The best year of metal music

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My vote goes to 1986;

Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time
Metallica - Master Of Puppets
Megadeth - Peace Sells
Slayer - Reign In Blood

And to mention Joe Satriani's first record, it was a breakthrough in guitar-oriented instrumental hardrock/metal.
 
Difficult, I'll give it some time to decide on that. It might be 1984, but first I'll check the other years.
 
I'll have to agree with you 1986 is indeed one of the best years ever in music.  However, I think that 1988 is a tad better:
Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
Metallica - ...And Justice for All
Megadeth - So Far, So Good, So What
Slayer - South of Heaven
Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2.

Four excellent albums by four excellent bands (three are thrash :P )in both years.  The albums by Maiden and Metallica are better in 1988, but Slayer and Megadeth made better albums in 1986.  However, 1988 wins over because Maiden's and Metallica's albums are deep, meaningful excellent albums that are excellent because of being albums, not just being a grouping of songs, as well as because Maiden and Metallica are better bands than Megadeth and Slayer respectively (though Megadeth is better than Metallica).  And 1988 also has Helloween's best album to date.

Honourary mentions:
1984: Piece of Mind, Ride the Lightning, Defenders of the Faith: Three great albums that are, however, outmatched by their followers or predecessors.
1990: Painkiller, Rust in Peace.  The best albums by their respective bands.  However, 1990 loses out because there is quite little to support these two.
1995: The X Factor, Burnt Offerings (Iced Earth), The Gallery (Dark Tranquillity), Land of the Free (Gamma Ray).  Some of the best albums by the respective bands, and it has great albums from a variety of different metal subgenres.  These are all albums that are great to listen to as albums, like 1988.  However, they just don't have the legendary status of the 1988 albums.
2002: Rock in Rio, Damage Done (Dark Tranquillity), Versus the World (Amon Amarth).  Five-star albums all, but see the reasons for 1990 and 1995.
2006: A Matter of Life and Death, With Oden on Our Side (Amon Amarth), Christ Illusion (Slayer).
2007: United Abominations (Megadeth), Something Wicked Part 1 (Iced Earth), Gambling With the Devil (Helloween), Fiction (Dark Tranquillity), Land of the Free II (Gamma Ray).
2008: Nostradamus, Something Wicked Part 2, Twilight of the Thundergod (Amon Amarth), Death Magnetic (Metallica).  2006, 2007 and 2008 don't have many albums that really hold a candle to the amazing classics of 1988, but I've bought much more albums frolm these past three years because they're the years I've actively been a metalhead.  I think a lot of very solid or excellent albums have come out these years, so it's very much a case of a quantity of good albums.
 
Invader said:
Honourary mentions:
1984: Piece of Mind,
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1984 is Powerslave.

South of Heaven is my favourite Slayer album. These are well worked out songs, with interesting changes and ultra cool drumbreaks. Reign In Blood only has Postmortem, the title track and Angel of Death and the rest is not that worthy. Still I admit that Slayer might be the only band that got harder in the mid-eighties. Other bands became softer in 1986. So respect for going a bit against the grain.
 
I voted 1986 because it spawned my favourite album from my favourite band, Somewhere In Time. Also, Master Of Puppets is a masterpiece that together with Maiden's 80s albums and some of NWOBHM bands helped create progressive metal of the '90s. Then, it was around 1986 that thrash metal began being recognized as a strong new movement, not a rising force anymore.
 
I disagree 200% that 7th son is a better album than Somewhere in time or any other 80's Maiden album by any stretch of the imagination... I'll also give it some thought, and get to this, it is interesting to see what made or broke a year in music... 
 
I'd go for 1988. As per what Invader said above, but I'll include:

Queensryche-- Operation: Mindcrime.  That is still one of my favorite albums of all time.

Riot-- Thundersteel.  Most don't like this album, but its one that I always found fun to listen to.  Kinda 'speed metal' for the time, and Tell Tale Heart is not too bad a tune.

(I also think Seventh Son is better than Somewhere In Time, IMO)
 
1980. Apart from the fact that it had a lot of brilliant regular album releases (Iron Maiden, Heaven And Hell, British Steel, Back In Black, Ace Of Spades, Blizzard Of Ozz, Angel Witch and too many more to mention), it is six letters that make this year outshine anything that followed, for me: NWOBHM. Although there were a lot of great releases by NWOBHM bands in the following two or even three years, the momentum gained in 1980 would never be reached again.

Feel free to flame me for my opinion.
 
Forostar said:
1984 is Powerslave.
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Oops!  But changing Piece of Mind to Powerslave still is not good enough to override 1988.

I also "forgot" 1980.  I thought only of Iron Maiden, British Steel, and Heaven and Hell, and since the first two are nowhere near their bands' best efforts of the 80's, I didn't include them.  I should have thought of some others too.
 
I agree with you Perun, 1980 was a good year for releases - and a real breakthrough year as well.

I seem to recall we have had a topic on this in the past. I probably would have said 1988 or 1986 in that one and I would not really see any reason to change.

1986: Master of Puppets, Onslaught - The Force, Reign in Blood, Peace Sells...., etc.

1988: Seventh Son, ...And Justice, Onslaught - In Search of Sanity, South of Heaven, Suicidal Tendencies - How will I Laugh Tomorrow..., Testament - New Order, Keeper of the Seven Keys 2, etc.

So it seems 1988 has it.
 
Perun said:
1980. Apart from the fact that it had a lot of brilliant regular album releases (Iron Maiden, Heaven And Hell, British Steel, Back In Black, Ace Of Spades, Blizzard Of Ozz, Angel Witch and too many more to mention), it is six letters that make this year outshine anything that followed, for me: NWOBHM. Although there were a lot of great releases by NWOBHM bands in the following two or even three years, the momentum gained in 1980 would never be reached again.

Feel free to flame me for my opinion.
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My favourite Samson album is actually from 1980. Hmm this is getting difficult, especially because most Sabbath albums that I love came out in "difficult" years.
 
Maybe I should repeat again why I think 1980 was the best year for metal. It is not because of the albums released in that year. It is because of what was happening that year- the NWOBHM. If I was to go purely by the sterile album category, I guess it'd have to be 1988. But everything was so on track at that time, it's lacking the excitement. Maybe I should redefine the question for myself: If I had a time machine, and I had to choose one year to travel back to -metal-wise-, which one would it be? 1980.
 
I understand that. Still, I don't find it that sterile to associate a year with "consumptions" for the mind and heart.

Consumptions like albums, movies, books, sport moments, concerts, etc...

But indeed. Surely there can be a difference between experiencing those albums in the very period in which they came out instead of discovering or re-living that past, years later.
 
Forostar said:
Surely there can be a difference between experiencing those albums in the very period in which they came out instead of discovering or re-living that past, years later.
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I guess there is, I think. But to hear an album for the first time may not be any different if it was released 20 years before you heard it or the day of its release. The only difference is possibly the anticipation one would experience before it's released.

That said, I guess what Perun is saying is that he would go back to that time and experience the era as it was - and be blissfully unaware of what he is about to hear/see/do.

Let's not forget, 1980 was the year Maiden started off playing The Marquee, and ended up headlining at the Rainbow.
 
deffinately 1980 : NWOBHM in its peak, Black Sabbath with Heaven and Hell, Judas Priest with British Steel AC/DC with Back in Black and many more

for second place I would say 1988 : when metal generally reached its peak -to take the downhill almost right away

enormous albums from every-one : Anthrax, Maiden, Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, Helloween....the list is huge !
and let's don't forget the mighty donington 88 (the best and more crowded donington EVER) the mile-stone of this golden era
 
Perun said:
Maybe I should repeat again why I think 1980 was the best year for metal. It is not because of the albums released in that year. It is because of what was happening that year- the NWOBHM. If I was to go purely by the sterile album category, I guess it'd have to be 1988. But everything was so on track at that time, it's lacking the excitement. Maybe I should redefine the question for myself: If I had a time machine, and I had to choose one year to travel back to -metal-wise-, which one would it be? 1980.
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I have often wondered what it must have been like the first time that The Number Of The Beast was heard-- with out knowing what to expect.  That, to me, would be really exciting. 
 
I was just talking with a friend about this yesterday.  Imagine being a Maiden fan and hearing about Paul Di'Anno leaving the band.  Then The Number of the Beast comes out, and you're very skeptical about the whole new singer thing.  And then hits Invaders, followed by Children of the Damned.  I can't even imagine the feeling.

22.5 hours until the gates open for my first Maiden gig!  I have a feeling I'll have to update 2008 as the best year of metal music for me...
 
Thats exactly what I was thinking!  I have some friends that were paying attention when TNOTB first came out, and they said it was just amazing to hear it for the first time!

(Enjoy the gig!)
 
I could give you, at least, my perspective on this.

I've been a huge fan of Maiden from when Di Anno was in the band. One day, I read in Sounds magazine (Summer '81) that stated this: "News from the Maiden camp is that Di Anno is to leave and will be replaced by Bruce Dickinson". At the time, I was absolutely gutted. Not that Bruce was joining, but Di Anno was leaving. All I knew of Bruce was a compilation tape I had with Earth Mother on it and thought he was good, but still - Di Anno was going!

So, months passed by and I then heard news that Maiden were soon to release a new album. Obviously, by then I was over Di Anno and getting excited about this release - by all accounts, it was meant to be good. One Friday evening whilst tuning into Tommy Vance's Friday Rock Show, he announced new material by, amongst others, Maiden - and what was the first song he played that night? Run To The Hills. It was not introduced at all - but knowing what Maiden sounded like and knowing what Bruce sounded like, it took me until "We fought him hard, we fought him well." to know exactly who this was - and I was jumping up and down like a mad jumper-up-and-downer. :D
 
Well, in the end I had to choose between:

1984:
Iron Maiden - Powerslave
Rush - Grace under Pressure
Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith
Dio - The Last in Line
Metallica - Ride the Lightning
Queensryche - The Warning

vs

1980:
Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
Judas Priest - British Steel
Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell
Rush - Permanent Waves
Samson - Head On
White Spirit - White Spirit

I prefer both 1984 albums by Priest and Maiden so that's why I decided to go for 1984.

(This was the other bunch that I had to go through. I decided to leave out the years with less than 2 good albums. Also I left out live albums):

2008      Judas Priest - Nostradamus / Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe / The Arcane Order - In The Wake Of Collisions

2007      Epica - The Divine Conspiracy / After Forever - After Forever

2006 Scar Symmetry - Pitch Black Progress / Iron Maiden - A Matter Of Life And Death / The Arcane Order - The Machinery of Oblivion / God Dethroned - The Toxic Touch / Solitude Aeturnus - Alone

2005 Scar Symmetry - Symmetric in Design / After Forever - Remagine / Epica - Consign to Oblivion / Candlemass - Candlemass / After Forever - Remagine

2003 Tierra Santa - Indomable / Grave Digger - Rheingold / Children of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll / Epica - The Phantom Agony

2001 Brainstorm - Metus Mortis / Jacobs Dream - Theatre of War / Eidolon - Hallowed Apparition / Tierra Santa - Sangre de Reyes / After Forever - Decipher

2000 Iron Maiden - Brave New World / Blaze - Silicon Messiah / Jacobs Dream - Jacobs Dream / Avantasia - The Metal Opera / Stratovarius - Infinite / Steel Prophet - Messiah / After Forever - Prison of Desire

1999 Iron Savior - Unification / My Dying Bride - The Light At The End Of The World / Nocturnal Rites - The Sacred Talisman / Soilwork - The Chainheart Machine / Domine - Dragonlord / Gamma Ray - Powerplant / Children of Bodom - Hatebreeder / Steel Prophet - Hallucinations / Trail of Tears - Disclosure in Red

1998 Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding / Enthral - The Mirror's Opposite End / Helloween - Better than Raw / Primal Fear - Primal Fear / Sear Bliss - The Haunting / Virgin Steele - Invictus / Mithotyn - King of the Distant Forest / Solitude Aeturnus - Adagio

1997 Bruce Dickinson - Accident of Birth / Gamma Ray - Somewhere out in Space / Gates of Ishtar - The Dawn of Flames / Edguy - Kingdom of Madness / Iron Savior - Iron Savior / Judas Priest - Jugulator / Nocturnal Rites - Tales of Mystery and Imagination / Mithotyn - In the Sign of the Ravens / Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant

1996 Bruce Dickinson - Skunkworks / Deviser - Unspeakable Cults / Dimmu Borgir - Stormblast / Gates of Ishtar - A Bloodred Path / Helloween - The Time of the Oath / Sear Bliss - Phantoms / My Dying Bride - Like Gods of the Sun / Stratovarius - Episode / Virgin Steele - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell - pt II / Grave Digger - Tunes of War / Amorphis - Elegy

1995 Iron Maiden - The X-Factor / In Flames - The Jester Race / Gamma Ray - Land of the Free / Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings / My Dying Bride - The Angel and the Dark River / Napalm Death - Diatribes / Six Feet Under - Haunted / Absu - The Sun of Tipareth / Black Sabbath - Forbidden

1994 Amorphis - Tales from the Thousand Lakes / At The Gates - Terminal Spirit Disease / Body Count - Born Dead / Bruce Dickinson - Balls to Picasso / Gorefest - Erase / Running Wild - Black Hand Inn / Black Sabbath - Cross Purposes / Ancient - Svartalvheim / Solitude Aeturnus - Through the Darkest Hour

1993 Fight - War of Words / My Dying Bride - Turn Loose the Swans / Rush - Counterparts

1992 Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark / Gorefest - False / Killers - Murder One / My Dying Bride - As the Flower withers / Running Wild - Pile of Skulls / Iced Earth - Night of the Stormrider / Solitude Aeturnus - Beyond the Crimson Horizon / Amorphis - The Karelian Isthmus

1991 Gamma Ray - Sigh no more / Running Wild - Blazon Stone / Solitude Aeturnus - Into the Depths of Sorrow

1990 Iron Maiden - No Prayer for the Dying / Judas Priest - Painkiller / Black Sabbath - Tyr / Iced Earth - Iced Earth

1989 ASaP - Silver and Gold / Black Sabbath - Headless Cross / Running Wild - Death or Glory / Metal Church - Blessing in Disguise / Candlemass - Tales of Creation

1988 Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son / Slayer - South of Heaven / Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime / Judas Priest - Ram it down / Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys - pt II / Running Wild - Port Royal / Candlemass - Ancient Dreams

1987 Black Sabbath - The Eternal Idol / Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys - pt I / Candlemass - Nightfall

1986 Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time / Judas Priest - Turbo / Helloween - Walls of Jericho / Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus / Metallica - Master of Puppets

1985 Rush - Power Windows / Helloween - Helloween

1983 Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind / Dio - Holy Diver / Queensryche - Queen of the Reich / Magnum - Eleventh Hour / Metallica - Kill 'Em All

1982 Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast / Judas Priest - Screaming for Vengeance / Magnum - Chase the Dragon / Manowar - Battle Hymns

1981 Iron Maiden - Killers / Black Sabbath - Mob Rules / Rush - Moving Pictures / Samson - Shock Tactics / Kiss - (Music from) The Elder

1978 Judas Priest - Stained Class / Judas Priest - Killing Machine / Rush - Hemispheres / Magnum - Kingdom of Madness

1977 Judas Priest - Sin after Sin / Rush - A Farewell to Kings
 
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