer in a 2,000 number limited...
1985 Mar 22 Savatage release The Dungeons Are Calling
The Dungeons Are Calling is the second studio album by Savatage, released in 1985 on Metal Blade Records. Though the album was not released until 1985, most of the songs featured on the a...
1985 Apr 15 Overkill releases Feel the Fire
Feel the Fire is the debut album by American thrash metal band Overkill, released by Megaforce Records in 1985.
1985 Apr 25 Exodus release Bonded by Blood
Bonded by Blood is the debut album by the San Francisco thrash metal band Exodus. Although the album was completed in the summer of 1984, it was not released until 1985 due to issues with...
1985 Sep 16 Slayer Releases "Hell Awaits"
Hell Awaits is the second studio album by the American thrash metal band Slayer, released through Metal Blade Records in 1985. The band's previous release, Show No Mercy, became Metal Bla...
1985 Oct Kreator release Endless Pain
Endless Pain is the debut album of the thrash metal band Kreator, released in 1985 by Noise Records. On this album both Petrozza and Reil share vocal duties. This album has been known ...
1985 Oct 25 Corrosion of Conformity release Animosity
Animosity is the second studio album by the American band Corrosion of Conformity. Album cover art was done by the artist Pushead.
1985 Dec 1 Sepultura release Bestial Devastation
Bestial Devastation is an EP by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1985 through Cogumelo Records. It is their first official release, and originally appeared alongside Over...
1986 Kreator release Flag of Hate
Flag of Hate is German thrash metal band Kreator's first EP released in 1986. It is included on the 2000 reissue of the Pleasure to Kill album. US version included three bonus tracks: "En...
1986 Nuclear Assault release Game Over
Game Over is the debut album by thrash metal band Nuclear Assault, released in 1986.
1986 Mar 3 Metallica releases Master of Puppets
Master of Puppets is the third album by American heavy metal band Metallica. The album was released on March 3, 1986 through Elektra Records. Master of Puppets marks the last recording by...
1986 Mar 14 Voivod release Rrröööaaarrr
Rrröööaaarrr is the second album by Canadian thrash metal/progressive metal band Voivod. It was released in 1986 on Noise Records.
1986 May 12 Rage releases Reign of Fear
Reign of Fear is the debut full-length album by the German heavy metal band Rage. It was released in 1986. The album was remastered by Noise/Sanctuary in 2002 with slightly altered cover ...
1986 Sep 27 Cliff Burton, the bassist of Metallica, dies in a bus accident
During the European leg of the Damage Inc. tour in support of Master of Puppets, the band complained that the sleeping cubicles on their tour bus were unsatisfactory and uncomfortable. To...
1986 Oct 6 Metal Church releases The Dark
The Dark is the second full length album released by Metal Church. It was also the last album in which the line-up of Wayne, Vanderhoof, Arrington, Wells and Erickson performed, until 199...
1986 Oct 7 Slayer Releases "Reign in Blood"
Reign in Blood is the third studio album and major label debut by the American thrash metal band Slayer. Released on October 7, 1986, the album was the band's first collaboration with rec...
1986 Nov Kreator release Pleasure to Kill
Pleasure to Kill is the second studio album by German thrash metal band Kreator. The lyrical themes follow those found on their first album Endless Pain. Many death metal bands cite this ...
1986 Nov 10 Sepultura release Morbid Visions
Morbid Visions is the debut album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1986 through Cogumelo Records. While later albums have a more political edge, Morbid Visions (alo...
1986 Nov 17 Dark Angel releases Darkness Descends
Darkness Descends is the second studio album by the American thrash metal band Dark Angel. The album is the first to feature drummer Gene Hoglan. Rob Yahn was replaced with Mike Gonzalez ...
1987 Overkill releases Taking Over
Taking Over is the second album by thrash metal band Overkill, released by Megaforce Records in 1987. The album, was the last to feature Rat Skates on drums, who would leave the band late...
1987 Overkill releases the !!!Fuck You!!! EP
!!!Fuck You!!! is an EP released by thrash metal band Overkill in 1987. Consisting of a cover version of the song "Fuck You" (originally by The Stiffs), the EP also featured 5 live tracks...
1987 Apr 3 Voivod release Killing Technology
Killing Technology is the third album from Canadian Thrash metal/Progressive metal band Voivod. It was released in 1987 on Noise Records and was the first to add the progressive sound in ...
1987 Apr 24 Corrosion of Conformity release Technocracy
Technocracy is an EP by Corrosion of Conformity. It was released in 1987 on Metal Blade Records, and re-released in 1992 on Relativity Records with four additional songs, including three ...
1987 May 11 Rage releases Execution Guaranteed
Execution Guaranteed is the second full-length album released by the heavy metal band Rage in 1987. The album was remastered by Noise/Sanctuary in 2002 with slightly altered cover art, an...
1987 Jun 1 Coroner release their debut album, R.I.P.
R.I.P. is the first album released by the Swiss thrash metal trio, Coroner. This album marks the first chapter of the band's progression (thus it is less focused) and is characterized by ...
1987 Jun 9 Suicidal Tendencies release Join the Army
Join the Army is the second album by Suicidal Tendencies, and was released in 1987 – 4 years after their self-titled debut. It is one of the most well known albums for crossing over the g...
1987 Jul 7 Testament Releases "The Legacy"
Testament's first album, The Legacy, was released in 1987 on Megaforce Records. Testament received instant fame within thrash circles and were often compared with fellow Bay Area thrash p...
1987 Oct Kreator release Terrible Certainty
Terrible Certainty is the third studio album by thrash metal band Kreator released in 1987 through Noise Records. It was released on cd, cassette, black vinyl, and as a limited edition re...
1987 Oct 7 Exodus release Pleasures of the Flesh
Pleasures of the Flesh is the second album by American thrash metal band Exodus, released in 1987. This is the first Exodus album to feature Steve Souza on vocals. It was remastered and r...
1987 Oct 30 Sepultura release Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is the second studio album by Brazilian thrash metal band Sepultura, released in 1987 through Cogumelo Records. It is the first album of the band with Andreas Kisser. The al...
1988 Kreator release Out of the Dark... Into the Light
Out of the Dark ... Into the Light is Kreator's second EP released in 1988. The live tracks were recorded at Dynamo Club, Eindhoven, Netherlands, in 1988. Late 1990s reissues of the Terri...
1988 May 10 Testament Releases The New Order
The New Order is the second album by the thrash metal group Testament, released on May 10, 1988. It is the album that broke Testament into the thrash metal mainstream, with singles "Trial...
1988 May 18 Blind Guardian releases Battalions of Fear
Battalions of Fear is the debut album by German metal band Blind Guardian. It was released in 1988 and is a straightforward metal album. The album is a raw and unpolished speed metal effo...
1988 Jun 6 Rage releases Perfect Man
Perfect Man is the third full-length album released by the heavy metal band Rage in 1988. The album was remastered by Noise/Sanctuary in 2002 with slightly altered cover art, and five bon...
1988 Jun 13 Nuclear Assault release Survive
Survive is an album by Nuclear Assault released in 1988 on vinyl, compact disc and cassette. As of 2010, it has yet to be reissued on CD, unlike Nuclear Assault's other albums.
1988 Jun 29 Voivod release Dimension Hatröss
Dimension Hatröss is the fourth album from the Canadian thrash metal/progressive metal band Voivod. It was released on June 29, 1988 on Noise Records. The Batman theme's cover only appear...
1988 Jul 5 Overkill releases Under the Influence
Under The Influence is the third studio album by thrash metal band Overkill in 1988 on Megaforce Records. This was the first Overkill release to feature Sid Falck on drums. The album spaw...
1988 Jul 5 Slayer Releases "South of Heaven"
South of Heaven is the fourth studio album by the American thrash metal band Slayer. Released on July 5, 1988, the album was the band's second collaboration with record producer Rick Rubi...
1988 Aug 1 Coroner release Punishment for Decadence
Punishment for Decadence is the second album by the Swiss thrash metal group Coroner. It bears many similarities to the previous album, except the band's performance is more precise and f...
1988 Sep 13 Suicidal Tendencies release How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today
How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today is the third album by the American crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies, released on Epic Records on September 13, 1988. Ho...
1988 Sep 30 Forbidden releases their first album Forbidden Evil
Forbidden Evil is the debut album from San Francisco, California thrash metal band, Forbidden, released in 1988. The title of this album refers to their original name before shortening it...
1988 Nov 30 Exodus release Fabulous Disaster
Fabulous Disaster is the third album by Exodus. UK label Music for Nations released the album in 1988, but in the USA, it was released in January 1989 by Combat/Relativity Records. In ...