Thrash metal
Encyclopedia
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 riff
s, overlaid with shredding
-style lead work. Lyrics of thrash metal songs often deal with social issues
, often using direct and denunciatory language, an approach which partially overlaps with the hardcore
genre. The "Big Four
" bands of thrash metal are Metallica
, Megadeth
, Slayer
and Anthrax
who simultaneously created and popularized the genre in the early 1980s.
The origins of thrash metal are generally traced to the late 1970s and early 1980s, when a number of bands began incorporating the sound of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
, creating a new genre and developing into a separate movement from punk rock
and hardcore
. This genre is more aggressive compared to its relative, speed metal
, and can be seen in part to be a reaction to the lighter, more widely acceptable sounds and themes of glam metal
.
and double bass drumming. Vocally, thrash metal can employ melodic singing to shouted vocals. Most thrash guitar solos are played at high speed, as they are usually characterized by shredding
, and use techniques such as sweep picking, legato phrasing
, alternate picking
, tremolo picking
, string skipping
, and two-hand tapping
. Thrash lead guitar
ists are often influenced by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
movement. Thrash guitar riffs often use chromatic scales and emphasize the tritone and diminished intervals, instead of using conventional single scale based riffing. For example, the intro riff of Metallica's "Master of Puppets
" (the title track of the namesake album
) is a chromatic descent, followed by a chromatic ascent based on the tritone
.
Speed, pacing, and time-changes also define thrash metal. Thrash tends to have an accelerating feel which may be due in large part to its aggressive drumming style. For example, thrash drummers often use two bass drums, or a double-bass pedal, in order to create a relentless, driving beat. Cymbal stops/chokes are often used to transition from one riff to another or to precede an acceleration in tempo.
To keep up with the other instruments, many thrash bassists use a pick
. However, some prominent thrash metal bassists have used their fingers, such as Frank Bello
, Greg Christian
, Steve DiGiorgio
, Robert Trujillo
and Cliff Burton
. Several bassists use a distorted bass tone, an approach popularized by Burton and Motörhead's Lemmy.
Lyrical themes in thrash metal include isolation, alienation, corruption, injustice, addiction, suicide, murder, warfare, and other maladies that afflict the individual and society. In addition, politics, particularly pessimism or dissatisfaction towards politics, is a common theme among thrash metal bands. Humor and irony can occasionally be found, but they are limited, and are the exception rather than the rule.
Among the earliest songs to be labeled as thrash metal are Queen
's "Stone Cold Crazy
", which was recorded and released in 1974
(described by Q Magazine as being "thrash metal before the term had been invented"), and Black Sabbath
's "Symptom of the Universe
", released in 1975
which was eventually covered by thrash metal band Sepultura
for Nativity in Black
. It was also the starting point for Diamond Head
's "Am I Evil?
" Since then, NWOBHM bands directly influenced the development of early thrash. The early work of artists such as Diamond Head, Iron Maiden
, Judas Priest
, Venom
, Motörhead, Tygers of Pan Tang
, Raven
, and Angel Witch
, among others, introduced the fast-paced instrumentation that became essential aspects of thrash. Featured on Judas Priest's British Steel
, "Rapid Fire" have been noted as a "proto-thrash" song.
In Europe, the earliest band of the emerging thrash movement formed in 1979
, which was Venom
from Newcastle Upon Tyne
, Great Britain. Their seminal 1982 album Black Metal
has been cited as the major influence on many subsequent genres and bands in the extreme metal world, such as Bathory, Hellhammer, Slayer and Mayhem. The European thrash scene was almost exclusively influenced by the most aggressive music both Germany and England were producing at that time. British bands such as Tank
, and Raven, along with German metal exports Accept
, motivated musicians from central Europe to start bands of their own, eventually producing German thrash exports such as Sodom
, Kreator
and Destruction
. The Swedish punk band Warheads
have also been mentioned as a proto-thrash band.
In 1981
, a Southern California
band by the name of Leather Charm
wrote a song entitled "Hit the Lights". Leather Charm soon disbanded and the band's primary songwriter, vocalist/rhythm guitarist James Hetfield
met drummer Lars Ulrich
through a classified ad. Together, James and Lars formed Metallica
, the first of the "Big Four" thrash bands, with lead guitarist Dave Mustaine
, who would later form Megadeth
, another of the "Big Four" originators of thrash, and bassist Ron McGovney
. Metallica later relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area
. McGovney was replaced with Cliff Burton, and Mustaine was later replaced with Kirk Hammett
. The band released "Hit the Lights" on their first studio album
, Kill 'Em All
, in July 25, 1983.
Another "Big Four" thrash band formed in Southern California in 1981, when guitarists Jeff Hanneman
and Kerry King
met while auditioning for the same band and subsequently decided to form a band of their own. Hanneman and King recruited vocalist/bassist Tom Araya
, a former respiratory therapist
, and drummer Dave Lombardo
, a pizza delivery
driver, and Slayer
was formed. Slayer was discovered by Metal Blade Records
executive Brian Slagel
while performing Iron Maiden's "Phantom of the Opera
" at a show, and were promptly signed to the label. In December 1983
, less than six months after the release of Kill 'Em All, Slayer put out their debut album, Show No Mercy.
In the early 80s Canada produced influential speed metal
bands like Toronto's Anvil
, Ottawa's Exciter
, and Jonquière's Voivod
.
, Anthrax
's Fistful of Metal
, Overkill's self-titled EP
and Slayer's Haunting the Chapel
EP. This led to a heavier sounding form of thrash, which was reflected in Exodus's Bonded by Blood
and Slayer's Hell Awaits
. In 1985, the German band Kreator
released their debut album Endless Pain
and the Brazilian band Sepultura
released their EP
Bestial Devastation
. Megadeth
, which was formed by former Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine
, released their debut album Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!
, and Anthrax released the critically acclaimed Spreading the Disease
in 1985.
A number of high profile thrash albums were released in 1986. Metallica released Master of Puppets
. Megadeth released Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
, which proved to be the band's commercial and critical breakthrough and a landmark album that Allmusic cited as "one of the most influential metal albums of its decade, and certainly one of the few truly definitive thrash albums". Slayer
, regarded as one of the most sinister thrash metal bands from the early 1980s, released Reign in Blood
, an album considered by some to have almost single-handedly inspired the entire death metal
genre. Kreator
released Pleasure to Kill
, which would later be a major influence on the death metal
genre.
released their album Among the Living
, which bore similarities to their two previous releases: Fistful of Metal and Spreading the Disease, with fast and heavy guitars and pounding drums. Death Angel
took a similar pro-thrash approach with their 1987 debut, The Ultra-Violence
.
In 1988, Suicidal Tendencies
, who had previously been a straightforward punk
band, released their major label debut How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today
.
Sepultura's third album, Beneath the Remains
(1989) earned them some mainstream appeal as it appeared on Roadrunner Records
. Testament continued through the late 1980s with The New Order
(1988) and Practice What You Preach
(1989), both albums showing the band was continuing to grow musically and almost gaining Testament the same level of popularity as the "Big Four" of thrash: Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer. Vio-lence
, a relative latecomer to the Bay Area thrash metal scene, released their debut album Eternal Nightmare
in 1988. Canadian thrashers Annihilator
would release their highly technical debut album Alice in Hell
(1989) which received much praise due to its fast riffs and extended guitar solos. Sadus
was a later thrash band, featuring a sound which was primarily driven by the fretless bass of Steve DiGiorgio. Meanwhile in Germany, Sodom released Agent Orange
and Kreator would release Extreme Aggression
.
Slayer released South of Heaven
in 1988, Megadeth released So Far, So Good... So What!
, Anthrax released "State Of Euphoria
" while Metallica's album ...And Justice for All
of the same year spawned the band's first video, the World War I
-themed song "One
".
, Anthrax's Persistence of Time
, Slayer's Seasons in the Abyss
, Suicidal Tendencies' Lights...Camera...Revolution!
, Testament's Souls of Black
, and Kreator's Coma of Souls
. All of those albums were commercial high points for the aforementioned artists. Many of these bands embarked on a group tour called the "Clash of the Titans" the same year.
After this climax for the genre, the energy of the thrash metal was exhausted and it was overtaken by the rising grunge rock. In the 1990's many veteran thrash metal bands began changing to more accessible, radio-friendly styles. Metallica was a notable example of this shift, particularly with their mid to late 90s albums Load
(1996), and ReLoad
(1997), which both displayed minor blues
and southern rock
influences, and were seen as a major departure from the band's earlier sound. Megadeth took a more accessible hard rock
route starting with their 1992 album Countdown to Extinction
, and Testament released the melodic The Ritual in 1992.
As further extreme metal genres came to prominence in the 1990s (industrial metal
, death metal
, and black metal
each finding their own fanbase), the heavy metal "family tree" soon found itself blending aesthetics and styles. For example, bands with all the musical traits of thrash metal began using "death growls", a vocal style borrowed from death metal, while black metal bands often utilized the airy feel of synthesizers, popularized in industrial metal. Today the placing of bands within distinct subgenres remains a source of contention for heavy metal fans, however, little debate resides over the fact that thrash metal is the sole proprietor of its respective spinoffs (see below).
and SSS have been cited as key in the "resurgence" of thrash metal. The genre's sense of recklessness and energy has been cited as a potential reason for its resurgence.
Also many bands that ended around the 90s gathered again around 2000s, bands like: Dark Angel
, Death Angel
, Nuclear Assault
, Defiance
, Whiplash
, Hirax
, Forbidden
and Possessed
. Older thrash bands have continued to put out material that resembles the classical thrash metal music style, such as Metallica's Death Magnetic
(2008), Megadeth's Thirteen
(2011), Slayer's World Painted Blood
(2009), Kreator's Hordes of Chaos
(2009), Anthrax's Worship Music (2011) Destruction's Day of Reckoning
(2011), Sodom's In War and Pieces
(2010), Exodus' Exhibit B: The Human Condition
(2010), Overkill's Ironbound
(2010), Testament's The Formation of Damnation
(2008) and Metal Church This Present Wasteland
(2008),
concert series. The first show together took place in Warsaw
, Poland on June 16, 2010 and the last took place in Istanbul
, Turkey on June 27. On May 5, 2010 Metallica announced that the live show in Sofia
, Bulgaria on June 22, 2010 would be transmitted via satellite to over 450 movie theaters in the U.S. and over 350 theaters across Europe, Canada, and Latin America. The show also provided the historic moment of all current members of the Big Four (with the exception of Tom Araya
, Kerry King
and Jeff Hanneman
) sharing the stage to perform the song "Am I Evil?
" by Diamond Head
.
and black metal
. The blending of punk ethos and metal's brutal nature led to even more extreme, underground styles after thrash metal began gaining mild commercial success in the late 1980s. With gorier subject matter, heavier downtuning of guitars, the more persistent use of the blastbeat, and darker, atonal death growls, death metal was established in the mid-1980s. Black metal, also considered the offspring of thrash, may have risen even sooner, with many black metal bands taking influence from thrash metal bands such as Venom
. Black metal continued with such deviations from thrash, often providing more orchestral soundtracks and Pagan or Occult-based aesthetics to distinguish itself from thrash.
Thrash metal with even more punk elements than standard thrash is called crossover thrash
or crossover for short. Its overall sound is more punk-influenced than traditional thrash metal, while more metal sounding than traditional hardcore punk
and thrashcore
.
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...
that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
s, overlaid with shredding
Shred guitar
Shred guitar or shredding is lead electric guitar playing that relies heavily on fast guitar solos. While some critics argue that shred guitar is associated with "... sweep-picked arpeggios, diminished and harmonic minor scales, finger-tapping and ... whammy-bar abuse", several guitar...
-style lead work. Lyrics of thrash metal songs often deal with social issues
Social issues
Social issues are controversial issues which relate to people's personal lives and interactions. Social issues are distinguished from economic issues...
, often using direct and denunciatory language, an approach which partially overlaps with the hardcore
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...
genre. The "Big Four
The Big 4 Live From Sofia, Bulgaria
The Big 4 Live from Sofia, Bulgaria is a DVD/Blu-ray featuring live concert performances by Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax, collectively known as "the big four" of thrash metal. The event took place on June 22, 2010 at the Sonisphere Festival at Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia,...
" bands of thrash metal are 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 ...
, 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...
, 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...
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...
who simultaneously created and popularized the genre in the early 1980s.
The origins of thrash metal are generally traced to the late 1970s and early 1980s, when a number of bands began incorporating the sound of the 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...
, creating a new genre and developing into a separate movement from punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and hardcore
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...
. This genre is more aggressive compared to its relative, speed metal
Speed metal
Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from NWOBHM and hardcore punk roots. It is described by Allmusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music....
, and can be seen in part to be a reaction to the lighter, more widely acceptable sounds and themes of glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
.
Musical traits
Thrash metal generally features fast tempos, low-register, complex guitar riffs, high-register guitar solosGuitar solo
In popular music, a guitar solo is a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, jazz, rock and metal styles such...
and double bass drumming. Vocally, thrash metal can employ melodic singing to shouted vocals. Most thrash guitar solos are played at high speed, as they are usually characterized by shredding
Shred guitar
Shred guitar or shredding is lead electric guitar playing that relies heavily on fast guitar solos. While some critics argue that shred guitar is associated with "... sweep-picked arpeggios, diminished and harmonic minor scales, finger-tapping and ... whammy-bar abuse", several guitar...
, and use techniques such as sweep picking, legato phrasing
Legato
In musical notation the Italian word legato indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, in transitioning from note to note, there should be no intervening silence...
, alternate picking
Alternate picking
Alternate picking is a guitar playing technique that employs strictly alternating downward and upward picking strokes in a continuous run, and is the most common method of plectrum playing...
, tremolo picking
Tremolo picking
Tremolo picking, also known as alternate picking or double picking, describes the musical technique of picking on a guitar or other string instrument in which a single note is played repeatedly in quick succession. It can be achieved either with the fingers or with a pick...
, string skipping
String skipping
String skipping is a guitar-playing technique that is used mainly for solos and complex riffs in rock and heavy metal songs.- Explanation of technique :...
, and two-hand tapping
Tapping
Tapping is a guitar playing technique, where a string is fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion of being pushed onto the fretboard, as opposed to the standard technique being fretted with one hand and picked with the other...
. Thrash lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
ists are often influenced by the 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...
movement. Thrash guitar riffs often use chromatic scales and emphasize the tritone and diminished intervals, instead of using conventional single scale based riffing. For example, the intro riff of Metallica's "Master of Puppets
Master of Puppets (song)
"Master of Puppets" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It is the title track and was released as the first single from their album of the same name....
" (the title track of the namesake album
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...
) is a chromatic descent, followed by a chromatic ascent based on the tritone
Tritone
In classical music from Western culture, the tritone |tone]]) is traditionally defined as a musical interval composed of three whole tones. In a chromatic scale, each whole tone can be further divided into two semitones...
.
Speed, pacing, and time-changes also define thrash metal. Thrash tends to have an accelerating feel which may be due in large part to its aggressive drumming style. For example, thrash drummers often use two bass drums, or a double-bass pedal, in order to create a relentless, driving beat. Cymbal stops/chokes are often used to transition from one riff to another or to precede an acceleration in tempo.
To keep up with the other instruments, many thrash bassists use a pick
Plectrum
A plectrum is a small flat tool used to pluck or strum a stringed instrument. For hand-held instruments such as guitars and mandolins, the plectrum is often called a pick, and is a separate tool held in the player's hand...
. However, some prominent thrash metal bassists have used their fingers, such as Frank Bello
Frank Bello
Frank Bello is an American musician who plays bass guitar for the thrash metal band Anthrax. Originally he was a roadie and guitar technician for the band, but later he replaced Dan Lilker on the Spreading the Disease album. After leaving Anthrax in early 2004 Bello joined Helmet - another New...
, Greg Christian
Greg Christian
Greg Christian is the bassist for the American thrash metal band Testament. He left the band in 1996, but rejoined in 2004.-Testament:...
, Steve DiGiorgio
Steve DiGiorgio
Steve DiGiorgio is an American bassist and musician.DiGiorgio has played bass guitar in heavy metal bands such as Death, Autopsy, Control Denied, Testament, Vintersorg, Iced Earth, Sebastian Bach, Charred Walls of the Damned, Obituary, and is a founding member of Sadus. He is widely renowned for...
, Robert Trujillo
Robert Trujillo
Robert Trujillo is an American bassist who currently plays bass in Metallica. He has also played in Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Black Label Society, and with Jerry Cantrell and Ozzy Osbourne.-Career:...
and Cliff Burton
Cliff Burton
Clifford Lee "Cliff" Burton was an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the American heavy metal band Metallica....
. Several bassists use a distorted bass tone, an approach popularized by Burton and Motörhead's Lemmy.
Lyrical themes in thrash metal include isolation, alienation, corruption, injustice, addiction, suicide, murder, warfare, and other maladies that afflict the individual and society. In addition, politics, particularly pessimism or dissatisfaction towards politics, is a common theme among thrash metal bands. Humor and irony can occasionally be found, but they are limited, and are the exception rather than the rule.
Origins
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
's "Stone Cold Crazy
Stone Cold Crazy
"Stone Cold Crazy" is a song by English rock band Queen from their successful 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack. The song is the eighth track on the album. Although the song was never released as a single, it was played live at almost every Queen concert between 1974-1978...
", which was recorded and released in 1974
1974 in heavy metal music
This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1974.- Albums :* Aerosmith - Get Your Wings* Blue Öyster Cult - Secret Treaties* Budgie - In for the Kill* Deep Purple - Burn* Deep Purple - Stormbringer...
(described by Q Magazine as being "thrash metal before the term had been invented"), and Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
's "Symptom of the Universe
Symptom of the Universe (song)
"Symptom of the Universe" is a song by the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, originally from their album Sabotage.The song is divided into two parts, a heavier part and an acoustic portion at the end of the song...
", released in 1975
1975 in heavy metal music
This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1975.- Newly formed bands :* Magnum* Motörhead* Quiet Riot* Rainbow* Ted Nugent*Witchfynde*Iron Maiden- Albums :*AC/DC - TNT* Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic...
which was eventually covered by thrash metal band 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...
for Nativity in Black
Nativity in Black
Nativity in Black is the name of two Black Sabbath tribute albums that came out in the 1990s and 2000s. The albums were recorded with various heavy metal bands paying tribute to Black Sabbath for their influence on the heavy metal genre of rock music....
. It was also the starting point for Diamond Head
Diamond Head (band)
Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. The band is recognised as one of the leading members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and is acknowledged by later bands like Metallica and Megadeth as an important early influence.-Early history:Formed by...
's "Am I Evil?
Am I Evil?
The song was made most famous by Metallica's cover of the song, found on the 1988 re-release and the Japanese version of its debut album Kill 'Em All , though the cover was originally released as a b-side to the "Creeping Death" single in 1984, and was later released on Garage Inc. in 1998...
" Since then, NWOBHM bands directly influenced the development of early thrash. The early work of artists such as Diamond Head, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
, 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...
, Motörhead, Tygers of Pan Tang
Tygers Of Pan Tang
Tygers of Pan Tang are a heavy metal band, formed in 1978 and originating from Whitley Bay, England. They are a notable band of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement...
, Raven
Raven (band)
Raven are an English heavy metal band associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. They had a hit with the single "On and On", and refer to their music as "athletic rock".-Formation:...
, and Angel Witch
Angel Witch
Angel Witch is a British heavy metal band which formed in London, England in 1977 as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement.-Biography:...
, among others, introduced the fast-paced instrumentation that became essential aspects of thrash. Featured on Judas Priest's British Steel
British Steel (album)
British Steel is the sixth album by the British heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 14 April 1980. It saw the band reprise the commercial sound they had established on Killing Machine however; this time, they abandoned many of the dark lyrical themes which had been prominent on their...
, "Rapid Fire" have been noted as a "proto-thrash" song.
In Europe, the earliest band of the emerging thrash movement formed in 1979
1979 in music
See also:Record labels established in 1979* 1979 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.-January–February:*January 1...
, which was 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...
from Newcastle Upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, Great Britain. Their seminal 1982 album 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...
has been cited as the major influence on many subsequent genres and bands in the extreme metal world, such as Bathory, Hellhammer, Slayer and Mayhem. The European thrash scene was almost exclusively influenced by the most aggressive music both Germany and England were producing at that time. British bands such as Tank
Tank (band)
Tank is a British heavy metal band, formed in 1980 by Algy Ward, a former member of The Damned. The band is known as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement...
, and Raven, along with German metal exports Accept
Accept
Accept is a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, originally assembled by former vocalist Udo Dirkschneider, guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and bassist Peter Baltes. Their beginnings can be traced back to the late 1960s...
, motivated musicians from central Europe to start bands of their own, eventually producing German thrash exports such as 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...
, 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...
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...
. The Swedish punk band Warheads
Warheads (band)
Warheads was a Swedish punk band, active 1979-1981. It is often regarded as one of the more influential groups within the Swedish punk rock, although the band did not release any albums. Several of the members continued in the 1980s in internationally known groups...
have also been mentioned as a proto-thrash band.
In 1981
1981 in music
See also:* Timeline of musical eventsThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981.-January–April:*January 10 – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith.*January 24 –...
, a Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
band by the name of Leather Charm
Leather Charm
Leather Charm was a short-lived American heavy metal band from Downey, California, noteworthy as a forerunner to the highly successful thrash metal band Metallica.-History:...
wrote a song entitled "Hit the Lights". Leather Charm soon disbanded and the band's primary songwriter, vocalist/rhythm guitarist James Hetfield
James Hetfield
James Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
met drummer Lars Ulrich
Lars Ulrich
Lars Ulrich is a Danish drummer, and one of the founding members of the American thrash metal band Metallica. He was born in Gentofte, Denmark to an upper-middle class family. A tennis player in his youth, Ulrich moved to Los Angeles, California at age sixteen to pursue his training; though rather...
through a classified ad. Together, James and Lars formed 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 ...
, the first of the "Big Four" thrash bands, with lead guitarist 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...
, who would later form 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...
, another of the "Big Four" originators of thrash, and bassist Ron McGovney
Ron McGovney
Ron McGovney is a former American musician, best known as the original bassist in the heavy metal band Metallica.-Leather Charm and Metallica:...
. Metallica later relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
. McGovney was replaced with Cliff Burton, and Mustaine was later replaced with 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...
. The band released "Hit the Lights" on their first studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Kill 'Em All
Kill 'Em All
Kill 'Em All is the debut studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on July 25, 1983. Since its release, it has been certified 3x platinum by the RIAA, having sold over 3 million copies in the United States alone.-Music:...
, in July 25, 1983.
Another "Big Four" thrash band formed in Southern California in 1981, when guitarists Jeff Hanneman
Jeff Hanneman
Jeffrey John "Jeff" Hanneman is a rhythm/lead guitarist and founding member of the American thrash metal band Slayer. Hanneman grew up in Los Angeles in a family of war veterans, and his fascination with warfare is attributed to his upbringing...
and Kerry King
Kerry King
Kerry King is an American lead and rhythm guitarist. He is best known as the lead guitarist and cofounder of American thrash metal band Slayer. He co-founded the band with Jeff Hanneman in 1981 and has been a member ever since...
met while auditioning for the same band and subsequently decided to form a band of their own. Hanneman and King recruited vocalist/bassist Tom Araya
Tom Araya
Tom Araya is a Chilean musician, best known as the bassist and vocalist of the American thrash metal band Slayer...
, a former respiratory therapist
Respiratory therapy
Respiratory therapy is a healthcare profession in which specialists work with patients suffering from either acute or chronic respiratory problems. These specialists are termed Respiratory Therapists in most places internationally but may also be referred to as Respiratory Scientists or...
, and drummer Dave Lombardo
Dave Lombardo
Dave Lombardo is a Cuban American heavy metal drummer best known for his work with American thrash metal band Slayer. He has performed with Slayer on seven albums, including their groundbreaking 1986 release Reign In Blood and their 2006 release Christ Illusion, for which he received critical praise...
, a pizza delivery
Pizza delivery
Pizza delivery is a service in which a pizzeria delivers a pizza to a customer. Delivery is normally made with an automobile, motor scooter, or bicycle.- Ordering :...
driver, and 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...
was formed. Slayer was discovered by Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
executive Brian Slagel
Brian Slagel
Brian Slagel is the owner and founder of Metal Blade Records. Slagel is known for giving Metallica their first break in 1982, with an appearance on Metal Massacre, a compilation album on Metal Blade, and has since released seminal albums by Slayer, Mercyful Fate, Cannibal Corpse, Fates Warning,...
while performing Iron Maiden's "Phantom of the Opera
Phantom of the Opera (song)
"Phantom of the Opera" is a song from Iron Maiden's self-titled debut album. It was written by Steve Harris. It is the fourth track from the original US & UK album releases, and was the fifth track from the remastered 1998 release CD. It is based on the French novel The Phantom of the Opera by...
" at a show, and were promptly signed to the label. In December 1983
1983 in heavy metal music
-Newly formed bands:* Alcatrazz* Atrocity* Autograph* Bathory* Bon Jovi* Death* Excel * Fastway* Fates Warning* Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve* Helloween* Keel* Living Colour* Lizzy Borden* Master* Mayhem* Megadeth...
, less than six months after the release of Kill 'Em All, Slayer put out their debut album, Show No Mercy.
In the early 80s Canada produced influential speed metal
Speed metal
Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from NWOBHM and hardcore punk roots. It is described by Allmusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music....
bands like Toronto's Anvil
Anvil (band)
Anvil is a Canadian heavy metal band comprising Steve "Lips" Kudlow , Robb Reiner , and Glenn Five...
, Ottawa's Exciter
Exciter (band)
Exciter is a Canadian speed metal band from Ottawa, Ontario. They are widely considered to be one of the first speed metal bands and a seminal influence of the thrash metal genre. Exciter have sold nearly 2.3 million units in the USA and a total sells at 10 million units worldwide...
, and Jonquière's Voivod
Voivod (band)
Voivod are a Canadian heavy metal band from Jonquière, Quebec, Canada. Their musical style has changed several times since the band's origin in the early 1980s...
.
Mid-1980s
The popularity of thrash metal increased in 1984 with the release of Metallica's Ride the LightningRide the Lightning
Ride the Lightning is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on July 27, 1984 through the independent record label Megaforce Records. The album was certified gold by the RIAA on November 5, 1987 and was most recently certified 5x platinum on June 9, 2003...
, 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...
's Fistful of Metal
Fistful of Metal
-Personnel:*Neil Turbin – Vocals*Dan Spitz – Lead guitar*Scott Ian – Rhythm guitar*Danny Lilker – Bass*Charlie Benante – Drums...
, Overkill's self-titled EP
Overkill (EP)
Overkill is the first EP recorded by thrash metal band Overkill released in 1984 on Azra/Metal Storm records. The EP is included on the !!!Fuck You!!! And Then Some compilation.- Track listing :# "Rotten to the Core" — 5:14...
and Slayer's Haunting the Chapel
Haunting the Chapel
Haunting the Chapel is an EP released by the thrash metal band Slayer in 1984 through Metal Blade and Enigma Records. Slayer's debut album Show No Mercy became Metal Blade's highest selling, leading to producer Brian Slagel wanting to release an EP...
EP. This led to a heavier sounding form of thrash, which was reflected in Exodus's Bonded by Blood
Bonded by Blood
For other uses of the phrase, see Bonded by Blood Bonded by Blood is the debut album by the San Francisco thrash metal band Exodus. Although the album was completed in the summer of 1984, it was not released until 1985 due to issues with Exodus and its record label...
and Slayer's Hell Awaits
Hell Awaits
Hell Awaits is the second studio album by the American thrash metal band Slayer, released through Metal Blade Records in 1985. The band's previous release, Show No Mercy, became Metal Blade Records' highest selling release; as a result, producer Brian Slagel desired to release a second Slayer album...
. In 1985, the German band 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...
released their debut album Endless Pain
Endless Pain
Tracks 11-14, marked with an asterisk, are bonus tracks on the 2000 reissue CD from the End of the World demo, which was released when the band was still known as Tormentor...
and the Brazilian band 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...
released their EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Bestial Devastation
Bestial Devastation
Bestial Devastation is an EP by Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, released in 1985 through Cogumelo Records. It is their first official release, and originally appeared alongside Overdose's Século XX as a split album...
. 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...
, which was formed by former Metallica guitarist 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...
, released their debut album Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!
Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!
Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! is the debut album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth, released in June 1985 through Combat and Relativity Records. During the beginning of 1985, the band was given $8,000 by Combat Records to record and produce their debut album, but this...
, and Anthrax released the critically acclaimed Spreading the Disease
Spreading the Disease
Spreading the Disease is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band Anthrax. It was released on October 30, 1985 through Megaforce Worldwide/Island Records. It was the band's first album to feature vocalist Joey Belladonna and bassist Frank Bello.-Album information:The band produced...
in 1985.
A number of high profile thrash albums were released in 1986. Metallica released 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...
. Megadeth released Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
-25th Anniversary 2-CD reissue:-25th Anniversary box set:Disc 5 contains both the original album, and the above listed 1987 show in hi-resolution audio....
, which proved to be the band's commercial and critical breakthrough and a landmark album that Allmusic cited as "one of the most influential metal albums of its decade, and certainly one of the few truly definitive thrash albums". 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...
, regarded as one of the most sinister thrash metal bands from the early 1980s, released 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...
, an album considered by some to have almost single-handedly inspired the entire 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....
genre. 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...
released Pleasure to Kill
Pleasure to Kill
The tracks marked with an asterisk are bonus tracks from the re-released and remastered versions. They are taken from the Flag of Hate EP."Choir of the Damned" is extended on the CD version...
, which would later be a major influence on the 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....
genre.
Late 1980s
In 1987, AnthraxAnthrax (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...
released their album 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...
, which bore similarities to their two previous releases: Fistful of Metal and Spreading the Disease, with fast and heavy guitars and pounding drums. 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....
took a similar pro-thrash approach with their 1987 debut, The Ultra-Violence
The Ultra-Violence
The Ultra-Violence is the first album by the Bay Area thrash band Death Angel, released in 1987. The album was recorded while all members were under 20, with drummer Andy Galeon just 14 years old...
.
In 1988, 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"...
, who had previously been a straightforward punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band, released their major label debut 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....
.
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:...
(1989) earned them some mainstream appeal as it appeared on Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
. Testament continued through the late 1980s with 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"...
(1988) and Practice What You Preach
Practice What You Preach
"Practice What You Preach" is the title of a number-one R&B single by singer Barry White from his 1994 album The Icon Is Love. The hit song spent three weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart and reached 18 on the pop chart. The 1994 single also won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Song...
(1989), both albums showing the band was continuing to grow musically and almost gaining Testament the same level of popularity as the "Big Four" of thrash: Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer. Vio-lence
Vio-lence
Vio-lence was a thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. They released demo tapes, one EP and 3 LPs between 1985 and 1993. Their most stable line-up was Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn on guitars, Deen Dell on bass, Perry Strickland on drums and Sean Killian on vocals.- 1985 -...
, a relative latecomer to the Bay Area thrash metal scene, released their debut album Eternal Nightmare
Eternal Nightmare
Eternal Nightmare is the debut album by the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal band Vio-lence. It was released originally in 1988 on MCA Records' Mechanix sublabel...
in 1988. Canadian thrashers Annihilator
Annihilator (band)
Annihilator is a Canadian heavy metal band hailing from Ottawa, Ontario, also from Vancouver, British Columbia between 1987-2002 by founding member, vocalist, guitarist and bassist Jeff Waters. The band has been around since 1984 and is the biggest selling heavy metal artist from Canada in history,...
would release their highly technical debut album Alice in Hell
Alice in Hell
Alice in Hell is the first album by the Canadian thrash metal band Annihilator, released in 1989. The album was re-released twice: 1998 with 3 demo tracks as bonus tracks and again on September 9, 2003 in a two-disc compilation set along with Never, Neverland, entitled Two From The Vault...
(1989) which received much praise due to its fast riffs and extended guitar solos. 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...
was a later thrash band, featuring a sound which was primarily driven by the fretless bass of Steve DiGiorgio. Meanwhile in Germany, Sodom released Agent Orange
Agent Orange (album)
Agent Orange is the third album by German thrash metal band Sodom, their last with guitarist Frank Blackfire before he left the band and joined Kreator. The lyrical content delves deeply into mainman's Tom Angelripper's fascination with the Vietnam War, sporting a song dedicated to the ground...
and Kreator would release Extreme Aggression
Extreme Aggression
-Personnel:Kreator*Mille Petrozza - guitar and vocals*Jörg Trzebiatowski - guitar*Rob Fioretti - bass guitar*Jürgen Reil - drumsProduction*Martin Becker - photography*Randy Burns - producer, engineer*Dan Clements - background vocals...
.
Slayer released South of Heaven
South of Heaven
South of Heaven is the fourth studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer. Released on July 5, 1988, the album was the band's second collaboration with record producer Rick Rubin, whose production skills on Slayer's previous album Reign in Blood had helped the band's sound evolve.South of...
in 1988, Megadeth released So Far, So Good... So What!
So Far, So Good... So What!
- 2004 bonus tracks :† The intro makes use of a sample from The Ink Spots' 1941 song "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire"- Personnel :- Charts :-RIAA Certifications:- External links :*...
, Anthrax released "State Of Euphoria
State of Euphoria
State of Euphoria is the fourth studio album by the American heavy metal band Anthrax. It was released on September 19, 1988 through Megaforce/Island Records.-Album information:...
" while Metallica's album ...And Justice for All
...And Justice for All (album)
...And Justice for All is the fourth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on August 25, 1988 through Elektra Records. It is the first full-length Metallica album to feature bassist Jason Newsted following the death of Cliff Burton in 1986...
of the same year spawned the band's first video, the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
-themed song "One
One (Metallica song)
"One" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the third and final single from their fourth album ...And Justice for All. "One" was also the band's first Top 40 hit single, reaching number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100...
".
1990s
A number of more typical but technically sophisticated thrash albums were released in the year of 1990, including Megadeth's Rust in PeaceRust 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...
, Anthrax's Persistence of Time
Persistence of Time
-Personnel:* Joey Belladonna – Vocals* Scott Ian – Rhythm guitar, Lead guitar on "Got the Time", Harmony Guitar on "Intro to Reality", vocal intro on "In My World", lead vocals on "Protest and Survive"* Dan Spitz – Lead guitar* Frank Bello – Bass...
, Slayer's Seasons in the Abyss
Seasons in the Abyss
Seasons in the Abyss is the fifth studio album by the thrash metal band Slayer. It was released on October 9, 1990 through Def American Records, and later through American Recordings after the company changed its name. The album's recording sessions began in January 1990...
, Suicidal Tendencies' 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...
, Testament's Souls of Black
Souls of Black
Souls of Black is the fourth album by American Thrash metal band Testament, released in 1990. It preceded several changes in style to rather diverse styles of metal, including the traditional heavy metal sound heard in its succeeding album, The Ritual....
, and Kreator's Coma of Souls
Coma of Souls
-Personnel:Kreator* Mille Petrozza – vocals, guitar* Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik – guitar* Rob Fioretti – bass guitar* Jürgen "Ventor" Reil – drumsProduction* Recorded at Eldorado and Image Studios* Produced by Randy Burns...
. All of those albums were commercial high points for the aforementioned artists. Many of these bands embarked on a group tour called the "Clash of the Titans" the same year.
After this climax for the genre, the energy of the thrash metal was exhausted and it was overtaken by the rising grunge rock. In the 1990's many veteran thrash metal bands began changing to more accessible, radio-friendly styles. Metallica was a notable example of this shift, particularly with their mid to late 90s albums Load
Load (album)
Load is the sixth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. Released on June 4, 1996 through Elektra Records, it sold 680,000 units in its first week and debuted at #1 on Billboard 200. The album has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and is certified 5x platinum by the RIAA...
(1996), and ReLoad
ReLoad
ReLoad is the seventh studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on November 18, 1997 through Elektra Records. The album is a sequel or counterpart to the band's previous album, Load. It debuted number 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 417,000 copies in its first week....
(1997), which both displayed minor blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
influences, and were seen as a major departure from the band's earlier sound. Megadeth took a more accessible hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
route starting with their 1992 album 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...
, and Testament released the melodic The Ritual in 1992.
As further extreme metal genres came to prominence in the 1990s (industrial metal
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...
, 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 black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
each finding their own fanbase), the heavy metal "family tree" soon found itself blending aesthetics and styles. For example, bands with all the musical traits of thrash metal began using "death growls", a vocal style borrowed from death metal, while black metal bands often utilized the airy feel of synthesizers, popularized in industrial metal. Today the placing of bands within distinct subgenres remains a source of contention for heavy metal fans, however, little debate resides over the fact that thrash metal is the sole proprietor of its respective spinoffs (see below).
Recent popularity (2000s)
Thrash metal has recently seen a certain degree of resurgence of popularity. Bands such as Municipal WasteMunicipal 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....
and SSS have been cited as key in the "resurgence" of thrash metal. The genre's sense of recklessness and energy has been cited as a potential reason for its resurgence.
Also many bands that ended around the 90s gathered again around 2000s, bands like: 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...
, 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....
, 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...
, Defiance
Defiance (band)
Defiance is a thrash metal band from Oakland, California. While virtually unknown to mainstream metal and rock circles, Defiance is known as one of the classic second-tier thrash bands to come from the Bay Area thrash metal scene...
, Whiplash
Whiplash (band)
Whiplash is an American thrash metal/speed metal band. The band was founded in 1984 in Passaic, New Jersey by the three Tonys: Tony Portaro , Tony Scaglione and Tony Bono . Joe Cangelosi replaced Tony Scaglione in 1986 when he left for a small stint with Slayer...
, Hirax
Hirax
Hirax is an American thrash metal band from Cypress, California. Starting in 1984 under the leadership of vocalist Katon W. De Pena , the band played in Los Angeles and San Francisco with the other new thrash metal bands of the area such as Metallica, Exodus, and Slayer...
, 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...
and 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...
. Older thrash bands have continued to put out material that resembles the classical thrash metal music style, such as Metallica's Death Magnetic
Death Magnetic
Death Magnetic is the ninth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on September 12, 2008 through Warner Bros. Records. It was the band's first album to feature bassist Robert Trujillo and the first to be produced by Rick Rubin, making this Metallica's first album...
(2008), Megadeth's Thirteen
Thirteen (Megadeth album)
Thirteen is the thirteenth studio album by the American heavy metal band Megadeth. The album was released on November 1, 2011 in North America, making it the second Megadeth album that was released on that date. The album was released on October 26, 2011 in Japan...
(2011), Slayer's World Painted Blood
World Painted Blood
World Painted Blood is the eleventh studio album by American thrash metal band Slayer. It was released through American Recordings and Sony Music on November 3, 2009 and was produced by Greg Fidelman and executively produced by Rick Rubin. It is the band's only album produced by Greg Fidelman...
(2009), Kreator's Hordes of Chaos
Hordes of Chaos (album)
-Credits:*Mille Petrozza - Guitar, vocals*Sami Yli-Sirniö - Guitar*Jürgen Reil - Drums*Christian Giesler - Bass guitar*Moses Schneider - Producer*Colin Richardson - Mixing*Joachim Luetke - Artwork-Charts:-External links:**...
(2009), Anthrax's Worship Music (2011) Destruction's Day of Reckoning
Day of Reckoning (Destruction album)
Day Of Reckoning is the 11th studio album by German thrash metal band Destruction. It was released on 18 February 2011 in Europe and 8 March 2011 in North America via Nuclear Blast Records...
(2011), Sodom's In War and Pieces
In War and Pieces
-Personnel:Sodom* Tom Angelripper - Bass, vocals* Bernemann - Guitars* Bobby Schottkowski - DrumsProduction* Waldemar Sorychta - Producer* Eliran Kantor - Artwork...
(2010), Exodus' Exhibit B: The Human Condition
Exhibit B: The Human Condition
-Charts & Certifications:-Personnel:*Rob Dukes – Vocals*Gary Holt – Lead and rhythm guitars*Lee Altus – Lead and rhythm guitars*Jack Gibson – Bass*Tom Hunting – Drums, Percussion*Brendon Small - Guitar solo on "Devil's Teeth"...
(2010), Overkill's Ironbound
Ironbound (album)
Ironbound is the fifteenth full length studio album by American thrash metal band Overkill, which was released on January 29, 2010 in Europe on Nuclear Blast Records and in the U.S. on February 9, 2010 on E1 Music...
(2010), Testament's The Formation of Damnation
The Formation of Damnation
The Formation of Damnation is the ninth studio album by American heavy metal band Testament. It was released on April 29, 2008. It is the first album Testament has released of new material since 1999's The Gathering It is also Testament's first release with original guitarist Alex...
(2008) and Metal Church This Present Wasteland
This Present Wasteland
This Present Wasteland is the ninth and final studio album by heavy metal band Metal Church. The album was released September 26, 2008 in Europe. This is the only Metal Church album to feature guitarist Rick Van Zandt....
(2008),
"Big Four" Tour
In September 2009, it was reported that Metallica's Lars Ulrich was attempting to assemble a tour with thrash metal's "Big Four" — Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax — together on one bill. The "Big Four" took the stage together for seven shows in the Sonisphere FestivalSonisphere Festival
The Sonisphere Festival is a touring music festival which takes place across Europe between June and August. The festival is owned by John Jackson and Kilimanjaro Live. It is jointly-promoted by K2 and Kilimanjaro Live...
concert series. The first show together took place in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland on June 16, 2010 and the last took place in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey on June 27. On May 5, 2010 Metallica announced that the live show in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Bulgaria on June 22, 2010 would be transmitted via satellite to over 450 movie theaters in the U.S. and over 350 theaters across Europe, Canada, and Latin America. The show also provided the historic moment of all current members of the Big Four (with the exception of Tom Araya
Tom Araya
Tom Araya is a Chilean musician, best known as the bassist and vocalist of the American thrash metal band Slayer...
, Kerry King
Kerry King
Kerry King is an American lead and rhythm guitarist. He is best known as the lead guitarist and cofounder of American thrash metal band Slayer. He co-founded the band with Jeff Hanneman in 1981 and has been a member ever since...
and Jeff Hanneman
Jeff Hanneman
Jeffrey John "Jeff" Hanneman is a rhythm/lead guitarist and founding member of the American thrash metal band Slayer. Hanneman grew up in Los Angeles in a family of war veterans, and his fascination with warfare is attributed to his upbringing...
) sharing the stage to perform the song "Am I Evil?
Am I Evil?
The song was made most famous by Metallica's cover of the song, found on the 1988 re-release and the Japanese version of its debut album Kill 'Em All , though the cover was originally released as a b-side to the "Creeping Death" single in 1984, and was later released on Garage Inc. in 1998...
" by Diamond Head
Diamond Head (band)
Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. The band is recognised as one of the leading members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and is acknowledged by later bands like Metallica and Megadeth as an important early influence.-Early history:Formed by...
.
Regional scenes
Like many musical genres, thrash had its own regionally-based scenes, each of which had a slightly different sound.- Bay Area thrash metalBay Area thrash metalBay Area thrash metal, or "Bay Area thrash", referred to a steady following of heavy metal bands in the 1980s who formed and gained international status in the San Francisco Bay Area, California...
: The Bay Area thrash scene tended to be the most progressive and technical of the five major thrash scenes, more influenced by the New Wave of British Heavy MetalNew Wave of British Heavy MetalThe 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...
. MetallicaMetallicaMetallica 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 ...
, TestamentTestament (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 ExodusExodus (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,...
were most prominent bands from this region.
- East Coast thrash metal: The East Coast bands tended to be more punk and hardcoreHardcore punkHardcore 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...
influenced than West Coast bands, with more emphasis on aggression and speed than technicality (though not in the case of bands like ToxikToxikToxik 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....
). AnthraxAnthrax (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...
, Nuclear AssaultNuclear AssaultNuclear 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...
, OverkillOverkill (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...
, IncisionIncision (band)Incision is an American heavy metal band from Baltimore, Maryland that formed in 2008. They formed originally under the name Maelstrom but changed their name to prevent potential legal issues.-History:...
, WhiplashWhiplash (band)Whiplash is an American thrash metal/speed metal band. The band was founded in 1984 in Passaic, New Jersey by the three Tonys: Tony Portaro , Tony Scaglione and Tony Bono . Joe Cangelosi replaced Tony Scaglione in 1986 when he left for a small stint with Slayer...
, Anvil Bitch, as well as crossover acts S.O.D.Stormtroopers of DeathStormtroopers of Death, better known as S.O.D., was a crossover thrash band formed in New York in 1985. They are commonly credited as being among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal into a style sometimes called "crossover thrash." The song "March of the S.O.D.," from their 1985...
and Method of Destruction (M.O.D.M.O.D.M.O.D. was a crossover thrash band from New York City, fronted by former Anthrax roadie and Stormtroopers of Death vocalist Billy Milano. The band existed from 1986 to 1997, and again from 2001 to 2008...
), were a few of the more prominent bands to come from the East Coast thrash scene.
- Brazilian thrash metalBrazilian thrash metalBrazilian thrash metal is a regional scene of thrash metal music that originated during the 1980s in Brazil. Along with Bay Area thrash metal, and Teutonic thrash metal, it was one of the major scenes of thrash metal in the 1980s...
: Brazilian thrash metal brought a lot of death metal riffs. The most famous bands are SepulturaSepulturaSepultura 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...
, ExecuterExecuterExecuter are a Brazilian thrash metal band. They formed in the mid 80s in the city of Amparo, close to the metropolis of São Paulo.The founding line up was Juca on vocals and bass, Paulo and Elias on guitars, and Beba on drums...
, MXMX (band)MX is a Brazilian thrash metal band, formed in the early 80's at São Paulo. Their name comes from the American ICBM MX. They were one of the most important bands from the Brazilian thrash metal scene during the late 80's. Their sound is closer to the Bay Area thrash scene than the Brazilian scene,...
, KorzusKorzusKorzus is a Brazilian thrash metal band, formed in 1983 in São Paulo. They are one of the oldest and most important bands of the Brazilian thrash metal scene, along with bands like Sarcófago and Sepultura...
and SarcófagoSarcófagoSarcófago was an influential Brazilian extreme metal band. They were fronted by Sepultura's original singer, Wagner Lamounier, and Geraldo Minelli. They have been described as Brazil's most controversial metal band....
.
- Teutonic thrash metalTeutonic thrash metalTeutonic thrash metal is a regional scene of thrash metal music that originated during the 1980s in Germany. Along with Bay Area thrash metal, East Coast thrash metal, and Brazilian thrash metal, it was one of the major scenes of thrash metal in the 1980s....
: Since the mid-eighties, the German/Swiss thrash metal scene spawned dozens of bands, managing to develop its own original style. The most successful bands from this scene were KreatorKreatorKreator 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...
, DestructionDestruction (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...
, SodomSodom (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...
, TankardTankard (band)Tankard is a thrash metal band from Frankfurt am Main, Germany, founded in 1982. After losing their guitarist because of their image as a bunch of drunks, they moved on to issue their first record in 1986. From that point on, the band has continuously made songs and records in the same style they...
and Holy MosesHoly MosesHoly Moses is a German thrash metal band. They are well noted for being fronted by Sabina Classen and for being one of the very first German thrash metal bands.-Formative years: 1980-1985:...
.
Genre spinoffs
Thrash metal is directly responsible for the offshoot of popular underground metal genres, such as death metalDeath 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 black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
. The blending of punk ethos and metal's brutal nature led to even more extreme, underground styles after thrash metal began gaining mild commercial success in the late 1980s. With gorier subject matter, heavier downtuning of guitars, the more persistent use of the blastbeat, and darker, atonal death growls, death metal was established in the mid-1980s. Black metal, also considered the offspring of thrash, may have risen even sooner, with many black metal bands taking influence from thrash metal bands such as Venom
Venom
Venom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...
. Black metal continued with such deviations from thrash, often providing more orchestral soundtracks and Pagan or Occult-based aesthetics to distinguish itself from thrash.
Thrash metal with even more punk elements than standard thrash is called crossover thrash
Crossover thrash
__FORCETOC__Crossover thrash, often abbreviated to crossover, is a form of thrash metal that contains more hardcore punk elements than standard thrash. The genre lies on a continuum between heavy metal and punk rock...
or crossover for short. Its overall sound is more punk-influenced than traditional thrash metal, while more metal sounding than traditional 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...
and thrashcore
Thrashcore
Thrashcore is a fast tempo subgenre of hardcore punk that emerged in the early 1980s. Thrashcore is essentially sped-up hardcore punk, with bands often using blast beats. Songs can be very brief, and thrashcore is in many ways a less dissonant, less metallic forerunner of grindcore...
.