Thrashcore
Encyclopedia
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 beat
s. Songs can be very brief, and thrashcore is in many ways a less dissonant, less metallic forerunner of grindcore
. Like hardcore groups, thrashcore lyrics typically emphasize youthful rebellion or antimilitarism
. In some ways, the genre is aligned with skateboarder
culture.
and sometimes thrash metal
. Further confusion is added by the fact that many crossover bands, such as D.R.I.
, began as influential thrashcore bands. The term thrashcore is of recent vintage but dates from at least 1993. Throughout the '80s, the term "thrash" was in use as a synonym for hardcore punk
(as in the New York Thrash
compilation of 1982). It eventually came to be used for the faster, more intense style pioneered by D.R.I.
, just before their crossover period. The "-core" suffix is necessary to distinguish it from the thrash metal scene, which is also referred to as "thrash" by fans. Still more confusingly, the term "thrashcore" is occasionally used by the music press to refer to thrash metal-inflected metalcore
.
groups distinguished themselves from their punk rock
predecessors by their greater intensity and aggression, thrashcore groups (often identified simply as "thrash") sought to play at breakneck tempos that would radicalize the innovations of hardcore. Thrash groups evolved in parallel with, and sometimes borrowed from, developments in British street punk
, particularly D-beat
. Early American thrashcore groups included Cryptic Slaughter
(Santa Monica), Dirty Rotten Imbeciles (D.R.I.)
(Houston), Septic Death
(Boise) and Siege
(Weymouth, Massachusetts). The British Electro Hippies
, Dutch Lärm
, Italian Raw Power
, and Japanese S.O.B.
also practiced important examples of the style. Some of Negative Approach
's later work was influential on the scene.
scene, which had emerged from crust punk
. Powerviolence groups saw themselves as distinct from grindcore
because of the increasing proximity of grindcore groups to the death metal
being performed in Florida, Sweden, and Brazil. Powerviolence groups wished to avoid the association with heavy metal music
and culture that crossover thrash
, thrash metal
, and grindcore had made. As well as from thrashcore, powerviolence groups also took inspiration from crust punk
, from some aspects of early youth crew
, and eventually from noise music
.
began to explore their debt to this earlier form of extreme rock music. This was sometimes referred to as "bandanna thrash", in reference to the headgear preferred by many of the performers. Prominent '90s thrashcore groups included Code 13
, MK-ULTRA
, Guyana Punch Line
, What Happens Next?
and R.A.M.B.O.
(from the United States) Vitamin X
(from the Netherlands), Vivisick
(from Japan), Voorhees
(from the UK). These groups sometimes felt a greater association with other elements of '80s hardcore punk, such as straight edge
, anarcho-punk
, youth crew
, or crust punk
, than most initial thrashcore groups did.
(who are also associated with queercore
) and the Dutch-American group Das Oath
.
Music genre
A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music...
of 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...
that emerged in the early 1980s. Thrashcore is essentially sped-up 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...
, with bands often using blast beat
Blast beat
A blast beat is a drum beat often associated with extreme metal and grindcore, although its usage predates the genres, and is utilised by many different styles of metal...
s. Songs can be very brief, and thrashcore is in many ways a less dissonant, less metallic forerunner of grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
. Like hardcore groups, thrashcore lyrics typically emphasize youthful rebellion or antimilitarism
Antimilitarism
Antimilitarism is a doctrine commonly found in the anarchist and, more globally, in the socialist movement, which may both be characterized as internationalist movements. It relies heavily on a critical theory of nationalism and imperialism, and was an explicit goal of the First and Second...
. In some ways, the genre is aligned with skateboarder
Skate punk
Skate punk is a sub genre of punk rock, originally a derivative of the West Coast hardcore punk scene, that is named after its popularity among skateboarders and association with skateboarding culture. Skate punk most commonly describes the sound of melodic hardcore bands from the 1990s with an...
culture.
Terminological ambiguity
Thrashcore is often confused with crossover thrashCrossover 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...
and sometimes thrash metal
Thrash metal
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 riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
. Further confusion is added by the fact that many crossover bands, such as D.R.I.
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from the United States that formed in Houston, in 1982. The band currently comprises founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Harald Oimoen.D.R.I...
, began as influential thrashcore bands. The term thrashcore is of recent vintage but dates from at least 1993. Throughout the '80s, the term "thrash" was in use as a synonym for 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...
(as in the New York Thrash
New York Thrash
New York Thrash is a hardcore punk compilation album released by ROIR in 1982.Considered a definitive document of the early New York hardcore scene, New York Thrash features rare and otherwise unreleased recordings, including the first recorded material by the Beastie Boys, as well as material by...
compilation of 1982). It eventually came to be used for the faster, more intense style pioneered by D.R.I.
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from the United States that formed in Houston, in 1982. The band currently comprises founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Harald Oimoen.D.R.I...
, just before their crossover period. The "-core" suffix is necessary to distinguish it from the thrash metal scene, which is also referred to as "thrash" by fans. Still more confusingly, the term "thrashcore" is occasionally used by the music press to refer to thrash metal-inflected metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
.
Origins
Just as hardcore punkHardcore 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...
groups distinguished themselves from their 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...
predecessors by their greater intensity and aggression, thrashcore groups (often identified simply as "thrash") sought to play at breakneck tempos that would radicalize the innovations of hardcore. Thrash groups evolved in parallel with, and sometimes borrowed from, developments in British street punk
Street punk
Street punk is a working class-based genre of punk rock which took shape in the early 1980s, partly as a rebellion against the perceived artistic pretensions of the first wave of British punk. Street punk emerged from the Oi! style, performed by bands such as Sham 69, Angelic Upstarts, Cockney...
, particularly D-beat
D-beat
D-beat is a style of hardcore punk developed in the early 1980s by imitators of Discharge, for whom the genre is named. Discharge may have themselves inherited the beat from Motörhead. The first such group was The Varukers.The vocal content of D-beat tends towards shouted slogans...
. Early American thrashcore groups included Cryptic Slaughter
Cryptic Slaughter
Cryptic Slaughter was a Santa Monica, California-based crossover thrash band.-Biography:Cryptic Slaughter was formed in 1984 by Les Evans , Scott Peterson and Adam Scott , who met through their mutual participation in the American Youth Soccer League . Soon they were joined by Bill Crooks , a...
(Santa Monica), Dirty Rotten Imbeciles (D.R.I.)
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from the United States that formed in Houston, in 1982. The band currently comprises founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Harald Oimoen.D.R.I...
(Houston), Septic Death
Septic Death
Septic Death was a hardcore punk band fronted by artist Brian "Pushead" Schroeder on vocals. Septic Death's music became a major influence on bands like Integrity, Citizens Arrest, Infest, and many other bands tied to the hardcore punk, thrashcore, crust punk etc. scenes...
(Boise) and Siege
Siege (band)
Siege was an American punk/Thrashcore band from Weymouth, Massachusetts. They were active in the 1980s Boston hardcore scene from 1983 to 1985, and reunited briefly in the early 1990s....
(Weymouth, Massachusetts). The British Electro Hippies
Electro Hippies
Electro Hippies was a crust punk/thrashcore band formed in St Helens/Wigan, United Kingdom, in 1985.Though they were short-lived and underground through their career, their music influenced many future crust, hardcore punk, and grindcore bands. The band relied heavily on low bass end sounds to...
, Dutch Lärm
Lärm
Lärm were a Dutch straight edge thrashcore band formed in 1981, first playing under the name of Total Chaoz. Lärm pioneered what would later be called power violence, along with bands Heresy and Siege...
, Italian Raw Power
Raw Power (band)
Raw Power is an Italian hardcore punk band from Reggio Emilia. They were formed in 1981 and are still active today.- Biography :Raw Power was formed in 1981 in Poviglio , Italy, by brothers Mauro and Giuseppe Codeluppi...
, and Japanese S.O.B.
S.O.B. (band)
S.O.B., also known as SxOxBx, is an early, seminal hardcore punk and grindcore band from Japan. Their band name is an acronym for S.O.B., also known as SxOxBx, is an early, seminal [[hardcore punk]] and [[grindcore]] band from [[Japan]]...
also practiced important examples of the style. Some of Negative Approach
Negative Approach
Negative Approach is an American hardcore punk band, formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1981. The band is considered among of the pioneers of hardcore punk, particularly in the Midwest region. Like most hardcore bands, Negative Approach was little known in its day outside of its hometown...
's later work was influential on the scene.
Powerviolence
The powerviolence scene grew out of thrashcore as an American (California) counterpart to the British grindcoreGrindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
scene, which had emerged from crust punk
Crust punk
Crust punk is a form of music influenced by anarcho-punk, hardcore punk and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the mid-1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills...
. Powerviolence groups saw themselves as distinct from grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
because of the increasing proximity of grindcore groups to 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....
being performed in Florida, Sweden, and Brazil. Powerviolence groups wished to avoid the association with heavy metal music
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...
and culture that 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...
, thrash metal
Thrash metal
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 riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
, and grindcore had made. As well as from thrashcore, powerviolence groups also took inspiration from crust punk
Crust punk
Crust punk is a form of music influenced by anarcho-punk, hardcore punk and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the mid-1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills...
, from some aspects of early youth crew
Youth crew
Youth crew is a music subgenre of hardcore punk attributed to the band Youth of Today who were primarily active during the early to mid-1980s particularly during the New York hardcore scene of 1988...
, and eventually from noise music
Noise music
Noise music is a term used to describe varieties of avant-garde music and sound art that may use elements such as cacophony, dissonance, atonality, noise, indeterminacy, and repetition in their realization. Noise music can feature distortion, various types of acoustically or electronically...
.
Thrashcore revival
The '90s saw a revival of the thrashcore style, as groups that had previously been associated with power violence or grindcoreGrindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
began to explore their debt to this earlier form of extreme rock music. This was sometimes referred to as "bandanna thrash", in reference to the headgear preferred by many of the performers. Prominent '90s thrashcore groups included Code 13
Code 13
Code 13 is a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based hardcore band formed by ex-members of the defunct band Destroy, including Havoc Records founder Felix Havoc.-Formation and History:In the words of member Felix Havoc:...
, MK-ULTRA
MK-ULTRA (Chicago band)
MK-ULTRA was a hardcore/thrash band from Chicago, Illinois formed in 1993. They were known for their fast music and outspokenness on political and social topics ranging from capitalism to Christianity. Due to "legal troubles", the band was forced to drop the name "MK-ULTRA" in 1999...
, Guyana Punch Line
Guyana Punch Line
Guyana Punch Line was an American hardcore punk band from South Carolina that existed from 1998 until 2003.-History:Guyana Punch Line was formed of members who had previously played in In/Humanity, Antischism and .fuckingcom. They worked hard to bring Chris Bickel's school of thought called...
, What Happens Next?
What Happens Next?
What Happens Next? is a thrashcore and crossover thrash band from the San Francisco Bay Area. Known for their DIY ethic, anticonsumerism, and worldwide unity; as well as energetic performances.-Band members:*Devon Morf - Vocals*Robert Collins - Bass...
and R.A.M.B.O.
R.A.M.B.O.
R.A.M.B.O. were an American punk rock band based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The band identified with the straight edge, anarchist, vegan, crust punk, cyclist and thrashcore movements...
(from the United States) Vitamin X
Vitamin X
Vitamin X or VX is a hardcore punk and thrashcore band from Amsterdam, Netherlands that was formed in 1997. They are named as one of the best and most important hardcore punk bands going. Their unique sound is characterized by furious hardcore punk mixed with turbo-charged thrash, 70's rock riffage...
(from the Netherlands), Vivisick
Vivisick
Vivisick is a four piece Thrashcore punk band hailing from Tokyo, Japan. Formed in 1996 by bassist/vocalist Yuki and guitarist Sunao, Vivisick has become fairly prominent in their local scene but remains almost unheard of outside of Japan.-History:...
(from Japan), Voorhees
Voorhees (band)
Voorhees is a hardcore punk band formed in Durham, England. From early 1990 until late 2001 they released numerous records on various international record labels and toured Europe and the USA frequently...
(from the UK). These groups sometimes felt a greater association with other elements of '80s hardcore punk, such as straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
, anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk is punk rock that promotes anarchism. The term anarcho-punk is sometimes applied exclusively to bands that were part of the original anarcho-punk movement in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
, youth crew
Youth crew
Youth crew is a music subgenre of hardcore punk attributed to the band Youth of Today who were primarily active during the early to mid-1980s particularly during the New York hardcore scene of 1988...
, or crust punk
Crust punk
Crust punk is a form of music influenced by anarcho-punk, hardcore punk and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the mid-1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills...
, than most initial thrashcore groups did.
Contemporary thrashcore
Prominent thrashcore groups of the 21st century include Limp WristLimp Wrist
Limp Wrist is an American hardcore punk band featuring members of Los Crudos, Hail Mary, Devoid of Faith, and Kill the Man Who Questions. Playing short, fast hardcore punk-styled music, the band touches upon themes concerning the LGBT community in their live performances and lyrics. They identify...
(who are also associated with queercore
Queercore
Queercore is a cultural and social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of punk. It is distinguished by being discontent with society in general and its rejection of the disapproval of the gay, bisexual, and lesbian communities and their "oppressive agenda"...
) and the Dutch-American group Das Oath
Das Oath
Das Oath was a thrashcore band from New York, originating from The Netherlands. They formed in 1999. After two rehearsals the band recorded their 7" eight song debut in Rotterdam. It was not until a year later when Das Oath started to play shows. With only one 7" released the band hit the road and...
.
Record labels
- Slap-a-Ham RecordsSlap-a-Ham RecordsSlap A Ham Records was a hardcore punk, thrash metal and grindcore label from San Francisco, California owned and operated by Chris Dodge of Spazz, Despise You, Lack Of Interest and several other bands.-Discography:Published albums include:...
- 625 Thrashcore625 Thrashcore625 Thrashcore is a small American record label started by Max Ward of long-standing powerviolence band Spazz. They put out records of different genres, including hardcore, grindcore, thrashcore, powerviolence and others, mainly from the US and Japan....
- Havoc RecordsHavoc RecordsHavoc Records is an underground crust punk record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Havoc Records was founded in 1992 by Felix Havoc. According to Felix, "I learned a lot about how to produce and distribute records in this period. Havoc Records began in 1992 as the vehicle to realize the "Burn...
- Ebullition RecordsEbullition RecordsEbullition Records is an independent record label and distro based out of Goleta, California. It published HeartattaCk, a zine focusing on independent punk and hardcore from around the world, informed by an anti-consumerist and D.I.Y. ideology....