'80s Metal History (February 20th)

Featuring Top 5 rock hit "Rock You Like A Hurricane", Scorpions released their ninth studio album "Love At First Sting" in North America in late February 1984 (March 12th in the UK). American radio got the LP the week of February 20th and it debuted on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart on March 17th, peaking at No. 6 in June that year. No stranger to controversy with their album covers in the US, Billboard reported in the May 5, 1984 issue that Polygram was changing the "Sting" cover to the inner sleeve image from the original release.

Scorpions "Love At First Sting" release information source: [US] Billboard Magazine Rock Albums Radio Chart Most Added + full page ad - March 3, 1984. [UK] Music Week Album Releases - March 10, 1984.

February 20, 1984: Metallica began recording their second album "Ride The Lightning" in Copenhagen with producer Flemming Rasmussen, whose studio employees questioned the band's talent. He thought they had great potential.

Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a live bat in Des Moines, Iowa a month earlier and that generated a lot of attention for the Madman, so Iron Maiden jumped on the hype train by having mascot Eddie parade around with a "voodoo-style effigy" of Ozzy's head claiming, "I like bats." 😁 Record Mirror UK - February 20, 1982

February 1987: Anthrax released "I Am The Law" in the UK as the lead single from their forthcoming album "Among The Living". One of their most famous songs, it is about the 2000 AD character Judge Dredd and includes references to many of the character's storylines up until 1987. Release information source: Debuted on the UK singles chart on February 28, 1987.

February 20, 1989: In the UK, W.A.S.P. released "Mean Man" as the lead single from their forthcoming album "The Headless Children". The special purple vinyl version featured a "special means test" on the back cover 😁 Release date source: Kerrang! - February 11, 1989.

February 20, 1990: Featuring single "Don't Wait For Me", power metal band Vicious Rumors released their third studio album and first with a major label, "Vicious Rumors" in North America (one day earlier in the UK). Release information source: [US] The Hard Report radio trade publication spotlight - February 9, 1990; [UK] Kerrang! - February 10, 1990.

Detroit heavy metal band Seduce released their debut album featuring "Viper's Bite" and "Love To Hate" in 1985. The band later appeared in the documentary "The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years".

February 1987: Agent Steel released their second studio album "Unstoppable Force". Vocalist John Cyriis was the first singer for Megadeth, but fired after only 8 months. He was really interested in UFO's, but Dave Mustaine was against the idea for Megadeth. Release information source: [UK] Kerrang! ad - March 5, 1987.

February 20, 1981: Re-recorded in English, French metal band Trust released the album "Repression" in the UK featuring single "Antisocial". With drummer Nicko McBrain, Trust toured with Iron Maiden. McBrain replaced Maiden drummer Clive Burr a year later. Release date source: Music Week ad - February 7, 1981.

February 1982: Spanish metal band Barón Rojo released their second studio album "Volumen Brutal" in Spain. Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson is credited for helping the band with the English translation for the UK release in October that year.

February 1982: A cousin of Ronnie James Dio, David Feinstein and his band The Rods were in the UK where their first major label album was just released and they would soon be opening for Iron Maiden on the "Beast On The Road" Tour. -Kerrang!

Happy Birthday to former King Diamond guitarist [1987] Mike Moon (February 20, 1968).

Happy Birthday to Scorpions bassist Paweł Maciwoda (February 20, 1967).

Remembering those who lost their lives in the Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island during a performance by Great White on February 20, 2003. R.I.P.