Yngwie Malmsteen　

Yngwie Malmsteen is arguably the most technically accomplished hard rock guitarist to emerge during the ’80s. Combining a dazzling technique honed over years of obsessive practice with a love fo ..more

Wild Horses　

Wild Horses were considered a minor super-group of the late ’70s, whose leaders, as it turned out, were anything but super. In fact, though the cast of characters involved in their history reads li ..more

Whitesnake　

After recording two solo albums, former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale formed Whitesnake around 1977. In the glut of hard rock and heavy metal bands of the late ’70s, their first albums ..more

Voivod　

Voivod (singer Denis Snake Belanger, guitarist Denis Piggy d’Amour, drummer Michel Away Langevin, and bassist Jean-Yves Blacky Theriault) were one of the first thrash bands f ..more

Van Halen　

With their 1978 eponymous debut, Van Halen simultaneously rewrote the rules of rock guitar and hard rock in general. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen redefined what the electric guitar could do, ..more

Uriah Heep　

Taking their name from the scheming, parasitic lawyer in Charles Dickens’ 1850 novel David Copperfield, Uriah Heep is a progressive rock institution who, alongside bands like Deep Purpl ..more

U.F.O.　

Vocalist Phil Mogg, guitarist Mick Bolton, bassist Pete Way, and drummer Andy Parker formed the British space metal outfit UFO in 1969. Originally known as Hocus Pocus, the group, ..more

Tyketto　

Hard rock outfit Tyketto was formed by previous D.O.A. frontman Danny Vaughn in 1989 following the dissolution of his previous band, Waysted. Guitarist Brooke St. James, bassist Jimi ..more

Treat　

Testament　

Testament were the biggest thrash metal band never to reach the platinum plateau. In fact, the San Francisco quintet seemed on the verge of challenging Metallica (their most obvious influence) i ..more

Tailgunner (Metal)　

SODOM　

This German black metal band’s early lineup consisted of Tom Angelripper (bass/vocals), Aggressor (guitar/vocals), and Chris Witchhunter Dudek (drums). They were heavily influenced by thras ..more

Slayer　

Slayer were one of the most distinctive, influential, and extreme thrash metal bands of the 1980s. Their graphic lyrics dealt with everything from death and dismemberment to war and the horrors of ..more

Scorpions　

Known best for their 1984 anthem Rock You Like a Hurricane and the 1990 ballad Wind of Change, German rockers Scorpions have sold over 22 million records, making them one of the most successful ..more

Saxon　

Saxon was one of the early leaders of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, alongside Iron Maiden and Def Leppard, even outdistancing them at the onset, only to see their career slide into com ..more

Sammy Hagar　

After spending several years as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the mid-’70s hard rock band Montrose, Sammy Hagar began a solo career that produced several hits and made him an {\a ..more

Rob Zombie　

The longtime frontman for industrial metal superstars White Zombie, Rob Zombie was born Robert Bartleh Cummings on January 12, 1966, in Haverhill, Massachusetts, forming the group soon after ..more

Rainbow　

The brainchild of former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, Rainbow quickly developed into one of the ’70s most successful heavy metal bands behind charismatic front man Ronnie James ..more

Queensryche　

Although they were initially grouped with the legions of pop-metal bands that dominated the American heavy metal scene of the ’80s, Queensryche were one of the most distinctive bands of the era. Wh ..more

Praying Mantis　

England’s Praying Mantis was one of the more melodic bands to emerge from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene. They combined a Thin Lizzy-style twin guitar approach with Def Leppard- ..more