Disclaimer:
Please don’t unleash years of suppressed anger and throw a hot cup of coffee in your dog’s face if you don’t see (insert band name) at (insert position) or any such situation. This feature is based on the opinions of an author that writes, primarily, based on experiences and makes no claims that the collection of releases you’re going to be reading about is certified by God, Satan, Rick Moranis, or any other extremely prominent deity. Enjoy.
Intro:
1987’s studio album output was prominent and rock solid, with thrash metal once again reigning as the leading genre, but now we’re also seeing grindcore and black metal studio albums that are garnering great deals of attention. For many of the bigger foundational extreme metal bands, this was a period where they were putting out second or third albums, so there’s now the factor of creative longevity at play.
Noise Records releases make up roughly one fifth of the list. Megaforce Records and Combat Records were close seconds.
As far as global spread goes, The United States and Germany had major showings thanks to the thrash’s prominence on this list. Brazil makes two major contributions in the top 10 as well as a lone Polish act not usually recognized in the US.
America still had held thrash tight in 1987, as well as traditional heavy metal. Brazil, as always, was metaphorically puking up blood onto the carpet with their unique take on extreme metal. Germany also made a strong showing in the thrash genre.
Without further commentary, we present The Top 25 Metal Albums of 1987.
Have a great bowel movement.
#25: Kreator (DEU) – Terrible Certainty
Label: Noise Records
Kreator squeaks itself into the list with third offering, a more thrash-minded and tempered release compared to the near proto-death approach taken on 1986’s Pleasure to Kill. Noticeably less abrasive than previous releases, this is a marked departure and change of composition for the band.
#24: Overkill (USA) – Taking Over
Label: Megaforce Records
The follow-up to the 1985’s heavily praised Feel the Fire, Taking Over sees the band grinding through their sophomore effort. A unique and distinctive take on the genre, Overkill combine just the right amount of fury and melody.
#23: Slaughter (CAN) – Strappado
Label: Diabolic Force
As you (better) know, this is not the ‘fly to the angels’ glam-rock Slaughter, this is the Canadian death-thrash entity. Strappado was the only full-length album the band produced in their early career. Grinding, off-the-rails thrashing madness from the deep underground.
#22: Sodom (DEU) – Persecution Mania
Label: Steamhammer
Sodom’s second full-length effort saw a greatly improved approach to songwriting composition and production as opposed to their debut effort Obsessed by Cruelty. The trio of Angelripper, Blackfire, and the late Witchhunter put forth a valiant effort, producing a staple to the band’s discography and German thrash in general.
#21: Agent Steel (USA) – Unstoppable Force
Label: Combat Records
Coming off the absolutely electric EP release, Mad Locust Rising, in 1986, Agent Steel launched Unstoppable Force the following year. Righteous and bravado-filled thrashing power metal loaded with great guitar work and soaring vocal prowess.
#20: Vendetta (DEU) – Go and Live…Stay and Die
Label: Noise Records
The debut effort of Vendetta saw the band producing high-powered by-the-book thrash metal throughout the 1980s. Often overlooked, the band produced powerful riffs and dazzling compositions that are worth seeking out for any old-school fan.
#19: Heathen (USA) – Breaking the Silence
Label: Combat Records
Another piece of overlooked American thrash metal, Heathen’s debut effort was often overshadowed by other Bay Area thrash bands. An excellent fusion of riffcrafting, speed and composition.
#18: Voivod (CAN) – Killing Technology
Label: Noise Records
The third effort of Canada’s black sheep of thrash saw Voivod refining their sound into a more concise killing machine. Progressive, dynamic, and often a master of rewriting the rules for conventional thrash metal.
#17: Napalm Death (GBR) – Scum
Label: Earache Records
The point of origin for conventional grindcore, Napalm Death’s formal debut effort was a vitriolic display of self-collapsing music. Feral, anthropomorphic, and caustic.
#16: Coroner (CHE) – R.I.P.
Label: Noise Records
Perhaps, comically, known best for the commonly over-inflated role that Tom G. Warrior played, Coroner’s debut effort was a pinnacle of the Swiss metal scene. With technical aptitude and songwriting chops that rivaled the best of 1987, R.I.P. cemented itself as an iconic album for their regional music scene.
#15: Testament (USA) – The Legacy
Label: Megaforce Records
A legendary debut for a legendary band, Testament sits just outside of the Big 4 of American thrash. Perhaps, wrongfully. Testament is one of the few Bay Area bands that haven’t completely abandoned their roots.
#14: King Diamond (DNK) – Abigail
Label: Roadrunner Records
No introductions are usually necessary for The King. The band’s second effort saw them building off the success of 1986’s Fatal Portrait. The legendary line-up of King Diamond, Mickey Dee, Timi Hansen, Andy LaRocque, and Michael Denner produced traditional metal that was meteoric in its delivery and composition.
#13: Helloween (DEU) – Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I
Label: Victor
Helloween’s sophomore effort was a text-book exercise in the dynamics of heavy metal songwriting. Soaring, epic, and powerful. Loaded with guitar fireworks and testicle-obliterating vocals, Helloween’s 1987 effort is something to take note of.
#12: Carnivore (USA) – Retaliation
Label: Roadrunner Records
Melding crossover, thrash, and speed metal into a toxic soup of rancor, Carnivore’s final effort before dissolution has reached a state of cult status many bands can only wish to achieve. Features a pre-Type O Negative Peter Steele.
#11: Savatage (USA) – Hall of the Mountain King
Label: Atlantic Records
Technically proficient, progressive, and compositionally dynamic, Savatage’s fourth effort was one of the best from the band’s 1980s era.
#10: Candlemass (SWE) – Nightfall
Label: Active Records
The band’s sophomore effort and follow-up to genre staple Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. The first album to feature vocalist Messiah Marcolin. Pure traditional doom metal. Light one up and enjoy.
#9: Tankard (DEU) – Chemical Invasion
Label: Noise Records
Traditional German-style thrash metal. A consistent display of fast, up-tempo, riff-centric music. The best from their 1980s era and a marked improvement from their debut album.
#8: Bulldozer (ITA) – IX
Label: Discomagic
An often overlooked band, Bulldozer had a vicious run in the 1980s, with IX serving as the third full-length overall. Dark, analog thrash metal from perhaps the best of the Italian thrash scene.
#7: Death Angel (USA) – The Ultra-Violence
Label: Enigma
The absence of full-length releases in 1987 from S-tier bands such as Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth allowed A-tier bands to really shine through. Death Angel‘s debut was the best of their 1980s era and showcased the versatility and destructiveness of the American west coast scene.
#6: Anthrax (USA) – Among the Living
Label: Megaforce Records
The only member of the American Big Four that released a full-length in 1987, Anthrax delivered the goods on Among the Living. Featuring several consistent live staples, the album is the crown jewel of their 1980s output.
#5: Sarcofago (BRA) – I.N.R.I.
Label: Cogumelo Records
The debut of the putrid Sarcofago. An early hybrid of black metal and thrash metal, I.N.R.I. was at times unhinged and off-the-rails. An album that went on to influence many bands of the second-wave black metal scene.
#4: Turbo (POL) – Ostani Wojownik
Label: Pronit
Criminally underrated Polish thrash/heavy metal. Ostani Wojownik was the band’s fourth full-length. Loaded with riffs from start to finish.
#3: Sepultura (BRA) – Schizophrenia
Label: Cogumelo Records
A massive change in composition and sound in comparison to the previously released Bestial Devastation and Morbid Visions, Sepultura dropped the primitive proto-death metal approach and took on a crushing tight-knit rhythm-centric variation of thrash. 1980s Sepultura was a crushing entity.
#2: Death (USA) – Scream Bloody Gore
Label: Combat Records
After a lengthy number of demos, Chuck Schuldiner finally found his stride on the debut full-length. With Chris Reifert on drums, Death dropped an album that not only attempted to take traditional heavy metal to a new extreme, but actually succeeded in doing so. Pure death metal was now taking root in the soil of the extreme music scene and was doing so in a sharp and aggressive manner.
#1: Bathory (SWE) – Under the Sign of the Black Mark
Label: Under One Flag
The third Bathory full-length was black metal excellence. Combining traditional heavy metal riff structures and some thrash sensibilities with supernatural atmospherics led to the creation of something genuinely special for 1987.
Outro:
1987 was another strong year for the thrash genre. However, new genres were in genesis, transferring from the demo stage to the full-length stage. Grindcore, death metal, and black metal were now legitimately here to stay. Whether it was the non-stop sonic assault coming from South America, the ferocious thrash attack from Europe, or the exhibitions of sheer precision from the American west coast scene, metal was now increasing within itself and breaking into new extreme territory.
What did you think of the list? Would you have changed anything? Let me know in the comments.
As always, thanks for reading.
-AJK
apanthropy 
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