Top Ten Lists - 1985

1. Fates Warning The Spectre Within
2. Slayer Hell Awaits
3. Trouble The Skull
4. Blessed Death Kill Or Be Killed
5. Exodus Bonded By Blood
6. Artillery Fear Of Tomorrow
7. Piledriver Metal Inquisition
8. Celtic Frost To Mega Therion
9. Havoc The Grip
10. Manilla Road Open The Gates

1. Slayer Hell Awaits
2. Exodus Bonded By Blood
3. Iron Maiden Live After Death
4. Megadeth Killing Is My Business
5. Celtic Frost To Mega Therion
6. Anthrax Spreading The Disease
7. Fates Warning The Spectre Within
8. Helloween Walls Of Jericho
9. Armored Saint Delirious Nomad
10. Yngwie Malmsteen Marching Out

Several great albums but no clear favorite. The Spectre Within is only the third best Fates Warning album, but the only one to win Best Album. For several bands on this list (Exodus, Celtic Frost, Slayer, Manilla Road), the best was yet to come.

Thrash starts taking hold now, with three-fourths of the Big Four (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax) beginning to hit their stride.