Heavy metal’s expansion became impossible to contain in 1987. Thrash bands released sophisticated breakthrough albums, hard rock conquered radio and MTV, and the extreme underground created the foundations of death and black metal. Europe refined power and doom metal while virtuoso guitar music found a surprising mass audience. Few years demonstrate the genre’s range more clearly.

Anthrax led the charge with Among the Living. The classic lineup combined thrash precision, New York attitude, comic-book culture and irresistible gang vocals on “Caught in a Mosh,” “I Am the Law,” “Indians” and the title track. The album gave Anthrax a distinct personality within the growing Big Four and turned the band into an international force. Testament made an equally impressive entrance with The Legacy, pairing Chuck Billy’s commanding voice with the guitar team of Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick.

Guns N’ Roses changed hard rock with Appetite for Destruction. The debut did not become an immediate phenomenon, but “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child o’ Mine” and “Paradise City” eventually made it one of rock’s defining records. Its street-level danger and bluesy twin-guitar sound cut through the increasingly polished Los Angeles scene. Elsewhere, Def Leppard’s Hysteria and Whitesnake’s self-titled album became enormous commercial successes, proving how thoroughly heavy guitar music had entered mainstream culture.

The underground was moving in the opposite direction. Chuck Schuldiner’s Death released Scream Bloody Gore, a raw and hugely influential debut that helped establish death metal as a distinct genre. Bathory’s Under the Sign of the Black Mark gave black metal a colder atmosphere and more focused identity, while Napalm Death’s Scum introduced grindcore’s blast-beat chaos. Kreator, Sodom, Overkill and Death Angel also strengthened thrash on both sides of the Atlantic.

King Diamond transformed metal into gothic theatre on Abigail. The haunted concept story, Andy LaRocque’s guitar work and King’s extraordinary vocal range created a complete world across nine songs. Helloween began another major story with Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I. New singer Michael Kiske brought soaring melody to the German band’s speed-metal roots, helping define the sound of European power metal.

Candlemass introduced Messiah Marcolin on Nightfall, making epic doom even more dramatic through “The Well of Souls,” “At the Gallows End” and “Samarithan.” Savatage reached a new level on Hall of the Mountain King, beginning its important partnership with producer Paul O’Neill and showcasing the brilliance of guitarist Criss Oliva. Joe Satriani’s largely instrumental Surfing with the Alien proved that expressive guitar playing could connect with listeners far beyond the musicians’ community. From pop charts to tape-trading circles, 1987 showed that metal no longer had one centre—it was everywhere.