Jon Wiederhorn

God save us all!

KISS released 'Rock and Roll Over' on Nov. 11, 1976.

Just when it looked like Judas Priest had been dethroned, the defenders of metal lashed back with their 12th album, 'Painkiller.'

Mötley Crüe were unapologetically obsessed with crafting the kind of sticky, sleazy hard rock that defined MTV hair metal.

How would Metallica follow up 'Kill 'Em All'? On July 27, 1984, we got 'Ride the Lightning.'

One of metal's most important albums.

The first with Nicko McBrain.

It'd be the last with Bruce Dickinson for a while.

On April 27, 1979, after various attempts to get Ozzy back on the team, Black Sabbath fired their lead singer.

In 1982, he was banned for the next decade.