Thrash - The Genre

[tooth]

I didn't get it then & I don't get it now. While I recognize Metallica as one of the biggest, best bands in the world of all time, the only record I listen to is Lulu, the one with Lou Reed. Slayer & Anthrax have never spoken to me. Testament, Exodus, Overkill etc., all sounded the same to me. I do love Megadeth, though. What with their early "punkier" attitude, Dave's delivery & the morphing into the "progressive metal" band they are, big fan.
With that, do y'all still like thrash? I must be missing out on some level. Any suggestions of Thrash bands/records that lean Megadeth? thx!

[Whatever Happened To…]

It was always shit.

[HoldenSSV]

The Big 4 of thrash is a myth. It was always Metallica and Megadeth, and everyone else.

And most everyone else sucks.

[Rocker4Real]

The top bands added more musicianship and creative arrangements in the songs. The second tier bands were usually more simplified and the music was less interesting. Personally, I prefer to not listen to Thrash for a long period of time.

[Wednesday 13 Fan]

The Big 4 of thrash is a myth. It was always Metallica and Megadeth, and everyone else.

And most everyone else sucks.

Album sales speak differently.

[GoodJudge]

Loved it in my teens / early 20s, still listen to the bands and albums from that era, haven't really kept up with the scene (is there still one?) beyond later albums from some of those same bands. The last "new" thrash band I liked was Evile and that must have been 15 years ago. But at it's prime it was untouchable.

[Wiseacre]

All sounds the same? Sounds like someone who never listened to rap saying it all sounds the same. Of course every genre has similarities which is WHY it is a genre. How is this any different than hair metal or grunge or blues or any style of music?

Metallica were the crème of the crop in the mid to late ‘80s but saying the top bands are the best and the rest were shit is ridiculous. Almost all my favorites were “2nd or 3rd tier” bands who were FAR more creative and interesting than the “big boys”.

Go post on a thrash message board and say you don’t “get” why hair metal was ever popular at all and you’ll get the exact same types of answers.” Skid Row and Warrant were OK and BJ had a couple good songs but the rest all sucked and it all basically sounds the same”.

[EzyRider]

"I didn't get it then & I don't get it now. While I recognize Metallica as one of the biggest, best bands in the world of all time, the only record I listen to is Lulu, the one with Lou Reed. Slayer & Anthrax have never spoken to me"
> This is something I never expected to read. I almost started a thread a month ago if anyone had given LuLu a 2nd chance. I did, and couldn't get past the first 3 songs.

"Testament, Exodus, Overkill etc., all sounded the same to me. I do love Megadeth, though"
> Testament = Exodus = Overkill?? Blasphemy!!

"What with their early "punkier" attitude, Dave's delivery & the morphing into the "progressive metal" band they are, big fan.
With that, do y'all still like thrash? I must be missing out on some level. Any suggestions of Thrash bands/records that lean Megadeth?"
> Check out Eidolon. Shawn and Glen Drover are both in the band, so it's essentially the United Abominations lineup with a different singer. The last album has the singer from Pagans Mind, who is fantastic.

Also check out Heathen. They be good.

[Rocker4Real]

All sounds the same? Sounds like someone who never listened to rap saying it all sounds the same. Of course every genre has similarities which is WHY it is a genre. How is this any different than hair metal or grunge or blues or any style of music?

Metallica were the crème of the crop in the mid to late ‘80s but saying the top bands are the best and the rest were shit is ridiculous. Almost all my favorites were “2nd or 3rd tier” bands who were FAR more creative and interesting than the “big boys”.

Go post on a thrash message board and say you don’t “get” why hair metal was ever popular at all and you’ll get the exact same types of answers.” Skid Row and Warrant were OK and BJ had a couple good songs but the rest all sucked and it all basically sounds the same”.

You should make a new thread listing your top Thrash albums outside the big 4

[dmbrocker]

Thrash has plenty of great bands out there. And yeah, saying Slayer, Anthrax, Testament, Overkill, Exodus, etc. all sound the same is just plain stupid. Thrash as a whole genre is awesome.

[Wiseacre]

All sounds the same? Sounds like someone who never listened to rap saying it all sounds the same. Of course every genre has similarities which is WHY it is a genre. How is this any different than hair metal or grunge or blues or any style of music?

Metallica were the crème of the crop in the mid to late ‘80s but saying the top bands are the best and the rest were shit is ridiculous. Almost all my favorites were “2nd or 3rd tier” bands who were FAR more creative and interesting than the “big boys”.

Go post on a thrash message board and say you don’t “get” why hair metal was ever popular at all and you’ll get the exact same types of answers.” Skid Row and Warrant were OK and BJ had a couple good songs but the rest all sucked and it all basically sounds the same”.

You should make a new thread listing your top Thrash albums outside the big 4

I don’t even know what is considered “thrash” these days. It used to refer to a “trash” beat, but now everyone argues about what it means. I called my band a “thrash” band, but we only had a song or two per album with a predominantly thrash beat and a few bits here and there. Not that any band was ALL thrash.

And my picks would be so old no one would care haha. Id say my favorite non-big 4 are probably Voivod’s “Dimension Hatross”, Death Angels’s “Ultra-violence”, Metal Church’s debut and Celtic Frost’s “Into the Pandemonium”.

Add early Trouble, Mercyful Fate & King Diamond, early Savatage, Nuclear Aasault, Crumbsuckers and if we’re counting punk/crossover I’d throw in DRI, early Corrosion of Conformity, Agnostic Front and my all-time favorite crossover/hardcore album ever Cro-Mags’ “Age of Quarrel”.

No one could say any of those bands sounds very similar. Each of those vocalists was completely unique from the others.

[Rocker4Real]

Some of the newer Metal fans consider Thrash and Speed Metal to be two different genres. They think Thrash has more tempo changes and Speed Metal is consistently fast. There was a period when I tried to check out the 2nd tier bands when I watched the doc Get Thrashed. I don't remember hearing anything at the level of prime Megadeth and Metallica. I thought Voivod was mostly slower stuff and old Savatage is faster, but not Thrashy. By the way, I didn't say all the top Thrashers sound the same. The ones just outside the Big 4 (Exodus, Testament, Death Angel) have interesting material. I think Death Angel had potential if that accident didn't end things for them. It was right before they were gonna open for the Clash of the Titans tour.

[GoodJudge]

"I didn't get it then & I don't get it now. While I recognize Metallica as one of the biggest, best bands in the world of all time, the only record I listen to is Lulu, the one with Lou Reed. Slayer & Anthrax have never spoken to me"
> This is something I never expected to read. I almost started a thread a month ago if anyone had given LuLu a 2nd chance. I did, and couldn't get past the first 3 songs.

I've only listened to Lulu cd 1 (well, download equivalent) and I liked it. Enough to play it twice, though not enough to try cd 2 yet. And I've had it for years. But the point is it's a Lou Reed album with Metallica as his backing band. And I don't know anything abou Lou (solo), except a few hits, to be anle to say if it measures up on that score.

Mick Wall wanted to give it 10/10 when he reviewed it for Classic Rock but the editor wouldn't let him give more than (I think) 7.

[Rocker4Real]

People need to stop listing LuLu when they list Metallica albums. Do they know what a side project is? Metallica albums include the members of Metallica. If Lou Reed is collaborating on the whole album then it isn't Metallica.

[dmbrocker]

To the OP complaining that all thrash sounds the same, here's one - Forced Entry: great prog/tech-laced thrash from Seattle. Definitely not like the Metallica a lot of you are used to. Anyone here remember these guys?

"Macrocosm, Microcosm"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq10n5F0u0A

[Wiseacre]

Some of the newer Metal fans consider Thrash and Speed Metal to be two different genres. They think Thrash has more tempo changes and Speed Metal is consistently fast. There was a period when I tried to check out the 2nd tier bands when I watched the doc Get Thrashed. I don't remember hearing anything at the level of prime Megadeth and Metallica. I thought Voivod was mostly slower stuff and old Savatage is faster, but not Thrashy. By the way, I didn't say all the top Thrashers sound the same. The ones just outside the Big 4 (Exodus, Testament, Death Angel) have interesting material. I think Death Angel had potential if that accident didn't end things for them. It was right before they were gonna open for the Clash of the Titans tour.

If you watch the documentary on them it looks like they weren’t going to last long on a major label, accident or no accident. Gotta love when these labels grab a band they like (supposedly) and immediately try to change everything damn thing about them. Then if they don’t sell through the roof the band is basically done for good. I saw it happen a lot.

I know “success” is the name of the game, but we all knew there would never be 25 Metallica-level bands no matter. for me personally and creatively, I like that Metal Blade never even asked for a demo from us. I produced our stuff and we’d basically let them know we were doing an album and we’d work out the budget and do whatever we wanted to. I think DA mentioned sending like 20 demos and the label rejecting all but like 2 or something. Fuck that.

[Rocker4Real]

Some of the newer Metal fans consider Thrash and Speed Metal to be two different genres. They think Thrash has more tempo changes and Speed Metal is consistently fast. There was a period when I tried to check out the 2nd tier bands when I watched the doc Get Thrashed. I don't remember hearing anything at the level of prime Megadeth and Metallica. I thought Voivod was mostly slower stuff and old Savatage is faster, but not Thrashy. By the way, I didn't say all the top Thrashers sound the same. The ones just outside the Big 4 (Exodus, Testament, Death Angel) have interesting material. I think Death Angel had potential if that accident didn't end things for them. It was right before they were gonna open for the Clash of the Titans tour.

If you watch the documentary on them it looks like they weren’t going to last long on a major label, accident or no accident. Gotta love when these labels grab a band they like (supposedly) and immediately try to change everything damn thing about them. Then if they don’t sell through the roof the band is basically done for good. I saw it happen a lot.

I know “success” is the name of the game, but we all knew there would never be 25 Metallica-level bands no matter. for me personally and creatively, I like that Metal Blade never even asked for a demo from us. I produced our stuff and we’d basically let them know we were doing an album and we’d work out the budget and do whatever we wanted to. I think DA mentioned sending like 20 demos and the label rejecting all but like 2 or something. Fuck that.

I didn't know there was a Death Angel doc. What is it called?

[Wiseacre]

Some of the newer Metal fans consider Thrash and Speed Metal to be two different genres. They think Thrash has more tempo changes and Speed Metal is consistently fast. There was a period when I tried to check out the 2nd tier bands when I watched the doc Get Thrashed. I don't remember hearing anything at the level of prime Megadeth and Metallica. I thought Voivod was mostly slower stuff and old Savatage is faster, but not Thrashy. By the way, I didn't say all the top Thrashers sound the same. The ones just outside the Big 4 (Exodus, Testament, Death Angel) have interesting material. I think Death Angel had potential if that accident didn't end things for them. It was right before they were gonna open for the Clash of the Titans tour.

If you watch the documentary on them it looks like they weren’t going to last long on a major label, accident or no accident. Gotta love when these labels grab a band they like (supposedly) and immediately try to change everything damn thing about them. Then if they don’t sell through the roof the band is basically done for good. I saw it happen a lot.

I know “success” is the name of the game, but we all knew there would never be 25 Metallica-level bands no matter. for me personally and creatively, I like that Metal Blade never even asked for a demo from us. I produced our stuff and we’d basically let them know we were doing an album and we’d work out the budget and do whatever we wanted to. I think DA mentioned sending like 20 demos and the label rejecting all but like 2 or something. Fuck that.

I didn't know there was a Death Angel doc. What is it called?

https://youtu.be/RKHPHRWV0kU?si=rE0k_MoCSrB-NuFd

[kytepunches]

To the OP complaining that all thrash sounds the same, here's one - Forced Entry: great prog/tech-laced thrash from Seattle. Definitely not like the Metallica a lot of you are used to. Anyone here remember these guys?

"Macrocosm, Microcosm"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq10n5F0u0A

I’ll add Voivod too . Nobody else sounds like them , they definitely push the musical boundaries.

[aznsquirt]

As others have said, it's kind of a "either you get or don't" thing in response to your OP.

I mean, if you've listened to the stuff you've mentioned, and don't like it, there's not really an argument to make, it's just not your thing.

Thrash is pretty much the most "extreme" I get metal-wise. Thrash is one of my favorite genres, but I don't get much past that.

I've known several people who aren't really into Thrash but Megadeth does it for them, and it makes sense. It's far more interesting on so many levels for sure. Dave's compositions on the first 5 albums are just inhuman compared to everything else being written.

And there's melody in Metallica/Megadeth that just doesn't exist in most thrash that came after.

your top Thrash albums outside the big 4

That's going to just basically be the Exodus discography for me . When it comes to pure thrash, and across an entire catalog, nobody can touch them IMO. Their later stuff is BADLY slept on, particularly the Exhibit albums.

I *highly* recommend a listen to anyone, even the OP. While they're not "progressive" in the classical sense, the overall concept and songwriting is pretty much pushing thrash to the edge, IMO. It's hard to explain what I mean without listening.

And Blood In, Blood Out is as good as it gets for pure thrash.