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Speed Metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music. As the name implies the genre is characterised by its focus on fast playing style and because of this it is often considered to be the progenitor of both thrash metal and power metal. In actuality thrash metal was emerging around the same time as speed metal (and had overtaken it within a couple of years), however much of early thrash metal bears trademarks of speed metal as well, including the Big Four thrash metal bands, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. This has led to some to use the two terms interchangeably, however speed metal is considered to allow for more melody and less aggressive playing than thrash metal, containing more influence from the music's roots in traditional heavy metal and less from hardcore punk (though speed metal/punk hybrid artists are not unheard of). Additionally speed metal bands are less likely to use growled or shouted vocals than thrash metal. Speed metal's influence on European style power metal, which emerged in the late eighties, was much greater, with many early Euro power metal bands, including Helloween, Blind Guardian and Rage, starting their careers with more speed metal based sounds before becoming power metal acts.
While the roots of speed metal may be traced back even further with tracks such as Deep Purple's Highway Star or Queen's Stone Cold Crazy often credited as being proto-speed metal, it was traditional heavy metal bands such as Motörhead, Accept and Judas Priest that are considered to have had the most influence on the speed metal sound and can be said to have produced individual speed metal songs (such as Accept's Fast as a Shark) before there were any actual speed metal bands or albums.
Some of the first artists to really kick-start speed metal as a genre were Venom, Running Wild and Atomkraft, with Venom releasing the Welcome to Hell album in 1981, which could be considered the first speed metal album. Though as is common for speed metal, all these bands had elements of other genres in their sound as artists that exclusively or even primarily play speed metal are comparatively rare next to other metal sub-genres, though there are many thrash/speed, power/speed and heavy/speed metal bands in existence, who each may or may not have made some speed metal dominated albums. An early notable band to play a primarily speed metal based music was Exciter, who released their debut album Heavy Metal Maniac in 1983 and have mostly stuck with their speed metal dominant sound ever since, though they have also released speed/heavy and speed/thrash releases. Venom later turned to making more heavy and thrash metal based albums while Running Wild become an early example of Euro style power metal and later a more straight heavy metal based act.
Most well known examples of speed metal, which along with the aforementioned also includes Agent Steel, Angel Dust (early) and Savage Grace, are from the eighties. There has however been something of a speed metal renaissance starting in the late 2000's with examples of newer speed metal bands including Ranger, Demona, Speedwolf and Evil Invaders.
In addition to classic speed metal sounds, the genre has had a notable merger with black metal to create a blackened speed metal sound, typically consisting of speed metal guitar riffs with black metal vocals styles and an altogether dirtier atmosphere compared to straight speed metal bands or other hybrid styles, taking their cues from the early template laid down by Venom. Examples of blackened speed metal bands include Joel Grind, Bulldozing Bastard, Occult Burial and Midnight.
Certain neoclassical metal artists such as Joe Stump and Marty Friedman have also used speed metal to form the basis of their music on certain releases, such as Stump's 2004 album Speed Metal Messiah or Friedman's 1988 album Dragon's Kiss.
On MMA, speed/thrash and speed/power metal releases will typically be placed under thrash and power metal respectively, while speed/heavy releases will be placed under speed metal. Blackened speed metal will usually be included under speed metal with the work of neoclassical based artists will be included under neoclassical metal.
- Genre definition written by 666sharon666.
Sub-genre collaborators (shared with Thrash Metal and Groove Metal): - Vim Fuego (leader)
- Nightfly
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Demo · 1984 ·
Speed Metal
UMUR
"Speed Kills" is the first demo recording by Dutch speed/thrash metal (later death metal) act Thanatos. the demo was independently released in December 1984. Thanatos formed in 1984 and they are widely accepted as one of the first extreme metal acts from The Netherlands and a huge influence on artists like Pestilence, Aspyhx, and Gorefest. Unfortunately history shows that Thanatos weren´t able to capitalize on their underground popularity and therefore didn´t get a label deal until 1990 when they finally released their debut full-length studio album "Emerging from the Netherworlds" through Shark Records. They were hoping to be signed by an American or UK label, but that didn´t happen and they finally were left with no other opportunity than to sign with the relatively small Shark Records, and as a consequence they are not as widely known as artists like Pestilence and Gorefest.
while not being death metal in any type or form "Speed Kills" is still a relatively harsh, aggressive, and brutal sounding speed/thrash metal demo greatly influenced by artists like Venom, Bathory, Slayer, Destruction, and Hellhammer. It´s fast, it´s grim, and it´s savage. Thanatos are a pretty well playing band and lead vocalist/guitarist Stephan Gebédy has a raw snarling delivery (also performing the occasional high pitched scream). The tracks are often spice up with something as unusual as classical influenced acoustic guitar sections, which is in great contrast to the violence of the speed/thrash metal attack that the band otherwise produce (which also includes a lot of screaming solos and lead guitar themes). But they were still a very young band at this point and probably just wanted to show off all their skills.
Featuring 7 tracks and a total playing time of 30:26 minutes you get plenty of time to get to know Thanatos and while "Speed Kills" isn´t the most focused or consistent release it´s still a good quality demo. As the sound quality is also pretty decent for a 1984 demo, a 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is warranted.
Album · 1987 ·
Speed Metal
UMUR
"Unstoppable Force" is the second full-length studio album by US, Los Angeles based power/speed/thrash metal act Agent Steel. The album was released through Combat Records in March 1987. It´s the successor to "Skeptics Apocalypse" from 1985, although the two full-length studio albums are bridged by the 1986 "Mad Locust Rising" EP. There have been two lineup changes since the debut album as guitarist Kurt Kilfelt has been replaced by Bernie Versailles and bassist George Robb has been replaced by Michael Zaputil.
Both of the two preceding releases are raw speed/thrash/US power metal in the most fierce and hard edged end of the spectrum, and the basis of that sound is continued on "Unstoppable Force". The material on "Unstoppable Force" are maybe slightly less savage, a little more polished and melodic, but still filled to the brim with aggressive and raw speed metal riffs, blistering leads and harmonies, and a raw and organic playing rhythm section. John Cyriis strong voice and ultra high pitched delivery are of course also a defining feature of the band´s sound. I´m honestly blown away by his performance on this album. He is definitely up there with the greats of the genre like Midnight from Crimson Glory and John Arch from Fates Warning (...and I´d mention Rob Halford of Judas Priest as an influence here too).
"Unstoppable Force" features 9 tracks and a total playing time of 38:04 minutes, and while the pace is not quite as frenetic and the atmosphere not as savage as on the debut album, the listener is still treated to highly energetic and aggressive speed/thrash metal on most tracks. The acoustic power ballad intro to "Chosen to Stay" is longer than most intros, but the remainder of the song is in speed metal territory, and the 6:31 minutes long instrumental "The Day at Guyana" is not exactly a breather either, as it´s quite the busy and almost semi-progressive track. The latter is a re-arranged and reworked version of the last part of "Let It Be Done / The Day at Guyana" from the "Mad Locust Rising (1986)" EP. Album closer "Traveler" is the closest you come to a tranquil power ballad breather moment on the album. Other than those tracks there is simply no letting up on "Unstoppable Force" as Agent Steel keep producing strong riff after riff, pummeling rhythms, and great melodic guitar work, and of course top it off with Cyriis incredible vocals and paranoid sci-fi/UFO/Alien lyrics.
The album features a well sounding production, which is more detailed and clear sounding than the sound productions on the two predecessors, but raw enough to not ruin authenticity and power. It´s a sound production suiting the material perfectly. Upon conclusion "Unstoppable Force" is a high quality sophomore studio album by Agent Steel and it´s a real shame they disbanded in 1988. They would reunite in 1998 under the Agents of Steel monicker (without Cyriis), release a comeback album in 1999 under the Agent Steel monicker, work under the Order of the Illuminati monicker from 2001-2003, release another album under the Agent Steel monicker in 2003 and again in 2007 and finally launch a new version of the band with Cyriis in 2010. A complex band history, but "Unstoppable Force" is where the classic era ended for Agent Steel. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.
Album · 2022 ·
Speed Metal
siLLy puPPy
One of the many extreme metal bands to emerge from South America in recent years, DEVIL’S POISON formed in 2015 in the far southern reaches of Chile in the city of Coyhaique. This band that consists of Black Goat Sodomizer (bass, vocals), Bestial Drinker (guitars, screams) and S. Conquerer (drums, screams) has adopted many newer band’s fascination with the first wave of black metal when the genre was in its infancy and still basically a hybrid of speed metal and thrash metal.
DEVIL’S POISON is yet another band to follow in these footsteps and looks more to early Slayer, Venom, Bathory, Black Uniforms, GISM and even crust punk pioneers like Discharge as the inspiring forces. In just less than 10 years this band has released a fair number o demos, EPs, splits and singles but has also released two full-length albums with this second one POWER OF DARKNESS (BLASPHEMOUS RUMOURS) coming out as recently as 2022. On this sophomore unit, DEVIL’S POISON conjures up its best Venom inspired blackened speed metal taking you back to the early 80s with that same filthy grit and rawness that made those bands some of the scariest and most cutting edge of the era.
Remaining fairly faithful to the early blackened thrash / speed metal playbook, nothing on POWER OF DARKNESS will come off as unique or innovative in anyway considering this style was forged well over four decades ago and the world of black metal has not only matured but splintered to an unthinkable number of branches. This is no nonsense first wave black metal much in the vein of bands like the Japanese Sabbat who also opted early on to latch onto the first wave of black metal as its primary resource for its own career and then the legion of imitators has been incessant ever since.
POWER OF DARKNESS (BLASPHEMOUS RUMOURS) is a short running album at only 26 1/2 minutes but packs a powerful punch with a strong crusty infusion of lo-fi guitar riffs and pounding bass grooves. Lots of dirty guitar solos that showcases the DIY ethos that the pioneers of this sound demonstrated with nary a care for virtuosity and basically with the intent to create a bunch of angsty noise with heavy distortion and irreverent song titles and lyrics. Going for the international crowds, this band operates in the English language. Overall it’s a decent slice of retro proto black metal when the genre was still taking its baby steps into its own but also nothing to get overly excited about either.
Like many regions of the world that missed the original scene, this band probably fills that niche for live performances in a nation that didn’t have access to the original pioneers. The musicians are all decent and i love the screams. The music is authentically played and sounds as if it really was crafted so long ago but in the end of the day there are so many real first wavers to still discover that a modern version of Venom just doesn’t really get my juices flowing. A good and well performed album but not one i would call essentially by any means especially when Chile is on fire with modern day bands like Inana representing the nation in a modern day context.