Even a very quick dive into metal history reveals a TON of amazing metal records released in March. Turns out, the cold winters are a great time to write and record… who would've guessed? We definitely had a hard time picking and choosing just a couple albums for this list, especially (spoiler alert), from all the crazy good '80s releases. But before we get there...:
Big & notable 1970 releases!
Deep Purple - Machine Head (March 25, 1972)
Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies (March 1973)
Yes, that's the Alice Cooper record that broke the U.S. box office records, had him kill a bunch of baby dolls, and infamously get decapitated by a guillotine on stage.
Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak (March 26, 1976)
The record that put Thin Lizzy on the big stage!
Motörhead - Overkill (March 24, 1979)
Listed by Kerrang! as #46 in the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time. Agreed!
Big & notable 1980s releases:
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast (March 22, 1982)
Maiden's first album with Bruce Dickinson! The beginning of the "true" Iron Maiden as some may say.
Quiet Riot - Metal Health (March 11, 1983)
The first heavy metal album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart!
Slayer - Hell Awaits (March 12, 1985)
Now a thrash classic, Hell Awaits faced many distribution challenges after its release due to its… well… evil & satanic nature.
Metallica - Master of Puppets (March 3, 1986)
Is Master of Puppets the most recognizable and well-known metal record? We'd say so!
Anthrax - Among the Living (March 16, 1987)
The album that got Anthrax in the "Big Four"!
Big & notable 1990s releases:
Paradise Lost - Gothic (March 19, 1991)
Yes, this record named the gothic metal genre!
Sepultura - Arise (March 25, 1991)
Sepultura's best work according to most fans & publications.
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Pantera - Far Beyond Driven (March 22, 1994)
Featuring the famous skull drilling artwork. Did you know Pantera originally wanted the drill to go through the person's… other end? Unfortunately, that idea got rejected by the label.
GWAR - Carnival of Chaos (March 25, 1997)
Their longest record (almost 75 mins!) featuring the over 12-minute long "Don't Need a Man" too.
Big & Notable 2000s records:
Distrurbed - The Sickness (March 7, 2000)
What a debut!
Gojira - Terra Incognita (March 19, 2001)
Another amazing debut! Featuring their guitarist Christian Andreu on the cover as well.
Cannibal Corpse - Kill (March 21, 2006)
Wow, is this a safe for work Cannibal Corpse album cover? Yeah, turns out they couldn't decide on what explicit violence this one would feature, so they just went with “playing it safe”.
Type O Negative - Dead Again (March 13, 2007)
Seventh & unfortunately the final Type O record.
Big & Notable 2010s records:
Havok - Time Is Up (March 29, 2011)
Repeatedly compared to records like Metallica's Justice & Slayer's Reign in Blood, Time Is Up is the definition of a modern thrash classic.
Amon Amarth - Jomsviking (March 25, 2016)
Their first concept album, well sprinkled with trad metal elements & melodies, yet still perfectly brutal.
Memoriam - For The Fallen (March 24, 2017)
The first offering from Memoriam, originally formed as a tribute Bolt Thrower's late Martin Kearns.
Birthdays!
This month we celebrate the birthday of Iron Maiden's legendary Steve Harris who turns 68 on March 12.
Morbid Angel's founder Trey Azagthoth celebrates his 59th this March 26th
On March 31, AC/DC's Angus Young turns 69.
And on March 11, Vinnie Paul would've turned 60. RIP