New Wave of British Heavy Metal

This was arguably the first descendant of Heavy Metal. After Hard Rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull had been bumped from popularity in the wake of British Punk, a new wave of groups incorporated the raw sounds of Punk with the heavy guitar of bands like the Scorpions and Black Sabbath. Bands such as Saxon, Iron Maiden, Diamond Head and Def Leppard created driving anthems using dueling leads, tight production and catchy riffs, returning Hard Rock to the top of the charts. Countless Heavy Metal acts the world over have evolved from, or merely copied, this influential British sound.