# 1986 in heavy metal music

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1986.

## Newly formed bands

* 24-7 Spyz
* Accuser
* Acid Drinkers
* Agressor
* Ahat
* Anacrusis
* Angkor Wat
* Atrophy
* Baton Rouge
* Believer
* Black Obelisk
* Bolt Thrower
* Bonfire
* Brutality
* Cacophony
* Cerebral Fix
* Circus of Power
* Cold
* Confessor
* Cycle Sluts from Hell
* Darkthrone
* DBC (Dead Brain Cells)
* Demolition Hammer
* Despair
* Dreamscape
* Elegy
* Evildead
* Front Line Assembly
* Grave
* Immolation
* Infernäl Mäjesty
* Invocator
* IronChrist
* Katedra
* La Pestilencia
* M.O.D.
* Mana Mana
* Manic Street Preachers
* Manitoba's Wild Kingdom
* Massacra
* Mastermind
* McAuley Schenker Group
* Merciless
* Mezarkabul
* Mortem
* Mucky Pup
* Nelson
* Nuclear Death
* OLD
* Opprobrium
* Paradox
* Pestilence
* Prong
* Revelation
* Risk
* Salty Dog
* Scanner
* Sinawe
* Skid Row
* Sugar Ray
* Terrorizer
* Trauma
* Treponem Pal
* Unseen Terror
* Vain
* Vanden Plas
* Viking
* Waltari
* XYZ

## Albums & EPs

* Aaronsrod - Illusions Kill
* Abattoir - The Only Safe Place
* Accept - Russian Roulette
* AC/DC - Who Made Who (soundtrack to Maximum Overdrive)
* ADX – La Terreur
* Alcatrazz - Dangerous Games
* Alice Cooper - Constrictor
* Alien Force - Pain and Pleasure
* Angel Dust – Into the Dark Past
* Angel Witch – Frontal Assault
* Ángeles del Infierno - Instinto Animal (EP)
* Anthem - Tightrope
* Asgard - In the Ancient Days
* Atomkraft – Queen of Death (EP)
* Attila – Rolling Thunder
* At War - Ordered to Kill
* Axtion – Live (EP)
* Baby Tuckoo - Force Majeure
* Bad Brains - I Against I
* Banshee - Cry in the Night (EP)
* Barren Cross - Rock for the King
* Beowülf - Beowülf
* Bitches Sin – Invaders
* Billy Idol – Whiplash Smile
* Black Fate - Commander of Fate
* Black Ice - Hot-N-Heavy (EP)
* Black 'n Blue - Nasty Nasty
* Black Rose – Walk It How You Talk It
* Black Sabbath - Seventh Star
* Blacksmith – Blacksmith (EP)
* Blade Runner – Warriors of Rock
* Bloodgood - Bloodgood
* Blood Money – Red Raw And Bleeding!
* Bonfire - Don't Touch the Light
* Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
* Bride - Show No Mercy
* Britny Fox - In America (EP)
* The Brood - The Brood
* Burning Starr - No Turning Back
* Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
* Castle Blak - Another Dark Carneval
* Carrion – Evil Is There
* Cerberus - Too Late to Pray
* Chariot - Burning Ambition
* Charon – Made In Aluminium
* Chastain - Ruler of the Wasteland
* Child'ƨ Play - Ruff House (EP)
* Cinderella - Night Songs
* Cirith Ungol - One Foot in Hell
* Cities - Annihilation Absolute
* CJSS - World Gone Mad
* CJSS - Praise the Loud
* Cloven Hoof – Fighting Back (live)
* Cobra (UK) – Back From the Dead
* Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory
* Cro-Mags - The Age of Quarrel
* Crumbsuckers - Life of Dreams
* Cryptic Slaughter - Convicted
* Damien Throne - The Sign of the Jackal
* Dark Angel - Darkness Descends
* D.C. Lacroix - Crack of Doom
* Deaf Dealer - Keeper of the Flame
* Dealer – First Strike
* Death Row - Riders of Doom, aka Satan's Gift
* Deep Switch - Nine Inches of God
* Demon - Demon (EP)
* Desolation Angels – Desolation Angels
* Destruction - Eternal Devastation
* Detente - Recognize No Authority
* Diamond - Diamond
* Diamond Rexx - Land of the Damned
* Paul Di'Anno's Battlezone – Fighting Back
* Dio - Intermission (live)
* Dirty Looks – In Your Face
* Dr. Mastermind - Dr. Mastermind
* Earthshaker - Overrun
* Easy Action – That Makes One
* Eden - Eden
* Elektradrive - ...Over the Space
* Elixir - The Son of Odin
* Emerald - Armed For Battle
* Europe - The Final Countdown
* Excess - Melting Point
* Exciter - Unveiling the Wicked
* Exorcist - Nightmare Theater
* Faithful Breath - Live
* Fastway - Trick or Treat
* Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
* Fifth Angel - Fifth Angel
* Firstryke - Just A Nightmare
* Flatbacker - Esa
* Flotsam and Jetsam - Doomsday for the Deceiver
* Force - Set Me Free
* Forever – Forever & Ever
* Foreplay - Hot 'N Heavy (EP)
* Formel 1 - Live im Stahlwerk
* Girlschool - Nightmare at Maple Cross
* Giuffria - Silk + Steel
* Grave Digger - War Games
* Gravestone – Creating a Monster
* Digger (Grave Digger) - Stronger Than Ever
* Great White - Shot in the Dark
* Griffin - Protector of the Lair
* Guns N' Roses - Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide (EP)
* Hallowed - Hallowed
* Hallows Eve - Death & Insanity
* Hammeron – Nothin' To Do But Rock
* Have Mercy - Armageddon Descends (EP)
* Hawk - Hawk
* Heir Apparent - Graceful Inheritance
* Helstar - Remnants of War
* Heretic - Torture Knows No Boundary (EP)
* Hexx - Under the Spell
* High Power - Les Violons de Satan
* Hirax - Hate, Fear and Power
* Holy Moses - Queen of Siam
* Hurricane - Take What You Want
* Hyde (CA) - Hyde
* Impaler - If We Had Brains... We'd Be Dangerous!
* Iron Angel - Winds of War
* Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
* Jesters of Destiny - Fun at the Funeral
* Judas Priest - Turbo
* Juggernaut - Baptism Under Fire
* Kat - Metal and Hell
* Kat - 666
* Keel - The Final Frontier
* Kick Axe - Rock the World
* Killer (Swi) - Young Blood
* Killer Dwarfs - Stand Tall
* Killers (Fra) - Danger de Vie
* King Diamond - Fatal Portrait
* King Kobra - Thrill of a Lifetime
* Krank - Hideous
* Kreator - Pleasure to Kill
* Krokus - Change of Address
* Krokus - Alive and Screamin' (live)
* Kuni - Masque
* Letchen Grey - Party Politics (EP)
* Lion - Power Love (EP)
* Living Death - Back to the Weapons (EP)
* Lizzy Borden - The Murderous Metal Roadshow (live)
* Lizzy Borden - Menace to Society
* London - Don't Cry Wolf
* Loudness – 8186 Live
* Loudness - Lightning Strikes
* M.A.R.S. - Project: Driver
* Tony MacAlpine - Edge of Insanity
* Mad Reign - Mad Reign (EP)
* Manilla Road - The Deluge
* Malisha - Serve Your Savage Beast
* Yngwie Malmsteen - Trilogy
* Frank Marino – Full Circle
* Martyr (Hol) - Darkness at Time's Edge
* Mass (Ger) - Kick Your Ass!
* Medieval - Medieval (EP)
* Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
* Megattack - Raw Delivery
* Mekong Delta - Mekong Delta
* Messiah Prophet - Master of the Metal
* Metal Priest - Bursting Out
* Metal Church - The Dark
* Metal Massacre - Metal Massacre VII (Compilation, various artists)
* Metallica - Master of Puppets
* Michael W. Smith - The Big Picture
* Militia - The Sybling (EP)
* Mindless Sinner - Turn on the Power
* Mistrust - Spin the World
* Vinnie Moore – Mind's Eye
* Mortal Sin - Mayhemic Destruction
* Motörhead - Orgasmatron
* Nightwing – VI
* Nuclear Assault - Brain Death (EP)
* Nuclear Assault - Game Over
* Obsession - Scarred for Life
* Obús - Dejarse la piel
* Omen - The Curse
* Onslaught - The Force
* Orphan Allies – Running From the Law
* Outside - Magic Sacrifice
* Ozzy Osbourne - The Ultimate Sin
* Oz - ...Decibel Storm...
* Pain - Insanity
* Panther - Panther (EP)
* Persian Risk - Rise Up
* Phantom Lord - Evil Never Sleeps
* Picture - Every Story Needs Another Picture
* Piledriver - Stay Ugly
* Poison - Look What the Cat Dragged In
* Possessed - Beyond the Gates
* Post Mortem – Coroner's Office
* Powerlord - The Awakening
* Powermad - Powermad (EP)
* Predator - Easy Prey
* Preyer – Terminator
* Purgatory - Tied to the Trax
* Queen - A Kind of Magic
* Queensrÿche - Rage for Order
* Quiet Riot - QR III
* Racer X - Street Lethal
* Rage - Reign of Fear
* Rankelson – Hungry For Blood
* Ratt - Dancing Undercover
* Ravage - Wrecking Ball
* Raven - The Pack Is Back
* Raven - Mad (EP)
* Razor - Malicious Intent
* Renegade - Renegade
* Ripper - ...And the Dead Shall Rise
* Rhoads - Into the Future
* Rock Goddess - Young & Free
* Canedy, Feinstein, Bordonaro & Caudle - Hollywood
* The Rods - Heavier Than Thou
* Rogue Male - Animal Man
* Rough Cutt - Wants You!
* David Lee Roth - Eat 'Em and Smile
* Ruthless - Discipline of Steel
* Sabbrabells - Sailing On the Revenge
* Sabotage - Behind the Lines
* Sacred Blade - Of The Sun + Moon
* Sacred Rite - Is Nothing Sacred?
* Sacrifice - Torment in Fire
* Sadus - D.T.P.
* Saint - Time's End
* Saint Vitus - Born Too Late
* Samhain - Samhain III: November-Coming-Fire
* Samson - Joint Forces
* Samson - Head Tactics (comp)
* Samurai – Weapon Master
* Satan - Into the Future (EP)
* Satan's Host - Metal from Hell
* Joe Satriani - Not of This Earth
* Savage Grace - After the Fall from Grace
* Savatage - Fight for the Rock
* Sentinel Beast - Depths of Death
* Sepultura - Morbid Visions
* Shark Island - S'cool Buss
* Silver Mountain - Hibiya: Live in Japan '85
* Sinner - Comin' Out Fighting
* Slaughter (Can) – Strappado
* Slayer - Reign in Blood
* Snake - Let The Music Begin
* Sodom - Obsessed by Cruelty
* Sortilège - Larmes de Héros
* Sound Barrier - Speed of Light
* Steel Angel – Kiss of Steel
* Steel Crown - Sunset Warriors
* Steeler (Ger) - Strike Back
* St. Elmo's Fire – St. Elmo's Fire
* Stone Fury - Let Them Talk
* Stormwitch - Stronger Than Heaven
* Stryper - To Hell with the Devil
* Sword - Metalized
* Syron Vanes – Revenge
* Talon - Vicious Game
* Tankard - Zombie Attack
* Tarot - Spell of Iron
* Tension - Breaking Point
* Tesla - Mechanical Resonance
* Thor - Recruits – Wild in the Streets
* Thor - The Edge of Hell
* TKO - Below the Belt
* Tormé – Back To Babylon
* Touched – Death Row
* Treat - The Pleasure Principle
* Tredegar - Tredegar
* Trilogy (Aus) - Next in Line (in EU); Saracen - Saracen (in Aus)
* Triumph - The Sport of Kings
* TT Quick - Metal of Honor
* Turbo - Kawaleria Szatana
* Tyga Mira – Deliverance
* Tygers of Pan Tang – First Kill (comp)
* Tyran' Pace - Watching You
* Tyrant (Ger) - Running Hot
* Tysondog - Crimes of Insanity
* V.V.S.I. - No Ace at Hand
* Vanadium – Born to Fight
* Van Halen - 5150
* Vardis - Vigilante
* Vengeance - We Have Ways to Make You Rock
* Venom - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
* Victim - Dirty, Mean & Nasty (EP)
* Victory - Don't Get Mad... Get Even
* Villain - Only Time Will Tell (EP)
* Vinnie Vincent Invasion - Vinnie Vincent Invasion
* Voivod - Rrröööaaarrr
* Vow Wow - III
* Vulcain - Big Brothers
* W.A.S.P. - Inside the Electric Circus
* Warfare - Mayhem, Fuckin' Mayhem
* Warhead (Bel) - The Day After
* Warlock - True as Steel
* Waysted - Save Your Prayers
* Wendy O. Williams - Kommander of Kaos
* Whiplash - Power and Pain
* White Tiger - White Tiger
* Wrath - Fit of Anger
* X-Caliber - Warriors of the Night
* Zebra – 3.V
* Zero Nine – Intrigue
* Znöwhite - Live Suicide
* Zodiac Mindwarp - High Priest of Love (EP)

## Events

* Living Colour's line-up is solidified to a quartet, consisting of Corey Glover (vocals), Vernon Reid (guitar), Muzz Skillings (bass), and Will Calhoun (drums).
* Phil Lynott, the former frontman of Thin Lizzy, dies at the age of 36 on January 4 from drug-related health problems.
* Metallica's third album Master of Puppets peaks at #29 on the Billboard 200, spending 72 weeks on the charts with minor radio airplay. Unfortunately, bassist Cliff Burton dies aged 24 on September 27 in a bus accident in Sweden. Jason Newsted from Phoenix band Flotsam and Jetsam is hired after auditions are held.
* Metal Hammer magazine is first published.
* Slayer's third album Reign in Blood peaks at 94 on the Billboard 200 with no radio airplay. The album also reached number 47 on the UK Album Chart,[14] and on November 20, 1992, it was certified gold in the United States. Kerrang! magazine described it as the "heaviest album of all time,"[16] while Metal Hammer magazine named it "the best metal album of the last 20 years."[17]
* Jeff "Mantas" Dunn leaves British band Venom to pursue a solo career.
| Preceded by1985 | Heavy Metal Timeline 1986 | Succeeded by1987 |