r/thrashmetal

I’ve created a playlist showcasing a lot of obscure or less talked about bands (one song per band). The goal was to show that there are plenty of amazing thrash songs and bands outside of the biggest names and to share that love I have for them. I’ve listened to what must be thousands of thrash albums over the years and have a large music library. I only chose tracks that I absolutely adore. In a few cases I even had to upload the tracks myself, due to them not existing on YouTube.

To be clear, I could have only picked songs from bands that released a few demo's, but I'm not that hardcore and I wanted the emphasis to be on quality rather than purely on obscurity.

Originally I brainstormed a ‘top 30’ list of what I arbitrarily defined to be the “most well known” thrash bands ..and then excluded them all as candidates for the playlist. ..I ended up with closer to 50 bands though. In the end, I narrowed it down to an arbitrary 32.

Bands I excluded:

The Big Four: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax

Germany’s big three: Kreator, Destruction, Sodom

Some popular modern (post 2000) bands: Warbringer, Municipal Waste, Vektor, Evile, Power Trip.

Then I eliminated some more that are quite renowned:

Tankard, Annihilator, Overkill, Nuclear Assault, Heathen, Artillery, Coroner, Dark Angel, Exodus, Forbidden, Testament, Vio-Lence, Death Angel, Razor, Onslaught, Sepultura, Demolition Hammer, Exhorder, Morbid Saint, Possessed.

The following bands aren’t exactly obscure and do feature on this playlist: Flotsam & Jetsam, Havok, Sabbat, Paradox, Mekong Delta, Devastation, Holy Moses, Living Death, Deathrow, Protector, Toxik, D.R.I., Sacred Reich, Enforced.

Where to draw a line in the sand was tough - perhaps I should have excluded these names as well. I certainly took some liberties (Havok!?).

One more note on the playlist: While these tracks are favourites, in a lot of cases they come from an excellent album, or are a band with numerous great albums. In many other cases it may just be that there was one (or a few) track/s I liked a lot while not caring for most of that band's discography.

Taste is subjective of course and this is just mine. There are plenty more thrash bands and albums that I enjoy, but this is what I cherry picked it down too. I hope someone finds some hidden gems that they weren’t aware of:

The Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwpzgigflzA&list=PLenA9phL0EM39lWQkSnLmf9Djcy5MnE42

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-1- The Mist - Peter Pan Against the World Brazil 1991

-2- Blathudah - Terror Australis Australia 1995

-3- Channel Zero - No Light (at the end of their tunnel) Belgium 1992

-4- Blind Illusion - Death Noise U.S.A. 1988

-5- Suicidal Angels - Chaos (The curse is burning inside) Greece 2012

-6- Divine Decay - Black Hearted Angel (Remose) Finland 2003

-7- Sacrament - Haunts of Violence U.S.A. 1992

-8- Toxik - No Rest For The Wicked U.S.A. 2002

-9- Cyclone - Crown of Thorns Belgium 1991

-10- Gargoyle - Shoumetsu Japan 1990

-11- Invocator - Through the Nether to the Sun Denmark 1993

-12- Aspid - Intro + It Came (sped up version) Russia 1993

-13- Turbo - Everyone Poland 1990

-14- Bulldozer - Overture + Neurodeliri Italy 1988

-15- Wolf Spider - Nasty - Ment Poland 1990

-16- From Beyond - Death Machine Belgium 2003

-17- Living Death - Schizophrenia Germany 1989

-18- Necrosis - Killing Engine Chile 2001

-19- Stone - Empty Corner Finland 1989

-20- Assorted Heap - What I Confess Germany 1992

-21- Ritual Carnage - Awaiting the Kill Japan 2000

-22- Kr’uppt - Evolution & Creation –U.S.A. 1994

-23- Airdash - Youth Hostel (Burial Site) Finland 1989

-24- Fastkill - Kill for Pleasure Japan 2004

-25- Wargasm - Revenge U.S.A. 1988

-26- Believer - D.O.S. (Desolation of Sodom) U.S.A. 1989

-27- Devastation - Deliver the Suffering U.S.A. 1991

-28- Angel Dust - Fighter’s Return Germany 1986

-29- Morbid Carnage - Beyond the Grace of God Hungary 2012

-30- Endovein - Daily Show Italy 2013

-31- Hydra Vein - Rather Death than False of Faith England 1988

-32- Necronomicon - Death Toll Germany 1988

-33- Paradox - Crusader’s Revenge Germany 1989

-34- Fallen Angel - Spectacle of Fear Sweden 1991

-35- Mekong Delta - Nightmare Patrol Germany 1987

-36- Acid Reign - Reflections of Truths England 1989

-37- Seventh Angel - Woken by Silence England 1991

-38- Deathwish - At the Edge of Damnation England 1987

-39- Holy Moses - Rest in Pain Germany 1987

-40- Apocalypse - Digital Life Switzerland 1987

-41- Anger As Art - Wait for the Hammer U.S.A. 2006

-42- Deathrow - Life Beyond Germany 1992

-43- Num Skull - Death & Innocence U.S.A. 1988

-44- Baphomet - No Answers Germany 1991

-45- Condition Critical - Ostracized U.S.A. 2016

-46- No Return - Reign of the Damned France 1990

-47- Abomination - Blood For Oil U.S.A. 1991

-48- Lich King - Lich King III: World Gone Dead U.S.A. 2010

-49- Cabal - Nocturnal Reign U.S.A. 2000

-50- Suicidal Tendencies - How Will I Laugh Tomorrow U.S.A. 1988

-51- Conflicted - The Truth Beyond Our Polluted Lungs Chile 2012

-52- Indestroy - Living in Filth U.S.A. 1989

-53- Agressor - The Forteress France 1992

-54- Sarcofago - Screeches From The Silence Brazil 1991

-55- Target - Digital Regency Belgium 1988

-56- EvilDead - F.C.I. & The Awakening U.S.A. 1989

-57- Nasty Savage - Sardonic Mosaic U.S.A. 1984

-58- Agent Steel - Avenger U.S.A. 2003

-59- Hexenhaus - Dejavoodoo Sweden 1997

-60- Algebra - S.O.B. Switzerland 2012

-61- D.R.I. (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles) - Strategy U.S.A. 1989

-62- Attomica - Deathraiser Brazil 1991

-63- Besieged - Victims Beyond All Help Canada 2010

-64- Ravenous - Psycho Trilogy Austria 1991

-65- Coven - McDonaldland Massacre U.S.A. 1986

-66- D.B.C. (Dead Brain Cells) - The Genesis Explosion Canada 1989

-67- Delirious - Down on Myself Germany 2006

-68- Negligence - Screaming Fear Slovenia 2010

-69- Enforced - War Remains U.S.A. 2023

-70- Korzus - Agony Brazil 1991

-71- Exumer - Destructive Solution Germany 1986

-72- Atrophy - Urban Decay U.S.A. 1988

-73- Flotsam & Jetsam - Desecrator U.S.A. 1986

-74- Havok - Ivory Tower U.S.A. 2009

-75- Ghoul - Into the Catacombs U.S.A. 2006

-76- Hexen - Walk as many, Stand as one U.S.A. 2012

-77- Intruder - Invisible U.S.A. 1991

-78- Rigor Mortis - Wizard of Gore U.S.A. 1988

-79- Hellbastard - Justly Executed U.S.A. 1990

-80- Slaughter - Astral Projektor Canada 1988

-81- Hypnosia - Perpetual Dormancy Sweden 2000

-82- I.N.C. (Indestructible Noise Command) - The Visitor U.S.A. 1988

-83- Descender - Mental Disorder Croatia 2012

-84- Riverge - What a Creature! Japan 2009

-85- Defiance - Void Terra Firma U.S.A. 1990

-86- Laaz Rockit - Into the Asylum U.S.A. 1991

-87- Mastermind - Hell Line Paraguay 2013

-88- Equinox - Souls at Zero Norway 1992

-89- Negarobo - Endless Game Japan 1997

-90- Realm - Slay The Oppressor U.S.A. 1988

-91- Nekromantheon - Cast Down to the Void Norway 2012

-92- Protector - Delirium Tremens Germany 1988

-93- Sacrifice - Re-animation Canada 1987

-94- Corruptor - Full Force U.S.A. 2010

-95- Razormaze - Dawn of the Shred U.S.A. 2009

-96- Sabbat - Do Dark Horses Dream of Nightmares? England 1989

-97- E-X-E - Crib Death U.S.A. 1987

-98- Revocation - Across Forests and Fjords U.S.A. 2009

-99- Skyclad - Skyclad England 1991

-100- Viking - Winter U.S.A. 1989

-101- Savage Spawn - Thrashin’ Time U.S.A. 2013

-102- Crucified Mortals - Sentenced to Extermination U.S.A. 2004

-103- Skeleton Pit - Awaken the Claw U.S.A. 2020

-104- Vengeance Rising - Help Me U.S.A. 1992

-105- United - The Plague Japan 1990

-106- Reborn - Regeneration Brazil 2003

-107- Torture - Ignominious Slaughter U.S.A. 1989

-108- Whiplash - Snake Pit U.S.A. 1987

-109- Sacred Reich - State of Emergency U.S.A. 1990

-110- Vendetta - War Germany 1988

-111- Revenge - Total Aggression Greece 2008

-112- Despair - Crossed in Sorrow Germany 1992

-113- Sacrosanct - Silence of Being Netherlands 1991

-114- Eudoxis - Tormented We Fall Canada 1991

-115- Narcotic Greed - Partial Existence Japan 1994

Admittedly, on balance, I feel the first half of the playlist is stronger than the second (but that’s like, my opinion man).

And that’s that.

I guess I’ll plug some death metal while I’m at it. To be clear, I don’t particularly like most death metal, but if it’s thrashy enough I can really get into some of it. So for anyone like me, these have a lot of thrash crossover and are absolutely essential:

Incubus - Beyond The Unknown U.S.A. 1988

Pestilence - Consvming Impvlse Netherlands 1989

Death - Leprosy U.S.A. 1988

In truth, those bands entire discographies warrant investigation - and there a plenty of other good bands with a thrash/death mix, I just picked some absolute favourites. Incubus' "Beyond The Unknown" ought to be as celebrated as stuff like Demolition Hammer's "Epidemic of Violence" or Morbid Saint's "Spectrum of Death". It crosses a bit more into death metal which is probably a factor in why it doesn't come up nearly as much.

Returning back to bands on my playlist:

I think it’s wild that Stone, with their first 2 albums, didn’t become one of the most celebrated bands in thrash due to their fantastic musicianship and melodies. I would expect them to be regularly cited as one of the top 5 (if not, 10) melodic thrash bands ever to exist. Paradox is pretty slept on as well in this regard.

I think it’s wild that Devastation’s “Idolatry” album hasn’t quite become as renowned as Demolition Hammer’s “Epidemic of Violence”, Exhorder’s “Slaughter in the Vatican” or Sepultura’s “Arise”. ..Invocator’s “Weave the Apocalypse” could be better known as well for that matter.

The Mist’s “Hangman Tree” must be one of the greatest brazilian thrash records. ..but after Sepultura, which brazilian band have people heard of? “The Mist” isn’t one of the first 5 you’re likely to catch wind of.

Blathudah’s 1995 EP “Spawnography” is in my opinion the greatest Australian thrash release, but if you’ve ever even heard an Australian thrash band, it was probably Mortal Sin or Hobb’s Angel of Death.

Whilst England had Onslaught and Sabbat, rarely do you hear of Deathwish or the christian thrash band; Seventh Angel, which must have been some of the countries most talented thrash acts.

Holy Moses, Mekong Delta and Paradox aren’t as renowned as Germanys big 3, but have a vast library of stuff that has more hooks and melodies than some of their more famous, pioneering countrymen. The german scene in general though.. there’s so many quality albums which emerged from it. Assorted Heap’s “Mindwaves”, while the production could sound better, is simply magnificent.

I could go on, but this is obviously just my opinionated thoughts. When I think of my favourite thrash albums, I find I have just as many favourite albums from the obscure side of thrash as I do from the popular side, albeit it the obscure side is an endless, giant swamp to wade through. This is why I wanted to showcase these standouts, which for the most part are buried where many thrashers will never unearth them.

I’m very grateful that we have the encyclopaedia metallum for our research, along with various independent review sites (I loved that classicthrash website which sadly no longer exists).

What are some other criminally underrated thrash bands/albums?

Did you find something you hadn’t heard that you liked from my playlist?

See you in the comments!

Looking for cartoony summer skate thrash?

Skeletonwitch - Reduced To The Failure of Prayer [2011] The riffs in this song are nuts

-=Thrash Playlist=- Mostly showcasing lesser known bands. 1 song per band. Only songs I adore. Chosen from my vast library of thousands.

LEFT TO DIE - Archangel (Official Audio)

Gothic Slam - Who Died And Made You God 1989 (Headbangers Ball Full HD Remastered Video Clip)

Please recommend more bands like Cross Examination

Destruction - "Bestial Invasion of Hell" (1984)

Patches

Any Trauma fans here?

Inscribed - Machinery of War (FFO: Sadus, Atheist)

Looking for new bands

Anyone been to any of the Death Angel shows recently?

Razor - Enforcer (Canada, 1988)

Whiplash - King With The Axe

New bands from the last 5-7 years?

Carnivore - Predator (USA, 1985)

Exhorder - Legions of Death (USA, 1990)

Has Anyone Listened To The Remastered Version Of Practice What You Preach?

The Day At Guyana - Agent Steel

Morbid Saint - Beyond the Gates of Hell (USA, 1990)