Savatage emerged from the Tampa, Florida scene in the early 1980s and helped usher in a new brand of progressive power metal. Led by virtuoso guitarist Criss Oliva and his brother, the powerhouse operatic vocalist Jon Oliva, Savatage would climb all the way to the top of the metal world with one classic album after another. The pinnacle of their success came with their 1987 album Hall of the Mountain King, which featured two hit singles that received heavy airplay on MTV: “Hall of the Mountain King” and “24 Hours Ago.”

Watch the video for the album’s title track here below.

Warlock was a German power metal band that was on the verge of a major breakthrough in the American market when their fourth album, Triumph & Agony, was released in 1987. The album’s first single, “All We Are,” became a staple during the height of MTVs “hair metal” phase and the band’s striking front woman Doro Pesch had become an icon for females in metal and somewhat of a sex symbol.

Watch the video for “All We Are” here, below.

Blabbermouth is reporting that former Manowar drummer Scott Columbus has passed away at the age of 54. The information was first posted by former Manowar guitarist Ross “The Boss” Friedman on his own Facebook page, and later verified by Columbus’ girlfriend Nancy. According to the posts available at the time of this writing, Columbus died early in the evening of Monday, April 4, 2011. [Update: the band has confirmed the news, see full update below.] Cause of death is not known at this time.

Scott Columbus joined Manowar in 1983, and played with the band on many of their well-known and now classic albums such as Kings of Metal and Louder than Hell. He left the band in 2008, reportedly over disagreements with band members — though by all indications the disagreement seemed amiable and insiders say it was simply time for Columbus to move on.