Metal Massacre 1

The New Heavy Metal Revue Presents
“Metal Massacre”

Various artists sampler album featuring a Cirith Ungol song. This was the first record released on Metal Blade Records and this is the holy record.

Brian [Slagel] was putting out his first album “Metal Massacre 1” and starting his own label Metal Blade Records. We were one of the first bands he chose.

Robert Garven, Sleazegrinder interview

Malice has only with two on the tracklist – Captive of Light and Kick You Down.

Death of the Sun from Metal Massacre is a different version than the one found on the full length King of the Dead album. There is two slightly different version of Death of the Sun – Metal Massacre is 1982 version aka alt. mix, and King of the Dead is 1984 version. There is a common misconception that this album featured Cirith Ungol’s first recording. This is not true, as they already had an album out. Frost and Fire was released already early 1981, and they started the band from the early 1970’s.

Avatar – Octave is instrumental. Assistant producer John Kornarens is sibling of guitarist Anthony Kornarens. This is the only song that is instrumental.

Metallica are listed as “Mettallica” on the first edition. Their song Hit the Lights on the first pressing is a different version than the version that appeared on the second pressing. The first pressing has James Hetfield (vocal, bass, rhythm guitar), Lloyd Grant (lead guitar), Dave Mustaine (lead guitar – credited, but not actually playing), Ron McGovney (bass guitar – credited, but not actually playing) and Lars Ulrich (drums). The second pressing has James Hetfield (vocals), Dave Mustaine (lead guitar, backing vocals) and Ron McGovney (bass guitar) and Lars Ulrich (drums). It is the same as that included in the No Life Til Leather demo (July 1982). Hit the Lights are actually not a original Metallica song, but originally from Leather Charm, so therefore Metallica are covering Hit the Lights. Still some of the same members are Hetfield. and McGovney. Another Leather Charm band was a fan of Metallica. Click here to have official compilation of the Metallica v/a album and also here to have a list of a list of Metallica demos for more details about the Metallica song. There is also 40th Anniversary of the album.

They wanted to have Mötley Crüe from their album Too Fast for Love (10 Nov 1981), but they dropped out at the last minute. Not sure which song they had cancelled.

FB MM1, FB MM2

Who was on the first Metal Massacre release, and how did you find and choose those acts?

I just knew everybody in the scene. They would all just come to the record store. I knew pretty much everybody in the scene. It was Ratt, Steeler, Malice, Avatar, Cirith Ungol, Bitch and of course, Metallica.

Brian Slagel, metalupdate.com interview

Betsy Weiss of Bitch (book of For The Sake of Heaviness – The History Of Metal Blade Records, chapter Selected Interviewees’ Top Metal Blade Album Picks): 1) Cirith Ungol – Frost And Fire, 2) Riot – Fire Down Under, 3) Various Artists – Metal Massacre, 4) Armored Saint – March of the Saint, 5) Y&T – Y&T Live

The borders of the two releases of bands – Cirith Ungol above and Demon Flight below – is exactly the same painting. What is the original source of these painting on borders ? See more here of the logos.

Mascot Ralph the Reaper

Ralph the Reaper is fantasy person with axe🪓or pick ⛏️, similar to grim reaper also known as death. Example are some of the MBR logos, Restless/Metal Blade Tribune – April 1986 (magazine), The Best of Metal Blade – Volume 2 (1987), Metal Blade Records – 20th Anniversary (2002) and Metal Blade Records – 30th Anniversary (Sat 21 Apr 2012).

Read the book:

For the Sake of Heaviness: The History of Metal Blade Records

Metal Blade Records

The Metal Voice

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