1985 in heavy metal music

This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1985.

Newly formed bands

• Aria
• Candlemass
• Carcass
• David Lee Roth
• Dream Theater (under the name "Majesty")
• Exhorder
• Extreme
• King Diamond
• MX Machine
• Neurosis
• Macabre
• Racer X
• Sanctuary
• Tarot (under the name "Purgatory" until record deal)
• White Zombie

Albums

• AC/DC - Fly on the Wall
• Accept - Metal Heart
• Aerosmith - Done with Mirrors
• Agent Steel - Skeptics Apocalypse, Mad Locust Rising
• Angel Witch - Screamin' N' Bleedin'
• Anthrax - Armed and Dangerous, Spreading the Disease
• Aria - Mania Velichia
• Armored Saint - Delirious Nomad
• Artillery - Fear of Tomorrow
• Blessed Death - Kill Or Be Killed
• Celtic Frost - Emperor's Return, To Mega Therion
• Chastain - Mystery Of Illusion
• The Cult - Love
• Dark Angel - We Have Arrived
• David Lee Roth - Crazy from the Heat
• D.R.I. - Dealing with It!
• Destruction - Infernal Overkill
• Dio - Sacred Heart
• Dokken - Under Lock And Key
• Electric Sun - Beyond the Astral Skies
• Exciter- Long Live the Loud
• Exodus- Bonded by Blood
• Exorcist - Nightmare Theater
• Fastway - Waiting for the Roar
• Fates Warning - The Spectre Within
• Glacier - Glacier (EP)
• Girlschool - Running Wild
• Grim Reaper - Fear No Evil
• Helix - Long Way To Heaven
• Helloween - Helloween (EP), Walls Of Jericho
• Iron Maiden - Live After Death
• Keel - The Right To Rock
• King Kobra - Ready to Strike
• KISS - Asylum
• Kix - Midnite Dynamite
• Kreator - Endless Pain
• Lizzy Borden - Love You To Pieces
• Loudness - Thunder in the East
• Loverboy - Lovin' Every Minute Of It
• Megadeth - Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!
• Mötley Crüe - Theatre of Pain
• Overkill - Feel The Fire
• Onslaught - Power from Hell
• Pantera - I Am The Night
• Possessed - Seven Churches
• Ratt - Invasion of Your Privacy
• Razor - Executioner's Song, Evil Invaders
• Rough Cutt - Rough Cutt
• Rush - Power Windows
• Savatage - Power of the Night
• Scorpions - Worldwide Live
• Slayer - Hell Awaits
• Slayer - Live Undead
• Stryper - Soldiers Under Command
• Trouble - The Skull
• Twisted Sister - Come Out and Play
• W.A.S.P. - The Last Command
• Warlock - Hellbound
• Warrior - Fighting For The Earth
• Whiplash - Power and Pain
• White Lion - Fight to Survive
• Watchtower - Energetic Disassembly
• Y&T - Open Fire, Down for the Count
• Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Marching Out

Disbandments

• Mercyful Fate
• Van Halen (Roth quits band)

Events

• Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid cofounds the Black Rock Coalition, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the creative freedom and works of black musicians interested in playing rock music.
• Twisted Sister's Dee Snider testifies at The P.M.R.C. Senate hearings on rock censorship at Washington D.C. on September 19, 1985.
• David Lee Roth releases his solo debut (ep) Crazy From The Heat in January 1985, with it comes the announcement he has permanently left Van Halen.
• Led Zeppelin reunites at Live Aid with Phil Collins replacing deceased drummer John Bonham.
• Kam Lee leaves Death and Chuck Schuldiner becomes the vocalist.
• Uriah Heep's former lead singer, David Byron dies on February 28, due to alcohol complications.
• Welcome to Venice compilation is released, featuring Suicidal Tendencies, Beowulf, <<link:0>> and others, showing the growing crossover trend among the Venice Beach hardcore and metal scenes.