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!

#12) PILEDRIVER - Metal Inquisition (Cobra - 1985)

Complicated history to this dirty thrash conundrum, PILEDRIVER being something of an assembled ruse that produced, hilarious, half tongue-in-cheek insane metal gold, led by the irrepressible persona of one Gord Kirchin. The magic of this two record band of rascals (second album was ‘86’s Stay Ugly) was in its grit and groove, although quality metal riffs and very cool yet scowly vocals made sure attention was kept and a sore neck was had by every headbanger. The business side of it was, predictably, a bitter war of words between management and band, all the more impassioned because it is thought that the two records wound up selling half a million copies combined. Kirchin to this day is deservedly pissed, but we've heard plenty of similar stories in rock n' roll! Musically speaking the likes of 'Alien Rape', 'Sex With Satan', 'Witch Hunt' and the fist-pumping title track are still quite venomous and relevant in 20011! Kirchin recently resurrected the band as THE EXALTED PILEDRIVER (Metal Manifesto was released in 2008) and continues to get his angst out on stage!

Kirchin remarked to BW&BK;: "WOW! I'm speechless if not honoured.. ok, not nearly as speechless as greatly honoured, ha ha. It's just nice to be remembered, eh!! It's really too bad the business end never came together, because I always felt we could have been massive.. alas, 'tis nontheless my distinct pleasure to have been involved in original metal at all, let alone to be considered somewhat influential in Maple Metal! That other people like it enough to name it on a favorites list of any kind is as heart-warming as it is humbling, let alone on a list of such grand scope as this one. When I see press in various countries, my most rewarding bit is reading that we're a Canadian band, because they INVARIABLY go on to comment on the incredibly high quality of Canadian Metal in general.. and I'm deeply honoured to be present amongst this recollection Canadian giants."

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)

#23) KILLER DWARFS – Stand Tall (1988)

#22) SACRIFICE - Forward To Termination (Fringe - 1987)

#21) KIM MITCHELL - Akimbo Alogo (Alert - 1984)

#20) VOIVOD - Nothingface (Mechanic - 1989)

#19) HELIX – Walkin’ The Razor’s Edge (Capital - 1984)

#18) CRYPTOPSY - None So Vile (Wrong Again Records - 1996)

#17) EXCITER - Heavy Metal Maniac (Shrapnel 1983)

#16) BACHMAN-TURNER OVERDRIVE - Not Fragile (Mercury - 1974)

#15) SWORD - Metalized (Aquarius 1986)

#14) RUSH - A Farewell To Kings (Mercury 1977)

#13) ANNIHILATOR - Alice In Hell (Roadracer 1989)

#12) PILEDRIVER - Metal Inquisition (Cobra - 1985)