'80s Metal History (December 1st)

Originally scheduled for release on Friday, November 22, 1985, Dokken's third studio album "Under Lock And Key" was (for reasons unknown) delayed at least a week and in North American record stores by December 1st (February 1986 in the UK). The LP features US Top 25 rock hits "The Hunter" and "In My Dreams". A music video was also made for third single "It's Not Love".

Dokken "Under Lock And Key" release information source: [US] Nevada Daily Mail record store ad "Coming Soon" - November 27, 1985; Kerrang! "US during December" - November 28, 1985; Billboard Magazine review - December 14, 1985; [UK] Kerrang! - March 6, 1986.

December 1, 1985: Recorded in Nagoya, Japan three months earlier on the "Metal Heart" Tour, Accept released six-track live mini-album "Kaizoku-Ban" (which roughly translated is Japanese for "Bootleg"). Release date source: Kerrang! - November 28, 1985; FMQB radio trade publication ad - December 6, 1985.

December 1, 1986: "All hail the Kings Of The New Age Of Metal!" With Peter Gabriel playing the Garden upstairs, Metallica shook the walls of the Felt Forum in New York City to its core. "I'll state right now that next year Metallica will be upstairs headlining." -Kerrang!

December 1, 1979: Motörhead brought the "Bomber" Tour to Leeds University. Admission was only £2 and that included Saxon opening. "No cans or bottles allowed in the hall" because if you threw any at the band, damn straight Lemmy would fire it right back 😁

December 1984: Loudness released the single "Crazy Night(s)" in Japan. The chant of "M-Z-A!" means nothing and was meant to be a placeholder for something else later, but they couldn't come up with anything 🙃

The first artist signed to Metal Blade Records, Bitch released their debut EP "Damnation Alley" in 1982. The band formed two years earlier and their first show was opening for Dante Fox (Great White).

December 1987: German thrash metal band Sodom released the album “Persecution Mania”. Along with Kreator, Destruction and Tankard, Sodom has been referred to as one of the "Big Four" of Teutonic thrash metal.

Happy Birthday to former Megadeth guitarist [1984–87] Chris Poland (December 1, 1957)... "an amazing guitar player—he can play circles around me." -Dave Mustaine

Happy Birthday to Blue Öyster Cult co-lead vocalist, guitarist and keyboard/synthesizer player, Eric Bloom (December 1, 1944).

Badlands singer Ray Gillen, who also sang briefly for Black Sabbath, recording the original vocals for "Seventh Star", died December 1, 1993 at age 34. R.I.P.

December 1, 1985: On the road to pay bills as they awaited a new record deal, Motörhead played The Oasis in Sacramento as part of the "It Never Gets Dark" Tour that would move on to Colorado the next day for shows in Colorado Springs and Denver before returning to California and a gig in Los Angeles.

Time to flip the calendar to December and make some Black Metal Magic for the holidays 🎅🤘