2. These Albums Influenced A Generation And Defined The Genre
If you need further proof that the NWOBHM was highly influential, simply choose one of the albums listed below, listen to it and then agree wholeheartedly that not only are they influential they also still slay most of the competition to this day.On Death Penalty, Witchfinder General embraced Black Sabbath-esque speed, simultaneously reviving the dying Traditional Metal sound and igniting the spark which led to the Doom Metal explosion. Consider yourselves influential lads!Ugly noise which, at face value, has very little to recommend it, Venom's Black Metal is a unique moment in music history. Ushering in an era of Heavy Metal that embraced the extreme and inspired musicians around the world to create Thrash Metal, Death Metal and, obviously, Black Metal, Venom's influence is self-explanatory and this is the Venom album you must own.Lean and muscular, Spellbound is the second album by Tygers of Pan Tang and showcases the bands potential for writing Heavy Metal filled with hooks big enough to snag a killer whale.The album that made Angel Witch one of the key bands in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, their self titled debut mixed aggression and melody to equal measure. No one sounded like Angel Witch, and greatness should of beckoned.All for One, Raven's third album released in 1983, unfortunately signalled the death knell for what looked like a blossoming career for these self proclaimed purveyors of 'Athletic Rock'. The likes of Metallica et all plundered the tracks here for ideas and inspiration and eventually took Raven's blueprint and ran with it, leaving Raven gasping for air and frantically trying to catch up. It wasn't to be but All For One stands proud as one of the finest the NWOBHM has to offer.These were songs of steel; gleaming, polished and speeding straight for the mainstream; "Motorcycle Man", "747 (Strangers in the Night)", "Street Fighting Gang"; classics every one of them.There is nothing left to be said about this stone cold classic. Anybody with a fleeting interest in Rock and Heavy Metal has heard at least one track from it and it transcends genres; beyond influential.British Steel contains nine tracks of precision Metal, built for the mainstream and gleefully devoured by it. When an album plays like a Greatest Hits record you know you've struck gold and British Steel is the treasure in Priest's formidable back catalogue.Before the band became a Metal monster and recruited Bruce Dickinson they were a bunch of snotty young punks fronted by Paul D'Ianno and their music was as ugly as they were. Purpose built for the underground, this debut was so good that the mainstream instantly took notice. Planet-dominating success was theirs for the taking.If you can pick holes in any one of the tracks found on this album you are probably deluded and in need of psychiatric care. Lightning to the Nations is utter perfection and the greatest album produced by a NWOBHM band. Don't agree? Just ask James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Dave Mustaine and countless other musicians who were inspired to pick up their chosen instruments in the wake of this album's release; influential doesn't quite cut it. Which leads us nicely on to.....