In celebration of Canada Day - a yearly event/holiday celebrating the anniversary of July 1st, 1867, which united three British colonies into a single country under the British Empire called Canada - we are counting down the key heavy musical masterworks in our history. Hence the the 30 Best Canadian Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums Of All-Time countdown which will run daily throughout July!

We've asked the BW&BK; scribes to list their faves of all-time and now we can present you with the list. And we will count-down one-a-day for 30 days! What better way to spent the dog days of summer than to visit BraveWords.com and check out which fine Canuck metal needs to be in your collection!

Without further adieu, let's keep rockin' eh!

#24) KICK AXE - Vices (Pasha/CBS - 1984)

Regina, Saskatchewan’s KICK AXE had in fact been in operation as far back as 1975 before signing to Pasha/CBS for international issue of the under-rated debut of semi-hair metal that was Vices. Producer Spencer Proffer lent the band the same weirdly mid-rangey gutted sound he slapped upon QUIET RIOT, to great success, and minor hits followed for Kick Axe as well, not to mention a slot opening for JUDAS PRIEST. Trivia note – stomping anthem ‘Heavy Metal Shuffle’ was one of the band’s earliest songs, and in leaning back to 1975, it’s one of the first mentions of heavy metal in a song title. Two more albums followed, plus a reunion record called IV in the ‘00s, but sadly, super-starry vocalist George Christon was not aboard for the return of what was possibly the smartest, most complex “’LA metal” band Canada ever produced.

Another claim to fame - no doubt their biggest and most notable Canadian show was in 1984 opening for the SCORPIONS's Heavy Metal Hurricane at Toronto's CNE Grandstand Stadium in front of nearly 25,000 fans with the aforementioned Quiet Riot and fellow countrymen HELIX on the bill!

The Top 30 Canadian Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums Of All-Time!

#30) TRIUMPH – Allied Forces (Attic – 1981)

#29) INTO ETERNITY - The Scattering Of Ashes (Century Media - 2006)

#28) WOODS OF YPRES - Against The Seasons: Cold Winter Songs From The Dead Summer Heat (Krackenhaus - 2002)

#27) GORGUTS - Obscura (Olympic - 1998)

#26) CONEY HATCH - Coney Hatch (Mercury - 1982)

#25) SLAUGHTER – Strappado (Diabolic Force – 1987)

#24) KICK AXE - Vices (Pasha/CBS - 1984)