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One of the key bands from the Bay Area thrash metal scene, Metallica are considered to be one of the Big Four of thrash.

This is an alphabetized list of thrash metal bands, i.e. bands that have played thrash metal at some point during their career. This list, however, also includes certain bands belonging to the first wave of black metal. These bands essentially played thrash metal with a heavy emphasis on Satanic and occult themes in lyrics as well as imagery.[1]

Thrash metal was the product of American bands, who fused the sound of New Wave of British Heavy Metal with the speed of hardcore punk in the early 80s[2]. Thrash metal was also the major influence in the development of extreme genres like groove metal[3], death metal and the second wave of black metal[4].

Slayer, the most extreme of the Big Four, had a great influence on the early death metal scene.

Notable bands from the early American thrash metal scene include Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax, collectively referred to as the Big Four of Thrash.[5] Kreator, Sodom, Destruction and Sepultura are some of the notable thrash bands outside the USA.

Several thrash bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Kreator streamlined their sound to an accessible, radio-friendly style in the early 90s[2]. However, thrash metal has seen a resurgence in recent times, with many of the older bands returning to their thrash roots with their new releases.[6]


United States United States of America

Known for their experimentation and tempering often serious music with a healthy dose of humor and realism, Anthrax was the most adventurous in terms of genre-crossing from the big four. Along with Metallica and Megadeth, they were responsible for the emergence of speed and thrash metal[7]. Among the Living, their fourth album, is considered by Steve Huey of All Music Guide as "arguably Anthrax's foremost achievement". The album is generally considered as the band's best effort and is listed second on the Top 10 Best Heavy Metal Albums Of 1987 by Chad Bowar of About.com[8][9].

Although Los Angeles thrashers Dark Angel were formed in 1983 and had their debut album released in 1984, they are noted for spearheading the second round of the thrash metal wave in America[10]. Their third album, Time Does Not Heal, is hailed by critics as the band's "creative peak" and Ed Rivadavia of All Music Guide called it "a veritable masterpiece of thinking-man's thrash metal"[11]. However, some purists consider the group's true debut, Darkness Descends to be their best effort, and is considered as a minor thrash metal classic[12].

Once considered the kings of the Bay Area thrash metal scene, Exodus were unquestionably responsible for spawning that scene, which is widely accepted as the "birthplace of thrash". Exodus remained true to their thrash roots during the rise of the grunge and alternative metal scenes during the 90s[13][14]. Their debut album, Bonded by Blood, was named the Best Heavy Metal Album Of 1985 by About.com[15] and is considered by All Music Guide to be one of the "landmark albums" responsible for launching the thrash metal wave[16].

After being fired from Metallica due to alcohol problems, drug abuse and personality conflicts[17], Dave Mustaine formed Megadeth in 1983. Since then, Megadeth has released eleven studio albums; five of them certified platinum, with Countdown to Extinction certified multi-platinum[18][19]. 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"[20][21].

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, has been called "a thrash metal masterpiece" and "the greatest heavy metal album of all time" by All Music Guide[22][23]. From their underground roots the band have gone on to win seven Grammy awards[24] and have sold more than 90 million albums worldwide[25].

Although it is debated who came first on the East Coast thrash scene, New Jersey thrash quartet Overkill have stayed around the longest, remaining musically consistent and true to their roots, over 14 full-length albums and 2 EPs[26]. The Years of Decay, the last album to feature guitarist Bobby Gustafson, is considered to be a classic among Overkill fans and is often mentioned as the pinnacle of the East Coast thrashers' recording career[27].

Arguably one of the pioneers of death metal, Possessed set the stage for the genre's breakaway from thrash. Their debut release, Seven Churches is often cited as the first true death metal release, while All Music Guide considered it as the missing link between thrash and death metal.[28][29]

Known for their anti-Christian and Nazi 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[30][31]. Their masterpiece, Reign in Blood, has been widely considered "the pinnacle of speed metal" and has been called "the heaviest album of all time" by Kerrang! [32][33].

The San Francisco quintet Testament is often quoted as the biggest thrash metal band never to reach the platinum plateau[34], and as put by Ed Rivadavia of All Music Guide, Testament were "once on the verge of (...) transforming the Big Four of Thrash into the Big Five"[35]. Titled after their original name, Testament's debut, The Legacy was hailed as an instant classic within thrash metal circles[34] and Amazon.com's Jon Wiederhorn cited it as a fine example of "hook-laden thrash music"[36].

References

Template:Reflist-2

  1. ^ Dunn, Sam (Director) (Aug 5). Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (motion picture). Canada: Dunn, Sam. {{cite AV media}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  2. ^ a b "Thrash Metal". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  3. ^ "EOL Audio - Groove Metal". eraseronline.com. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  4. ^ "What Is Thrash Metal?". about.com. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  5. ^ Sharpe-Young, Garry (2002). A to Z of Thrash Metal (Rockdetector). Cherry Red books. p. 450. ISBN 190144709X. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ "Thrash Metal Revival". decibelmagazine.com. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
  7. ^ "Anthrax Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
  8. ^ "Among the Living". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  9. ^ "Top 10 Best Heavy Metal Albums Of 1987". about.com. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  10. ^ "Dark Angel Bio - Rockdetector". rockdetector.com. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  11. ^ "Time Does Not Heal". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  12. ^ "Darkness Descends". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  13. ^ "Exodus Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  14. ^ "Exodus Biography - Metalstorm". metalstorm.ee. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  15. ^ "Best Heavy Metal Albums of 1985". about.com. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  16. ^ "Bonded by Blood". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  17. ^ "Foreclosure of a Team: Metalhammer 1998". megadeth.rockmetal.art.pl. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
  18. ^ "Megadeth - RIAA Gold and Platinum albums". riaa.com. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  19. ^ "Megadeth Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
  20. ^ "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? - Bonus Tracks". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  21. ^ "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  22. ^ "Metallica Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
  23. ^ "Master of Puppets". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
  24. ^ "Metallica FAQs". rockonthenet.com. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
  25. ^ "SO WHAT! THE GOOD, THE MAD, AND THE UGLY". popmatters.com. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
  26. ^ "Overkill History". wreckingcrew.com. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  27. ^ "The Years of Decay". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  28. ^ "Possessed Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  29. ^ "Seven Churches". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  30. ^ "Slayer Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
  31. ^ "Slayer Why they rule". mtv.com. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  32. ^ "Reign in Blood". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
  33. ^ "Kerrang! Hall Of Fame". kerrang.typepad.com. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  34. ^ a b "Testament Biography". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  35. ^ "Testament - The Ritual". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  36. ^ "The Legacy - Testament". amazon.com. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
  37. ^ "The Crusade". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
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