Overkill would most likley be one of the best thrash bands if not the best. Heres a list of some awesome thrash bands.
Agent Steel
Annihilator
Atrophy
Coven
Darkness
Deathrow
Demolition Hammer
Defiance
Exciter
Exodus
Exumer
Forbidden
Hallows Eve
Heathen
Infernal Majesty
Meliah Rage
Morbid Saint
Mortal Sin
Nasty Savage
Possessed
Razor
Sadus
Toxik
Vio-Lence
Xentrix
Thrash metal was born in 1983 and still going strong.

I thought it sucked. Then again, I quite grew out of Kreator.

Pestilence's debut is some quality thrash metal. Killer riffs on that album.

Oh well, guess it's understandable. Most of the reviews for it here are very positive though.

Malleus Maleficarum is cool, though I think that Pestilence really came into their own as a band with the release of Consuming Impulse (which still retains a ton of thrash influence, to be honest).

I don't recall hearing thrashy stuff on Consuming Impulse. I remember the album has one of earliest examples of ''true'' death metal. Been a while since I actually heard it however. These days Pestilence's debut is the only one I still enjoy.

Eh, I think CI retains a lot of MM's thrashy flavor, though it's certainly a death metal record (and a great one, at that). And hey, speaking of brutal thrash, what do you think of Sepultura, Colin? Haven't seen them being discussed much around these parts.

I'm just curious: Do you guys prefer this remastered, sped-up version or the original? I think I would go with remastered...

I like everything up to Schizophrenia. Everything after until Chaos A.D would have been enjoyable if it wasn't for the one dimensional gruff vocals.

Considering one is on vinyl and the other on CD you'll have different responses to that. Both are pretty hard to find nowadays though. I have the CD version and have no big complaints apart from the audible crackling.

Has anyone heard of Scythian. It has some black and death elements with interesting melodies and synths. They're similar to Bathory and they have some savage thrashing in the vein of german thrash and swedish death/thrash.

What's some thrash that employs multiple guitar tones and riffing techniques?

Definitely the original! After listening to one track of the original recording on youtube, it temporarily became my goal in life to find the original vinyl ripped recording. After listening to the original, the sped up feels unnatural to me. I'm never going back to that sped up version.

It may seem kind of banal to get worked up over something like this. However, It's just one of those things.

Hey guys just found out about this site and bloody love it!!!!!!

I find it daunting to try and sift through all the pages to find what I am sure has been answered before, so here goes.....

I like traditional heavy metal, thrash, progressive and a tiny little bit of core but am sort of limited in the bands that I like and want to expand the amount of bands. I know these bands wont be everyone's taste but I'm hoping for some really good suggestions.
The bands that I like are : Metallica ( I like all their stuff but predominately the first 5 albums)
Dream theater, avenged sevenfold (waking the fallen onwards), trivium ( their latest was a bit hit and miss), protest the hero, bullet for my valentine ( can only just stand the vocals ) and a couple more.

As much as my favourite part of the music is the guitar the thing that stops me liking other bands that I know that are similar to the ones I've listed is the vocals. I like the vocalist to sing and not growl, scream or be cheesy aggressive. I like that grit but without sounding like it is so forced and unnatural, as much as I like the music side of bands like megadeath, evile and testament the vocals just prevent me from liking it.

Basically if you know of any bands that are similar to especially Metallica( modern vocals) avenged sevenfold ( waking onwards vocals) and trivium ( clean vocals) with the heavy riffs and solos I would love to hear them.
Or even if there are some good instrumental bands I would love to hear them.

I would actually recommend you go back to the last three or four Megadeth albums. That should be acceptable for you, vocals wise.

Thanks for the suggestion, just did as you said and while i really like the music side the i just cant like the vocals, they just sound so forced an unnatural

Metal Church: S/T and "The Dark"
Heathen: "Victims of Deception" and "The Evolution of Chaos"

What Testament albums did you listen to? The first two "The Legacy" and "The New Order" weren't growly like the latest ones (and they're better on the whole).

I think the more you listen to harsh vocals the more you'll come to appreciate them. I pretty sure it's the same for everyone...

I'm looking for some "dirty thrash" in the vein of Reign In Blood, Darkness Descends, or Pleasure to Kill- basically intense thrash that borders death and/or black metal. Good bass work is a definete plus.

I know of Slayer, Kreator, Dark Angel, Sadus, Venom, Bathory, and Sodom. Anything else is fair game as far as I'm concerned.

Check out the suggestions in this thread, especially Morbid Angel, Merciless, and Protector.

Check out Hypnosia, Sauron, Coroner, Hellwitch, Morbid Saint. I think you'll enjoy them.

Demolition Hammer is a given.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etrb25WNE4A

Epidemic is a little more obscure, but very dirty and fast so should be right up your alley.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZSNaL9a9RY

Funeral Nation is some Slayer worship.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74ePc3Ua ... re=related

Num Skull is exactly what you want and very awesome. Enough said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGVi7Mi_rtE

Ritual Sacrifice. Can really hear the Slayer and Dark Angel influence. This song is a live version and is a bit sloppy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fCvaOposI0

Vulcano - The early Brazillian scene has quite a few bands that are very dirty and quite fast and Vulcano is one of the leading bands.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIaUnu3eltQ

Mutilator - Another early Brazilian band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUB7N2XLAsw

Chakal - Another Brazilian band. Check out this album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIMjxRQEzY4

Sarcofago - Pretty much a given from the early Brazillian scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxLZfIl5RRs

Holocausto - Another Brazilian one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8ljbp6-hA0


Schizo - Very dirty and quite fast thrash from Italy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aUNGlCq95w

Bulldozer - Dirty speed metal from Italy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anzP6e9wzXI

Root - Not particularly fast but dirty and a good example of first wave black metal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHYNOMKC ... re=related

Death Strike - Also listen to Master which is where Speckman went next. Good dirty proto-death metal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JexX_YfudwY

Possessed - You probably already know them but essential and a staple for the beginnings of death metal and fits your description to a tee.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ehsl1bpEInQ

Maybe Artillery's debut?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xeg3hVZh ... re=related

Hobbs Angel of Death - Dirty Australian thrash with a nice Slayer influence. Got that evil sound you can hear on some of Slayer's material. Not particularly fast but worth a mention.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAOdh4A3Vlk

Deathrow - The first 2 albums in particular sounds along the lines of what you want before they went more technical. Excellent stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kzt9p77 ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE-IHewl ... re=related

Protector - Dirty death/thrash from Germany. Not particularly fast but worth a mention.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNSFzjgsKH4

Dissection - The thrash band is quite fast and dirty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF34gJSm3Es

Blood Feast - Fast and dirty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSFJJzWFlrQ

Aggressor - A little monotone for me but very fast and dirty in a Slayer way. Worth a listen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3gYWMqYHio

Devastation - Great for Exhorder fans with good, heavy bass work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7yvR94g ... re=related

Incubus - good example of oldschool death/thrash. Should be up your alley.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcEYedZ66lo

Morbid Saint - Should be one of the first on your list to check out. They are your description on steroids and catchy and just generally awesome songwriting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OuPVaWUGKA

Ripping Corpse - Another excellent example.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MBFN6HSIto

Cranium is not really death or thrash but it is crazy and fast and dirty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6bnWrcpWLM

Leviathan (US)....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUVzA5_7kQE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-htHHI0Wt4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v4XUQjLR7E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WquJsUAfcBY

Chris Barnes' band before Cannibal Corpse...
Don't worry it drinks heavily from the glass of darkness descends and pleasure to kill...

I need more WEIRD and/or technical thrash metal. I'm very well-versed with this niche so I'm hoping that someone can namedrop some really obscure ones I've missed.

Turbulence (Greece), Hexen and Exmortus (more like death/thrash, but give it a try).

Now, does anyone know any band with riffing similar to this track?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cpKat5fiyM

I know the sound is closer to "djent" than regular thrash metal, but I figured that would be the best thread to ask for a recommendation.
PS: I'm not looking for bands similar to Meshuggah, or similar to this guy as well, since I only like this particular piece.

ASPID
DESPRESSIVE AGE - First Depression
OSIRIS - Futurity and Human Depressions
SKITZO - Progressive Psychosis demo
LETHAL OUTCOME - recent demo tracks from their MySpace page
SYNAPTIK
ANTAGONIST - EP

I think I've recommended you Sore Plexus and Psycho Symphony before, but if not try them, both definitely on the weird side of things. Dreadnot is a really interesting band to me; their only material is on demo tapes and rehearsals so I hope production isn't an issue, because their earlier material is great tech-thrash instrumentally, and their last demo Cypothiensis is one of the coolest things I've heard recently, although maybe more like avant-prog-influenced metal with thrashy moments rather than actual prog/thrash. Dreadnot also had some relations with the band Transilience (and they did have an official album release). A new band that sounds really great to me is Rubella Muti, who play a kind of Voivodian thrash but with less space and more swagger (although some tracks are almost more Angel Rat-style).

Thanks for recs Temple and Hamburger. Skitzo, Lethal Outcome, Synaptik, Sore Plexus, Dreadnot, Cypothiensis, Transilience and Rubella Muti I haven't yet heard or heard of and that's way more than I expected to be getting.

I have to mention since they were namedropped that Depressive Age is so god damn great it's unreal. It's just crazy how mature and able they were even on their FIRST RECORD which still is my favourite from their discography.

Psycho Symphony is another gem of a band. Very psychotic indeed but all the better for it.

I can't agree more. I recently started listening to it and it's been blowing my mind.

I think Lying in Wait is almost as excellent as First Depression, although it's maybe a bit more straight-forward on a whole. Even though Electric Scum is pretty far from metal, I think even it was pretty unique as an alternative rock/metal album. Great band with a sound that was entirely their own.

Based on what I've heard from "Lying in Wait" I'd agree.

Anyone know any 80's thrash metal that's similar to Hell Awaits, Reign in Blood or has that 'brutal' sound to it?

Stuff like Pleasure to Kill, Darkness Descends, Beneath the Remains, None Shall Devy, Piece of Time(more death but yeah...)

EDIT: Heh seems something similar has already been answered few posts up..... if there's any others that have not been linked (Hell Awaits/Reign in Blood stuff) then please do!

Came across this band the other day who give off a heavy Hell Awaits vibe aside from the blasting which is minimal. Pretty rad.

Cauldron
http://cauldron6.bandcamp.com/

Awesome find there

motherfucking Slaughter Lord

I've been listening to Dream Death's Journey into Mystery a ton as of late, and it really got me craving more thrash metal with emphasis on death metal and doom metal. Any suggestions? Insanity, Hypnosia, The Crown, Dew Scented, etc. come to mind but I need more, more, more!

^ Protector - Urm the Mad

It's a death/thrash album which happens to have one of the greatest doom metal songs ever.

Deathchain's Deathrash Assault is probably my favourite death/thrash albums. Not so much of an emphasis on the doom, but there are a couple of slower songs.

I am quite new to the Thrash metal scene (beyond the big 4), so I'm always looking to find some more bands. Currently my favourite thrash bands are Anthrax, Overkill (ADORE The Electric Age album <3), Testament, Swashbuckle, Havoc and Angelus Apatrida. Kreator are OK to me, but I'm honestly not a fan of Slayer. So something closer to Anthrax or Testament is preferable. I'm also quite fond of the concept of Power/Thrash crossover bands, although I don't know very many.

For more straight-up thrash, I'd recommend groups like Artillery, Watchtower, Holy Terror, Annihilator, Hallows Eve, Forbidden, Essence, Destruction, Ulysses Siren, and Bonded By Blood.

If you're looking for more technical/"wanky" thrash, then you need to check out Toxik, Vektor, Heathen, and Coroner.

For power/thrash, there's the obvious Iced Earth and Nevermore, but then there's also the less-obvious Agent Steel, Flotsam and Jetsam, Shatter Messiah, Imagika, Mystic Prophecy, Paradox, and Realm.

That should be more than enough to get you started. Happy listening!

For weird AND technical, check out Astharoth from Poland.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LruQkUKA-E

Now slightly less weird and technical, infact I wouldn't call/classify them as 'technical thrash metal', but there's more technicality in them than in general thrash metal.
Turbo - listen to Last Warrior album (released as Ostatni Wojownik if you prefer Polish version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKgaKBcNmsU

Mandator - their second album, Perfect Progeny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZNEPCe7Gwk

Maelstrom - This battle to make history yet history never comes from 1991 is some amazing, weird, and technical thrash. Very obscure in this niche but one of the best imo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4nhfYWiuHg

recs on thrash metal with obvious black metal influences, with rasped vocals and tremolo picking and raw thrash metal energy with a slight melody. Skeletonwitch, Desaster are my favorites in this particular genre.