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Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized by its fast tempo and aggression. Thrash metal songs typically use fast, percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work. Thrash metal lyrics often deal with social issues using direct and denunciatory language, an approach which partially overlaps with the hardcore genre. The "Big Four" bands of thrash metal are Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica, and Slayer, who simultaneously created and popularized the genre in the early 1980s.
The origins of thrash metal are generally traced to the late 1970s and early 1980s, when a number of bands began incorporating the sound of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, creating a new genre and developing into a separate movement from punk rock and hardcore. This genre is more aggressive compared to its relative, speed metal, and can be seen in part to be a reaction to the lighter, more widely acceptable sounds and themes of glam metal.
Thrash metal generally features fast tempos, low-register, complex guitar riffs, high-register guitar solos, double bass drumming, and aggressive vocals. Most thrash guitar solos are played at high speed, as they are usually characterized by shredding, and use techniques such as sweep picking, legato phrasing, alternate picking, string skipping, and two-hand tapping. Thrash lead guitarists are often influenced by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Thrash guitar riffs often use chromatic scales and emphasize the tritone and diminished intervals, instead of using conventional single scale based riffing. For example, the main riff of Metallica's "Master of Puppets" is a chromatic descent, followed by a chromatic ascent based on the tritone. Rhythm guitar playing is characterized by extensive palm muting and down picking to give the riffs a chugging sound, along with extensive use of the pedal point technique (creating what can be considered a distinctive, 'thrashy' sound). Speed, pacing, and time-changes also define thrash metal. Thrash tends to have an accelerating feel which may be due in large part to its aggressive drumming style. For example, thrash drummers often use two bass drums, or a double-bass pedal, in order to create a relentless, driving beat. Cymbal stops/chokes are often used to transition from one riff to another or to precede an acceleration in tempo. To keep up with the other instruments, many thrash bassists use a pick. However, some prominent thrash metal bassists have used their fingers, such as Frank Bello, Greg Christian, Jack Gibson, Steve DiGiorgio, Robert Trujillo and the late Cliff Burton. Several bassists use a distorted bass tone, an approach popularized by Burton and Motörhead's Lemmy.
Lyrical themes in thrash metal include isolation, alienation, corruption, injustice, addiction, suicide, murder, warfare, and other maladies that afflict the individual and society. Humor and irony can occasionally be found, but they are limited, and are the exception rather than the rule.
Inclusive thrash metal music subgenres:
- Crossover thrash, often abbreviated to crossover, is a form of thrash metal that contains more hardcore punk elements than standard thrash. It is sometimes referred to as punk metal, though this is generally incorrect due to the existence of other music genres that combine forms of punk rock and heavy metal, such as grunge, crust punk, and more recently metalcore and its subgenres. While thrash metal is heavily influenced by hardcore punk, the overall sound of crossover thrash is more punk-influenced yet more metal-sounding and aggressive than traditional hardcore punk and thrashcore. The term was coined by the band D.R.I. with their album Crossover, released in 1987. The term 'crossover' is based on the metaphor of crossing over from one genre into the other, thus capturing artists the operate within the transition zone between thrash metal and hardcore punk. With the metaphor comes the conception of directionality, such that the genre is applied to hardcore and crust punk artists who have crossed over into thrash metal territory, such as D.R.I., Discharge, The Exploited, The Accüsed, Agnostic Front and Suicidal Tendencies (who eventually ventured into alternative metal), and thrash metal artists who crossed over into hardcore punk territory, such as Nuclear Assault and S.O.D. A number of death metal bands (especially those of the first wave of Swedish death metal) draw on hardcore punk, mainly because their members listen to crossover thrash - these bands are included under the death metal subgenre here at the MMA.
- Death-thrash combines elements from thrash metal and death metal. The most common type of death-thrash is based on thrash metal music (often played a bit faster than standard thrash metal) with growled vocals. Sepultura's "Schizophrenia", "Beneath the Remains", and "Arise" are considered examples of death-thrash. Given that death metal is derived from thrash metal, many early death metal bands played a style that was anchored thrash metal and could be considered death-thrash. Many of those artists are included under the death metal genre here on MMA.
- Technical/progressive (or tech/prog) thrash metal is considered a legitimate genre by some (or even two legitimate genres), while others argue that it is a pseudo-genre. Bands included in this genre take emphasize technicality in their music, in the form of complex riffs and/or complex song structures, while others apply the ethos of progressive music more broadly without straying from their basic thrash metal sound. Examples of artists that are sometimes considered tech/prog thrash metal acts are Dark Angel, Death Angel (especially on "Act III"), Annihilator, Artillery (especially on "By Inheritance", "When Death Comes", and "My Blood"), and Invocator. Releases like "Master of Puppets" and "...And Justice For All" by Metallica are quite progressively oriented with complex song structures and numerous sections per song. Some bands like Voivod, Antithesis and Watchtower took the progressive approach so far that they are primarily considered progressive metal artists rather than thrash metal artists.
- Blackened thrash metal is thrash metal with black metal elements. Its thrash metal basis is more primitive and akin to early German thrash metal. Examples of blackened thrash metal bands are Assaulter, Aura Noir, and The Metaphor. It should be mentioned that much early black metal, such as Venom and Hellhammer/Celtic Frost actually had its roots in thrash metal.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrash_metalWritten by Time Signature.
Sub-genre collaborators (+ child sub-genres & shared with Speed Metal and Groove Metal): - Vim Fuego (leader)
- Nightfly
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Boxset / Compilation · 1990 ·
Thrash Metal
UMUR
"Scars 1988-1990" is a compilation album release by Finnish thrash metal act Oppression. The compilation was released through Xtreem Music in 2015. As the title suggests it´s a compilation featuring all material recorded by Oppression in the years 1988-1990. Oppression formed in 1987 and disbanded in 1992 after releasing three demos and an EP. The tracks appear here in reverse order, so you get the tracks from the 1990 "Alone" EP opening the compilation, while the tracks from the 1988 debut demo close the compilation.
Oppression and their material can be divided into two separate periods. The 1987-1989 period featuring Santtu Laakso on vocals, which yielded the 1988- and the 1989 demos, and 1990 featuring Mika Luoma on vocals, which yielded the 1990 demo and the 1990 "Alone" EP.
The material from the 1987-1989 period is aggressive high energy thrash metal with the raw snarling vocals of Laakso in front. It´s not mindless aggressive thrash metal though as Oppression are quite clever composers and the 1988- and 1989 demos also feature heavy mid-paced sections and intriging lead- and harmony guitar work. Both demos are high quality Finnish thrash metal releases and should be counted among the best contemporary thrash metal releases from Finland (along releases from artists like Mengele, Phlegethon, The Hirvi, and Protected Illusion).
The two Luoma-fronted releases are an a different style as Oppression at this point opted for a heavier mid-paced and technical thrash metal style. Luoma´s vocals are shouting staccato delivered thrash metal vocals, which aren´t nearly as savage or as effective as the raw snarling of Laakso. The material from the 1990 demo and the 1990 "Alone" EP are therefore of a decent but not great songwriting quality, although both releases are relatively well produced (very well produced if you consider that these are basically demo recordings) and the musicianship is on a high level on all posts.
Since the original releases have been out-of-print for years, the idea to release "Scars 1988-1990" is great. I just wish they would have reversed the tracklist to the natural release order sequence because the early material is the strongest and people giving this compilation a listen might miss the brilliance of the closing tracks if they only judge it by the first couple of tracks from the 1990 band. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.
EP · 1990 ·
Thrash Metal
UMUR
"Alone" is an EP release by Finnish thrash metal act Oppression. The EP was released through Operative Vinyl in 1990. Oppression formed in 1987 and disbanded in 1992 after releasing three demos and this EP. All recorded material by Oppression was reissued on the 2015 "Scars 1988-1990" compilation album released through Xtreem Music. "Alone" was Oppression´s sole label release during their original run and the last release they put out before disbanding. On their third demo from 1990 original lead vocalist Santtu Laakso had been replaced by Mika Luoma and the band also changed their music style from aggressive thrash metal towards a heavy technical thrash metal style...
...since the opening title track also appeared on the 1990 demo it´s no surprise that the two tracks on the 12:59 minutes long demo is also in the heavy technical thrash metal style of the preceding demo release. Luoma´s shouting staccato delivery is decent but nothing out of the ordinary for the genre, and it´s hard not to miss the aggressive snarling vocals of Laakso. The music is quite creative and intriguing, but all the details, rhythmic changes, and interesting lead- harmony work can´t disguise the fact that the music lacks power and energy. It´s like the heaviness and mid-paced tempo take away the aggression and energy which Oppression´s first two demos were loaded with.
"Alone" is still a worthwhile release if you´re interested in heavy technical thrash metal, but if you come to this EP or the preceding demo familiar with the Laakso-fronted Oppression demos you may come away a little disappointed. The sound production is of a decent quality, the musicianship is on a high level, and the songwriting is solid despite lacking power and energy. So, although I´m not 100% convinced there are still enough quality traits present here to warrant a 3 star (60%) rating.
Demo · 1990 ·
Thrash Metal
UMUR
"Demo 1990" is the third demo recording by Finnish thrash metal act Oppression. The demo was independently released in (as the title suggests) 1990. Oppression formed in 1987 and disbanded in 1992 after releasing three demos and one EP. All recorded material by Oppression was reissued on the 2015 "Scars 1988-1990" compilation album released through Xtreem Music.
After releasing two brilliant aggressive thrash metal demos Oppression went a slightly more technical thrash metal route on "Demo 1990". Hints of this heavier and more technical thrash metal style was already heard sporadically on the first two demos, but "Demo 1990" completes the transition. The change of lead vocalist from Santtu Laakso to Mika Luoma also has an effect as Luoma has a more shouting staccato delivery compared to the more aggressive and snarling Laakso. Although the music is still incredibly well performed considering that this is a demo release, some of the immediate aggression and brutality of the first couple of demos have been lost in the transition to this more heavy technical thrash metal sound.
The tracks are pretty long too (between 6 and 10 minutes long), which have a tendency to make them a little tedious. It´s maybe a bit unfair to describe the material like that because a lot is actually going on during these compositions, but they just don´t flow as naturally as the material did on the first couple of demos. I´m sometimes reminded of Sabbat´s "Mourning Has Broken" album from 1991, which is also a heavy technical beast of a thrash metal album, which never manages to make any real impact on the listener.
When that is said "Demo 1990" is still a good quality demo release from Oppression, featuring a well sounding production job, high level musical performances, and to some extent solid songwriting. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.
Demo · 1989 ·
Thrash Metal
UMUR
"Demo 1989" is the second demo recording by Finnish thrash metal act Oppression. The demo was independently released in (as the title suggests) 1989. Oppression formed in 1987 and disbanded in 1992 after releasing three demos and one EP. All recorded material by Oppression was reissued on the 2015 "Scars 1988-1990" compilation album released through Xtreem Music.
Stylistically the material on "Demo 1989" continues the aggressive and brutal thrash metal style of the 1988 demo, but Oppression add even more variation to their sound and the relatively long tracks feature both fast-paced thrash metal riffs and rhythms, but also mid-paced heavy grooves. There´s some pretty accomplished lead- and harmony guitar work present too, so the instrumental part of the demo is certainly an interesting listen. Lead vocalist Santtu Laakso has a raw voice and a snarling angry delivery, which is perfect for the music.
Not everything heard on the demo is new original material as re-arranged parts/versions of "Into the Dark" and "Parasites" from the first demo also appear here. These versions are different enough to warrant being included here though and it´s interesting to hear how the tracks have developed since they appeared in their original form on the first demo. On the "Scars 1988-1990" compilation they have been given new song titles.
Just like the first demo, "Demo 1989" is a high quality Finnish thrash metal release and Oppression can be proud of what they produced here. The sound production is of a good quality considering that this is a demo recording, the musicianship is on a high level, and the tracks are well composed, memorable, and creative. Packing as much punch as you could wish for but at the same time appearing intriguing and challenging. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
Single · 2023 ·
Thrash Metal
UMUR
"Empress of Evil" is a one-track single release by US, California based thrash metal act Nukem. The single was independently released in April 2023. It´s the first release from Nukem since they released their debut full-length studio album "The Unholy Trinity" in 2016. It´s worth a mention that Gary Holt (Exodus, Slayer) plays guitar solos on "Empress of Evil".
Stylistically Nukem have changed quite a bit since "The Unholy Trinity" which was a thrash metal release with many nods toward speed metal and traditional heavy metal. "Empress of Evil" is instead an aggressive and brutal thrash metal song and it´s fans of an artist like Power Trip rather than fans of the more melodic thrash/heavy metal style of the debut album who are gonna appreciate this single. The vocals are raw, snarling, and angry and the riffs are sharp, intense, and brutal. The same with the drumming.
"Empress of Evil" features a fat, massive, and powerful sounding production job. If this turns out to be a teaser release for a forthcoming album, there is plenty to look forward to. Personally I thought Nukem had found their own charming thrash/heavy metal niche with "The Unholy Trinity" and had hoped they would continue down that road on future releases, but this is pretty intense and powerful thrash metal too and definitely worth a listen. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
Movie · 2012 ·
Thrash Metal
martindavey87
Pretty standard Metallica live DVD here. Great set, fantastic sound and visuals, and the band all on top form as always (even Lars does alright!). The metal legends, touring to promote 2008’s ‘Death Magnetic’ have gone back to their old-school way of having the stage in the middle of the venue, kind of making this feel like ‘Cunning Stunts’ all over again, except, ten years wiser and more mature. And while they may not have the same drive and ambition as they did in the 90’s, it’s clear to see that this is an alcohol and drug-free band, who are just having the time of their lives up on stage.
Featuring all the hits you’d come to expect, such as ‘One’, ‘Enter Sandman’, ‘Sad But True’, ‘Broken, Beat and Scarred’, ‘Battery’ and a whole host of others, including some “bonus track” surprises, such as ‘Turn the Page’, ‘Holier Than Thou’ and ‘Breadfan’, this is a great DVD that may not stand out in the bands discography as much as previous releases ‘Live Shit: Binge & Purge’, ‘Cunning Stunts’ or ‘S&M’, but is still plenty worthwhile owning, and certainly enough to satisfy any Metallica fan.
Movie · 2013 ·
Thrash Metal
martindavey87
Regardless of the results, I’ll always give Metallica credit for not being afraid to try new things. Going from thrash metal to alternative rock, playing with an orchestra, side projects with Lou Reed and now this… a concert movie?
And the results here, as expected, are pretty mixed. The actual movie aspect doesn’t make much sense. With a daft storyline interspersed with the concert footage, and at times tying into the show itself. Sometimes with the band actually even doing little choreographed bits on stage, this all comes across as a bit awkward at times, and is probably more of a detriment than anything.
However, the concert footage itself is absolutely gorgeous! The visuals are fantastic and the high-definition video really gives it a crystal-clear picture, with some very cool camera angles and some awesome close-ups. Along with all the usual Metallica pyrotechnics and on-stage stunts and props, this is like ‘Cunning Stunts’ on steroids.
But sadly, that’s pretty much the only highlight. There’s a whole hoard of extras, including behind-the-scenes documentaries, Q&A sessions, trailers, music videos, and a whole bunch more, but it’s mostly all pretty bland and generic, with the only saving grace being that live footage. I wish they’d just done an entire concert DVD recorded like this, because that part, really is THAT damn good!
Movie · 2009 ·
Thrash Metal
martindavey87
‘Francais...’ is one of three Metallica DVD’s that all seemed to pop up around a close time-frame of each other (the others being similar concerts from Mexico and Quebec). Released in 2009, it features Metallica touring to promote their fairly new release, ‘Death Magnetic’, from the previous year. On this concert DVD, the set list is solid, the playing is fantastic, and the visuals are excellent. The setting is an old amphitheatre that looks absolutely beautiful as a music venue. The only setback was that this lacks a lot of the pyrotechnics and effects that their arena shows afforded them. So unless you’re a huge fan, it might get a bit boring just sitting here and watching them, well, just play for over two hours.
Still, it’s a great DVD, and the band is on top form, with boundless energy and enthusiasm, we even see quite a few songs that hadn’t been played live in a long time! And with a few added extras (interviews, extra footage etc), this makes for a worthy addition to any Metallica fans collection.
