Diamond Head

Diamond Head never achieved the éclat of noteworthies Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, but in their own way they were equally influential on Metal's development in the 1980s. No other band so impacted Metallica, for instance, whose Garage, Inc. contains not one but four Diamond Head covers. That admiration is well deserved -- Diamond Head's 1981 debut is an indispensable document in Metal history. From the approach-to-the-Death-Star opening beat of "Am I Evil" to epic-spinning in "The Prince," this album is the ne plus ultra of compact riffs and masterful soloing. Few Metal guitarists don't owe a debt to Brian Tatler -- it's just unfortunate that more singers don't owe the same debt to vocalist Sean Harris. He is a singer with incredible range who never sounded strained or forced, even when pushing his voice to its limit. Due to record label interference, the band only sporadically recaptured the glory of their debut. Indeed, it was a tough act to follow.