Ebony Records/Reaction Records discography

A: HOME, NEWS, FORUM, LINKS, DOWNLOADS, CONTACT.
B: REVIEWS, LABELS, COMPILATIONS, FEATURES, INTERVIEWS, FANZINES.

Links to the best 80's underground Heavy Metal sites

Reviews, pictures and info on rare 80's Metal compilations

Guides, encyclopedias and lists of obscure Heavy Metal from all over the world

Complete scans of Metal fanzines from the 80's

Undeniably one of the most classic labels of the Heavy Metal 80's. Operating out of the town of Hull, England, Ebony was run by recording engineer Darryl Johnston, who also had his own recording studio, Ebony Studios, where most (all?) the label's releases were recorded.

Label variations

Yes, there were a few, but they were not common enough to warrant a separate column in the table below. It is easily summarized as such:

The 4 first Metal compilations of the label came with both the early plain letter logo label (henceforth known as the "generic label") as well as represses featuring the classic Ebony logo (henceforth know as the "logo label"). "Metal Fatigue" stand out as it also had a rare first pressing shipped in a thin maxi-type sleeve with a uniqe label-design featuring an older logo (henceforth know as the "old logo label").

old logo label

generic label

logo label

See also Criminal Response Records (Ebony sublabel) and post-Ebony label Reaction Records, the last one added at the bottom of this page.

...and check this list for a good overview of the Ebony/Reaction Records compilations.

Cat#	Artist	Title	Format	Year	Comment
EBON 1	Various	Metal Fatigue	LP	1982	3 pressings exist: - old logo label (w/ thin sleeve) - - generic label - - logo label - More info here.	3 pressings exist: - old logo label (w/ thin sleeve) - - generic label - - logo label - More info here.
EBON 2	Various	Synthetic Romance	LP	1982	Not Metal. Various electro/new romantic/new wave. Featuring: Johnny Dee, The Truth, Those Attractive Magnets, Stranger Station, Rowan Holiday, Liar, Low Profile, Factor 13, Biofeedback, Motifs and D.H.S.S.	Not Metal. Various electro/new romantic/new wave. Featuring: Johnny Dee, The Truth, Those Attractive Magnets, Stranger Station, Rowan Holiday, Liar, Low Profile, Factor 13, Biofeedback, Motifs and D.H.S.S.
EBON 3	Various	Sample & Hold	LP	1982	Supposedly a non-Metal, Electro/New Wave comp featuring amongst other: Strange Behaviour, West One, Rivals, Function 3. (One source does however claim that it also includes some NWOBHM..)	Supposedly a non-Metal, Electro/New Wave comp featuring amongst other: Strange Behaviour, West One, Rivals, Function 3. (One source does however claim that it also includes some NWOBHM..)
EBON 4	The Pete Ryan Band	Dolly Parten's Tits	7"	1982	Not Metal. I think.	Not Metal. I think.
EBON 5	Moby Dick	Nothing To Fear	7"	1982
EBON 6	Various	Metallic Storm	LP	1982	3 pressings exist: - orange splatter sleeve w/ generic label - - b/w/red sleeve w/ generic label - - b/w/red sleeve w/ logo label - More info here.	3 pressings exist: - orange splatter sleeve w/ generic label - - b/w/red sleeve w/ generic label - - b/w/red sleeve w/ logo label - More info here.
EBON 7	Strategy	Technical Overflow	7"	1982	Not Metal. Progressive rock.	Not Metal. Progressive rock.
EBON 8	Various	Metal Mainiaxe	LP	1982	2 pressings exist: - generic label - - logo label - More info here.	2 pressings exist: - generic label - - logo label - More info here.
EBON 9	Chateaux	Young Blood / Fight To The Last	7"	1982	The infamous Ebony-production makes this sound an awful lot more obscure than it really is. Both songs are great and about as cutting edge Metal as you'd get in 1982 so as far as NWOBHM singles w/ exclusive content go, this belong in the must-buy heap.	The infamous Ebony-production makes this sound an awful lot more obscure than it really is. Both songs are great and about as cutting edge Metal as you'd get in 1982 so as far as NWOBHM singles w/ exclusive content go, this belong in the must-buy heap.
EBON 10	Savage	Ain't No Fit Place / The China Run	7"	1982
EBON 11	Various	Metal Warriors	LP	1983	2 pressings exist: - generic label - - logo label - More info here.	2 pressings exist: - generic label - - logo label - More info here.
EBON 12	Savage	Loose'n Lethal	LP	1983	Review	Review
EBON 13	Chateaux	Chained And Desperate	LP	1983	You simply cannot outEbony Chateaux. Partly because they had more releases out on the label than any other band and partly because they exemplified the kind of simple, straight-forward Metal out of which mould most Ebony-acts were cast.	You simply cannot outEbony Chateaux. Partly because they had more releases out on the label than any other band and partly because they exemplified the kind of simple, straight-forward Metal out of which mould most Ebony-acts were cast.
EBON 14	Various	Metal Plated	LP	1983	More info here.	More info here.
EBON 15	Shy	Once Bitten... Twice Shy	LP	1983	I occationally hear some good words about this record from more open-minded NWOBHM-fanatics, but I'm sorry to say I can't second their opinion that this is anything more than poorly disguised aor. Review	I occationally hear some good words about this record from more open-minded NWOBHM-fanatics, but I'm sorry to say I can't second their opinion that this is anything more than poorly disguised aor. Review
EBON 16	Grim Reaper	See You In Hell	LP	1983	Review	Review
EBON 17	Holland	Early Warning	LP	1983
EBON 18	Chateaux	Fire Power	LP	1984	That sizzling, treble-heavy (crap) trademark Ebony-guitarsound is especially prominent on this midways release from Ebony's eboniest. Thank doG there's only the awful "Roller Coaster" touching sell-out territory, otherwise it's just as almost-good as anything else in their discog.	That sizzling, treble-heavy (crap) trademark Ebony-guitarsound is especially prominent on this midways release from Ebony's eboniest. Thank doG there's only the awful "Roller Coaster" touching sell-out territory, otherwise it's just as almost-good as anything else in their discog.
EBON 19	Demon Eyes	Rites Of Chaos	LP	1984	Review	Review
EBON 20	Sterling Cook Force	Full Force	LP	1984
EBON 21	Blade Runner	Hunted	LP	1984	Review	Review
EBON 22	Nightmare	Waiting For The Twilight	LP	1984	The nasal vocals makes me think of Silver Mountain and they don't quite manage to ruin this tasty piece of Olde yet melodic Heavy Metal either.	The nasal vocals makes me think of Silver Mountain and they don't quite manage to ruin this tasty piece of Olde yet melodic Heavy Metal either.
EBON 23	Syron Vanes	Bringer Of Evil	LP	1984
EBON 24	Samurai	Sacred Blade	LP	1984	Review	Review
EBON 25	Samurai	Fires Of Hell	7"	1984
EBON 26	Blade Runner	Back Street Lady	7"	1984
EBON 27	Touched	Dream Girl	7"	1984
EBON 28	Touched	Back Alley Vices	LP	1984
EBON 29	Hammer	Contract With Hell	LP	1985	Fans of heavier/faster NWOBHM will mostly only take the opening track to heart and I figure the praise I often hear for this record must come for die-hard Thin Lizzy fans. I'm also betting HIGH SPIRITS must hold this album very high, at least judging by the 3 final anthems.	Fans of heavier/faster NWOBHM will mostly only take the opening track to heart and I figure the praise I often hear for this record must come for die-hard Thin Lizzy fans. I'm also betting HIGH SPIRITS must hold this album very high, at least judging by the 3 final anthems.
EBON 30	Nightmare	Power Of The Universe	LP	1985
EBON 31	Chateaux	Highly Strung	LP	1985	Qualitywise all 3 Chateaux are fairly even, though there is an ever so slight downward slope and on this their swansong it's mostly the faster moments, like the title track and the enticing "First Strike" that really stick out.	Qualitywise all 3 Chateaux are fairly even, though there is an ever so slight downward slope and on this their swansong it's mostly the faster moments, like the title track and the enticing "First Strike" that really stick out.
EBON 32	Grim Reaper	Fear No Evil	LP	1985
EBON 33	Touched	Deathrow	LP	1985	The rawkin' parts make me think of "Shout At The Devil"-era M.Crüe, but the rest is mostly type A Ebony-Metal/B-grade NWOBHM ...which isn't a total slag-off mind you. It just kinda fades into the background.	The rawkin' parts make me think of "Shout At The Devil"-era M.Crüe, but the rest is mostly type A Ebony-Metal/B-grade NWOBHM ...which isn't a total slag-off mind you. It just kinda fades into the background.
EBON 34	Rankelson	Hungry For Blood	LP	1985	Review	Review
-	The Sterling Cooke Force	Down On Love / Hit And Run (live version)	7"	1985	Possibly even more rare than the "Sample & Hold" comp LP is this crazy obscure promo-single for a 2nd S.C.F. LP that never got released - at least not on Ebony. It's currently unknown if it's the same recording that would later end up on their privately released proper sophomore LP "Force This" in 1986 or not, but the live B-side is def' an exclusive recording.	Possibly even more rare than the "Sample & Hold" comp LP is this crazy obscure promo-single for a 2nd S.C.F. LP that never got released - at least not on Ebony. It's currently unknown if it's the same recording that would later end up on their privately released proper sophomore LP "Force This" in 1986 or not, but the live B-side is def' an exclusive recording.
EBON 35	Blade Runner	Warriors Of Rock	LP	1986	Review	Review
EBON 36	Syron Vanes	Revenge	LP	1986
EBON 37	Samurai	Weapon Master	LP	1986	Review	Review
EBON 38	Tyga Myra	Deliverance	LP	1986	My 2 favourite things about this album is the unique, mesmerizing, almost fluorescent nuance of red adorning the cover art, and the riff in the chorus of "Dead Zone". On the whole it's a solid post-NWOBHM album and in the better, heavier & classier half of the Ebony stable.	My 2 favourite things about this album is the unique, mesmerizing, almost fluorescent nuance of red adorning the cover art, and the riff in the chorus of "Dead Zone". On the whole it's a solid post-NWOBHM album and in the better, heavier & classier half of the Ebony stable.
EBON 39	Cobra	Back From The Dead	LP	1986
EBON 40	Preyer	Terminator	LP	1986
EBON 41	Blood Money	Red, Raw And Bleeding	LP	1986
EBON 42	Dealer	First Strike	LP	1986
EBON 43	?	?	?	1986?
EBON 44	Fast Kutz	Burnin'	LP	1987
EBON 45	Rankelson	The Bastards Of Rock'n'Roll	LP	1987
EBON 46	Blood Money	Battlescarred	LP/CD	1987
EBONS 100	Various	The Metal Collection Volume 1	LP	1987	More info here.	More info here.
EBONS 101	Various	The Metal Collection Volume 2	LP	1987	More info here.	More info here.
EBONS 102	Various	Metal Collection Volume 3	LP	1987	More info here.	More info here.
EBONS 103	?	?	?	1987?
EBONS 104	Various	Rock Meets Metal	LP	1987	More info here.	More info here.
EBONS 105	Various	Rock Meets Metal Volume 2	LP	1987	More info here.	More info here.
					Reaction Records	Reaction Records
UNREST 1	Various	Underground Resistance Volume 1	LP	1987	Various alternative stuff, though a band or 2 tangent Metal. More info here.	Various alternative stuff, though a band or 2 tangent Metal. More info here.
UNREST 2	Various	Underground Resistance Volume 2	LP	1987	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff. Featuring: Cocophony, Divine Light, Prisoners Of War, Evil Mothers, Stax Century, TR28-20, Limited Edition, The Chain, Mousetrap Conspiracy, Jude Found Eden, Headhunters, Beat Of The Beast, Out Switch, Manifesto, Innocent Eyes and North Corporation.	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff. Featuring: Cocophony, Divine Light, Prisoners Of War, Evil Mothers, Stax Century, TR28-20, Limited Edition, The Chain, Mousetrap Conspiracy, Jude Found Eden, Headhunters, Beat Of The Beast, Out Switch, Manifesto, Innocent Eyes and North Corporation.
UNREST 3	Various	Underground Resistance Volume III	LP	1987	Mostly non-Metal. Various alternative stuff. Featuring: Das Tor, Deadly Intentions, First Offence, Thrilled Skinny, Technique, Trees, Innocent Elements, Die Laughing, Bad Blood, Temper! Temper!, Berlin Zu, The Rout, The Eternal and Shakedown.	Mostly non-Metal. Various alternative stuff. Featuring: Das Tor, Deadly Intentions, First Offence, Thrilled Skinny, Technique, Trees, Innocent Elements, Die Laughing, Bad Blood, Temper! Temper!, Berlin Zu, The Rout, The Eternal and Shakedown.
UNREST 4	Various	Rock Masters	LP	1988	More info here.	More info here.
UNREST 5	Various	Sample & Hold [volume 2]	LP	1988	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff.. Featuring: Loaded, Jellystone Park, New Society, A Motion Industry, Hotline To Moscow, Johnny Guitar, The Reel Sound, Fuel To The Fire, Primary, The Big Picture, Euphoria, Goodnight Vienna, Legion and Potato Head.	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff.. Featuring: Loaded, Jellystone Park, New Society, A Motion Industry, Hotline To Moscow, Johnny Guitar, The Reel Sound, Fuel To The Fire, Primary, The Big Picture, Euphoria, Goodnight Vienna, Legion and Potato Head.
UNREST 6	Various	Rock Meets Metal [volume 3]	LP	1988	More info here.	More info here.
UNREST 7	Various	New Reaction [volume 1]	LP	1988	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff. Featuring: 5 O'Clock Approach, Mistaken Identity, Frank Fish & The Fins, Smoke Stack Lighting, The Resistance, Debauche, Noise Noise, The Readers Own Jazzmen, M4alice, Broken Faith, Gymnopedie, The Icemen, The Innocents and The Umbrellamen.	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff. Featuring: 5 O'Clock Approach, Mistaken Identity, Frank Fish & The Fins, Smoke Stack Lighting, The Resistance, Debauche, Noise Noise, The Readers Own Jazzmen, M4alice, Broken Faith, Gymnopedie, The Icemen, The Innocents and The Umbrellamen.
UNREST 8	Various	Full Force	LP	1988	More info here.	More info here.
UNREST 9	Various	New Reaction [volume 2]	LP	1988	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff. Featuring: Mind The Gap, Mr Robinson, The Rain Devils, Magdalene Fields, Dream Studio, Candybox, Barbedwire, Mike Gari, Hands Up, One Touch To Go, The Partners, Touch And Go, Big Orange, Hands In The Heavens and Midnight Media.	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff. Featuring: Mind The Gap, Mr Robinson, The Rain Devils, Magdalene Fields, Dream Studio, Candybox, Barbedwire, Mike Gari, Hands Up, One Touch To Go, The Partners, Touch And Go, Big Orange, Hands In The Heavens and Midnight Media.
UNREST 10	Various	Full Force Volume One	LP	1988	More info here.	More info here.
UNREST 11	Various	Full Force Volume Two	LP	1988	More info here.	More info here.
UNREST 12	Various	New Reaction [volume 3]	LP	1988	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff. Featuring: Pyama Party, Man In The Mirror, The Angel Trip, Poisoned Electric Head, Crimson Cats, Rape In Yellow, The Fate Merchants, Reaction, B.L.VD Boulevard, Escape To Where, Felo De Se, A Kind Of Fury, The Dick Warren Experience, Harry Wharton & Co, Zanshin and The Disposables..	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff. Featuring: Pyama Party, Man In The Mirror, The Angel Trip, Poisoned Electric Head, Crimson Cats, Rape In Yellow, The Fate Merchants, Reaction, B.L.VD Boulevard, Escape To Where, Felo De Se, A Kind Of Fury, The Dick Warren Experience, Harry Wharton & Co, Zanshin and The Disposables..
UNREST 13	?	?	LP	198?
UNREST 14	Various	Full Force Volume Three	LP	1989	More info here.	More info here.
UNREST 16	Various	Full Force [volume 4]	LP	1989	Featuring: Butts, Clever Trevor, Ecce B, Sweet Revenge, Seventh Heaven, Rough'n'Ready, Panik Attak, Pump Action, Sparta, FX, Force Nine, Dangerous Affection, Loch-Ness, Tai Shan, Matriarch and Measure For Pleasure..	Featuring: Butts, Clever Trevor, Ecce B, Sweet Revenge, Seventh Heaven, Rough'n'Ready, Panik Attak, Pump Action, Sparta, FX, Force Nine, Dangerous Affection, Loch-Ness, Tai Shan, Matriarch and Measure For Pleasure..
UNREST 15	Various	New Reaction [volume 4]	LP	1989	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff.. Featuring: Stormed, The Quarry, You Me & Him, This Sporting Life, Raison D'etre, Boston Black, Call Me Clive, Candid Bench, Pure Passion, Bomb Culture, Internal Fear, At Colossus, The Herbs, Volapuk, Peter Carlson and Wasteland.	Not Metal. Various alternative stuff.. Featuring: Stormed, The Quarry, You Me & Him, This Sporting Life, Raison D'etre, Boston Black, Call Me Clive, Candid Bench, Pure Passion, Bomb Culture, Internal Fear, At Colossus, The Herbs, Volapuk, Peter Carlson and Wasteland.

Compiled by Andrew (Moscow) (Reaction discog by Karl Nolan). Additions by DaN Edman, Rob Preston and Clive Hetherington.