Inspired by the "black metal help thread", I've decided to give the same format for thrash a try!

I've noticed a huge amount of people here are just getting into thrash and are looking for more information/bands. The amount of questions asked is enormous and a lot of rec. threads wouldn't be needed with this thread.

Looking to get into thrash, want to delve more into it or you simply have questions about the genre? This is the place to ask.

I'll start. Can anyone recommend good thrash revivalists (is that an oxymoron?) Just curious, seeing as there's a lot of bad press from the new thrashers.

Violator should be a good start for Thrash Revival

EDIT:

Give Warbringer a chance also. There young, but they can fucking thrash. Yea, there album is not perfect, but there good at what they do. Don't let that 62% rating on MA be the judge of them.

Evile!

My personal favourites (founded after '80s and still active) are Violator, Fueled by Fire, Torture Squad, Meltdown, Headshot, Legion of the Damned and Nocturnal Breed.

As for Evile, they're ok but nowhere near some of the other retro-thrash. Same goes for Warbringer, which seems to be the most acclaimed band.

Violator, Nocturnal Breed, Warbringer ... are ones I'm familar with. Definitely check them out.

Evile is definitely not as great as a lot may say. If you want to check them out, get the Hell Demo which contains a handful of material that later appeared on their full length album, however they "cleaned" up the production a bit with that release and honestly, just lost quite an edge to the music with doing so. The rawer Hell demo version of the tracks are a lot better in my opinion.

Victimizer (Dnk) is good stuff too.

And Destructor is really an underated band. Founded in the 80's, released some new stuff over the last few years that kicks a lot of ass and really tears things up with that retro vibe.

They're the one who has a singer that sounds like Hetefield right?

No they're a death/thrash metal band and the vocals don't sound anything like any era of Metallica. Check them out if you're into brutal thrash or death/thrash, definitely worth a listen. They have a new album out (Feel the Blade, 2008) which is great. Can't wait to see them live in July.

Oh, sorry I was thinking of Perzonal War. I don't know why I thought this band was Perzonal War so sorry. But damn, LotD is damn impressive stuff man! Thanks for the rec!

Thanks for the recs.
Warbringer: I liked them, I can see why people hate them but I like TOTAL WAAAAARGH!

Torture Squad: I've reviewed their live album, so yeah. Me likey!

Fueled by Fire: I like the feel, but they sing about killing posers all the time! Sure, let's kill posers, but can't they sing about something else!

The others I'll check out later, still trolling the P2P networks for mp3s.

Yeah the lyrics are somewhat silly but the excellent riffage makes up for that.

Question: what are you peoples favourite thrash releases of 2008 so far? Mine are Parasite of Society (Headhunter), As Above So Below (Headshot), Electrify (Paradox), Chaos and Brutality (Hirax), Awaiting Evil (Hatchet), Feel the Blade (Legion of the Damned) and Hellbound (Torture Squad).

I've got the feeling I have a whole lot of catching up to do for 2008, looking forward to the new Gama Bomb, Pitiful Reign, Kreator (live DVD), Artillery (live DVD) and Bonded By Blood.

Imagika have been going for quite a while now, but don't play pure thrash. Still a good band.

Majster Kat are a very good thrash band from Slovakia or somewhere I don't entirely remember, vocals suck, but still quality old school sounding thrash. At the end of 2007 their debut was my favorite album of the year. However, I've since picked up a couple of albums that are better from the year.

If you like Legion of the Damned, you might probably also like One Man Army and the Undead Quartet. They are very death metal influenced, but you really should give them a try. They sound pretty nice to me.

I'll third 'Torture Squad'. I would recommend 'Pandemonium' from them, thought I haven't heard the whole of 'The Unholy Spell' yet.
Also, the other recs sound interesting, so thanks for that anyways.

Yep, I love Pandemonium and I thought Torture Squad's live album was okay. Haven't found their new album yet.

Oh and I just finished listening to Legion of the Damned's Feel the Blade giggity giggity goo! THAT is some damn fine thrash!

EDIT: So...what other bands are good. So far I've heard of Hatchet, Bonded by Blood, Fueled by Fire, Warbringer, Torture Squad, Legion of the Damned, Evile. I'm looking for Legion of the Damned/Torture Squad/Warbringer-alikes mostly.

For a band like slayer try Evile. Good solid first album, very fast unrelenting release. I've seen them live about 6 times and they are good solid band. most recent tour with Exodus, they got better reviews.

For a more punk angle try Municipal Waste or SSS (yes I know MW are quite old, but they are not old school). MW are hilarious to see live and all their albums are good. My favourite is probably Hazardous Mutation. SSS are a little more patchy, I just can't get in to them but I think that's my failing rather then theirs.

For something a little more extravagant and funny try Gama Bomb. They first release is in a few weeks but most of the tracks are from their last EP Survival of the Fastest. Most of their songs have humorous, zombie movie based themes but don't discount them. The lyrics are well crafted and their lead guitarist is talented. Excellent band to see live.

For that classic bay area sound from young kids go for Bonded By Blood. Sounds too old school for me (circa 85 demo tape style).

Having written all that I've just realised they are all signed to Earache... I need to get some more influences

Getting in to thrash at the moment is easy. There are a lot of good bands around and a lot waiting in the wings to get signed if the scene picks up.

If the scene picks up? Of course it will, it's like '86/'87 again!

Of course I hope the scene does pick up and Earache, RR and Nuclear Blast have all signed thrash bands in the last 6 months.... but, well I don't want to get my hopes up.... he he it is just like 86 isn't it... yippeee

Man there are SO many good gigs on at the moment. If you haven't done so GO TO A THRASH GIG... IT'S AWESOME

Now I need to calm down and get back to work

Damn straight! Last October, I went to a Megadeth show! Incidentally, there are more Indonesian thrash bands, but most of 'em haven't recorded anything.

Sidenote: I'm going to be in LA from June to July, hopefully I'll be able to go to a few gigs!

You need Sauron (US). This is by far the most retro-sounding band... and this band kicks ass. Raw, dirty, with great riffs! Some black metal influences are present (this sounds like a first wave black metal band with some aspects of second wave black metal). Other than several tremolo-picked riffs, this band sounds like they've recorded a demo in the 80s and split up.


Check out Fastkill, too. Very fast (as the name suggests), quite brutal, and the vocals are kind of unique, and good (harsh falsettos?).

Blood Tsunami, For a Powerful death Thrash sound.
Toxic Holocaust, Like blackened thrash.
Avenger of Blood, just awesome.
Municipal Waste, for a punk like thrash.
Wolf Pack Unleashed, another great thrash band, vocals sound a little like Tallica'.

There's nothing wrong with singing about killing posers? Are you a poser??

Violator is by far the best band in the retro-thrash movement, there album is excellent - better than some 80's classics I'd say.

I also recommend to EVERYONE if you haven't heard Rumpelstiltskin Grinder to check them out, awesome speed/thrash band no one seems to know about.

Warning: the insane speed might cause your neck to fall off.

I've been trying to find more thrash like Toxik's 'World Circus' (I think I picked up that rec from a thread you made earlier last month, DGYDP). Laaz Rockit is another good example, now that I think about it.

Basically something very fast-paced, shrieky vocals, and catchy intense riffing. Time period isn't really an issue, I'd actually like to see some more current bands in this style since most seem to be doing the more Exodus/Kreator thing. I'd say the main criteria is fast and shrieky.

Artillery is the first thing that came to mind. High-pitched vocals (though nothing tops the pitch of Toxik's vocals ), melodic riffs and leads, with overall technicality.

I've already got that (though I haven't heard their "Fear of Tomorrow" album), they're good stuff

I recommend some Czech Republic Thrash Metal from the late 80s

Well that thread was specifically aimed at such thrash so I'm sure you'll find some bands of interest there. Xentrix is similar though they are less shrieky. An obvious one is Forbidden, though they are more aggresive.

Good luck finding a lot of similar bands, because Artillery and Toxik are quite unique. But I'm guessing other technical/progressive thrash might fit, so search in that direction. I think we'll have to wait a couple more years before new bands in the style start releasing stuff, simply because it's a more "evolved" style of thrash. Just as in the '80s this type of thrash didn't exist at all in the beginning.

edit: how could I foget Watchtower and Mekong Delta? (probably because they're very obvious)

Okay, then check out Watchtower. Uber-technical (but still having catchy riffs)thrash with very high-pitched vocals.

Damn, I've actually heard (and love) every band the last two of you mentioned. I fucking worship the ground that Forbidden and WatchTower walk on (two of my favorite bands). I've only got The Music of Erich Zahn from Mekong Delta, but that's not exactly what I'm looking for (but it's still awesome).

Recommending Coroner would be a bit pointless, eh?

Maybe give Realm a try (If you haven't already). "Endless War" and "Suiciety" are both great pieces of technical power/thrash. Pretty shrieky and great guitarworks (both leads and riffs).

Anacrusis - "Suffering Hour". Good riffage, excellent melodies. Vocals range from growls to shrieks and everything in between. Also some touches of "progressiveness".

Indeed, I've heard Coroner (Tommy Vetterli doubling tracking himself is the best guitar duo in metal) as well as Realm, which is right on the money of what I'm looking for with songs like "Slay the Oppressor". I've been meaning to check out Anacrusis, though, so I will go with them.

Are these bands worth checking out?
Holy Moses
Mekong Delta
Onslaught
Atrophy
Defiance
Hirax
Whiplash

I've been meaning to check out these bands, but would like people's personal opinions on them.

Depends on your music taste, obviously.

Holy Moses - if you like brutal thrash
Mekong Delta - if you like very technical music
Onslaught - yes, though they're pretty standard (as in: nothing too special) (imo)
Atrophy - yes
Defiance - yes
Hirax - if you don't mind very short songs or some crossover
Whiplash - yes

Looking for some old Possessed type bands. Leave out the obvious.

Bonded by Blood are definitely not old school sounding. Super polished clicky drums, and rediculously bad mainstream vocals.

An interesting read for people who are fairly new to thrash metal:

EM:MA Top Thrash Metal Releases Survey
Thrashmageddon Top Thrash Metal Albums Survey

Fastkill's vocalist is kinda, shrieky. That and semi-possessed. Realm could possibly fit in this category, try Endless War.

And whoever asked if Onslaught was good, yes! Killing Peace is an excellent mid-paced thrasher with *some* groove influence but very minimal. It's a great comeback album really.

Hades (US) might work for you, especially their second album. It's a bit more on the power/thrash side of things, but no more than a step or two away from Realm's Endless War.

EDIT: Ulysses Siren too, maybe. The vocalist isn't squeaky clean but he's still high-register and not growly. Not to mention that the riffage is excellent.

I think the vocals of Fastkill are almost "harsh falsettos." Did I mention this earlier...?



Exactly. Great vocalist, and great everything, but the riffs make all the other things of this band pale in comparison. The riff of Leviathan/Above the Ashes is absolutely mindblowing.