# 1985 in heavy metal music

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1985.

## Albums & EPs

* Lee Aaron - Call of the Wild
* Abattoir - Vicious Attack
* AC/DC - Fly on the Wall
* Accept - Metal Heart
* Acid – Engine Beast
* ADX - Exécution
* Aerosmith - Done with Mirrors
* Agent Steel - Skeptics Apocalypse
* Agent Steel - Mad Locust Rising (EP)
* Alcatrazz - Disturbing the Peace
* Alien Force - Hell And High Water
* Angel Witch - Screamin' 'n' Bleedin'
* Anthem - Anthem
* Anthem - Ready to Ride (EP)
* Anthrax - Armed and Dangerous (EP)
* Anthrax - Spreading the Disease
* Anvil - Backwaxed (comp)
* April Wine - Walking Through Fire
* Aria - Mania Velichia
* Armed Force - Heavy Artillery
* Armored Saint - Delirious Nomad
* Artillery - Fear of Tomorrow
* Assassin (PA) - License to Kill
* Astaroth - The Long Loud Silence (EP)
* Atlain - G.O.E.
* Atomkraft - Future Warriors
* Attack - Return of the Evil
* Attacker - Battle at Helm's Deep
* Autograph - That's the Stuff
* Avalanche (MO) - Pray for the Sinner
* Avenger (UK) - Killer Elite
* Avenger (Ger) - Depraved to Black (EP)
* Avenger (Ger) - Prayers of Steel
* Axewitch - Hooked on High Heels
* Axis (OH) - Slightly Tilted
* Axtion – Look Out For The Night
* Bad Lizard – Power of Destruction
* Bad Steve - Killing the Night
* Barón Rojo - En un lugar de la marcha
* Battle Axe - We're on the Attack
* Bathory - The Return……
* Barren Cross - Believe (EP)
* Beast (Ger) - Like Living In A Cage
* Black Angels – Broken Spell
* Black Angels – Black and White
* Black Hole - Land of Mistery
* Black Knight - Master of Disaster (EP)
* BlackLace - Get It While It's Hot
* Blackmayne - Blackmayne
* Black 'n Blue - Without Love
* Black Rose – Nightmare (EP)
* Black Sheep - Trouble in the Streets
* Black Tears - The Slave
* Blaspheme – Désir de Vampyr
* Blessed Death - Kill or Be Killed
* Blind Fury - Out of Reach
* Blind Vengeance – Blind Vengeance
* Blitzkrieg (UK) - A Time of Changes
* Blitzkrieg (US) - Ready for Action (EP)
* Bloodlust - Guilty as Sin
* Bloody Climax - Back to the Wall
* Bloody Mary - Bloody Mary
* Blue Öyster Cult - Club Ninja
* Bon Jovi - 7800° Fahrenheit
* Brainfever – Face to Face
* Breaker - Dead Rider
* Breathless - Breathless
* Bulldozer - The Day of Wrath
* Buster Brown – Sign of Victory
* Cacumen - Longing for You (EP)
* Carnivore - Carnivore
* Castle Blak - Babes In Toyland
* Celtic Frost - Emperor's Return (EP)
* Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion
* Chastain - Mystery of Illusion
* Chateaux - Highly Strung
* Chrome Molly - You Can't Have It All...or Can You?
* Cities - Annihilation Absolute (EP)
* Cobra (UK) – Warriors of the Dead
* Coney Hatch - Friction
* Convict - Go Ahead... Make My Day!
* Corrosion of Conformity - Animosity
* Crack Jaw - Nightout
* Crisis - Kick It Out
* Crossfire - Second Attack
* Crystal Knight - Crystal Knight
* Crying Steel - Crying Steel (EP)
* The Cult - Love
* Cutty Sark - Heroes
* Dagger – Not Afraid of the Night
* Damien - Face the Danger
* Dark Angel - We Have Arrived
* Dark Lord – State of Rock (EP)
* Dark Wizard - Reign of Evil
* Darxon - Tokyo (EP)
* Ded Engine - Ded Engine
* Demon - British Standard Approved
* Demon - Heart of Our Time
* Der Kaiser – La Griffe de L'Empire
* Destiny - Beyond All Sense
* Destruction - Infernal Overkill
* Destructor - Maximum Destruction
* Devil Childe - Devil Childe
* Dio - Sacred Heart
* Dirty Looks – Dirty Looks
* Divine Rite - First Rite
* Dokken - Under Lock and Key
* Drysill - Welcome to the Show
* Dungeon - Fortress of Rock
* Earthshaker - Passion
* E.F. Band - One Night Stand
* Mark Edwards - Code of Honor (EP)
* Electric Sun - Beyond the Astral Skies
* Elysian - Blinded by Sound
* Emerald - Down Town
* Excalibur (UK) – The Bitter End (EP)
* Exciter – Feel the Knife (EP)
* Exciter - Long Live the Loud
* Exodus - Bonded by Blood
* Fact - Without Warning
* Fate - Fate
* Faithful Breath - Skol
* Faith No More - We Care a Lot
* Fastway - Waiting for the Roar
* Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
* Fierce Heart - Fierce Heart
* Fisc - Break Out
* Fist (Can) - Danger Zone
* Flames (Gre) - Made in Hell
* Flatbacker - Accident
* Foreplay - First Licks
* Fortress - Fortress
* Fortune (band) - Fortune
* Robin George - Dangerous Music
* Girlschool - Running Wild
* Glacier - Glacier (EP)
* Grave Digger - Witch Hunter
* Gravestone – Back to Attack
* Grim Reaper - Fear No Evil
* Guitar Pete's Axe Attack – Dead Soldier's Revenge
* Halloween - Don't Metal with Evil
* Hallows Eve - Tales of Terror
* Hammer - Contract with Hell
* Hammerschmitt - Hammerschmitt
* Hammers Rule - After the Bomb (EP)
* Hatrik - The Beast
* Hanover Fist - Hanover Fist
* Hanover Fist - Hungry Eyes
* Joe Hasselvander - Lady Killer
* Haven - Haven (EP)
* Hawaii - The Natives Are Restless
* Headhunter (Swi) - Headhunter
* Headpins - Head over Heels
* Headstone - Excalibur
* Heavy Pettin – Rock Ain't Dead
* Helix - Long Way to Heaven
* Helloïse - Cosmogony
* Helloween - Helloween (EP)
* Helloween - Walls of Jericho
* Herazz - Yet to Come
* High Tension - Warrior
* Highway Chile - Rockarama
* Hirax - Raging Violence
* Holland - Little Monsters
* Hurricane - Take what you want
* Horizon - Master of the Game
* Hunter (Ger) - Sign of the Hunter
* Hunter (US) - Hunter
* Icon - Night of the Crime
* Impaler - Rise of the Mutants (EP)
* Iron Angel - Hellish Crossfire
* Iron Cross - Warhead
* Iron Maiden - Live After Death
* Jack Starr's Burning Starr - Rock the American Way
* Jade – If You're Man Enough
* Jag Wire - Made in Heaven
* Joshua - Surrender
* Karrier - Way Beyond the Night
* Keel - The Right to Rock
* Keen Hue – Ogre King
* Kerber - Ratne igre
* Kick Axe - Welcome to the Club
* Killers (Fra) - Fils de la Haine
* King Kobra - Ready to Strike
* KISS - Asylum
* Kix - Midnite Dynamite
* Knightmare II - Death Do Us Part (EP)
* Kreator - Endless Pain
* Lȧȧz Rockit - No Stranger to Danger
* L.A. - L.A.
* L.A. Guns - Collector's Edition No. 1 (EP)
* Labyrinth - So Wild
* Leatherwolf - Leatherwolf, aka Endangered Species
* Leviticus - The Strob¿ngest Power
* Liege Lord - Freedom's Rise
* Living Death - Metal Revolution
* Living Death - Watch Out! (EP)
* Lions Breed - Damn the Night
* Lizzy Borden - Love You to Pieces
* London - Non-Stop Rock
* Loudness - Thunder in the East
* Luzbel - Metal Caído Del Cielo (EP)
* Lynx - Caught in the Trap
* M-80 - Maniac's Revenge
* Mace (WA) - Process of Elimination
* Mad Butcher - Metal Lightning Attack
* Mad Max - Stormchild
* Magnum - On a Storyteller's Night
* Maineeaxe - Going for Gold
* Maineeaxe - The Hour of Thunder (EP)
* Malice - In the Beginning...
* Mama's Boys - Power and Passion
* Maniac - Maniac
* Manilla Road - Open the Gates
* Martyr - For the Universe
* Mass (MA) - New Birth
* Maxx Warrior - Maxx Warrior (EP)
* Megadeth - Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!
* Mercy - Witchburner
* Metal Massacre - Metal Massacre VI (Compilation, various artists)
* Midnight Darkness - Holding the Night
* Mistreater - Mistreater
* Gary Moore - Run for Cover
* Morsüre – Acceleration Process
* Mötley Crüe - Theatre of Pain
* Mournblade - Time's Running Out
* Mox Nix - Mox Nix
* Nasty Savage - Nasty Savage
* Nation (Ger) - Ride On
* Nightmare – Power of the Universe
* Nightwing – A Night of Mystery - Alive! Alive! (live)
* Ninja - The Warriors of Rock
* Obús - Pega con fuerza
* Odin - Don't Take No... For an Answer (EP)
* Omega - The Prophet
* Omen - Warning of Danger
* Overdose - Tight Action
* Overdose - To the Top
* Overkill - Feel the Fire
* Overkill (CA) - Triumph of the Will
* Onslaught - Power from Hell
* Ostrogoth - Too Hot
* Pandemonium - Hole in the Sky
* Paganini - Weapon of Love
* Pantera - I Am the Night
* Paradoxx - Plan of Attak (EP)
* Pentagram - Pentagram, aka Relentless
* Phantom Lord - Phantom Lord
* Phasslayne - Cut It Up
* Philadelphia - Search and Destroy
* Possessed - Seven Churches
* Precious Metal - Right Here, Right Now
* Prophacy - Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare
* Prophet - Prophet
* Rail - III
* Railway - Railway II
* Ran – Burning
* Ratt - Invasion of Your Privacy
* Raven - Stay Hard
* Razor - Executioner's Song
* Razor - Evil Invaders
* Restless (Ger) - We Rock the Nation
* Kelle Rhoads - Cheap Talkin' Romance (EP)
* Rogue Male - First Visit
* Romeo - Rocks (EP)
* Rosy Vista - You Better Believe It (EP)
* David Lee Roth - Crazy from the Heat (EP)
* Rough Cutt - Rough Cutt
* Ruffians - Ruffians (EP)
* Runestaff – Runestaff
* Running Wild - Branded and Exiled
* Rush - Power Windows
* Sabre (Ger) - Keepers of the Sword
* Sabre (Can) - On the Prowl
* Sacred Few - Beyond the Iron Walls
* Sacred Rite - The Ritual
* Sacrifice (Swi) - On the Altar of Rock
* Sacrilege – Behind the Realms of Madness
* Sadwings - Lonely Hero
* Saigon - One Must Die
* Saints' Anger – Danger Metal
* Saint Vitus - Hallow's Victim
* Satanic Rites - Which Way the Wind Blows
* Savage - Hyperactive
* Savage Grace - Master of Disguise
* Savatage – The Dungeons Are Calling (EP)
* Savatage – Power of the Night
* Saxon - Innocence Is No Excuse
* Scarlet - Phantasm
* Scavenger - Battlefields
* Scorpions - World Wide Live
* Seduce - Seduce
* Seducer - Caught in the Act
* Shere Khan - Quite Enough for Love
* Sinner - Touch of Sin
* Silver Mountain - Universe
* Slauter Xstroyes - Winter Kill
* Slaven - Slave To The Heart (EP)
* Slayer - Hell Awaits
* Sodom - In the Sign of Evil (EP)
* Spectre (CA) - Lady of the Night
* Spellbound - Rockin' Reckless
* Stainless Steel (Ger) - Stainless Steel
* Stators - ...Never Too Late
* Steel Angel – ...And the Angels Were Made of Steel
* Steeler (Ger) - Rulin' the Earth
* Steel Vengeance - Call Off the Dogs
* Stormtrooper (US) - Armies of the Night (EP)
* S.O.D. - Speak English or Die
* Stormwind (Ger) - Taken by Storm
* Stormwitch - Tales of Terror
* Stranger - The Bell
* Stryker (FL) - Stryker
* Stryper - Soldiers Under Command
* Sweethard - Sweethard
* Sweet Pain - Sweet Pain
* Sweet Savage (US) – Sweet Savage (EP)
* Sye - Turn on the Fire
* Talon - Never Look Back
* Terraplane – Black and White
* Thor - Only the Strong
* Thor - Live in Detroit (live)
* Thrasher - Burning at the Speed of Light
* Titanic - Then There Was Rock
* Tokyo Blade - Black Hearts & Jaded Spades
* Tobruk (UK) - Wild on the Run
* Touchdown - Tricks of a Trade
* Trance – Victory
* Trilogy (Aus) - Life on Earth
* Tröjan - Chasing the Storm
* Trouble - The Skull
* Trouble (Swe) - Warrior
* Twisted Sister - Come Out and Play
* 220 Volt - Mind over Muscle
* Tygers of Pan Tang - The Wreck-Age
* Tyran' Pace - Long Live Metal
* Tyrant (Ger) - Fight for Your Life
* Tyrant (US) - Legions of the Dead
* Tysondog - Shoot to Kill (EP)
* Tytan - Rough Justice
* Tzar (Can) – Players of the Game
* UFO - Misdemeanor
* Universe - Universe
* Vampyr - Cry Out for Metal
* Vanadium - On Streets of Danger (live)
* Vandenberg - Alibi
* Vectom - Speed Revolution
* Venom - Possessed
* Vicious Rumors - Soldiers of the Night
* Victim (CA) - DMN
* Victory - Victory
* Virgin Steele - Noble Savage
* Vitriol - The Beginning
* Vow Wow - Cyclone
* Vulcain - La dame de fer (EP)
* Vulcain - Desperados
* Vyper - Afraid of the Dark (EP)
* W.A.S.P. - The Last Command
* Wallop - Metallic Alps
* Warchylde - Murder by Decibels
* Warfare - Metal Anarchy
* Warlock - Hellbound
* Warrant - First Strike (EP)
* Warrant - The Enforcer
* Warrior - Fighting for the Earth
* Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly
* Waysted - The Good the Bad the Waysted
* White Heat – Runnin' for Life
* White Lion - Fight to Survive
* Wild Cat - Love Attack
* Winged Messenger - Guardians of Eternity
* Witch (OH) - Salem's Rise
* Wizard - Marlin, Grog, Madman & The Bomb
* World War III (PA) – World War III
* Wrathchild (UK) - Trash Queens (comp)
* Xxaron - The Legacy
* Y&T - Open Fire (live)
* Y&T - Down for the Count
* Yngwie Malmsteen - Marching Out
* Zero Nine – White Lines
* Zoetrope - Amnesty
* Znowhite - Kick 'Em When They're Down EP

## Disbandments

* Mercyful Fate (reformed in 1992)
* Van Halen (Roth quits band)

## Events

* Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid cofounds the Black Rock Coalition, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the creative freedom and works of black musicians interested in playing rock music.
* Twisted Sister's Dee Snider testifies at The Parents Music Resource Center Senate hearings on rock censorship at Washington, D.C., on September 19, 1985.
* David Lee Roth releases his solo debut (EP) Crazy from the Heat in January 1985. With it comes the announcement he has permanently left Van Halen.
* Black Sabbath reunites at Live Aid with Ozzy Osbourne.
* Led Zeppelin reunites at Live Aid with Phil Collins replacing deceased drummer John Bonham.
* Kam Lee leaves Death and Chuck Schuldiner becomes the vocalist.
* Uriah Heep's former lead singer, David Byron dies on February 28, due to alcohol complications.
* Welcome to Venice compilation is released, featuring Suicidal Tendencies, Beowulf, and others, showing the growing crossover trend among the Venice Beach hardcore and metal scenes.
| Preceded by1984 | Heavy Metal Timeline 1985 | Succeeded by1986 |