'80s Metal History (February 25th)

February 25, 1985: Accept released their sixth studio album, the prophetic "Metal Heart" in North America (March 4, 1985 in the UK). Guitarist Wolf Hoffmann explained the title as "about how more and more of humanity gets sucked out of daily life and more and more replaced by machine."

Accept "Metal Heart" release date source: [US] FMQB radio trade publication - February 22, 1985; [UK] Kerrang! - February 7, 1985.

February 1979: Scorpions released their sixth studio album "Lovedrive" in Germany (March '79 in the UK / June '79 in North America), the first to feature Matthias Jabs on lead guitar. Michael Schenker also played on the album, but quit the band during the tour.

Scorpions "Lovedrive" release information source: [Germany] Debuted Official Album chart on March 5, 1979; [UK] Music Week ad - March 24, 1979; Debuted on the UK Official album chart on April 21, 1979; [US] Billboard Magazine 'Recommended' - July 7, 1979.

February 25, 1982: Nearly a month before the release of "The Number Of The Beast", their first album with new singer Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden launched the "Beast On The Road" Tour in Dunstable, England, one of the band's longest tours to date, only surpassed in length by the "World Slavery" Tour... 188 dates in 18 countries over ten months.

February 25, 1987: DIO is in town on the "Dream Evil" Tour and they've brought openers Megadeth and Savatage to warm up frigid Bloomington, Minnesota. 🔥

February 25, 1992: Pantera released their sixth studio album and biggest seller "Vulgar Display Of Power". That night, they were opening for Skid Row in Denver on the "Slave To The Grind" Tour.

February 25, 1992: Metallica performed "Enter Sandman", then won their third Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance With Vocal" for The Black Album. They were also nominated for Best Rock Song, but lost to Sting's "The Soul Cages".

February 1990: U.D.O. released their third and most successful studio album "Faceless World" in the UK (August 7th in North America), featuring single "Heart Of Gold". It was produced by former Accept drummer Stefan Kaufmann, who also wrote the lyrics along with Udo Dirkschneider. Release information source: [UK] Kerrang! review - March 10, 1990; [US] CMJ New Music Report - July 20, 1990.

February 25, 1984: Nearing the end of the "Born Again" Tour with singer Ian Gillan, Black Sabbath played Dayton, Ohio. There were many cancellations during the North American leg, including three days later in Salisbury, Maryland, where the show was beset by local religious protests that were noted in the local papers.

February 1991: Loudness released their ninth studio album "On the Prowl" in Japan (April '91 in North America), their last with American vocalist Mike Vescera. The LP is mainly a compilation of self-covers of songs in English from early Loudness albums with only three new songs.

February 25, 1988: Queensrÿche completed recording their third studio album "Operation: Mindcrime", much of it at the legendary studio in Morin Heights, Quebec called "Le Studio" (Rush also recorded there) that was destroyed by fire in 2017 😢

Manilla Road released their fifth studio album "The Deluge" in 1986. The band achieved moderate success in the '80s and became known for both the nasal voice of vocalist Mark Shelton and his eclectic style of songwriting.

Hailing from Honolulu, Hawaii, Sacred Rite released the album "The Ritual" in 1985. They put out another record the following year titled "Is Nothing Sacred?" and then relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1987.

German hard rockers Pink Cream 69 released their second studio album "One Size Fits All" in 1991. One year after forming in 1987, the band won Metal Hammer's newcomer competition and a record deal. Lead singer Andi Deris joined Helloween in 1994.

February 25, 1984: Accept debuted on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart with "Balls To The Wall". "...politics and human rights... that's really what (the song) is all about, 'One day the tortured will stand up and kick some ass!'" -Wolf Hoffman

February 25, 2022: Scorpions released their 19th studio album "Rock Believer", their first with former Motörhead drummer Mikkey Dee, who replaced James Kottak in 2016. With "Return to Forever" issued in 2015, this was the band's longest gap between studio LPs. Release date source: Blabbermouth.net - March 25, 2022.

Remembering former Annihilator singer Coburn Pharr who died February 25, 2025 at age 62. R.I.P.

February 25, 1992: Love/Hate released their second studio album "Wasted in America" which turned out not to be as successful as their debut, so to help album sales, lead singer Jizzy Pearl staged a publicity stunt where he and the band erected a cross on the letter 'Y' of the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles and performed a mock crucifixion. Jizzy was stuck on the cross, 60 feet in the air, for several hours when a TV news helicopter spotted him and the police and fire department were called to bring him down. He spent a few hours in jail and made headline news, but the publicity quickly faded with no noticeable impact on record sales. It did however, lead to the introduction of motion sensors on the sign.

In The Beginning... Mötley Crüe [Kerrang! February 1983]