Metal Massacre III 1983
Another twelve songs featured on the third incarnation of the compilation and this one really seemed to have a Slayer type vibe on a lot of the songs featured. It was either a case of Slayer influencing a whole load of other local metal bands here or possibly other metal bands influencing Slayer which could equally be the case, just check out the songs by Tyrant and Medusa here for that early Slayer feel. For their part “Aggressive Perfector” was the song that won them their recording contract with Metal Blade in 1983 and launched the career of Slayer. The female fronted Bitch also appeared on this comp as did Warlord again with “Mrs. Victoria” and Virgin Steele also made an appearance.
1. "Aggressive Perfector" – Slayer
2. "Riding in Thunder" – Bitch
3. "Armageddon" – Tyrant
4. "Piranahs" – Medusa
5. "Bite the Knife" – Test Pattern
6. "Blitzkrieg" – Black Widow
7. "Mrs. Victoria" – Warlord
8. "Let's Go All the Way" – Virgin Steele
9. "Fire and Wind" – Sexist
10. "Hell Bent" – Znowhite
11. "The Kid" – Marauder
12. "Fist and Chain" – La Mort
Metal Massacre IV 1983
The fourth compilation for me had more unknown bands on it and this started with west coast Canadian band Sacred Blade who had a touch of Raven about them, but would go into a progressive metal direction. Third track on the comp is by Trouble with their “The Last Judgement” track and the doom metal sound of the band is a real anomaly on the comp, as would be their debut album
Psalm 9 which came out the following year and it will be on my 1984 album list. Saying that though, another cut on this comp by War Cry is a similar doom metal sounding track, from a band whose career never really got off the ground. Lizzy Borden also appear and Medieval close down the comp with the impressive “Medieval” track.
1. "The Alien" – Sacred Blade
2. "Cross My Way" – Death Dealer
3. "The Last Judgement" – Trouble
4. "Taken by Force" – Sceptre
5. "Speed Zone" – Zoetrope
6. "Forbidden Evil" – War Cry
7. "Screams from the Grave" – Abattoir
8. "I Don't Want to Die" – Witchslayer
9. "Rod of Iron" – Lizzy Borden
10. "Fear No Evil" – August Redmoon
11. "Destructer" – Thrust
12. "Medieval" – Medieval