'80s Metal History (July 12th)

July 12, 1988: Slayer released their fourth studio album "South Of Heaven" in North America (July 4th in the UK) and made no attempt to top the frenetic pace of previous LP "Reign In Blood", deliberately slowing the tempo down by utilizing undistorted guitars and toned-down vocals.

Slayer "South Of Heaven" release date source: [US] CMJ New Music Report - July 1, 1988; [UK] Kerrang! ad - July 9, 1988.

Happy Birthday to Manowar singer Eric Adams (July 12, 1952).

Remembering KISS drummer Eric Carr, who would have celebrated a birthday today (July 12, 1950). Eric died in 1991. R.I.P.

July 12, 1982: One day after parting ways with original guitarist Pete Willis during the making of the "Pyromania" album, Def Leppard hired Girl guitarist Phil Collen as his replacement.

July 12, 1985: After concluding the KISS tour in late February and some time off, Queensrÿche returned to the road that summer, with a handful of shows to support "The Warning" album before heading back into the studio to record the follow-up, "Rage For Order".

July 1986: KISS' Gene Simmons was in the studio producing the next Black N' Blue album "Nasty Nasty" while also filming a new movie with Rutger Hauer titled "Wanted Dead Or Alive".

July 12, 1985: Atlanta thrash metal band Hallows Eve released their debut album "Tales Of Terror" in North America. "Bursting with energy," the LP features the song "Plunging to Megadeath" (no relation to the band "Megadeth"). Release date source: FMQB radio trade publication - July 5, 1985.

July 1985: Angel Witch released their second studio album "Screamin' 'n' Bleedin'" in the UK featuring single "Who's To Blame?". After their stellar 1980 debut, the band called it quits twice before reforming with a new line-up. Release information source: Kerrang! ad - July 11, 1985.

Often credited as one of the "Big Four" of German thrash metal, Destruction released their second studio album "Eternal Devastation" in 1986, that revealed the band still rooted in black metal, but transitioning to more contemporary thrash.

Happy Birthday to Dream Theater co-founder and guitarist John Petrucci (July 12, 1967).

July 12, 1991: Launched three days earlier in honor of military forces involved in Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War, the "Operation Rock & Roll" tour featuring Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, Motörhead, Dangerous Toys and Metal Church arrived in Irvine, California.

With their debut album completed in April 1980 and the "Crazy Train" single set for release in the UK in late August that year, the band "Blizzard Of Ozz" went public in July. When the LP hit record shops in September, the band members were expecting it to be credited to Blizzard Of Ozz with Ozzy Osbourne's name in smaller print, just as it appeared on the single 😐