1986 in heavy metal music

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1986.

Newly formed bands

 * 24-7 Spyz
 * Accuser
 * Acid Drinkers
 * Agressor
 * Ahat
 * Anacrusis
 * Angkor Wat
 * Atrophy
 * Baton Rouge
 * Believer
 * Black Obelisk
 * Bolt Thrower
 * Bonfire
 * Brutality
 * Cacophony
 * Cerebral Fix
 * Circus of Power
 * Cold
 * Confessor
 * Cycle Sluts from Hell
 * Darkthrone
 * DBC (Dead Brain Cells)
 * Demolition Hammer
 * Despair
 * Dreamscape
 * Elegy
 * Evildead
 * Front Line Assembly
 * Grave
 * Immolation
 * Infernäl Mäjesty
 * Invocator
 * IronChrist
 * Katedra
 * La Pestilencia
 * M.O.D.
 * Mana Mana
 * Manic Street Preachers
 * Manitoba's Wild Kingdom
 * Massacra
 * Mastermind
 * McAuley Schenker Group
 * Merciless
 * Mezarkabul
 * Mortem
 * Mucky Pup
 * Nelson
 * Nuclear Death
 * OLD
 * Opprobrium
 * Paradox
 * Pestilence
 * Prong
 * Revelation
 * Risk
 * Salty Dog
 * Scanner
 * Sinawe
 * Skid Row
 * Sugar Ray
 * Terrorizer
 * Trauma
 * Treponem Pal
 * Unseen Terror
 * Vain
 * Vanden Plas
 * Viking
 * Waltari
 * XYZ

Albums & EPs

 * Aaronsrod - Illusions Kill
 * Abattoir - The Only Safe Place
 * Accept - Russian Roulette
 * AC/DC - Who Made Who (soundtrack to Maximum Overdrive)
 * ADX – La Terreur
 * Alcatrazz - Dangerous Games
 * Alice Cooper - Constrictor
 * Alien Force - Pain and Pleasure
 * Angel Dust – Into the Dark Past
 * Angel Witch – Frontal Assault
 * Ángeles del Infierno - Instinto Animal (EP)
 * Anthem - Tightrope
 * Asgard - In the Ancient Days
 * Atomkraft – Queen of Death (EP)
 * Attila – Rolling Thunder
 * At War - Ordered to Kill
 * Axtion – Live (EP)
 * Baby Tuckoo - Force Majeure
 * Bad Brains - I Against I
 * Banshee - Cry in the Night (EP)
 * Barren Cross - Rock for the King
 * Beowülf - Beowülf
 * Bitches Sin – Invaders
 * Billy Idol – Whiplash Smile
 * Black Fate - Commander of Fate
 * Black Ice - Hot-N-Heavy (EP)
 * Black 'n Blue - Nasty Nasty
 * Black Rose – Walk It How You Talk It
 * Black Sabbath - Seventh Star
 * Blacksmith – Blacksmith (EP)
 * Blade Runner – Warriors of Rock
 * Bloodgood - Bloodgood
 * Blood Money – Red Raw And Bleeding!
 * Bonfire - Don't Touch the Light
 * Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
 * Bride - Show No Mercy
 * Britny Fox - In America (EP)
 * The Brood - The Brood
 * Burning Starr - No Turning Back
 * Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus
 * Castle Blak - Another Dark Carneval
 * Carrion – Evil Is There
 * Cerberus - Too Late to Pray
 * Chariot - Burning Ambition
 * Charon – Made In Aluminium
 * Chastain - Ruler of the Wasteland
 * Child'ƨ Play - Ruff House (EP)
 * Cinderella - Night Songs
 * Cirith Ungol - One Foot in Hell
 * Cities - Annihilation Absolute
 * CJSS - World Gone Mad
 * CJSS - Praise the Loud
 * Cloven Hoof – Fighting Back (live)
 * Cobra (UK) – Back From the Dead
 * Crimson Glory - Crimson Glory
 * Cro-Mags - The Age of Quarrel
 * Crumbsuckers - Life of Dreams
 * Cryptic Slaughter - Convicted
 * Damien Throne - The Sign of the Jackal
 * Dark Angel - Darkness Descends
 * D.C. Lacroix - Crack of Doom
 * Deaf Dealer - Keeper of the Flame
 * Dealer – First Strike
 * Death Row - Riders of Doom, aka Satan's Gift
 * Deep Switch - Nine Inches of God
 * Demon - Demon (EP)
 * Desolation Angels – Desolation Angels
 * Destruction - Eternal Devastation
 * Detente - Recognize No Authority
 * Diamond - Diamond
 * Diamond Rexx - Land of the Damned
 * Paul Di'Anno's Battlezone – Fighting Back
 * Dio - Intermission (live)
 * Dirty Looks – In Your Face
 * Dr. Mastermind - Dr. Mastermind
 * Earthshaker - Overrun
 * Easy Action – That Makes One
 * Eden - Eden
 * Elektradrive - ...Over the Space
 * Elixir - The Son of Odin
 * Emerald - Armed For Battle
 * Europe - The Final Countdown
 * Excess - Melting Point
 * Exciter - Unveiling the Wicked
 * Exorcist - Nightmare Theater
 * Faithful Breath - Live
 * Fastway - Trick or Treat
 * Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
 * Fifth Angel - Fifth Angel
 * Firstryke - Just A Nightmare
 * Flatbacker - Esa
 * Flotsam and Jetsam - Doomsday for the Deceiver
 * Force - Set Me Free
 * Forever – Forever & Ever
 * Foreplay - Hot 'N Heavy (EP)
 * Formel 1 - Live im Stahlwerk
 * Girlschool - Nightmare at Maple Cross
 * Giuffria - Silk + Steel
 * Grave Digger - War Games
 * Gravestone – Creating a Monster
 * Digger (Grave Digger) - Stronger Than Ever
 * Great White - Shot in the Dark
 * Griffin - Protector of the Lair
 * Guns N' Roses - Live ?!*@ Like a Suicide (EP)
 * Hallowed - Hallowed
 * Hallows Eve - Death & Insanity
 * Hammeron – Nothin' To Do But Rock
 * Have Mercy - Armageddon Descends (EP)
 * Hawk - Hawk
 * Heir Apparent - Graceful Inheritance
 * Helstar - Remnants of War
 * Heretic - Torture Knows No Boundary (EP)
 * Hexx - Under the Spell
 * High Power - Les Violons de Satan
 * Hirax - Hate, Fear and Power
 * Holy Moses - Queen of Siam
 * Hurricane - Take What You Want
 * Hyde (CA) - Hyde
 * Impaler - If We Had Brains... We'd Be Dangerous!
 * Iron Angel - Winds of War
 * Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
 * Jesters of Destiny - Fun at the Funeral
 * Judas Priest - Turbo
 * Juggernaut - Baptism Under Fire
 * Kat - Metal and Hell
 * Kat - 666
 * Keel - The Final Frontier
 * Kick Axe - Rock the World
 * Killer (Swi) - Young Blood
 * Killer Dwarfs - Stand Tall
 * Killers (Fra) - Danger de Vie
 * King Diamond - Fatal Portrait
 * King Kobra - Thrill of a Lifetime
 * Krank - Hideous
 * Kreator - Pleasure to Kill
 * Krokus - Change of Address
 * Krokus - Alive and Screamin' (live)
 * Kuni - Masque
 * Letchen Grey - Party Politics (EP)
 * Lion - Power Love (EP)
 * Living Death - Back to the Weapons (EP)
 * Lizzy Borden - The Murderous Metal Roadshow (live)
 * Lizzy Borden - Menace to Society
 * London - Don't Cry Wolf
 * Loudness – 8186 Live
 * Loudness - Lightning Strikes
 * M.A.R.S. - Project: Driver
 * Tony MacAlpine - Edge of Insanity
 * Mad Reign - Mad Reign (EP)
 * Manilla Road - The Deluge
 * Malisha - Serve Your Savage Beast
 * Yngwie Malmsteen - Trilogy
 * Frank Marino – Full Circle
 * Martyr (Hol) - Darkness at Time's Edge
 * Mass (Ger) - Kick Your Ass!
 * Medieval - Medieval (EP)
 * Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
 * Megattack - Raw Delivery
 * Mekong Delta - Mekong Delta
 * Messiah Prophet - Master of the Metal
 * Metal Priest - Bursting Out
 * Metal Church - The Dark
 * Metal Massacre - Metal Massacre VII (Compilation, various artists)
 * Metallica - Master of Puppets
 * Michael W. Smith - The Big Picture
 * Militia - The Sybling (EP)
 * Mindless Sinner - Turn on the Power
 * Mistrust - Spin the World
 * Vinnie Moore – Mind's Eye
 * Mortal Sin - Mayhemic Destruction
 * Motörhead - Orgasmatron
 * Nightwing – VI
 * Nuclear Assault - Brain Death (EP)
 * Nuclear Assault - Game Over
 * Obsession - Scarred for Life
 * Obús - Dejarse la piel
 * Omen - The Curse
 * Onslaught - The Force
 * Orphan Allies – Running From the Law
 * Outside - Magic Sacrifice
 * Ozzy Osbourne - The Ultimate Sin
 * Oz - ...Decibel Storm...
 * Pain - Insanity
 * Panther - Panther (EP)
 * Persian Risk - Rise Up
 * Phantom Lord - Evil Never Sleeps
 * Picture - Every Story Needs Another Picture
 * Piledriver - Stay Ugly
 * Poison - Look What the Cat Dragged In
 * Possessed - Beyond the Gates
 * Post Mortem – Coroner's Office
 * Powerlord - The Awakening
 * Powermad - Powermad (EP)
 * Predator - Easy Prey
 * Preyer – Terminator
 * Purgatory - Tied to the Trax
 * Queen - A Kind of Magic
 * Queensrÿche - Rage for Order
 * Quiet Riot - QR III
 * Racer X - Street Lethal
 * Rage - Reign of Fear
 * Rankelson – Hungry For Blood
 * Ratt - Dancing Undercover
 * Ravage - Wrecking Ball
 * Raven - The Pack Is Back
 * Raven - Mad (EP)
 * Razor - Malicious Intent
 * Renegade - Renegade
 * Ripper - ...And the Dead Shall Rise
 * Rhoads - Into the Future
 * Rock Goddess - Young & Free
 * Canedy, Feinstein, Bordonaro & Caudle - Hollywood
 * The Rods - Heavier Than Thou
 * Rogue Male - Animal Man
 * Rough Cutt - Wants You!
 * David Lee Roth - Eat 'Em and Smile
 * Ruthless - Discipline of Steel
 * Sabbrabells - Sailing On the Revenge
 * Sabotage - Behind the Lines
 * Sacred Blade - Of The Sun + Moon
 * Sacred Rite - Is Nothing Sacred?
 * Sacrifice - Torment in Fire
 * Sadus - D.T.P.
 * Saint - Time's End
 * Saint Vitus - Born Too Late
 * Samhain - Samhain III: November-Coming-Fire
 * Samson - Joint Forces
 * Samson - Head Tactics (comp)
 * Samurai – Weapon Master
 * Satan - Into the Future (EP)
 * Satan's Host - Metal from Hell
 * Joe Satriani - Not of This Earth
 * Savage Grace - After the Fall from Grace
 * Savatage - Fight for the Rock
 * Sentinel Beast - Depths of Death
 * Sepultura - Morbid Visions
 * Shark Island - S'cool Buss
 * Silver Mountain - Hibiya: Live in Japan '85
 * Sinner - Comin' Out Fighting
 * Slaughter (Can) – Strappado
 * Slayer - Reign in Blood
 * Snake - Let The Music Begin
 * Sodom - Obsessed by Cruelty
 * Sortilège - Larmes de Héros
 * Sound Barrier - Speed of Light
 * Steel Angel – Kiss of Steel
 * Steel Crown - Sunset Warriors
 * Steeler (Ger) - Strike Back
 * St. Elmo's Fire – St. Elmo's Fire
 * Stone Fury - Let Them Talk
 * Stormwitch - Stronger Than Heaven
 * Stryper - To Hell with the Devil
 * Sword - Metalized
 * Syron Vanes – Revenge
 * Talon - Vicious Game
 * Tankard - Zombie Attack
 * Tarot - Spell of Iron
 * Tension - Breaking Point
 * Tesla - Mechanical Resonance
 * Thor - Recruits – Wild in the Streets
 * Thor - The Edge of Hell
 * TKO - Below the Belt
 * Tormé – Back To Babylon
 * Touched – Death Row
 * Treat - The Pleasure Principle
 * Tredegar - Tredegar
 * Trilogy (Aus) - Next in Line (in EU); Saracen - Saracen (in Aus)
 * Triumph - The Sport of Kings
 * TT Quick - Metal of Honor
 * Turbo - Kawaleria Szatana
 * Tyga Mira – Deliverance
 * Tygers of Pan Tang – First Kill (comp)
 * Tyran' Pace - Watching You
 * Tyrant (Ger) - Running Hot
 * Tysondog - Crimes of Insanity
 * V.V.S.I. - No Ace at Hand
 * Vanadium – Born to Fight
 * Van Halen - 5150
 * Vardis - Vigilante
 * Vengeance - We Have Ways to Make You Rock
 * Venom - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
 * Victim - Dirty, Mean & Nasty (EP)
 * Victory - Don't Get Mad... Get Even
 * Villain - Only Time Will Tell (EP)
 * Vinnie Vincent Invasion - Vinnie Vincent Invasion
 * Voivod - Rrröööaaarrr
 * Vow Wow - III
 * Vulcain - Big Brothers
 * W.A.S.P. - Inside the Electric Circus
 * Warfare - Mayhem, Fuckin' Mayhem
 * Warhead (Bel) - The Day After
 * Warlock - True as Steel
 * Waysted - Save Your Prayers
 * Wendy O. Williams - Kommander of Kaos
 * Whiplash - Power and Pain
 * White Tiger - White Tiger
 * Wrath - Fit of Anger
 * X-Caliber - Warriors of the Night
 * Zebra – 3.V
 * Zero Nine – Intrigue
 * Znöwhite - Live Suicide
 * Zodiac Mindwarp - High Priest of Love (EP)

Events

 * Living Colour's line-up is solidified to a quartet, consisting of Corey Glover (vocals), Vernon Reid (guitar), Muzz Skillings (bass), and Will Calhoun (drums).
 * Phil Lynott, the former frontman of Thin Lizzy, dies at the age of 36 on January 4 from drug-related health problems.
 * Metallica's third album Master of Puppets peaks at #29 on the Billboard 200, spending 72 weeks on the charts with minor radio airplay. Unfortunately, bassist Cliff Burton dies aged 24 on September 27 in a bus accident in Sweden. Jason Newsted from Phoenix band Flotsam and Jetsam is hired after auditions are held.
 * Metal Hammer magazine is first published.
 * Slayer's third album Reign in Blood peaks at 94 on the Billboard 200 with no radio airplay. The album also reached number 47 on the UK Album Chart,[14] and on November 20, 1992, it was certified gold in the United States. Kerrang! magazine described it as the "heaviest album of all time,"[16] while Metal Hammer magazine named it "the best metal album of the last 20 years."[17]
 * Jeff "Mantas" Dunn leaves British band Venom to pursue a solo career.