Thrash Metal
From Wikimetal
Thrash Metal is a genre derived from Heavy Metal, that appeared in the early 1980s, mostly in the USA (California) and in Germany, but also in Brazil and Canada.
Contents |
Origins and influences
Its origins are found back in the early 80s, when some Californian and German bands started to mix English Hardcore Punk (Discharge, GBH, The Exploited) elements with what the NWOBHM (Iron Maiden, Saxon, Def Leppard, etc.) had brought.
One of its main influence keeps being the british band Venom though.
Musical characteristics
Thrash metal differentiates itself from traditional Heavy Metal by an even more fast-paced and violent sound.
The word thrash itself is representative of the genre characs.
Local scenes
The "Big Four"
Four American bands are regarded as the most representative and influent of the genre. Three out of these four bands originate from the Bay Area (only Anthrax is not from California but from New York) :
This list is sometimes completed by other names, usually:
Germany
- Assassin
- Deathrow
- Destruction
- Exumer
- Holy Moses
- Kreator
- Living Death
- Minotaur
- Protector
- Sodom
- Tankard
- Violent Force
- Witchburner
Australia
Brazil
Canada
- Annihilator (Ontario)
- Anonymus (Québec)
- Infernäl Mäjesty (Toronto)
- Razor (Ontario)
- Sacrifice (Ontario)
- Voivod (Québec)
Denmark
Italy
United States
"Bay Area" (California)
- Agent Steel
- Dark Angel
- Death Angel
- Exodus
- Forbidden
- Heathen
- Megadeth
- Metallica
- Sadus
- Slayer
- Suicidal Tendencies
- Testament
- Vio-lence
Others
- Anthrax (New York)
- At War (Virginia)
- Atrophy (Arizona)
- Blood Feast (New Jersey)
- Demolition Hammer (New York)
- Flotsam And Jetsam (Arizona)
- Gwar (Virginia)
- Nuclear Assault (New York)
- Overkill (New York)
- Pantera (Texas)
- Sacred Reich (Arizona)
- Toxik (New York)
- Whiplash (New York)
United Kingdom
Switzerland
- Celtic Frost (first albums)
- Coroner
Belgium
"Revival" Thrash
A new wave of "old-school" thrash metal has been appearing for a few years throughout the world. The age of the bands are often pretty young and they produce a music largely inspired by thrash metal debuts. This wave is called revival thrash.
