New box set shines a light on the dark hair metal of the 80s Sunset Strip

Numero Group is the unrivaled archival label that has unearthed the best in obscure gospel, hip-hop, roots, rock and other music forgotten over time. Now, the imprint will be giving the same 80s Sunset Strip glam hair and metal treatment with a box set called Road to Hell: On the Sunset Strip.

It features a few bands that longtime metalheads might remember – Armored Saint, Lizzy Borden, Hellion. But it’s packed with dusty hits from several 80s Hollywood metal artists they might not remember, including Stormer, Steeler, Bitch, Witch, LA Rocks, Reddi Killowatt, Jaded Lady, Leather Angel, Black ‘N Blue and Max Havoc.

On the way to hell comes on two 12″ discs or a CD digipak with a full color book written by 2013 author Katherine Turman Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal. The title of the box comes from “Bound for Hell” by Max Havoc, which also serves as an overview of the collection. The number group Pose Evidence Die Hard the colored variant comes with a bonus tape featuring five more songs.

Pre-order On the way to hell now at this link. Read a summary of the Numero band’s box set below, followed by a preview video for the Max Havoc track and the collection’s cover art and track listing.

Heavy metal? Glamour ? hardrock? Make your own fucking call, you poser. We’re not going to do it for you. Bound for Hell is early ’80s LA rock as it was: a California cataclysm of drunken, horny headbangers, clad in androgyny and fire in sharp, shiny leather, punching crowds in the teeth to lead the way to this big blow. Featuring 21 tracks from 21 of the Sunset Strip’s sharpest pagans. Available as a 2LP box set with an ephemera-stuffed gatefold and 144-page hardcover, or a pure and wild CD case, with a double-sided 12-panel poster for compact disc dwellers. Burnt chopsticks. The hands have been cut off. Faces were bleeding. Heavy has been HELL for half a decade and it’s been a long, long way down.

Max Havoc, “Bound for Hell” (Video Visualizer)

Road to Hell: On the Sunset Strip Album Art + Track List

1. Stormer, “Going to Town”
2. LA Rocks, “Cocaine”
3. Max Havoc, “To Hell”
4. Jaded Lady, “Rock ‘N’ Roll Ain’t Pretty”
5. Steeler, “Ready to Explode”
6. Lizzy Borden, “No Time to Waste”
7. SIN, “On The Run”
8. Black ‘N Blue, “Give ’em the old 1, 2, 3”
9. Bitch, “Damnation Alley”
10. Romeo, “Feelin’ to Rock”
11. VVSI, “Savage Kind of Girl”
12. Hellion, “From the Depths”
13. Angeles, “Steel Blade”
14. Knightmare II, “Cold Reception”
15. Witch, “Cinderella (in black leather)”
16. Reddi Killowatt, “Liquid Lady”
17. Armored Saint, “Lesson Well Learned”
18. Leather Angel, “We Came to Kill”
19. Rough Cutt, “Take it or Leave It”
20. Lisa Baker, “The Fool of Lies”
21, Odin, “Judgement Day”

Bonus tape:
1. Black ‘N Blue, “Rules Were Made To Be Broken*
2. Lisa Baker, “Every Girl Has A Fantasy”
3. Stormer, “Drive”
4. Odin, “Midnight Flight”
5. Leather Angel, “Need Your Love”

14 rock bands + hair metal pioneer artists