The Bluesy Slide, The Prog Masterpiece, The Thrash Gems You Might Have Missed

Four albums, four different flavors of metal’s golden era. Vote now to decide which one we’re breaking down in the next Dig Me Out episode.

These four albums came straight from you, our listeners. The album that scores the most votes will headline our next episode of Dig Me Out 80s Metal. We’re talking deep dives, track-by-track breakdowns, and all the trivia and backstory that make these records more than just music—they’re moments frozen in time.

So here’s your lineup. Read through, revisit those riffs if you need to, and cast your vote. This is your chance to decide what we dig into next.

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Cinderella – Long Cold Winter

Anyone who was a fan of Cinderella’s debut album knew they were in for something different the second they popped in Long Cold Winter and heard that bluesy slide guitar. This album is the sound of a band trying to find themselves, carving out a unique niche—and for the most part, they nailed it. Triple platinum. Four hits in the Hot 100. Number 10 on Billboard. All while maintaining an uncompromising artistic integrity that was rare in the 1988 glam metal scene and not really displayed on their first album.

Suggested by: Keith P Miller

Lääz Rockit – Know Your Enemy

The last of the Bay Area bands to be named into the “Big Six” of Thrash—they weren’t initially given their due, but have since been retro-regarded as one of the best of the genre. You’ll notice they have more catchy choruses than the other thrash bands, and Michael Coons’ vocals are a bit on the odd side of things, which might have negatively contributed to their reception at the time. But now, being removed from the “forces of the scene” of the day allows for more freedom to enjoy this album on its own unique merits.

Suggested by: Patrick Testa

Sacred Reich – Ignorance

Saw ads for this album in some of the magazines I bought while in high school but never took a chance on it. To this day, I’ve never listened to it, and really the only thing I think I know is that it’s a thrash album. We haven’t done many (any?) pure thrash albums, and if we’re going to do one, I’d prefer it to be by a band that has never been mentioned as a candidate for the Big Four (or Five or Six, etc). I need a good reason to listen to Sacred Reich.

Suggested by: Chip

Queensrÿche – The Warning

The first album from Seattle metal outfit Queensrÿche is a blast of progressive metal with an epic dystopic feel and theme. The band loomed large at the end of the 80s and start of the 90s but seems to have fallen off the radar of many since then. But back in 1984, what were they bringing to the metal world?

Suggested by: Eric Peterson