Favorite Albums from 1988

What are your favorite albums from 1988, regardless of genre?  Following are a few of mine:

1. Sacred Warrior - "Rebellion"
2. Joshua - "Intense Defense"
3. Saint - "Too Late For Living"
4. Barren Cross - "Atomic Arena"
5. Kings' X - "Out Of The Silent Planet"

Honorable mentions: Bloodgood ("Rock In A Hard Place"), Bride ("Live To Die"), Jerusalem ("Dancing On The Head Of The Serpent"), Neon Cross ("Neon Cross") & Rez ("Silence Screams"

Any notable albums that I have overlooked or missed?

Bride - Live To Die
Whitecross- Hammer And Nail
Barren Cross - Atomic Arena 
Saint - Too Late For Living
Vengeance - Demo

Great lists!  Not already mentioned:

Petra - On Fire
Stryper - In God We Trust

Yes, the Stryper one is their weaker albums, but Stryper on a bad day is still better than most.

eatbugs wrote:

Yes, the Stryper one is their weaker albums, but Stryper on a bad day is still better than most.

I believe there was a thread disputing this...

Based on how much I liked them back in 1988.

1986-1990 was just an incredible period. It was so fun walking into Lighthouse Christian bookstore to see what new Pure Metal release they had 

Top 10

Barren Cross: Atomic Arena
Bloodgood: Rock In A Hard Place
Bride: Live To Die
Jerusalem: Dancing on the Head of the Serpent (US version was 1988)
Sacred Warrior: Rebellion
Saint: Too Late For Living
Stryper: In God We Trust
Various Artist: Heavy Righteous Metal  (I loved the 80's metal comps, and this was the only way to get Whitecross' "Love on the Line" on cd)
Various Artist: Underground Metal
Whitecross: Hammer and Nail


Also notable:

Force 3: Warrior of Light
Jerusalem: 10 Years After
Neon Cross: Neon Cross
Tempest: Eye of the Storm
Various Artists: California Metal II

On a side note..

Most disappointing 1988 release that I bought?

Rosanna's Raiders - Calling Down Fire

Felt so betrayed by Pure Metal..hahaha

Not in order of importance....but my favorites from that year would have to be.

Bloodgood - Rock In A Hard Place
Joshua - Intense Defence
Neon Cross - Neon Cross
Rez - Silence Screams
Ruscha - Come Alive
Sacred Warrior - Rebellion
Saint - Too Late For Living
Shout - In Your Face
Whitecross - Hammer & Nail

For me that year in Christian albums it was just:

Vengeance Rising -- Human Sacrifice
Bride -- Live to Die
Saint -- Too Late for Living
Whitecross -- Hammer & Nail

and the little known Attacker -- Second Coming (anybody else listen to those guys?!)

I liked King's X and Rez later, but wasn't listening to either of them in '88.

It was a great year for metal.  I was also listening to:

Metallica -- ...And Justice for All
Celtic Frost -- Cold Lake
Danzig -- Danzig
Queensryche -- Operation: Mindcrime
Winger -- Winger

strangerhoncho wrote:.....
It was a great year for metal.  I was also listening to:

Metallica -- ...And Justice for All
Celtic Frost -- Cold Lake
Danzig -- Danzig
Queensryche -- Operation: Mindcrime
Winger -- Winger

I played that Operation Mindcrime album so much in 1988 & 89 that I completely burnt myself out on it (and wore through two cassettes).  Fantastic album.

strangerhoncho wrote:For me that year in Christian albums it was just:

Vengeance Rising -- Human Sacrifice
Bride -- Live to Die
Saint -- Too Late for Living
Whitecross -- Hammer & Nail

and the little known Attacker -- Second Coming (anybody else listen to those guys?!)

I liked King's X and Rez later, but wasn't listening to either of them in '88.

It was a great year for metal.  I was also listening to:

Metallica -- ...And Justice for All
Celtic Frost -- Cold Lake
Danzig -- Danzig
Queensryche -- Operation: Mindcrime
Winger -- Winger

I wasnt listening to Attacker then but love them now. Are they considered a Christian band?

mothy wrote:

strangerhoncho wrote:For me that year in Christian albums it was just:

Vengeance Rising -- Human Sacrifice
Bride -- Live to Die
Saint -- Too Late for Living
Whitecross -- Hammer & Nail

and the little known Attacker -- Second Coming (anybody else listen to those guys?!)

I liked King's X and Rez later, but wasn't listening to either of them in '88.

It was a great year for metal.  I was also listening to:

Metallica -- ...And Justice for All
Celtic Frost -- Cold Lake
Danzig -- Danzig
Queensryche -- Operation: Mindcrime
Winger -- Winger

I wasnt listening to Attacker then but love them now. Are they considered a Christian band?

I've never seen them listed or discussed anywhere by anybody, which I always thought is strange, but some of their lyrics certainly are or at least borrow heavily from Christian symbols and apocalyptic themes.

Livna wrote:Bride - Live To Die
Whitecross- Hammer And Nail
Barren Cross - Atomic Arena 
Saint - Too Late For Living
Vengeance - Demo

I agree with these albums except for the Vengeance.  However, I would throw Stryper - In God We Trust on there as well. I just recently realized how good Too Late for Living is!!!!

Here are the CDs I have from 1988 in no particular order:

Joshua - Intense Defense
Daniel Band - Running Out of Time
Saint - Too Late For Living
Stryper  - In God We Trust
Barren Cross - Atomic Arena
Sacred Warrior - Rebellion
Petra - On Fire
Jerusalem - Dancing On the Head of a Serpent
Rez - Silence Screams
Bloodgood - Rock and a Hard Place
Whitecross - Hammer and Nail
Shout - It Won't Be Long
Idle Cure - Tough Love
Impellitteri - Stand In Line


Favorite albums: Joshua, Stryper, Saint and Idle Cure

For me, it would be:


1. Stryper - In God We Trust
2. Rez - Silence Screams
3. Whitecross - Hammer & Nail
4. Bloodgood - Rock In A Hard Place
5. Shout - It Won't Be Long
6. Petra - On Fire!

Mine:
1. Petra - On Fire!
2. Bloodgood - Rock in a hard place
3. Barren Cross - Atomic Arena
4. Tempest - Eye of the storm (That was my first christian metal album I bought)
5. Whitecross - Hammer & Nail
6. Bride - Live to die

So many great albums from probably the best year in Christian hard rock and metal. I would agree with all the ones above. Of the 182 all new albums released that year I would say that I like most of them http://firestreamvault.com/albums.php?year=1988