10 Most Underrated Metal Albums Of The 80s
Overlooked classics from the heaviest decade.
The '80s was a glorious decade for metalheads everywhere. After a slow burn start in the '70s with British legends like Black Sabbath and Motorhead, metal spread worldwide like wildfire.
A boatload of fresh new takes and genres sprung into view. They ranged from heavier than ever variants like the fast-paced thrash and grim dark death metal, to lighter, more flamboyant styles such as glam metal.
Listeners were spoilt for choice in an era where exciting metal releases fast became a dime a dozen. Thanks to the huge output, however, many exciting acts found themselves slipping under the radar, drowning in the massive exposure the top acts of heavy metal were enjoying. Now, four decades later, there's a whole treasure trove of overlooked and under-loved metallic classics from the golden era to discover and enjoy.
From poor promotion to band disputes to just plain bad luck, this lot never quite secured the level of superstardom their fans had forecast for them. It's a frustrating, all too common occurrence across the musical sphere. For heavy metal in the '80s, it was the norm for all but the cream of the mainstream crop.
10. Vain - No Respect
Despite bursting out of the Bay Area, Vain took little influence from the burgeoning thrash scene around them. Instead, they embraced the leather clad, androgynous eccentricity of another '80s favourite: glam metal.
Simply a heavier rendition of glam rock, the subgenre enjoyed an under the radar gem in the form of Vain's 1989 debut. 'No Respect' found former Death Angel producer Davy Vain taking a stab at the other end of the recording process, fronting his own crew in gigs across California.
Going against the typically boastful attitudes of his hair metal peers, Davy Vain blended thoughtful, introspective lyrics about intimacy and insecurity into the heavy yet oddly pop-friendly proceedings.
Tracks such as 'Beat the Bullet' and 'Smoke and Shadows' display the band's energetic, surprisingly dark attitude and style. Lead guitarist Dylana Nova Scott lights things up with a measured level of craziness, backed strongly by Ashley Mitchell's well-placed bass.
Catchy and bolstered by rock solid recording quality, 'No Respect' should have been Vain's ticket to the big leagues. The LP, hampered by a lack of effective advertising, barely cracked any charts at all, setting up a seemingly permanent stay in underground cult hero status for the sleaze metal outfit.