'80s Metal History (November 17th)

November 1987: A year after his untimely death, Metallica released their first video album "Cliff 'Em All" as a tribute to bassist Cliff Burton. The retrospective ends with "Orion" playing while photos of Cliff are shown. Release information source: [US] Rock magazine ad; [UK] Kerrang! - November 28, 1987.

November 1984: Touring with Metallica a year earlier, Raven had made a dent in America, so Megaforce issued a live album recorded on August 12, 1983 in Chicago titled "Live At The Inferno". Release information source: [US] Kerrang! - November 29, 1984.

November 1987: Slayer began recording the slower, "if doomier", "South Of Heaven" album... "The title number is gonna be very slow, but you'll also be amazed by how heavy it's gonna sound." -Kerry King as told to Kerrang! - November 14, 1987

November 1984: Motörhead released "Deaf Not Blind", a compilation featuring all of their music videos, mostly shot at studio concerts in 1980 and 1983, plus their latest single at the time "Killed By Death". Release information source: Kerrang! ad - November 15, 1984.

November 1986: "The L.A. Caffeine Machine" Dark Angel, released their second studio album "Darkness Descends". The title track is about the characters known as the Dark Judges from the Judge Dredd comic book series, and even contains their famous statement, "this city is guilty, the crime is life, the sentence is death." Release information source: Kerrang! ad - November 13, 1986.

L.A. all-female hard rockers Phantom Blue released their second and last album "Built To Perform" featuring single "Time To Run" in 1993, displaying a more raw, heavy metal sound compared to their glam debut.

Happy Birthday to Guns N' Roses guitarist [2002–present] Richard Fortus (November 17, 1966).

November 17, 1983: "All Riot On The Western Front", Quiet Riot were featured in the UK's Kerrang! Magazine as "Cum On Feel The Noize" was a certified US Top 5 smash and the "Metal Health" album would hit No. 1 the following week. Exactly one year later, Quiet Riot headlined a show at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis with special guest Whitesnake and an appearance by Armored Saint.

November 17, 1983: Metallica from San Francisco, Wild Dogs from Portland and Sabotage from Italy played Portland's Starry Night Club. "Where are these bands from!?"... "I don't know, just put New York!" 🤦‍♂️

November 17, 1982: Motörhead played the second to last show of the "Iron Fist" Tour in Milano, Italy. The worldwide trek would end a week later at home in the UK.

November 17, 1984: KISS brought the "Animalize" World Tour back to the US, playing several shows in New York state including Rochester. Queensrÿche opened all dates through the end of the year.

Recorded in 1993-94, Accept released the double live album "All Areas – Worldwide" in Europe in 1997. The US and Japan had to wait until the following year to get it, where it was available under the title "The Final Chapter".

Featuring songs from their '70s albums between "Fly To The Rainbow" and "Taken By Force", "Best Of Scorpions" was issued in 1979 with different covers for Germany/Europe, Japan and the US (the latter released in 1984).

November 17, 2023: Judas Priest released "Trial By Fire" as the second single from their forthcoming 19th studio album "Invincible Shield" due in March 2024. The LP was produced by the band's touring guitarist Andy Sneap, who also produced 2018's "Firepower", and contributed guitar to the album, making this the first time Judas Priest have recorded with three guitarists. Release date source: Blabbermouth.net - November 17, 2023.