1980s · 1979–1992
NWOBHM gallop, thrash precision, twin-guitar harmony, late hard-rock hits.
Metal hardens into separate circuits: NWOBHM gallop and twin leads, Bay Area thrash tempo and precision, later groove metal down-tuning. Guns N' Roses lands late-eighties hard rock on MTV before grunge takes US radio. Kept separate from punk so speed-and-attitude and armor-and-technique are not filed as one exit.
Sound: Palm-muted gallop, thrash downpicking, drop-tuned swagger, shred solos
Formed 1969
Halford + twin-guitar metal; British Steel to Painkiller classic peak.
Formed 1972
Eddie Van Halen–era hard rock; Eruption is the technique showcase; Roth vs Hagar splits the catalog.
Formed 1975
Harris gallop metal; Di'Anno then Dickinson; The Trooper is the twin-lead textbook.
Formed 1975
UK speed/heavy rock; Ace of Spades is the three-chord velocity blueprint.
Formed 1981
Hetfield / Ulrich thrash-to-arena metal; Enter Sandman is the mass hinge.
Formed 1981
Dimebag / Anselmo groove metal; Walk is the mid-tempo riff lesson.
Formed 1981
Hanneman / King thrash; Raining Blood is the side-B detonation.
Formed 1983
Mustaine thrash after Metallica firing; Rust in Peace is the technical peak.
Formed 1985
Classic five-piece hard rock; Sweet Child O’ Mine is the Trojan-horse ballad.