10 Hard Rock Bands From The '80s That Should've Been Bigger

Believe it or not, this hard rock outfit's journey into metal secured their place as pioneers of the heavy LA scene in the early '80s.

Their 1984 debut LP, 'March of the Saint' left fans hoping it was foreshadowing of the group's impending rise up the charts. Michael James Jackson, a producer best known for his work with Kiss, took the group in a more mainstream rock-friendly direction than the band wanted. Despite the insane over-budgeting (purportedly leaving the band in debt for decades after) and the group's creative frustrations, the album itself is thoroughly entertaining.

Fast-paced and fun, the group even landed some MTV exposure with lead single 'Can U Deliver'. The next year's 'Delirious Nomad' took the band in the direction they really wanted, entering heavier territory. Despite the move into an audio world they were more interested in, their sophomore effort did not yield as much fruit.

The decline continued with 1987's 'Raising Fear' which caused the group to be dumped by their label. While their work was essential ground-laying in the heavy metal craze that came to dominate the West Coast in the late '80s, Armored Saint were heavily overshadowed by other headbangers.

While the '90s saw them garner some critical acclaim, these quietly seminal rockers never found the fame they once seemed destined for.