Thrash Basics

Thrash Metal is probably what you've heard of without realizing it. Characterized by speed and aggression, a common technique in Thrash is the palm-muted riff, which gives it its characteristic "chugging" sound. My first Thrash Metal album was Slayer's first full-length release Show No Mercy on cassette (yes cassette). It had a "Super-Saver" label slapped on it, which caused my father (Master Slaine Mac Roth Organgrinder, Esq.) to quip that it had "more chuck-a-chuck for your buck."

Differing from Death Metal (which Thrash predates by a few years), the vocals in Thrash are generally sung in a clear (though clearly angry) melodic shout. Chilean vocalist/ Tom Araya said of Slayer's most famous opus, Reign in Blood, that he wanted to sing clearly because the words were such an important part of the song for the audience to take away.

Slayer is my personal favorite of what's commonly called "The Big 4." Four American Thrash Metal Bands that have defined the genre.

Metallica

Megadeth

Anthrax

and once more, Slayer

There's a number of classics outside the big four, so be sure to check out Exodus and Testament if nothing else - I'm certain Professor Smythen-Wesson will have more to say on the subject.

Not to be outdone, Europe gave us their own epic shredders in the German 3.

Kreator

Sodom

Destruction

Noticing a trend? There's not as great a diversity of sound in Thrash as there is in Death or Doom - I'm not knocking it, mind you! But, unlike Doom which splinters into Sludge, Stoner, Drone, etc. and Death with can be Melodic or Technical or Doom/Death or Blackened Death (among others) diverge much from the Thrash formula and you're no longer listening to Thrash. Not sure why that is, it just is. All the bands highlighted here got started in the 80's and all of them are still touring and cutting albums - it's a formula that works. And there's still great new Thrashers emerging - here's a couple of greats that popped up in more recent years.

Municipal Waste

Warbringer

Enforcer

Gamma Bomb

Prof. Organgrinder