The New Wave of British Heavy Metal (often abbreviated NWOBHM), was a heavy metal movement in Britain that occurred in the late 1970s, and gained international momentum in the early 1980s. The movement developed as a reaction of the decline of bands like Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, and Black Sabbath. NWOBHM acts turned down the blues style from earlier acts, incorporating elements of punk style, and adopting a more "tougher" sound. This era of music is considered to be the founding stone for most of genres of extreme metal; American Thrash Metal band Metallica cites Motorhead, Saxon, and Iron Maiden to be some of their biggest influences.

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