List of thrash metal bands - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

This is a list of bands that have played thrash metal at some point during their career, sorted by country of origin. This list, however, also includes certain bands belonging to the first wave of black metal. These bands essentially played thrash metal

Thrash metal

Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...

with a heavy emphasis on Satanic

Satanism

Satanism is a group of religions that is composed of a diverse number of ideological and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. Their shared feature include symbolic association with, admiration for the character of, and even veneration of Satan or similar rebellious, promethean, and...

and occult

Occult

The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...

themes in lyrics as well as imagery.

Thrash metal was the product of a number of bands, who fused the sound of New Wave of British Heavy Metal

New Wave of British Heavy Metal

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was a heavy metal movement that started in the late 1970s, in Britain, and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. The movement developed as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black...

with the speed of hardcore punk

Hardcore punk

Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

in the early 1980s. Thrash metal was also the major influence in the development of extreme genres like groove metal

Groove metal

Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It was often used to describe Pantera and Exhorder.- Characteristics and origins :Pantera's Cowboys from Hell album from 1990 was described as "groundbreaking" and "blueprint-defining" for the groove metal genre...

, death metal

Death metal

Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....

and the second wave of black metal.

Four American bands, Metallica

Metallica

Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...

, Slayer

Slayer

Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...

, Anthrax

Anthrax (band)

Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...

and Megadeth

Megadeth

Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...

, are credited with popularizing the genre, earning them the title of The Big Four of Thrash, with the help of less successful Testament

Testament (band)

Testament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...

and Exodus

Exodus (band)

Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...

. Outside of the US

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

Teutonic thrash bands such as Kreator

Kreator

Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany, formed in 1978, but formalized in 1982 under the name Tormentor. They originally performed a speed metal style with Venom influences. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal...

, Sodom

Sodom (band)

Sodom is a German Thrash metal trio from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981.Along with the bands Kreator and Destruction, Sodom is considered one of the "big three" of Teutonic thrash metal...

and Destruction

Destruction (band)

Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "three kings" of the Teutonic thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator and Sodom...

, gained popularity considering them the "Big Three" of Teutonic thrash metal. Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

's Sepultura

Sepultura

Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...

was a key contributor to the development of thrash.

Several major thrash bands such as Metallica and Megadeth streamlined their sound to a more accessible, radio-friendly style in the 1990s. However, thrash metal has seen a resurgence in recent times, with many of the older bands, such as Megadeth and Metallica, returning to their thrash roots with their new releases.

Australia

Cryogenic
Cryogenic (Band)
Cryogenic was an Australian thrash metal/death metal band formed in 1992 in Wetherill Park, a suburb of Sydney, Australia.-Early:The band originally featured guitarist Steve Essa, bass player Anthony Henning, singer/guitarist Russell Player and drummer Chad Bartosik, who was also a member of...
Hobbs' Angel of Death
Hobbs' Angel of Death
Hobbs' Angel of Death are an Australian thrash metal band that began in 1987 in Melbourne, and are one of the first Australian groups to perform in that genre. They released two studio albums, Hobb's Angel of Death and Inheritance before disbanding in 1996...

One of the first Australian extreme metal bands, Hobbs' Angel of Death made their recording debut with their eponymous album in 1988. Released by Germany's Steamhammer

SPV GmbH

SPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....

label, the album is considered to rate as one of the great cult metal releases of the '80s, while Allmusic compared it with Reign in Blood

Reign in Blood

Reign in Blood is the third studio album and the major label debut by the American thrash metal band Slayer. It was released on October 7, 1986 through Def Jam Recordings. The album was the band's first collaboration with record producer Rick Rubin, whose input helped the band's sound evolve...

for its aggressive thrashing and Satanic references.

Brazil

Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...

Sepultura's third release Beneath the Remains

Beneath the Remains

Beneath the Remains is the third studio album by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1989. It was their first release through Roadrunner Records.-Overview:...

was cited as "one of the most essential death/thrash metal albums of all time" by Allmusic.

Soulfly
Soulfly
Soulfly is a heavy metal band formed in 1997 based in Phoenix, Arizona. The original lyrical content revolved around spirituality and religious themes, with later albums encompassing other themes including war, violence, aggression, hatred and anger. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max...
Violator
Violator (band)
Violator are a thrash metal band from Brazil, formed in 2002 by Pedro Arcanjo, Pedro Agusto, and David Araya. After 6 years of playing in the metal underground, the band signed with Brazilian label "Kill Again Records" and released their debut album, "Chemical Assault"...

Chile

Coprofago
Coprofago
Coprofago is a technical death metal band formed in Santiago, Chile, in June 1993. The name of the band is taken from Greek "copro", or "feces", and "fago", meaning "eat." Sebastián Vergara, Pablo Alvarez, Pablo Solari, and Ignacio Suit founded the band....
Six Magics
Six Magics
Six magics is a Chilean metal group formed initially by Pablo Stagnaro, Erick Avila, Nicholas Espinoza, J.Pizarro and Sergio Villarroel. At first, Erick composed music and edited while J. Pablo wrote the lyrics. Their songs were originally all in Spanish, but they hoped to later write in English...
Massakre
Massakre
Massakre is a band of thrash/speed metal with some death this band is known in South America for having brought the Scene Thrasher to Chile.- History :...
Necrosis
Necrosis (Chilean band)
Necrosis is a Chilean thrash metal bands of the mid 80's to mid 90's, in a call "scene thrasher" characterized by rebellion against the dictatorship and organized society...
Dorso
Dorso (band)
Dorso is a thrash metal band from Chile's long history and prestige in Chile. Among his musical influences include Gong, King Crimson, Genesis, Magma, and Frank Zappa. Regarding thematic stories inspired by Lovecraft, horror movies and whatever story you can imagine bizarre, monstrous allegories,...
Criminal
Criminal (band)
Criminal is a Chilean-British band thrash metal, based in Colchester, England. Formed in late 1991 in Santiago. Then integrated by Anton Reisenegger on guitar and vocals and Rodrigo Contreras in the first guitarra. Later they were joined by JJ Vallejo on drums and Juan Francisco Cueto as integral...
Pentagram
Pentagram (Chilean band)
Pentagram is a band of Thrash/Death from Chile. Pentagram is still one of the most influential bands in the underground extreme metal world, being recognized by groups like Celtic Frost, Sepultura, At The Gates, Dismember, Napalm Death and Avulsed that even the latest versions of your theme...

, Anton Reisenegger
Anton Reisenegger
Anton Reisenegger is the leader, guitarist and vocalist of the band Chilean Thrash/Death Metal, Criminal. It is also the host of the Extreme Metal Hard Drive Radio Future.- Race :...

commanding, this band is one of the most influential in the world undeground thrash
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...

/death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....

band to this day remains today one of the bands that have cupbearer to the development of extreme metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...

.

Norway

Blood Tsunami
Blood Tsunami
-Biography:Blood Tsunami formed in 2004 with Pete Evil, Jay, Riff Randall and Dor Amazon. The band recorded their first demo shortly thereafter and made their live performance debut on August 24, 2004 as the support act for Swedish death metal legends Entombed. That was followed by a support slot...

Featuring Bård "Faust" Eithun

Bård Faust

Bård Guldvik "Faust" Eithun is a Norwegian drummer. He is best known for his work with early black metal band Emperor, especially on the releases As the Shadows Rise and In the Nightside Eclipse...

(ex-Emperor

Emperor (band)

Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited in 2006 and again in 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours. The group was founded by Samoth and Ihsahn .-Biography:...

) and Pete Evil, the host of the Norwegian version of Headbangers Ball, Blood Tsunami released their debut album, Thrash Metal

Thrash Metal (album)

Thrash Metal is the first studio album from Norwegian thrash metal band Blood Tsunami.-Track Listing:*All Songs Written By Peter "Pete Evil" Michael Kolstad Vegem.#"Evil Unleashed" – 2:48#"Let Blood Rain" – 3:35#"Rampage of Revenge" – 6:06...

, in April 2007.

Switzerland

Coroner
Coroner (band)
Coroner is a Swiss thrash metal/progressive metal band from Zurich. They garnered relatively little attention outside of Europe. Formed in 1983, the band broke up in 1996, but decided to reform 14 years later. The band will perform at multiple live venues and festivals around the world in 2011,...

Swiss trio Coroner was originally pegged as a conventional thrash band, but their jaw-dropping musicianship and increasingly complex compositions soon won over most critics, some of which labeled them the Rush

Rush (band)

Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...

of thrash metal. Widely regarded as their greatest achievement and an extreme metal landmark, Coroner's fourth release, Mental Vortex

Mental Vortex

Mental Vortex is the fourth album of the Swiss thrash metal trio Coroner. It is probably their most progressive and mature achievement and marks an improvement in the production compared to their first three albums...

saw the Swiss trio quickly moving away from the everyday trappings of thrash metal into unpredictable avant-thrash territory.

United Kingdom

Seventh Angel
Seventh Angel
Seventh Angel are a British Christian heavy metal band that formed in 1987. According to Cross Rhythms magazine, they were considered to be thrash metal pioneers, and they released the albums The Torment and Lament for the Weary...

The British Christian band Seventh Angel is known for mixing thrash with doom metal. The broadsheet newspaper The Daily Telegraph called Seventh Angel one of the leading Christian thrash metal bands in Great Britain.

Short Sharp Shock
Venom
Venom (band)
Venom are an English heavy metal band that formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell and Black Metal —are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general...

Newcastle based thrash metal band Venom were a seminal influence on the evolution of thrash and black metal scene. Their 1981 debut, Welcome to Hell

Welcome to Hell

Welcome to Hell is the debut album by the English heavy metal band Venom, released in December 1981. Welcome to Hell is often described as speed metal, but it had a great influence on the then-emerging thrash metal style, and crystallized the elements of what later became known as death metal and...

, is cited by Allmusic to have "crystallized the elements of what later became known as thrash, death, black, and virtually every other form of extreme metal", whilst considering their sophomore release, Black Metal

Black Metal (album)

Black Metal is the second album by the English band Venom. It was released in November 1982 and is considered a major influence on the thrash metal, death metal and black metal scenes that emerged in the 1980s and early 1990s. Although lending its name to the latter genre, today the album is often...

, to be "right up there with its predecessor".

Virus
Virus (British band)
Virus, originally formed in Brighton, are now based in London, United Kingdom. Stated on several occasions as pioneers of UK thrash metal, and were quoted as "the badboys..." of their genre due to their live shows usually ending up in massive brawls, they have always remained a highly regarded...

A-D

Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...

Of the Big Four of Thrash, New York based thrash metal band Anthrax was the most adventurous in terms of genre-crossing, noted for their experimentation and tempering often serious music with a healthy dose of humor and realism. Allmusic have attributed the ownership of the throne of the East Coast thrash metal scene to Anthrax. Among the Living

Among the Living

Among the Living is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Anthrax. The album was released in March 1987 by Megaforce Worldwide/Island and is certified gold by the RIAA. The BBC has described the album as "arguably their big breakthrough", and "often cited by fans as their favourite...

, their third album, is considered by Steve Huey of Allmusic as "arguably Anthrax's foremost achievement" and is generally considered as the band's best effort.

Avenger of Blood
Avenger of Blood
Avenger of Blood is an american thrash metal band based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. The band began their career in 2001 and have since released several demos and two full-length albums. They are known for having a sound similar to that of German thrash metal bands such as Kreator and Sodom....
Believer
Body Count
Body Count
Body Count is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1990. The group is fronted by rapper and actor Ice-T, who founded the group out of his interest in heavy metal music, taking on the role of vocalist and writing the lyrics for most of the group's songs. Lead guitarist...
Bonded by Blood
Bonded by Blood (band)
Bonded by Blood is an American thrash metal band, named after Exodus' debut album Bonded by Blood. Like its labelmates Evile, Gama Bomb, and Municipal Waste, Bonded by Blood is part of the thrash metal revival movement, whose aesthetic embraces not only the 1980s thrash metal music, but the fashion...
Dark Angel
Dark Angel (band)
Dark Angel was an American thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. Their over-the-top style earned them the nickname "the L.A...

Formed in 1983, Los Angeles thrashers Dark Angel were known in thrash metal circles for their ability to deliver some of thrash's most challenging and articulate albums with pure speed and primal aggression. Their fourth album, Time Does Not Heal

Time Does Not Heal

Time Does Not Heal is the fourth and final album by Dark Angel, which was released in 1991. When released it had a sticker reading "9 songs, 67 minutes, 246 riffs!".-Track listing:-Credits:*Ron Rinehart - Vocals*Eric Meyer - Guitars...

, is hailed by critics as the band's "creative peak" and Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic called it "a veritable masterpiece of thinking-man's thrash metal". However, some purists consider the group's second album, Darkness Descends

Darkness Descends

Darkness Descends is the second studio album by the American thrash metal band Dark Angel. The album is the first to feature drummer Gene Hoglan. Rob Yahn was replaced with Mike Gonzalez by the time this album was released, however, Gonzalez was given credit over Yahn on the album sleeve...

to be their best effort, and is considered as a minor thrash metal classic.

Death Angel
Death Angel
Death Angel is a Filipino-American thrash metal band from Concord, California, initially active from 1982 to 1991 and again since 2001. Death Angel has released six studio albums, two demo tapes, one box set and two live albums....

San Francisco's Death Angel created complex thrash metal by combining serious guitar crunch and speed with a fair amount of technical expertise. Their 1985 demo Kill As One was notably produced by Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett

Kirk Hammett

Kirk Lee Hammett is the lead guitarist and a songwriter in the heavy metal band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Before joining Metallica he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, Hammett was ranked 11th on Rolling Stones list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...

when they still were teenagers. Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic commented that the young line-up of Death Angel reached their "musical adulthood" with their third album, Act III

Act III

Act III is the third album by the thrash metal band Death Angel, released in 1990 on Geffen Records. Regarded by many critics and fans as the band's finest effort, the album was produced by famed metal producer Max Norman , and marked the first major label release by Death Angel...

and called it their "superlative career highlight".

Destroy Destroy Destroy
Destroy Destroy Destroy
Destroy Destroy Destroy is an American heavy metal band formed in Murfreesboro, Tennessee in late February 2003. With a line-up of Brian Kemp , Jeremiah Scott , and Andrew Hall , they began writing songs; Soon thereafter, Destroy Destroy Destroy completed their outfit with Way Barrier , Adam...
D.R.I.
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from the United States that formed in Houston, in 1982. The band currently comprises founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Harald Oimoen.D.R.I...

Although known for their landmark hardcore punk

Hardcore punk

albums, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles were one of the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal. Their 1989 release Thrash Zone

Thrash Zone

Thrash Zone is the fifth album by the American crossover thrash band D.R.I., which was released in 1989. It continues the thrash metal style of the previous album, 4 of a Kind. Thrash Zone was D.R.I.'s most successful album to date, and produced the song, "Beneath the Wheel", which was made as a...

was widely acclaimed among their better releases.

E-H

Exodus
Exodus (band)
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...

Exodus was formed in 1980 in Richmond, California, by future Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett

Kirk Hammett

, who had named the band after Leon Uris

Leon Uris

Leon Marcus Uris was an American novelist, known for his historical fiction and the deep research that went into his novels. His two bestselling books were Exodus, published in 1958, and Trinity, in 1976.-Life:...

' 1958 novel of the same name

Exodus (novel)

Exodus by American novelist Leon Uris is about the founding of the State of Israel. Published in 1958, it is based on the name of the 1947 immigration ship Exodus....

. Hammett left the band for Metallica in 1983. His replacement, Rick Hunolt

Rick Hunolt

Rick Hunolt is an American heavy metal guitarist who is best known for being the long time guitarist in thrash metal band Exodus. He joined the band in 1983, replacing Mike Maung who had been hired to replace original guitarist Kirk Hammett who left to join Metallica...

, teamed with Gary Holt

Gary Holt (musician)

Gary Wayne Holt is an American guitarist from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the lead guitarist of Exodus.-Biography:...

to form the band's "H-Team" guitar players for a number of years. Holt is the only member of Exodus who has played on all the band's albums.

Fantom Warior
Fantom Warior
Fantom Warior was an American thrash metal band founded in 1984 in Union, New Jersey. consisting of John Chernack , Keith Pires , James Jensen and Steve Schley . The band's major influences were Slayer, Metallica and Anthrax. Fantom Warior had a self-distributed demo and album as well as appearing...
Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...

A band who crossed over from an Industrial-based Death Metal

Death metal

genre. Demanufacture

Demanufacture

Demanufacture is the second studio album by the Los Angeles industrial metal band Fear Factory. This is the band's first album with their classic line-up adding new bassist Christian Olde Wolbers. Many regard it as the band's best album and a heavy metal classic...

featured an Industrial

Industrial metal

Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...

/Groove Metal

Groove metal

sound with rapid-fire thrash metal flares. Demanufacture is considered by many as their defining work, as well being purly a Heavy Metal

Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...

classic.

Flotsam and Jetsam
Flotsam and Jetsam (band)
Flotsam and Jetsam is a thrash metal band that formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1982.-1981-1986: The beginning:The band's original name was "Paradox" founded by Drummer Kelly David-Smith and two other guitarists, until 1982 when bassist Jason Newsted joined. Jason had come to Phoenix with his band...

Arizona based Flotsam and Jetsam did not receive either significant sales or mainstream recognition, though they initially showed a lot of promise within the thrash metal circles. Part of the second wave of thrash bands, their ambitious debut Doomsday for the Deceiver

Doomsday for the Deceiver

Doomsday for the Deceiver is the debut album by Flotsam and Jetsam. It was released in 1986. It is the only album by Flotsam and Jetsam which features Jason Newsted before his departure for Metallica. Most lyrics were written by Newsted. The album was re-released in 2006, including a re-mastered...

received a six on a five point rating from Kerrang!

Kerrang!

Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...

, while Allmusic considered it as an important record for fans of early thrash metal.

Forbidden
Forbidden (band)
Forbidden is a thrash metal band from the San Francisco Bay Area. Formed in 1985 as Forbidden Evil, the group was founded by Russ Anderson and Craig Locicero, who are both permanent members. Since their formation, Forbidden have broken up and reformed twice with numerous line-up changes...

Making thrash with maximum crunch and minimum melody, Forbidden were one of the second wave of thrash metal bands which arose from the Bay Area Scene. Their 1988 debut, Forbidden Evil

Forbidden Evil (album)

Forbidden Evil is the debut album from San Francisco, California thrash metal band, Forbidden, released in 1988. The title of this album refers to their original name before shortening it to Forbidden in 1987...

, received largely favorable reviews and was considered quite impressive upon its release during the heyday of Bay Area-bred thrash metal.

GWAR
GWAR
Gwar is a satirical heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, United States, in 1984. The band is best known for its elaborate science fiction/horror film inspired costumes, obscene lyrics and graphic stage performances, which feature humorous enactments of politically and morally taboo...

Gory, sexually perverse, and scatological in the extreme, GWAR is cited as "a genuinely funny art-project joke" by the Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

magazine. GWAR is best appreciated with its visual aspects, which are considered far more creative than their music by Allmusic. Alex Henderson of Allmusic praised Scumdogs of the Universe

Scumdogs of the Universe

Scumdogs of the Universe is the second album by Satirical Shock rock band Gwar. The album is their first album on Metal Blade Records and was released in 1990. It is to this date the band's best selling album and greatly expanded the band's horizons...

as "outrageously entertaining" and called it "GWAR's crowning achievement".

I-L

Lääz Rockit
Lääz Rockit
Lääz Rockit are a Power/Thrash band formed in San Francisco, California in 1982. Although one of the lesser-known groups of the Bay Area thrash metal scene, each album in their history has received high critical marks...

Formed in 1982, Lääz Rockit were a mainstay in the Bay Area thrash scene for nine years and is cited as one of the best thrash bands in California. John Book of Allmusic compared their intricate guitar and bass playing on their 1987 opus, Know Your Enemy

Know Your Enemy (Lääz Rockit album)

Know Your Enemy is the third studio album from Californian thrash metal band, Lääz Rockit. It was released in 1987 on Roadrunner Records/Enigma Records and follows 1985's No Stranger to Danger.-Track listing:#"Demolition" – 1:16...

, with that of Anthrax

Anthrax (band)

Living Sacrifice
Living Sacrifice
Living Sacrifice is a Christian heavy metal band that formed in September 1989 in Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. The band has released seven studio albums, out of which the first three were recorded under R.E.X. Records with their original vocalist Darren Johnson as a more thrash metal and death metal...

Living Sacrifice is an influential Christian metal band that started as a thrash metal band and migrate later to death metal. In their 4th album, "Reborn", they changed their sound to a mix of groove metal and metallic hardcore.

M-P

Mantic Ritual
Mantic Ritual
Mantic Ritual is a thrash metal band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band released their debut album through Nuclear Blast Records.-Origin :...
Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...

After being fired from Metallica

Metallica

due to alcohol problems, drug abuse and personality conflicts, Dave Mustaine

Dave Mustaine

David Scott "Dave" Mustaine is the founder, main songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Prior to Megadeth, Mustaine was the first lead guitarist and a co-songwriter of the heavy metal band Metallica until he was fired from the band in 1983. In 2009, he...

formed Megadeth in 1983. Since then, Megadeth has released twelve studio albums; five of them certified platinum, with Countdown to Extinction

Countdown to Extinction

Countdown to Extinction is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. It was released on July 14, 1992 through Capitol Records. Countdown to Extinction is Megadeth's best-selling album, eventually achieving double platinum status...

certified multi-platinum. Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?, their second effort, has received several accolades, from being considered as "a classic of early thrash" and "one of the few truly definitive thrash albums" to being noted as "one of the most influential metal albums of its decade". Their 1990 release Rust in Peace

Rust in Peace

Rust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth. Released on September 24, 1990, it was the third Megadeth album distributed through Capitol Records. The album was the band's only collaboration with record producer Mike Clink who was the first producer to...

is also a seminal thrash album.

Metal Church
Metal Church
Metal Church was an American heavy metal band. They originally formed in Seattle, Washington as Shrapnel in 1980. Their first album was released in 1984, and the band's most recent work, This Present Wasteland, was released in 2008....

Seattle metalheads Metal Church made a huge splash on the thrash metal scene with their 1985 eponymous debut. Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic considered the album "an overlooked classic of straight-ahead American-bred heavy metal".

Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...

Cited as one of the most influential heavy metal bands of the 1980s, Metallica were the first thrash metal band to attain mainstream acceptance and global commercial success. The band's third album, Master of Puppets

Master of Puppets

-Personnel:Metallica* James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar on track 1, first solo on tracks 2 and 7* Cliff Burton – bass, backing vocals* Lars Ulrich – drums* Kirk Hammett – lead guitarProduction...

, has been called "The most influential metal album of all time." by many metal companies. From their underground roots the band have gone on to win seven Grammy awards and have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. Metallica was inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.

Municipal Waste
Municipal Waste (band)
Municipal Waste is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from Richmond, Virginia.They performed at the UK's Download Festival on June 15, 2008, on the tuborg stage....

Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Municipal Waste are a part of the thrash metal revival in the 2000s.

No Mercy
No Mercy (American band)
No Mercy are a thrash metal band from Venice, California, the brainchild of guitar player Mike Clark, who later played in Suicidal Tendencies.-History:...
Nuclear Assault
Nuclear Assault
Nuclear Assault is an American thrash metal/crossover thrash band formed in 1984.-History:After the release of Anthrax's debut album Fistful of Metal, bass player Danny Lilker, a founding member of the group, was fired by the band...

Considered by Allmusic as contenders to the throne of East Coast thrash metal, Nuclear Assault were known for making room for serious subject matter in their careening speed metal riffs, while remaining close to hardcore

Hardcore punk

than most of their peers. Eduardo Rivadavia and John Franck of Allmusic cited their third album, Handle with Care

Handle with Care (Nuclear Assault album)

-Personnel:*Dan Lilker - Bass*John Connelly - Guitar/Vocals*Glenn Evans - Drums*Anthony Bramante - Lead Guitar-Anecdotes:The sentence "The svastika is calling you" which is heard at the very end of the song Torture Tactics, is taken from the movie The Blues Brothers...

, as their "truest band effort" and applauded it as "a record which stands the test of time as one of the East Coast's best offerings to the thrash metal genre".

Overkill
Overkill (band)
Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many line-up changes, with singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni remaining from the original lineup. Along with Anthrax , the band is one of the most successful East Coast thrash metal...
Possessed
Possessed (band)
Possessed is an American death metal band, originally formed in 1983. Noted for their fast style of playing and Jeff Becerra's guttural vocals, they are routinely called the first band in the death metal genre...

Allmusic considered Possesseds debut release, Seven Churches

Seven Churches (album)

- Personnel :*Jeff Becerra − Vocals, Bass*Larry LaLonde − Guitar*Mike Torrao − Guitar*Mike Sus − Drums*Randy Burns - Keyboard on Tracks 1 and 9....

as the missing link between thrash and death metal.

Prototype
Prototype (band)
Prototype is an American progressive metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1994.-1990s:Prototype was formed in 1994, when vocalist and guitarist Vince Levalois and guitarist Kragen Lum stopped performing as the Los Angeles band Psychosis and decided change the band's name to Prototype...

Q-T

Revocation
Revocation (band)
Revocation is an American extreme metal band from Boston, Massachusetts. The band was founded by guitarist and vocalist David Davidson, bassist and vocalist Anthony Buda and drummer Phil Dubois-Coyne in 2000. The band was originally known as Cryptic Warning, but it changed its name to Revocation in...
Sacrament

Sacrament was a Christian thrash metal band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their music was known for its evangelistic lyrics, and they often played to secular audiences. Formed in 1989, Sacrament is one of the pioneers Christian thrash metal bands. The band split-up in 1994.

Sadus
Sadus
Sadus is an American thrash metal trio from Antioch, California.-History:Sadus was formed in 1984 in Antioch, California. While their very first efforts were influenced by early thrash metal bands, such as Slayer or Death, the band would later develop its own musical style by adding complicated...

San Francisco's Sadus became an underground sensation long before they recorded their first album, thanks to their amazingly influential D.T.P.

D.T.P.

D.T.P. is an album by the American thrash metal band Sadus. It was originally released as a demo in 1986 and later re-issued on CD by Hammerheart Records in 2003. The title means Death to Posers...

and Certain Death demos. According to Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic, Saduss debut Illusions "stood balanced on a knife's edge between (...) thrash and death metal", and considered it to be a very accomplished and fine debut.

Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...

Known for their anti-Christian themes as much for their music, Slayer is considered to be one of most distinctive, influential, and extreme thrash metal bands of the 1980s. Their downtuned rhythms, wildly chaotic guitar solos and graphically violent lyrics set the standards for the emerging death metal scene during the 80s. Slayer was one of the few bands that did not deviate from their thrash roots during the 90s. Their masterpiece, Reign in Blood

Reign in Blood

, has been widely considered "the pinnacle of speed metal" and has been called "the heaviest album of all time" by Kerrang!

Kerrang!

Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...

Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...

Controversial hardcore punk

Hardcore punk

band Suicidal Tendencies crossed-over into thrash after their classic self-titled

Suicidal Tendencies (album)

-Personnel:* Mike Muir – lead vocals* Grant Estes – guitar[A]* Louiche Mayorga – bass, backing vocals* Amery Smith – drums-Production:* Glen E...

debut in 1983. Their 1988 release, How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today

How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today

How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today is the third album by the American crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies, released on Epic Records on September 13, 1988....

, is considered to be one of their best efforts, along with their 1990s commercial success, Lights...Camera...Revolution!

Lights...Camera...Revolution!

Lights...Camera...Revolution! is an album by Suicidal Tendencies, which was released in 1990. It is their fourth proper studio album as their previous release, Controlled By Hatred/Feel Like Shit...Déjà Vu, is considered a double-EP of stop-gap material rather than a full-length album.This was the...

Swashbuckle
Swashbuckle (band)
Swashbuckle are an American thrash metal band from Mercer County, New Jersey, formed in 2005. They are currently signed to Nuclear Blast Records...
Temple of Blood
Temple of Blood
Temple of Blood is an American Christian metal band. Musically, they are influenced by the thrash metal music of bands like Annihilator and Megadeth and the traditional heavy metal music by bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest....

Temple of Blood is a Christian thrash metal band from Alabama. Their debut, Prepare for the Judgement of Mankind

Prepare for the Judgement of Mankind

Prepare for the Judgement of Mankind is the 2005 debut album by the Christian Speed/Thrash metal band Temple of Blood. The album was received very well by many critics. The final track Deliver Us From Evil is a Deadly Blessing cover and features a special guest in vocalist Ski, formerley the singer...

has received positive reviews in general from several webzines, including No Life Til' Metal and Heaven's Metal webzine of HM Magazine

HM Magazine

HM: The Hard Music Magazine is an American bimonthly publication focusing on both Christianity and hard rock. Articles include news, album and festival reviews, posters, artists to watch, indie artist reviews, devotionals and interviews with Christian artists...

Testament
Testament (band)
Testament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...

The San Francisco quintet Testament,as put by Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic, were "once on the verge of (...) transforming the Big Four of Thrash into the Big Five". Their debut, The Legacy was hailed as an instant classic within thrash metal circles. Alex Henderson of Allmusic cited The New Order

The New Order

The New Order is the second album by American heavy metal band Testament, released on May 10, 1988. It is the album that broke Testament into the thrash metal mainstream, with singles "Trial by Fire" and "The Preacher"...

as the band's "best offering ever", and called Testaments cover of Aerosmith

Aerosmith

Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...

's "Nobody's Fault" in the album as "one of the band's finest accomplishments".

Tourniquet
Tourniquet (band)
Tourniquet is a Christian thrash / heavy metal band that was formed in 1989 by Ted Kirkpatrick, Guy Ritter and Gary Lenaire in Los Angeles, California, USA. They are known for incorporating elements of thrash, neo-classical and progressive metal into their music...

Christian metal band Tourniquet have received several accolades, including being voted as "Favourite band of the decade (1990-1999)", amongst other categories on the 1999 HM Magazine

HM Magazine

Reader's Poll.

Toxik
Toxik
Toxik is an American thrash metal band from Peekskill, New York. The band plays a style of thrash metal with elements of progressive metal, which would later be named "progressive thrash metal". Initially active from 1985 to 1992, the band reformed in 2007....

U-Z

Warbringer
Warbringer
Warbringer is an American thrash metal band. The band formed in 2004. Warbringer is signed to Century Media Records. Century Media signed Warbringer after seeing them at a local show in LA. Originally, a Century Media rep was at the show to see another LA thrash metal band but decided to sign...

California thrashers Warbringer are a part of the thrash metal re-emergence in the 2000s. Eduardo Rivadavia of Allmusic praised their impressive debut, War Without End, for "synthesizing numerous first-wave influences into a consistently exciting and fresh-sounding batch of songs".

External links

List of thrash metal bands on Musicmight

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.