Metal Massacre is a series of compilation albums released through Metal Blade Records. It is famous for "shedding light" on heavy metal and extreme metal bands such as The Obsessed, Trouble, Overkill, Metal Church, Metallica, Slayer, Virgin Steele, Hellhammer, Voivod, Armored Saint, Lizzy Borden, Possessed and more.
History
In 1981, Brian Slagel, founder of Metal Blade Records, decided to put out a compilation of unsigned, underground metal bands. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s he continued to release more volumes of the compilations. Metal Massacre XII was released in 1995 and was the final Metal Massacre album until Metal Massacre XIII, released 11 years later in 2006. Metal Massacre XIII differed from the previous releases which featured primarily unsigned bands, containing mostly established bands on the Metal Blade roster.
Metal Massacre – 1982
First pressing
"Cold Day in Hell" – Steeler – 4:17
"Live for the Whip" – Bitch – 5:19
"Captive of Light" – Malice – 3:21
"Tell the World" – Ratt – 3:16
"Octave" (instrumental) – Avatar – 3:48
"Death of the Sun" – Cirith Ungol – 3:56
"Dead of the Night" – Demon Flight – 2:35
"Fighting Backwards" – Pandemonium – 3:44
"Kick You Down" – Malice – 4:28
"Hit the Lights" – Metallica (listed as "Mettallica") – 4:25
Second pressing
"Chains Around Heaven" – Black 'n Blue – 3:45
"Live for the Whip" – Bitch – 5:19
"Captive of Light" – Malice – 3:21
"Tell the World" – Ratt – 3:16
"Octave" (instrumental) – Avatar – 3:48
"Death of the Sun" – Cirith Ungol – 3:56
"Dead of the Night" – Demon Flight – 2:35
"Fighting Backwards" – Pandemonium – 3:44
"Kick You Down" – Malice – 4:28
"Hit the Lights" (version 2) – Metallica – 4:12
Third pressing
"Chains Around Heaven" – Black 'n Blue – 3:45
"Live for the Whip" – Bitch – 5:19
"Captive of Light" – Malice – 3:21
"Octave" (instrumental) – Avatar – 3:48
"Death of the Sun" – Cirith Ungol – 3:56
"Dead of the Night" – Demon Flight – 2:35
"Fighting Backwards" – Pandemonium – 3:44
"Kick You Down" – Malice – 4:28
"Hit the Lights" (version 2) – Metallica – 4:12
40th anniversary edition
"Cold Day in Hell" – Steeler – 4:17
"Live for the Whip" – Bitch – 5:19
"Captive of Light" – Malice – 3:21
"Tell the World" – Ratt – 3:16
"Octave" (instrumental) – Avatar – 3:48
"Chains Around Heaven" – Black 'n Blue – 3:45
"Death of the Sun" – Cirith Ungol – 3:56
"Dead of the Night" – Demon Flight – 2:35
"Fighting Backwards" – Pandemonium – 3:44
"Kick You Down" – Malice – 4:28
"Hit the Lights" (version 2) – Metallica – 4:12
Note
The first pressing was released on Metal Blade Records (MBR 1001), a second pressing on Metalworks Records (MW 6363), both in 1982. Black 'n Blue's "Chains Around Heaven" replaced Steeler's "Cold Day in Hell", which was the first track on the original version of the compilation.
The first pressing of the album features Metallica' s "Hit the Lights" with Lloyd Grant playing the leads, while the second pressing features a new recording of Metallica's "Hit the Lights", with Dave Mustaine on lead guitar. Ratt's "Tell the World" was omitted on subsequent pressings, starting with Metal Blade's 1984 reissue, as they signed to Atlantic Records, while Steeler's song was removed, as they had signed with Shrapnel Records. The 40th anniversary reissue of the album includes "Cold Day in Hell", "Chains Around Heaven" and "Tell the World", along with version 2 of "Hit the Lights".
Metal Massacre II – 1982
"Lesson Well Learned" – Armored Saint – 2:51
"Mind Invader" – 3rd Stage Alert – 3:51
"Rivet Head" – Surgical Steel – 3:03^
"Shadows of Steel" – Obsession – 4:31
"Scepters of Deceit" – Savage Grace – 3:45
"No Holds Barred" – Overkill* – 4:12
"Lucifer's Hammer" – Warlord – 3:18
"Such a Shame" – Trauma** – 2:53