The Unsung Heroes Of Thrash Metal

We all know Metallica, we all know Megadeth, we all know Anthrax and Slayer. These titans of thrash metal have ruled the roost for the past 20 years. What many people don’t know about is thrashes other great bands. All the bands featured in this article have created (and some still do) premier thrash metal yet never quite hit the big time.

Overkill

Hailing from New York Overkill were one of the premier bands of Thrashes second generation alongside the likes of Testament, Nuclear Assault and Exodus who made up the second ‘Big Four’ of thrash metal (the first being Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer). With their breakneck speed and huge riffs Overkill really gained a following in the underground, starting out as a covers band. Overkill, fronted by vocalist Bobby Ellsworth also featured the crushing guitar force of Dave Linsk and Derek Tailer with D.D. Verni (bass) and Tim Mallare (drums) providing the backbone. Overkill are definitely a solid thrash band and it’s believed the only reason they didn’t break out into the mainstream is due to lack of song diversity.

Recommended Listening: Horrorscope, Taking Over And Bloodletting.

wreckingcrew.com

Testament

Testament, the San Franciscan quintet, broke onto the thrash scene in 1987 with there debut The Legacy [The band were titled Legacy as they emerged from the Bay Area in the early 80’s but later changed name to Testament] which made waves among many metal fans, mainly due to its intense speeds. Interestingly Testament have had both of slayers previous drum for them with Paul Bostpath playing from 1992-1993 (he’s recently re-joined the band) and Dave Lombardo playing from ‘98 - ‘99. These are not the only line-up changes to plague the band who’ve had over 20 members including 7 guitarists, 8 drummers, 2 bassists and 2 vocalists. One of thrashes most widely respected bands who have never really broke out into the mainstream.

Recommended Listening: The Legacy, The New Order, The Best Of Testament.

testamentlegions.com

Nuclear Assault

Speed Metal riff kings Nuclear Assault took a more socially aware, more mature approach to there songs subject matter, dealing with political happenings, though not always did they take this approach. The bass-guitarist who played on Anthrax’ debut record (Danny Lilker) formed Nuclear Assault with vocalist and guitarist John Conelly because he wanted something a little bit more aggressive than the material being produced by Anthrax and over the years Nuclear Assault would create some of the most brutal and uncompromising thrash of the time and borrow from the Hardcore genre to mould an unbeatable form of speed metal.

Reccomended Listening: Game Over, Alive Again.

nuclearassault.us

Death Angel

Another band coming out of the Bay Area, this time made up of Indians. When Death Angel first came out they were noticed because of their drummer only being 14 years of age, and grabbed the attention of the legendary Cliff Burton who saw the band live. Death Angel have a very unique style of thrash which uses tempo changes and acoustic breaks to its advantage to create a unique style of brutality. A very original and often overlooked thrash act.

Recommended Listening: Act III, Ultra Violence.

deathangel.com

Vio-Lence

Probably the most devastating band to emerge from the mid ‘80s Vio-Lence, fronted by Sean Killian, started off playing small club and party shows and worked they way up after getting a manager and sealing a demo which would then be circulated through the tape trading scene. Vio-Lence finally got a record deal in ‘88 and put out the 7-track record Eternal Nightmare through the label Mechanic, a division of MCA. Definitely one of the more extreme thrash outfits, Sean Killian was chosen to front the group because of his passion for music and huge stage presence and on-stage antics.

Recommended Listening: Oppressing The Masses, Nothing To Gain.

vio-lence.com

Possessed

Unlike other bay-area speed kings Possessed were heavily influenced by Death Metal and used this to create a unique, dark, twisted blend of Death and Thrash. Back in the early 80s Possessed lost their first vocalist to suicide but later got a spot on a Metal Massacre compilation which attracted attention from Combat Record and the band later signed in 1985 and released there debut album Seven Churches set the stage for the decline of Thrash and the rise of Death Metal.

Recommended Listening : Seven Churches, Beyond The Gates.

Kreator

Hailing from Essen, Germany Kreator are probably the most successful and the best Thrash Metal band to ever come out of Europe. Originally called Tyrant then Tormenter Kreator was founded in 1982 by vocalist/guitarist Mille Petrozza, bassist Rob Fioretti, and drummer Jürgen Reil. After there first 2 demos gaining them a reputation on the tape trading scene Kreator signed to German label Noise Records in 1985 and recorded there debut in just 10 days, it was titled Endless Pain and helped start up the European thrash scene.

Reccomended Listening: Pleasure To Kill, Extreme Agression, Coma Of Soul

kreator-terrorzone.de

Destruction

Another band hailing from Germany, Destruction created permier speed metal back in the ‘80s but are often overlooked and overshadowed by other European bands like Germany’s own Kreator and Sodom. Destruction burst onto the scene with their 1984 debut ‘Sentence Of Death’ - a 6 track EP. Destructions big break came while touring with Thrash titans slayer and around 1986 they were europes top thrash act in many peoples opinions. Definitely a great and often very overlooked and overshadowed band for all you speed freaks out there.

Recommended Listening: Eternal Devastation, Metal Discharge, The Antichrist.

destruction.de

Resources: metalstorm.ee, vh1.com and official websites of the bands (See under each bio).

Special thanks to Duncan Brown (Whiskey_Leech) for his help and expertise.

Comments

[transcend]

nice list. Testament, Death Angel... some good bands on here.

[gottaleyy]

yeah!!!

[the_beastly_one]

Already into a few of the bands mentioned, but I'll definitely try to check out some of the others mentioned.

[Whiskey Leech]

nice one joe! \m/

[Thoreau's Pond]

sweet. good job.

[r_lightning]

excellent!!

[howrylak1]

testament rulez good list

[PoWeRBaSs]

That's a good list, for sure TestamenT,Overkill,Destruction rule! and remember...curse the gods!

P.s.
Well done man!

[mrantony]

I'll check some of those bands out.

[Bubonic Chronic]

I can't believe you didn't mention Practice What You Preach, nor especially Low, which I consider to be Testament's ultimate contribution to music. Truly a metal classic.

You do a service to everyone by enlightening us to these bands, though. Thrash is an overlooked genre, which most regular folks don't realize is what they have grown up calling "metal."

Some of the best thrash, by the way, came out during the Grunge era of the early nineties, but was ignored by radio because...well, thrashers have discovered that flannel is not good mosh pit wear.

Rock on!

[im not mental]

yeah, testament is cool! but what about Ministry?

[Ethorf]

are you crazy, ministrys called industrial, and yes they rule but their not thrash atall, testament and overkill rulllle mo***er, chuck billy has the best thrash voice e ver

[pyroheadbanger]

I always hear ministry called industrial but I haven't heard enough of them to know.That list OWNED man,very nicely done.Just goes to show you metallica zealots that there is more out there than the big four which was discussed in this article.

[DaddyTwoFoot]

I wouldn't say that Death Angel is unknown. They are quite possibly the absolutely most influential metal band when it comes to the death metal/grindcore scene.

[darkstar9814]

that was a pretty good list

[Diceman42]

yeah, testament is cool! but what about Ministry?

1. unsung 2. ministry = industrial

Im also gonna throw in the following bands (CHECK THEM OUT!):

Accept - German Thrash metal
Armored Saint
Artillery - Danish Thrashers
Helloween
Metal Church

[senile]

^^^Metal Church owns

finally, hopefully this article will help others realize that their is more to thrash than metallica, megadeth, slayer, and anthrax

[The Jin]

finally!!!.. i knew there had to be more thrash than metallica megadeth slayer and anthrax but i couldnt find ANY. thanks to this i know some new onessss. THANK YOU

[lVl lVl_4life]

Thrash 4 life!!

[rhcpcure2826]

maybe these bands would be better-liked if they didnt make such corny, white trash metal band names...



'Death Angel'? 'Destruction'?

[OffspringPhreak]

cool article, people should do this with all types of music(putting out the underground and lesser known bands), because sometimes they are a lot better than the more known bands. great work, i'm saving this page and special ordering some records now

[stormchaser]

Those are some good bands. another very unknown thrash band which just released there debut called Betrayer is also very good. I'm going to go listen to Possessed now.

[Lymbe]

Good music, close the lights, put your feet up...

[dying_soul]

one of the guys from primus used to be in possesed. metal church owns and so does testament

[PsychoWolfD]

Where's Diamond Head? Great list , though. Nuclear Assault is brilliant!

[xxgenocide98xx]

Yeah you forgot diamondhead... They arent SOOO unknown. but they're all good, informative etc.

[asphyXy]

WOW...

First of all, Overkill invented thrash metal. How the hell are they "2nd generation"? They had demos as early as 83, and their first album was out in 85. Exodus also is not "2nd generation", as they had demos as far back as 82, and their first album was supposed to come out in 84, but it got delayed.

Second of all, there is nothing "speed metal" about Nuclear Assault. They are pure thrash, and they are most certainly NOT "mature". Their lyrics are hilariously over the top, and every one of their albums has a few joke songs/throwaway songs. Dicks of Death anyone?

Third of all, Possessed is notorious for being the founders of the genre of death metal, so I fail to see how they are "unsung".

Fourth of all, everything Destruction did in the early 80s was pure thrash. Destruction has nothing to do with speed metal.

It's good to see these bands getting recognition on a website like this where every other topic is about Good Charlotte and whatnot, but come on. Get your facts straight.

[asphyXy]

Also, how could you forget about Dark Angel? Darkness Descends is the most brutal thrash metal album ever.

[BSabbath69]

Thrash And Speed Metal are The Same

[Vinura]

thash n speed?
the same?

well...thrash is kinda heavier, i guess its the power chords

and speed is more like what dave mustaines solos sound like i guess

either way they r both the most headbangin types of metal i herd

[peaceablesavage]

dude, thrash & speed metal are not the same thing at all thrah is bands like seputura & 6 day war whereas speed metal is in most cases infinately more complicated, bands like cacophany and people like steve vai, joe satriani, yngwie malmstein, jason becker & eric johnson.

[peaceablesavage]

by the way for those of you who dont know them cacophony is a band made up of ex megadeth guitarist
marty friedman and jason becker (if you like crazy solos listen to them along with the other speed metlers
I mentioned)

[CvPrEpKiLLaH]

AMAZING. 35'th! lol. I think I'm gonna seriously check those out. I've finally reached the "Metallica isn't the only metal band, but still my favorite" stage. And I'm open to new music.

[CvPrEpKiLLaH]

btw, Children of Bodom kick ASS... Is that thrash?

[spookykid_6000]

Great column Joe :cheers:

[spookykid_6000]

Also:

Possessed really can't have been influenced by death metal as they pre-dated death metal, and some even say that they started it.

And Helloween is progressive, not thrash, and Diamond Head is NWOBHM, not thrash.

[Heid]

Have heard of some of those. I'm always interested in listening to heavy bands whether fanous or not. It beats listening to Kerrang!

[YouKnowYourRite]

"CvPrEpKiLLaH:
btw, Children of Bodom kick ASS... Is that thrash?
[POSTED: 14 October 2004 - 04:30]| "

they're not thrash and not unsung.

[foster_mustaine]

Thrash is great music and this is a good list of unknowns. Testament got fairly big and so did Exodus but Megadeth is the best but they are well known. Anyway, good list.

[mr Mcgeetar]

has anyone heard shadows fall they have a new album out now, their one of my faves.

i know a local band called mendeed, u should try and find some of there stuff on the net, any of you glasgow rockers may have heard them

[Lick_Soloist]

Thats a kool list, other topic ^^ Shadows fall are ***ing awsome, SHRED SOLO's they r awsome, metal and a half!!

[asphyXy]

"Thrash And Speed Metal are The Same"

LMAO! You are so foolish.
Thrash: Exodus, Dark Angel, Kreator, Torture Squad, Hypnosia, etc.
Speed: Judas Priest, old Blind Guardian, old Helloween, Primal Fear, etc.

Children of Bodom's "Hatebreeder" album is speed metal with screaming over it.

Shadows Fall is not thrash, and they are fairly mainstream. Everyone's heard of Shadows Fall.

[mr Mcgeetar]

ye i thot that, ther still pretty fast and heavy, u like dragonforce???

[`NeXxuS`]

nice to see some metal fans.

and lick_soloist, Shadows fall dont shred... and they are metalcore...

i still like them... but they arent actually metal.

[Erich yeung]

would sonata arctica be speed metal??? and is dimmu borgir death metal???

[spookykid_6000]

"LMAO! You are so foolish.
Thrash: Exodus, Dark Angel, Kreator, Torture Squad, Hypnosia, etc.
Speed: Judas Priest, old Blind Guardian, old Helloween, Primal Fear, etc.

Children of Bodom's "Hatebreeder" album is speed metal with screaming over it.

Shadows Fall is not thrash, and they are fairly mainstream. Everyone's heard of Shadows Fall.
[POSTED: 14 October 2004 - 17:20]| "

Thrash metal is basically playing metal fast, while speed metal retains the melody of heavy metal.

Children of Bodom is power metal with black metal vocals.

[PsychoWolfD]

I read an interview of Children of Bodom in a Nov. 2003 Guitar One magazine, and it listed the genre of COB to be 'Progressive Black Metal'...Oh well, what's the difference.

[mr Mcgeetar]

how would you guys catigorise dreamtheatre and symphony x

[f1v3m4g1cs]

those bands rule TESTAEMTN!!, OVERKILL!! KREATOR!!! DEATH ANGEL!!!

[yeller56]

To you guys I have sinned, cause I don't like Dream Theatre's vocals....Oh well I'm sure you'll guys get over it.

[deathshead]

what the hell is with that guy, how come there is no Whiplash in that list

[deathshead]

or Sacred Reich

[deathshead]

Dreamtheater and symphony x are progressive metal by the way

[deathshead]

HAHA oh yea What about D.R.I., Sepultura, M.O.D., Atrophy

[hotdog_warmcat]

All the ones you dudes are bitchin about are already well known. kick ass list. but why didn't ya say something about how vio-lence was started by robb flynn, the leader of machine head (also has phil demmel, their guitarist)?

[hotdog_warmcat]

oh and not to mention why is testament on there? they're as well known as anthrax at least

[kyle_afi]

no one can ever make a list that satisfies everyone. why can't people just stop bitching for once?

[Diceman42]

I urge all of you to download "Balls to the Wall" by Accept. You will not be disappointed (background vocals galore).

[masterofmuppets]

hey, nice article joe! \m/\m/
kreator feckin own!

[InjusticeForAll]

Yeah, Cool Underground Bands...

[mesaboogieman]

cool

deathsbed: post everything in one response, or you get a warning.

spam deleted.

[the_beastly_one]

rhcpcure2826:
maybe these bands would be better-liked if they didnt make such corny, white trash metal band names...



'Death Angel'? 'Destruction'?
[POSTED: 13 October 2004 - 10:31]|

And you suck.

peaceablesavage:
by the way for those of you who dont know them cacophony is a band made up of ex megadeth guitarist
marty friedman and jason becker (if you like crazy solos listen to them along with the other speed metlers
I mentioned)
[POSTED: 14 October 2004 - 03:58]|

Would definitely recommend either of the Cacophony albums, or Marty's solo album, Dragon's Kiss which is in the same vain, but completely instrumental.


On the subject of the article I'd also recommend Onslaught, Sacred Reich and Virus to be added to the list- very good and worth checking out if you like your thrash.

[MisterChainsaw]

Maybe they would be a little more noticed if they didn't throw together stupid ass drop D riffs and scream. Bands like these have no talent, with the exception of a little metallica. They should get a little more creative and stop going mainstream and tweaking everyone elses style. Get your own personality.

[Ozzyfan2005]

ok article

[The_Trooper14]

what about PANTERA

[laffyjam]

Umm... you forgot Flotsam & Jetsam and Annihalator.

[SkAsupafly]

omfg trooper ur so right ^^ they did forget pantera. RIP DIME. one of the greatest bands.... but they aren't "UNSUNG"

[wildchild6660]

SkAsupafly wrote:

omfg trooper ur so right ^^ they did forget pantera. RIP DIME. one of the greatest bands.... but they aren't "UNSUNG"

Well, maybe its because a lot of people consider Pantera "Groove metal"

[Mikenikes666]

i listen to most of these bands but the others i will be sure to check out.

[oldmetallica]

Wheres Metal Church?!?!?!
Overkill and Testament are pretty good.

[oldmetallica]

some good older thrash would be Accept and Raven. I like em I dont know if you guys do though.

[oldmetallica]

And all it would have taken for Testament to be in the first big four would be earlier debut. They wouldve kicked Anthrax outa the top 4... not saying I don't like Anthrax. First 3 albums kill..

[kattaway96]

Great article, but where is exodus?