Omen: Battlecry - 1984
Some bands have the bad luck to come around just a few years too early and then get swept under by the arrival of a new musical movement. This is the curse of Omen. In the early-to-mid eighties thrash metal hadn't yet taken over the world and bands were still trying out their own ideas to take the NWOBHM to the next level. Bands as different as Jag Panzer, Armored Saint, and Whiplash all had very different takes on this concept, and Omen was another such. A few years later and they probably would have been a thrash metal band, but in this climate they were speed/power metal.
It might sound odd to put a power metal band on this thread, but hear me out. They may be power metal, but like I said, if they'd come around a couple years later they'd have been a thrash band. They're not Helloween, and while they are certainly melodic, they're intent is obviously to kick as much ass as possible, and aren't particularly concerned with subtlety or grandiosity. Just kickass riffs and speed. Conceptually, though they do in fact kick mucho asso, they're not really much more than a faster, slightly lobotomized version of Iron Maiden. Creativity isn't too high, but the quality more than makes up for it. Lyrically they're not much better. Pretty much just straight Conan-style fantasy. Songs like "Dragon's Breath", "Die By the Blade", and the brilliantly titled "Be My Wench" give away their mentality.
If you're a fan of Helstar or Jag Panzer then you totally need this band in your life. They'll totally make your month.