Originally Posted by Luke Nightshader
but technically IM was granted a pass into the realm of metal much the same as Judas Priest was since they also made the transition into the new decade
True... metal was very prevalent in Britain with Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath and hence the term NWOBHM - New Wave Of British Heavy Metal was coined. Sabbath, Maiden and Priest helped bring metal to mainstream America. I'd include Deep Purple in that, but they were more progressive than metal.