Retrospective: 40 at 40 - Memorable Rock and Metal Albums of 1986

Written: July 2026

1986 was a remarkable year for rock and metal, producing a wealth of albums that have stood the test of time. This is neither a ranking nor a series of conventional album reviews. Instead, it is a collection of forty albums (in alphabetical order of artist) that have remained memorable to me for a variety of reasons. Reflecting the breadth of my musical tastes, the selections range from hard rock, AOR and melodic rock through to traditional heavy metal, thrash, doom, progressive metal and beyond. Some are universally acclaimed classics; others are less obvious choices but all have left a lasting impression. My words reflect not only the music itself but also where I was in life when I first encountered it and the impression it left behind. Inevitably, some worthy contenders have been omitted and I have no doubt that a few readers will be wondering why a personal favourite failed to make the cut.

Accept - Russian Roulette

By the time of Russian Roulette, Accept had honed their sound into something tight, efficient and unmistakably European. The record carries a controlled aggression, with sharp riffing and a disciplined, precision that helped define the Teutonic metal style. Songs are structured with clarity but never feel mechanical, maintaining a strong sense of momentum. This album tends to divide fans but I have always thought it is one of their most underrated.

Three favourite tracks: T.V. War, Russian Roulette, Aiming High

Angel Dust - Into the Dark Past

Right at the point where German metal began pushing further into aggression, Into the Dark Past removed much of the polish in favour of urgency. The riffs are faster, more abrasive and the song writing leans into intensity rather than accessibility. It sits somewhere between speed metal and thrash, acting as a bridge without fully settling into either camp. A band I did not come to until the early nineties, this is the Angel Dust album I revisit the most often.

Three favourite tracks: I’ll Come Back, Legions of Destruction, Gambler

Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi - Seventh Star

Unlike most Black Sabbath releases, Seventh Star represents a period of transition rather than consolidation. Its melodic hard rock direction and clean production align with mid‑1980s' commercial expectations, favouring direct song writing, strong hooks and clarity over the darker atmosphere of earlier work. Crucially, this shift was intentional: the album was originally conceived as a Tony Iommi solo project before label pressure insisted it was branded as Sabbath. While often considered one of the band’s weaker releases, this judgement ignores that context. Assessed on its own terms, Seventh Star is an extremely solid hard rock album that highlights Iommi’s versatility and craftsmanship.

Three favourite tracks: In For The Kill, Turn To Stone, Angry Heart

Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet

Few albums define accessibility in rock the way Slippery When Wet does. Built around strong choruses and tightly structured songs, it balances polished production with enough energy to connect to harder rock audiences. I had just turned fourteen when the album was released and Livin’ On A Prayer was always a standard at school discos of the time. Bon Jovi may have made use of the song writing talents of Desmond Child for several tracks but they had the vision to make the band global superstars. While I still enjoy the three huge singles, it is some of the album tracks that hit hardest for me.

Three favourite tracks: Let It Rock, Raise Your Hands, I’d Die For You

Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus

Epicus Doomicus Metallicus completely reoriented my expectations of heaviness. The slow tempos and extended compositions allow riffs to carry real weight, while the operatic vocals add a dramatic dimension. Structurally, songs feel expansive rather than immediate, unfolding with intention rather than urgency. Hearing it after being used to faster, more melodic metal made its impact stronger - it demonstrated to me that intensity did not necessarily need speed. Instead, it showed that bands could rely on atmosphere and scale to achieve something just as powerful.

Three favourite tracks: Solitude, Crystal Ball, Under the Oak

Cinderella - Night Songs

Where many contemporaries leaned heavily into gloss, Night Songs retains a grounding in blues‑influenced hard rock. The riffs are straightforward but effective and the song writing focuses on groove as much as melody. This gives the album a sense of grit beneath its accessible surface. It shows that even within the commercial wave of the time, there were bands still drawing from deeper, more traditional rock foundations. Even though I think Cinderella’s best album is Long Cold Winter, Night Songs is one I return to regularly.  

Three favourite tracks: Night Songs, Shake Me, Somebody Save Me

Cirith Ungol - One Foot in Hell

Cirith Ungol was a band I discovered during the mid-nineties, only to find they had already disbanded three years earlier. Fortunately, that meant there were only four studio albums to explore and while King of the Dead may remain my favourite of those early releases, One Foot in Hell has always resonated with me. Rather than conforming to prevailing styles, the album leans into its own identity with little compromise. The production is raw, the vocals unconventional and the music deliberately eccentric. Its fantasy themes and irregular structures set it apart, creating something that feels detached from both mainstream and underground trends.

Three favourite tracks: Chaos Descends, Nadsokor, War Eternal

Alice Cooper – Constrictor

Like many people of my generation, Poison was my first real encounter with Alice Cooper. Over time, I realised there was far more to his music than one huge hit. Constrictor arrived before his commercial resurgence at the end of the decade and played an important role in re-establishing his career. Admittedly, it suffers a little from some of the production choices fashionable during the mid-eighties, but there is plenty to enjoy here. The partnership with Kane Roberts proved highly effective and the album combines catchy songs with the theatricality that had always made Alice Cooper such a distinctive figure.

Three favourite tracks: Teenage Frankenstein, Life and Death of the Party, He’s Back (The Man Behind The Mask)

Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory

Crimson Glory was another band I discovered long after their original run had ended. With so many great metal albums emerging during the mid-eighties, it would have been easy for a record such as this to become lost in the shuffle. Yet from the opening moments, Midnight's remarkable voice and the band's gift for melody make it stand out from many of its contemporaries. There is also an intangible quality running throughout the album that gives it a unique identity.

Three favourite tracks: Mayday, Queen of the Masquerade, Azrael

Dark Angel - Darkness Descends

As I will discuss later, Metallica was the first thrash metal band I discovered and the one that sparked a lasting love of the sub-genre. Through bands such as Megadeth and Slayer, Dark Angel were one of many names that entered my consciousness during the late eighties. Hearing Darkness Descends for the first time, there was little doubt that intensity was the priority. At just thirty-five minutes long, not a second is wasted and it showed just how savage thrash metal could become when stripped back to its most aggressive elements.

Three favourite tracks: Darkness Descends, The Burning of Sodom, Merciless Death

David Lee Roth - Eat ’Em and Smile

Eat 'Em and Smile was released just a week before my fourteenth birthday in 1986 and, to be honest, I was blissfully unaware of the Roth versus Van Halen battle that was beginning to dominate the rock press. Looking back, however, it is difficult not to view the album through that lens. Supported by the formidable talents of Billy Sheehan and Steve Vai, Roth unsurprisingly approached his first full-length post-Van Halen release with confidence, humour and no shortage of swagger. In some ways, Eat 'Em and Smile feels more like a continuation of 1984 than 5150, which took the band in a different direction altogether. It may not be a flawless album but its exuberance and sense of fun mean it still warrants listening to today.

Three favourite tracks: Yankee Rose, Ladies’ Nite in Buffalo, Big Trouble

Destruction - Eternal Devastation

While Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer initially introduced me to thrash metal, it did not take long to realise that Germany had developed its own take on the genre: Teutonic Thrash. Eternal Devastation was one of the albums that opened my eyes to this. Harsher and rougher around the edges than many of its American counterparts, it possessed an intensity all of its own. There is a constant sense of danger running throughout the album, as though Destruction are trying to push every song to its breaking point. Alongside releases by Kreator and Sodom, it demonstrated just how important the German thrash scene had become.

Three favourite tracks: Curse The Gods, Life Without Sense, United By Hatred 

Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian

Awaken the Guardian feels like a glimpse into an alternative future for metal. At a time when many bands were becoming either heavier or more commercial, Fates Warning were already exploring more ambitious territory. The intricate arrangements, fantastical lyrics and John Arch's distinctive vocals created an album unlike anything else I had encountered. It was not the easiest record to absorb initially but repeated listens revealed layer upon layer of detail. While the band would evolve considerably from here, Awaken the Guardian remains one of the defining statements of early progressive metal.

Three favourite tracks: The Sorceress, Guardian, Prelude To Ruin

Flotsam and Jetsam - Doomsday for the Deceiver

Like many metal fans, my first awareness of Flotsam and Jetsam came via Jason Newsted's move to Metallica. Curiosity inevitably led me back to Doomsday for the Deceiver and it quickly became apparent that the band had far more to offer than a footnote in Metallica's history. Combining technical proficiency with genuine aggression, the album stands comfortably alongside many of the more celebrated thrash releases of the era. Newsted's contribution is undeniable but it is the quality of the songwriting that stands out.

Three favourite tracks: Desecrator, Doomsday for the Deceiver, Metalshock 

Peter Gabriel - So

Sledgehammer was one of the biggest singles of 1986 and it was that song which persuaded me to buy So. While I enjoyed the album immediately, it was only years later that I began to appreciate just how much care and attention had gone into its creation. Peter Gabriel somehow manages to balance accessibility and ambition throughout, producing an album packed with memorable songs and outstanding performances. It also contains Mercy Street, which became my favourite song from his solo career and one of the many reasons why So is held in such high regard.

Three favourite songs: Red Rain, That Voice Again, Mercy Street

Genesis - Invisible Touch

I have long believed that some albums remain special not simply because of the music itself but because of when they entered our lives. Invisible Touch is one such record for me. On my fourteenth birthday in July 1986, it became the first Genesis album I owned. Prior to that, my knowledge of the band extended little beyond the title track which had been released as a single only a couple of months earlier. While many long-standing fans viewed this era as too commercial and polished compared to the progressive ambitions of the 1970s, that has never diminished my affection for the album. The more expansive side of Genesis is still present and songs such as Domino and Tonight, Tonight, Tonight continue to stand up remarkably well. More importantly, Invisible Touch encouraged me to delve deeper into the band's catalogue and discover an even greater appreciation for their earlier material.

Three favourite tracks: Tonight Tonight Tonight, Land of Confusion, Domino

Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time

My introduction to Iron Maiden was via Can I Play With Madness and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (which I discuss in my retrospective about that album). They immediately became one of my favourite bands and exploring further, Somewhere in Time (still my second favourite Maiden album) definitely captured my imagination. I was largely unaware that many long-standing fans were less enthusiastic about the band's new direction, with the increased use of synths and even keyboards proving controversial. However, my own musical interests meant I was more than open to these changes. With some of its songs having been woefully underplayed over the years, The Future Past Tour was a real pleasure. My one gripe was that Sea of Madness remained ignored and will probably never be played again.

Three favourite tracks: Wasted Years, Sea of Madness, Deja-Vu

Journey - Raised on Radio

Journey were a band that was impossible to miss during the 1980s and I was certainly aware of them when Raised On Radio was released, although it was the first of their albums that I owned. They produced some of the finest AOR records of all time but, in my view, Raised On Radio may well be their most underrated. Following Escape and Frontiers (the latter of which could arguably have been even better had Ask The Lonely and Only The Young been included, as originally intended) was never going to be easy. Tensions within the band, including Steve Perry’s increasing control, eventually led to the departures of Ross Valory and Steve Smith before the release of this one.

Three favourite tracks: Be Good To Yourself, Raised On Radio, It Could Have Been You 

Judas Priest - Turbo

My introduction to Judas Priest came via Ram It Down. Keen to hear more, Turbo soon followed. I had no knowledge of albums such as Screaming for Vengeance or Defenders of the Faith (both of which would now fall in my Top Five Priest albums), so its polished production and prominent synths never felt unusual. It was only later, after discovering more of the band's history and the release of Painkiller – still my favourite – that I appreciated just how much Judas Priest had changed during the second half of the decade. For that reason, I have always found Turbo easier to appreciate than many fans of the band's earlier work.

Three favourite tracks: Turbo Lover, Locked In, Out In The Cold

King Diamond - Fatal Portrait

King Diamond was another artist I discovered several years after this album's release and one who immediately stood apart from the majority of metal bands I had been listening to. While albums by Maiden, Priest and Metallica were built around riffs, melodies and power, Fatal Portrait is far more theatrical in its approach. The storytelling running throughout the album, combined with King Diamond's unmistakable vocal style, created an atmosphere unlike anything else in my collection.

Three favourite tracks: The Portrait, Dressed in White, Haunted

Kreator - Pleasure to Kill

If Master of Puppets demonstrated how sophisticated thrash could become, Pleasure to Kill showed just how savage it could be. The album feels utterly uncompromising, pushing aggression to levels few bands had previously attempted. It is hardly surprising that many view it as an important stepping stone towards death metal. While Kreator would produce several excellent albums throughout their career, this captures the band in their most ferocious and single-minded form.

Three favourite tracks: Pleasure To Kill, Command of the Blade, Awakening of the Gods

Magnum – Vigilante

Magnum have long been one of my favourite bands and Vigilante highlights many of the qualities that make them so special. Produced by Queen's Roger Taylor, it saw the band adopt a more polished and commercial sound without sacrificing the quality of Tony Clarkin's songwriting. That was always the secret of Magnum's success. Whether tackling thoughtful subjects or creating memorable melodies, Clarkin had an extraordinary ability to draw the listener into his songs. Vigilante sparkles with that talent throughout and demonstrates why he remains one of the most underrated songwriters in British rock.

Three favourite tracks: Need A Lot Of Love, Red on the Highway, Vigilante (I could easily have picked six)

Megadeth - Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying

Alongside Metallica, Megadeth played a major role in broadening my appreciation of thrash metal. Dave Mustaine's guitar work and unmistakable personality dominate Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? but the contributions of David Ellefson, Chris Poland and Gar Samuelson should not be overlooked. Together they produced one of the defining thrash albums of the decade. While I regard it as one of the highlights of Megadeth's career, Rust in Peace would raise the bar even higher.

Three favourite tracks: The Conjuring, Peace Sells, Good Mourning / Black Friday

Metal Church - The Dark

1986 was hardly lacking in great metal albums, which perhaps explains why The Dark can sometimes be overlooked when discussions turn to the classics of the era. That is a shame because Metal Church struck an impressive balance between traditional heavy metal and the growing thrash movement. There is plenty of power here but also an appreciation of melody and songcraft that prevents the album from becoming one-dimensional. One of the hidden gems of mid-eighties American metal.

Three favourite tracks: Start the Fire, Watch the Children Play, Burial At Sea

Metallica - Master of Puppets

Metallica were the first thrash metal band I became fully aware of, sparking a lifelong love of the genre. My first encounter with their music came via the Harvester of Sorrow single from ...And Justice for All. It sounded unlike anything I had heard before and sixteen-year-old me found it utterly absorbing. That inevitably led me deeper into the band's catalogue and eventually to Master of Puppets. While the leap from Kill 'Em All to Ride the Lightning was remarkable, the fact that Metallica somehow managed to repeat the feat here enabled them to produce their masterpiece. Progressive, aggressive and beautifully constructed, Master of Puppets is not only my favourite Metallica album but one of the finest metal albums ever recorded.

Three favourite tracks: Master Of Puppets, Disposable Heroes, Orion (an almost impossible choice)

The Mission - God’s Own Medicine

While much of this list gravitates towards hard rock and metal, God's Own Medicine demonstrated the appeal of a darker and more atmospheric approach. Built around Wayne Hussey's distinctive songwriting, the album combines memorable melodies with a sense of gothic drama that runs throughout. The music possesses an immediacy that makes it accessible, yet there is also enough depth to reward repeated listening. At a time when many bands were chasing heavier sounds or commercial success, The Mission carved out an identity all of their own and produced one of the most distinctive debuts of the decade.

Three favourite tracks: Wasteland, Severina, Love Me To Death

Motörhead - Orgasmatron

Although few bands can match Motörhead's consistency, opinions sometimes differ when discussing individual albums. While some fans were less enthusiastic about Another Perfect Day than the records that surrounded it (a view I have never shared, as I consider it massively underrated), Orgasmatron seemed to unite almost everyone in recognising that the band were back on top form. It was also the first studio album to feature Phil Campbell and Würzel on guitars and the only full studio album with Pete Gill on drums. Darker in tone than much of their earlier work, Orgasmatron combines Motörhead's trademark power and attitude with some of the strongest material of their career.

Three favourite tracks: Deaf Forever, Claw, Orgasmatron

Nuclear Assault - Game Over

If some thrash bands sounded calculated and precise, Nuclear Assault often felt as though they were operating on pure adrenaline. Game Over captures that spirit perfectly. Drawing heavily on both punk and metal influences, the album hurtles from one song to the next with barely a moment to catch its breath. There is little interest in polish or refinement; instead, the band prioritise energy, aggression and attitude. That combination gives the album a personality all of its own and helps explain why I still find it such an invigorating listen.

Three favourite tracks: Betrayal, Stranded in Hell, Brain Death

Ozzy Osbourne - The Ultimate Sin

Like many teenagers during the late eighties, I owned a copy of Soft Metal, one of the endless compilation albums that seemed to appear at the time. While I was already familiar with several of the songs it contained, Shot in the Dark was one that particularly resonated with me and The Ultimate Sin soon found its way into my collection - which ultimately led me down an Ozzy and Sabbath rabbit hole. Jake E. Lee's guitar playing is outstanding throughout and the album strikes an effective balance between commercial accessibility and genuine heaviness. It may not attract the same acclaim as Blizzard of Ozz or Diary of a Madman but there is far more quality here than it is often given credit for.

Three favourite tracks: The Ultimate Sin, Killer of Giants, Shot In The Dark

 Queen - A Kind of Magic

Forever linked in my mind with Highlander, A Kind of Magic was the first Queen studio album I owned. In fact, after seeing Highlander close to Christmas 1986, I bought Live Magic the very next day and played it to death, blissfully unaware of the controversial edits that have since become a talking point amongst fans. Perhaps that explains why A Kind of Magic has always occupied a special place in my collection. More than simply being another Queen album, it serves as a reminder of a particular time and place. Forty years later, hearing it still transports me back to those early days of discovering both the band and the film.

Three favourite tracks: One Vision, Who Wants To Live Forever, Princes of the Universe

Queensrÿche - Rage for Order

In 1988, Operation: Mindcrime – an album that now sits comfortably amongst my ten favourites of all time – encouraged me to explore the rest of the Queensrÿche material. Rage for Order quickly proved itself almost the equal of its more celebrated successor. The progressive elements are impossible to ignore, yet the album never loses sight of its heavy metal roots. Geoff Tate's voice was a huge part of the appeal, bringing a level of sophistication and range that few metal vocalists could match. It forms part of an extraordinary run of releases stretching from the band's debut EP through to Promised Land, a sequence of albums few bands can rival.

Three favourite tracks: Walk In The Shadows, Neue Regel, Screaming In Digital

Ratt - Dancing Undercover

By the time Dancing Undercover arrived, Ratt had already established themselves as one of the leading names in the glam metal scene. While it may not enjoy the same reputation as Out of the Cellar, I have always felt it deserves a little more recognition. The album does not attempt to reinvent the band's formula, instead building upon it with a collection of strong hooks, driving riffs and a relaxed confidence that suggest a band fully aware of its strengths.

Three favourite tracks: Dance, Slip of the Lip, Body Talk

Joe Satriani - Not Of This Earth

Instrumental music forms an important part of my collection and Steve Vai's Passion and Warfare first sparked my interest in exploring instrumental guitar albums in greater depth. That journey inevitably led me back to Satriani and the foundations he had laid several years earlier. Rather than simply showcasing technical ability, Not of This Earth demonstrated an appreciation for melody and atmosphere that would become hallmarks of his music.

Three favourite tracks: Not Of This Earth, Driving At Night, Hordes of Locusts

Sepultura - Morbid Visions

Becoming a fan of Sepultura shortly after the release of Beneath the Remains and following them ever since has allowed me to witness the remarkable diversity that has defined their career, not all of it equally successful. Morbid Visions, however, captures the band at the very beginning of that journey. Its extremely rough production and raw execution give it a distinctly primitive edge, while the riffs are direct and aggressive, drawing from thrash and edging towards early death and black metal. Dark and genuinely menacing in places, the album is important not only for its sound but also for helping establish South America as a growing force within the metal scene.

Three favourite tracks: Mayhem, Troops of Doom, Empire of the Damned

Slayer – Reign in Blood

Without doubt, Reign In Blood deserves its place amongst the most influential metal albums ever recorded. While South of Heaven was my own entry point into Slayer, it did not take long to discover why this album is so revered. At just under twenty-nine minutes in length, it is a remarkably focused record with little room for excess. From the opening moments, the album feels like a controlled explosion, its whirlwind of riffs, pounding drums and unrelenting aggression rarely allowing the listener a moment to draw breath. Darker in both sound and subject matter than many of its contemporaries, Reign In Blood helped redefine the boundaries of thrash metal and remains as powerful and uncompromising today as it was in 1986.

Three favourite tracks: Angel of Death, Altar of Sacrifice, Raining Blood

Status Quo – In the Army Now

Status Quo's appearance at Live Aid played a significant role in turning me into a fan and, when In the Army Now arrived the following year, the album became the first piece of vinyl I owned by the band. Looking back, I know it is far from their greatest work and certainly differs from the harder-edged boogie rock of their classic years. Nevertheless, it remains an important record in my musical journey. It is another example of age, place and time coming together but nevertheless, these songs continue to evoke vivid memories of that period. While much here may be closer to Quo-lite than vintage Status Quo, In the Army Now has retained a special place in my collection for nearly forty years.

Three favourite tracks: In the Army Now, End Of The Line, Red Sky

Stryper – To Hell With The Devil

My introduction to Stryper came in late 1986, at a time when I was becoming a fan of various rock and metal bands such as Queen. In many ways, To Hell with the Devil fitted neatly between them all. The album balances the bombast and spectacle of glam metal with strong musicianship and melodic prowess, while the vocal harmonies and guitar work gave it an identity all of its own. While the band's Christian message often attracted as much attention as the music, it was always the songs that mattered most to me. It is perhaps testament to their quality that somebody with no religious beliefs could enjoy Stryper's music every bit as much as someone of the Christian faith.

Three favourite tracks: Abyss / To Hell With The Devil, Free, The Way

Tesla – Mechanical Resonance

While image often seemed as important as the music for some bands during the late eighties, Mechanical Resonance was built around strong songs and a genuine love of classic hard rock. One aspect that has always appealed to me is the way the album unfolds. The first side is direct, energetic and immediately accessible, whereas the second hints at a greater depth and maturity. That balance gives the album a character of its own, combining the enthusiasm of a young band eager to prove itself with signs of the more nuanced approach Tesla would develop later.

Three favourite tracks: Modern Day Cowboy, Changes, Before My Eyes

Van Halen - 5150

The departure of David Lee Roth and the arrival of Sammy Hagar could easily have derailed Van Halen but 5150 proved the band still had plenty to offer. In fact, my route into Van Halen was somewhat back to front, as the first two albums I heard by the band were the Hagar-era releases OU812 and 5150. As a result, the increased emphasis on melody and keyboards never felt unusual to me. 5150 was clearly a more polished album than much of the band's earlier work and demonstrated that they were determined to move forward rather than simply recreate past successes. It sounded different but it never stopped being Van Halen.

Three favourite tracks: Dreams, Best of Both Worlds, 5150

Warlock – True As Steel

During the second half of the 1980s, it sometimes felt as though Doro Pesch appeared in every metal magazine I picked up. While she inevitably became the focal point, Warlock were far more than a one-person band and built a strong reputation throughout the decade. True as Steel may not be their best album but it is a solid, catchy and consistently enjoyable record that captures the spirit of the era perfectly. Balancing melody and heaviness with ease, the band produced an album full of memorable hooks and strong performances that is enjoyable from beginning to end.

Three favourite songs: Love In The Danger Zone, Vorwärts All Right!, True As Steel

Listen to my 40 Memorable Rock and Metal Albums playlist (my three favourites from each album) below.