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

While the hammy band name may invite eye rolls in some circles, these inventive headbangers have taken rock and metal into some formerly unthinkable territory.

Blending power metal and hard rock with everything from symphonies to musical theatre, the New Yorkers first garnered some notoriety with 1985's 'Noble Savage'. The over the top riffs, melodies and keyboard use all became signature aspects of the group's imaginative, often high-risk sound as the '80s rolled on.

The band themselves were immensely pleased with the LP despite its lack of commercial success. Frontman David DeFeis has often acknowleded it as a watershed moment for them. Their 1988 follow-up, the questionably titled 'Age of Consent', continued their experimental growth, resulting in another underrated gem. The reason for it being underrated sums up much of this group's issues over the years: under-promotion.

The low budget and indie-level studios they worked in left little room for major advertising campaigns. As a consequence, the group's often innovative and exciting work fell far below the radar. While the decades since have been slightly kinder, Virgin Steele have never quite managed to secure the reputation and legacy they arguably deserve for their brash, hybrid rock hijinks over the years.