90s Thrash Metal

by u/dzorrilla

Regardless of whether it’s Rolling Stone magazine or a dedicated metal publication, nne point that everyone seems to agree on, was the sudden and abrupt decline in thrash. However, the notion that thrash immediately died as soon as the 90s begun is pretty unfounded. Pinpointing the death or stagnation of the genre is difficult, but at the start of the decade, thrash was as mainstream as it got. The Clash of the Titans tour was held that year (Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax touring together) and a significant amount of great albums by bands like the ones mentioned or others like Sadus, Razor, Vio-lence, Forbidden, Sodom, etc dropped.

Things slowly started to fade out the following year, even though 1991 was also a solid year for thrash. Sepultura’s Arise, Heathen’s Victims of Deception, Ripping Corpse’s Dreaming with the Dead, it keeps going on. But it was obvious that the winds of change were blowing, not just because other musical genres were getting big (like Grunge), but also thrash had already splintered into as many categories as it could (Death, prog, tech, funk, etc). Simply put, it was no longer as appealing to either underground or mainstream audiences. The abrupt change Metallica made with The Black Album in the middle of 91 seemed to confirm thrash had reached a commercial dead end and it didn’t take long for other bands to follow suit. Former thrash bands went in different directions. Some jumped on the grunge bandwagon, others tried to imitate Pantera (the heaviest mainstream metal got at the time) in hopes of remaining relevant and others simply quit their former bands to form poorly aged 90s industrial/groove/post-thrash hybrids.

So while one can squabble about particular dates, by 1992 the thrash well had dried up and people had simply moved on. Thrash would not see a full on revival until the late naughts when a new generation of bands tried to take the mantle. But even that’s not the whole story. Truth is, thrash still lingered on – particularly in the Eastern European nations where the fall of Socialism meant many began to discover thrash just as it was fading out. South America still held out for some time as well and the late 90s gave us a small, niche black/thrash revival primarily situated in Europe. This primer focuses on all of these, whether it was the latecomers who unfortunately began or continued their career too late for anyone to care or the die hards who didn’t care about the musical shift happening around them (well, to some extent anyway).

The list encompasses releases from the *92-99 era, one album per band. For once, I decided to include some of the bigger bands with notable releases since thrash was so much more barren than any other genre perhaps with the exception of trad/heavy. I included all styles and albums I found to at least be good, with some being criminally underrated. I had to make a call several times about excluding certain albums for being not “thrash” enough or if they fell into different categories (i.e. more death, trad or groove). Since there was some minor overlap with my mid/late 90s DM primer, some of the thrashier bands from there were added here.

1992

Аспид - Кровоизлияние - Another well known act in thrash circles, Aspid’s only album is a strong showing of technical thrash metal in the vein of Coroner and Voivod. [Note: Make sure not to spin the 2007 re-issue as it is substantially sped up]

Assorted Heap – Mindwaves - Compared to some of the other death/thrash mentioned on this list, Assorted Heap’s last album is a bit more “out there”, opting for odd time signatures in line with other proggy/tech thrash bands of the time.

Chemical Breath – Chemical Exposure - Chemical Breath are criminally underrated and one of the premier technical death/thrash bands of the Belgian scene – sounding like a thrashier combination of Testimony of the Ancients and Leprosy.

Deathrow – Life Beyond - The long running Technical Teutonic thrash bands says goodbye with a slightly slowed down thrash affair that is still overflowing with riffs – although often with a more melodic touch, a sign of the times.

Demolition Hammer – Epidemic of Violence - Likely to need no introduction, DH were one of the strongest bands in the death/thrash genre at the start of the 90s. While “Tortured Existence” was a fine debut that straddled the line between a more aggressive bay area thrash with some death metal elements, EoV is a full on death/thrash assault. From beginning to end, there is no room for breathing as riffs abound, Vinny’s drumming creates seismic movements and James raspy Millie-esque vocals deliver a strong performance. A classic from beginning to end and an indispensable pick.

Entropy – Ashen Existence - Late to the game but by no means bad, Entropy’s debut is a technical thrash album with some minor death metal elements sprinkled on the top. Not quite as vicious as DH or Epidemic, but enough to satisfy death/thrash aficionados anywhere.

Eternal Dirge – Morbus Ascendit - Technical and completely unpredictable death/thrash. Some parts even remind of very early Dark Tranquillity/Eucharist in the way they employ tremolo picking. A bit of a stretch calling this thrash but it will appeal to fans of the harsher end of thrash.

Epidemic – Decameron - Often overshadowed by the superior Demolition Hammer, Epidemic were also a notable death/thrash outfit that released a second full length on the same level. The difference between them and DH is that Epidemic feels like they cranked up the death metal factor significantly. However, this will undoubtedly appeal to fans of both death and thrash.

Exhorder – The Law - Somewhat famous for the comparisons with Pantera, Exhorder’s follow-up release gives much of what the debut did – a crunchy guitar tone that delivers a good amount of groove without taking it in an excessive direction.

Magnus – I Was Watching my Death - An old gem from the early Polish scene, this has to be the most over the top death/thrash release mentioned here – especially when it comes to the vocal delivery. Nonetheless, Magnus unleash an onslaught of riffs upon the listener that deliver when people expect intense death/thrash.

Merciless – The Treasures Within - Sandwiched in between the historical debut and the memorable Unbound lies this sophomore release by Merciless which delivers much of what made the debut so good – a more aggressive and deathier take on the early Teutonic thrash of Kreator.

Morbid Saint – Destruction System - Well known in thrash circles for their debut and less for their follow-up, Destruction System was never technically released – only spread around through tape until it got re-released over a decade later. You can tell by this point there has been a strong refinement in the songwriting, as songs feel more cohesive and less “in your face” than Spectrum of Death – but still make it a great effort.

Sadus – A Vision of Misery - Sadus are pioneers of the technical death/thrash school and on this release some of the intensity from Illusions and Swallowed in Black is gone, but in its place are some of the most interesting songs written in Sadus’s career.

Sarcofago – Crush, Kill, Destroy - Before Sarcofago descended forever into mid 90s groove trends, they released this fine EP which definitely was partly influenced by more commercial bay area thrash acts but still retained a lot of the original South American black/death/thrash sound.

Silent Scream - From the Darkest Depths of the Imagination - Unknown death/thrash that’s more on the mid-paced side but with good doses of riffs. Not as good as some of the other releases from this year but still solid in its own right.

Solstice – Solstice - Hailing from Florida, it’s obvious by Solstice’s debut that they were influenced by the blossoming death metal scene from their state, as this sounds like Malevolent Creation and Deicide with a stronger thrash element thrown in. Pummelling all the same.

Stygian – Planetary Destruction - While somewhat by the numbers thrash, Stygian does manage to carve an identity of its own within the political/socially conscious minded portion of the genre. If you dig Evil Dead or Sacred Reich, these guys are definitely for you whose harsher sounds sometimes invoke Gammacide.

Torr - Chcípni o kus dál - Stalwarts of the Czech scene, Torr’s 1992 album sort of continues the tradition of playing nasty Venom/Hellhammer worship with some death metal elements thrown on top. If you’re familiar with Torr’s other works, this will also be up your alley.

Torturer – Oppressed by the Force - Raw technical death/thrash from Chile. Combines some of the American sounds of Sadus and Atheist with a dose of the old South American sound.

Psychosis – Life Force - By far the “softest” release here, LA’s Psychosis sounds like a slightly more melodic Testament circa The New Order era. Technically competent and with a solid vocal performance.

1993

Addictive – Kick Em Hard - Fairly solid thrash akin to later Dark Angel. Can occasionally drag on too much but still worth a spin.

Antagonist – Antagonist - Short and sweet EP that sounds like Exodus/Laaz Rockit through a technical blender.

Arbitrater – Darkened Reality - If this had been released 5 years prior, Arbitrater could have been a leading UK thrash band. Instead, their take on socially/politically conscious thrash ala Sacred Reich failed to make any kind of impact. It’s a shame because the guitar performance here is fairly good, but this was just too passé when it arrived.

Crash (Bul) – Unreal Dreams - Crash’s one and only album sounds like a mesh of several 80s Germanic acts, particularly Destruction and Holy Moses. Maybe the latter band sounds unappealing, but this still a very great release with some unique twists and turns. Great stuff.

Crash (Kor) – Endless Supply of Pain - Another band that belongs squarely to the Sepultura school of thrash, Crash’s 1994 album sounds like the missing link between Beneath the Remains and Arise. Plenty of fast and vicious riffs, with some groove put on top.

Crionic – Different - A technical thrash band that does a great job of balancing aggressive moments lifted from Slayer/Sepultura with some of the more quirky and offbeat moments from Voivod and Watchtower. Another Czech gem.

Cromok – Forever in Time - Cromok is a long-standing Malaysian band that specialized in a much more melodic brand of thrash than anyone else, often focusing on long passages consisting solely of intricate guitar leads. Some parts remind me of Savatage, so calling this purely “thrash” is a bit of a misnomer, but an interesting effort nonetheless.

Dead Head – Dream Receiver - Dead Head’s second album is one the cusp of just being pure death metal, but with sufficient remnants of thrash to make it onto here. Vicious and aggressive.

Gladiator – Made of Pain - The second album from Slovakia’s Gladiator could easily be a continuation of Beneath the Remains, complete with Cavalera-esque vocals (although a video that resembles more of Arise). Gladiator try to distinguish themselves more through their more melodic leads, but they are undoubtedly indebted to the Brazilian band.

Hellbound – Blasphemy - Completely unknown yet very competent raw Bay area thrash worship not too dissimilar to Exodus with some killer guitar solos.

Lunacy – Believe? - Weird proggy/tech thrash that reminds me if Voivod and crossover thrash were united as one. Plenty of great moments, but its cardinal sin is the length – take out 5 songs and this would have gone from good to pretty damn good.

Merciless Death – Sick Sanctities - Cult legends in the Polish underground that deliver a 90s version of 80s death/thrash like Devastation, early Morbid Angel, Dark Angel to mention a few. Completely raw sounding and frantic in execution, definitely for those who love thrash and early Polish death metal.

Obliveon – Nemesis - Obliveon’s original sounded was more grounded in their Canadian counterparts Voivod, but here they’ve graduated to a more technical death/thrash sound not too dissimilar from Atheist, Sadus and (early) Cynic.

Sacrificial – Forever Entangled - This sounds like a thrashier Entombed (vocalist even sounds like LG Petrov) with some groove added for good measure. One of Denmark’s best kept secrets.

Visitor – Visitor - Absolutely killer power/thrash that sounds more like USPM with some speed/thrash thrown on top. Imagine Agent Steel, Metallica, Griffin and Savatage all thrown in the blender – you would essentially get Visitor. A lot of power/thrash misses the mark for me and goes far too soft for my taste, but Visitor get a perfect 50/50 blend in terms of style.

Vulture – Easier to Lie - Dutch band that sound like they should have been living in the Bay Area given their technical prowess at delivering a good mix of Forbidden. Exceptionally rare album that deserves some love.

1994

Acid Drinkers – Infernal Connection - Jokey crossover thrash that makes up for their dumb lyrics with some good riffs.

Aftermath – Eyes of Tomorrow - While this came out in 94, it had been recorded since 89 and thus it came too late to have any kind of impact. Which is a shame, because Aftermath exhibit the better parts of prog/tech thrash and deliver a full length reminiscent of later Coroner. For fans of thrash that isn’t afraid to go down the experimental route, give this a spin.

Bloody Butcher – Uncover the Justice - Polish band that love themselves a bit of Sepultura, more specifically from the Arise era and sprinkle it with some Slayer on top. Fairly good but occasionally ruined by some degree of sameness and the dumb track “I’m a fucking Drunkard”.

Canker – Physical - An absolutely unrelenting assault of death/thrash that somewhat reminds me of early Kreator, Sadus, Atheist and Merciless. One of the best kept secrets of the Spanish underground.

Hellwitch - Anthropophagi - Proficient technical death/thrash which goes for the Sadus/Death/early Cynic sound and occasionally veers into slower, more experimental territory (like in the title track).

Hermética - Víctimas del vaciamiento - Heroes in their native Argentina, Hermetica were one of the biggest metal bands of the day there and reached their commercial ápex with this effort, which offers a more mid-paced take on the Metallica school of thrash with a handful of “slower” tracks that tell stories of Argentinian society. Hermetica broke up after this and a few members formed Malon in its wake (a far inferior band). A great swansong for a solid band.

Nailbomb – Point Blank - A collaboration between Max Cavalera and Alex Newport from alt metal band Fudge Tunnel, Nailbomb’s only full length is very much a product of its time. The music is still solidly thrash, but with some hardcore punk and industrial elements sprinkled over the whole thing. As 90s as it might sound, it’s still a good output after the somewhat disappointing Chaos A.D.

Narcotic Greed – Fatal - A relatively unknown Japanese band that after several demos delivered an extremely in your face debut that is essentially the spawn of Forbidden and Toxik (on World Circus). For those that want their thrash fast paced.

Phossatery – Obscure Feelings - A Cogumelo release from the mid 90s, Phossatery retains a lot of the Old South American sound of early Sepultura/Sarcofago but spruces it up with some doomy moments and deeper vocals reminiscent of Barney from Napalm Death.

Terminator – Plugged - Terminator’s second album is a more refined take on the 80s Bay Area thrash scene, taking cues from Forbidden and Testament. There are some dumb groovy moments mid-way that interrupt the flow, but it’s still an enjoyable experience.

Witches – 3.4.1. - Witches are known for being the first French band with a woman growling. This album would be one of the absolute best from the booming death/thrash scene of that country if it didn’t sometimes plunge into more “experimental” portions that meander for far too long. However, where this album shines is in its tenacity and brilliant guitar leads.

1995

Blathudah – Spawnography - Aussie thrash that sounds like a more focused and aggressive version of Anthrax. Surprisingly very good aside from one joke track.

Celestial Pain – Hatred - Side project of one of the Unanimated members, which happens to be malicious Teutonic thrash worship. Make sure to pick up the compilation and get the Aggression demo as well.

Debustrol – Vyhlazení - Debustrol began their career as a Czech band delivering something in between raw Teutonic thrash ala Sodom/Kreator and first wave worship. They kept playing this style until the album before this one which was apparently alternative rock.

Deviate NY – Gallery of Death - Some people think Demolition Hammer ended with “Time Bomb”, which was a decent attempt at the groove metal sound so prevalent at the time – but absolutely nothing compared to their first two records (it wasn’t even meant to be released under that moniker). Well, James Reilly and Vinny Daze formed this band in the ashes of DH and produced one demo of very competent death/thrash. It’s not quite as vicious as EoV, but the drumming and riffing carry residual elements of those days. Most definitely worth listening to.

Form – I Choose My Own - Very unique, interesting and catchy progressive/technical thrash not too dissimilar from Voivod and later Coroner. Not recommended for genre purists, but great for those who may want a non-traditional thrash album.

Iced Earth – Burnt Offerings - Iced Earth has been associated for so long with power metal that people often forget their initial albums had a strong thrash element to them. Burnt Offerings is the last of these efforts and gives us a glimpse of the “darker” side of USPM, and by that I mean there is a duality on this album. On one side are the melodic Maiden/Priest leads and the operatic clean vocals and on the other is furious Ride The Lightning-esque riffing and deep bellowed vocals. A really standout album.

Insidia - Guarda dentro te - A band that manages to stay true to its 80s thrash roots while still sounding fresh and modern. By this I mean the core of the music is a solid mix of Metallica/Sepultura with some minor Pantera elements thrown in the mix. Good album for fans of trad thrash and Pantera/Machine Head.

Ira Deum - Reincarnation of the Immortal Evil - Unfortunately no samples from this album are on yt, but this is a pretty good thrashier version of mid-era Death circa Spiritual Healing/Human with some doses of Cynic sprinkled on top.

Nifelheim – Nifelheim - Familiar to most, Nifelheim are a no nonsense black/thrash band tracing their lineage to the early works of Sodom/Destruction/Bathory/Venom with a good dose of heavy metal (especially Iron Maiden) in their sound.

Nopresion – Sobre Fosas y Vampiros - Another jewel hidden in the depths of the Spanish underground. Nopresion’s debut was fairly good Sepultura worship, but on the follow-up they’ve increased their songwriting chops to a new level. This is still firmly Beneath the Remains/Arise influenced, but with a minor dose of hardcore and traditional metal influences that nicely break up the agitated tempo of this album. If you have to listen to one Sepultura-influenced band from this list and don’t want just a faceless clone, this is your best bet.

Ritual Sacrifice - When Hope is Pain - An unknown band with an un-released album. Which is a shame, because Ritual Sacrifice is an amalgamation of all the best elements of the classic “brutal” thrash bands like Gammacide, Num Skull, Morbid Saint, Demolition Hammer, etc. Visceral drumming, fast and somewhat technical riffing that often blurs the line between thrash and death metal.

Soziedad Alkoholika – Ratas - One of the most important crossover thrash bands in Basque/Spanish history. Soziedad Alkoholika’s second album takes some 90s influences from bands like Crowbar and Pantera to make a fairly memorable and energetic album.

Speereth - Resistir és vèncer - Similar to Soziedad Alkoholika, Speereth were their Catalonian peers playing a very Sepultura influenced crossover sound.

Usurper – Diabolisis - Pure Celtic Frost/Hellhammer worship. Completely out of place for its time and quite good at what it does.

1996

Abhorrent – Start Point - Unknown but fairly unique band from Chile that plays technical death/thrash in the vein of Sadus, Atheist and demo-era Cynic. Despite some of the song lengths, Abhorrent manage to craft a good debut that doesn’t excessively meander with hundreds of riffs thrown in.

Abigail – Intercourse & Lust - While Abigail’s beginnings were more rooted in pure black metal, Intercourse & Lust is an unabashed black/thrash aural attack that assaults your senses.

Agony – Millenium - One of the most revered Colombian thrash bands, Agony’s first album does not fit any particular mold. During many portions, the music is reminiscent of Sepultura’s Arise (some minor groove included), but the band is not scared of venturing in more deathy and crossover directions at times. The album length might detract enjoyment for some, but this is very well composed and refreshing thrash.

Aura Noir – Black Thrash Attack - A debut that is well steeped in the old sounds. Aura Noir came just before the small black/thrash trend explored and gave the world a decent dose of 80s black/thrash that borrows a little bit from different sources – Slayer, Kreator, Bathory, Hellhammer. You can probably make a game with your friends of where each riff comes from.

Bewitched - Diabolical Desecration - I suppose calling this just “black/thrash” is limiting, because it may be that – but it’s so much more. Bewitched carve their own standing in the style by taking a healthy dose of trad influence, lifting so many riffs from classic metal like Judas Priest or Iron Maiden. The mix is a completely success.

Inquisitor - Walpurgis, Sabbath of Lust - Dutch death/thrash with some of the most over the top vocals imaginable. Witchburner – Witchburner - Clocking in at 23 minutes, Witchburner’s debut sounds like a lost Kreator demo from 85. Not the most original sounding thing in the world but the passion that went behind this is notable (also check out the follow-up, Blasphemic Assault)

Wotan – Tranquility - A bunch of demos in the mid 80s and suddenly a full length in 96. Wotan were supposedly meant to release one far earlier, but instead opted to drop it at a time when few or no one really cared for thrash. Kreator is the backbone of the musical formula here (and the odd Sodom/Destruction riff). It’s very competent, if a tad monotonous at times. This would work a lot better as an EP.

1997

Advocate – World Without End - You look at the release date of this album and wonder “What if this came out in 1984?”. We don’t know, but what I do know if that Advocate’s only album is wonderful and somewhat thrashy take on classic 80s USPM. Take the faster and more aggressive sound of early Metallica and Exodus mixed with the soaring anthems of Omen, Attack and Manilla Road (to name a few) and you get this album. Extremely underrated and worthy of much more attention.

Anonymus – Stress - Excellent Quebec band that alternates between aggressive traditional thrash and crossover and with lyrics sung in French, English and Spanish. The sheer energy that emits from this record is incredibly infectious.

Deceased - Fearless Undead Machines - One of the most unique death/thrash bands. King Fowley has always loved traditional metal and has absolutely no qualms about fusing it into this album. Catchy and memorable.

Defleshed – Under the Blade - As the 90s advanced, a new microgenre was slowly forming. Traditional thrash was dead in the water and wasn’t touched with a ten foot pole other than some niche acts. However, a new generation of artists took on the heavier side of the genre (primarily Teutonic ones like Kreator/Sodom/Destruction) and made it more “contemporary” sounding – i.e. aping Slaughter of the Soul. A few acts were decent (Darkane, Dimension Zero) and others not so much (everything else). I wouldn’t necessarily lump Defleshed in this category, but their sound undeniably had some melodic death sensibilities. Nonetheless, “Under The Blade” will satisfy both more traditional death/thrash listeners and those who wanted a more modern take on the genre.

Destroyer 666 – Unchain the Wolves - Their first and most unpolished album, but a blistering and somewhat epic take on a wide range of influences like Slayer, Bathory, Sodom, Destruction, Venom, etc.

Gehennah – Decibel Rebel - Gehennah are a band that don’t take themselves seriously and that’s ok. If you love short songs that sound like a punkier and blacker Motorhead, then this album is worth listening to – but only if you love alcohol.

Guillotine – Under the Guillotine - Pretty certain the band name gives it away, but this is a Nocturnal Rites side project that pays tribute to Kreator, specifically the Endless Pain/PtK era. Not the most original but with a lot of passion behind it.

Graphic Violence – Graphic Violence - Some bands can be accused of jumping of bandwagons, more so those that came really late to the (thrash) party. That accusation can’t be levelled against Graphic Violence, whose one and only album is a pure balls to the wall thrash album not too dissimilar from Slayer, Evil Dead, Exodus, etc.

Inferno – Downtown Hades - Another one of the small handful of Norwegian bands that came back to revive the black/thrash sound of old, although these guys sound like a blackened Motorhead to my ears.

Latzen - Kontzientzia ala infernua - A Little known Basque band that is on the lighter side of the speed/thrash spectrum. Think early Helloween mixed with Metallica and this is result. In a sense, this somewhat feels like a great follow up to the Su Ta Gar debut since their later material strayed away really far from thrash.

Negarobo – Emergency - Powerful and in your face Beneath the Remains era Sepultura worship. By far one of the greatest Japanese thrash bands in existence, Negarobo’s half-an hour debut never lets go of the aggression from beginning to end – bringing in a certain hardcore punk quality into the music as well that makes it stand out from many of the releases mentioned here.

Nocturnal Breed – Aggressor - Silenoz from Dimmu and Svartalv from Gehenna took a break from producing second wave Norwegian BM to produce this album that resembles their influences growing up – Venom, Bathory, Tormentor, etc. Aside from misplaced keyboards, the black/thrash presented here is quite solid.

Witchtrap – Necromancy - Humble beginnings for the Colombian band, which produced a demo of noisy, yet enjoyable thrashy black/speed akin to early Sodom and Venom in a blender.

1998

Acutor – Dios Ha Muerto - Legends in the Bogota underground scene, Acutor’s one and only album sounds like a more controlled and cohesive version of the country’s early “ultra metal” bands like Parabellum or Reencarnacion. In other words, this a more structured take on early Sodom/Destruction with some South American touches that is more palatable to the average thrash fan. Recommended if you already love South American thrash.

Cranium – Speed Metal Slaughter - Had Cranium’s debut popped 10 years later, it would have undoubtedly been crossed out as another dumb retro thrash album (given the toilet humour and shitty album art), missing out on what makes this such a fun affair. Cranium don’t take themselves seriously, something evident through the lyrical content and excessively shrill vocals. But Cranium actually do a great job at amplifying the speed metal elements to deliver a more melodic, yet still gritty take on the early German thrash scene.

Crustacean – Burden of Our Suffering - No samples, but this is a fine debut of Slayer/Dark Angel/Demolition Hammer “brutal” thrash that delivers short, but in your face songs. Also not the peak of creativity but it hits the mark just right.

Deathwitch – The Ultimate Death - A side project of the singer of Runemagick, Deathwitch is a great ode to 80s black/thrash ala Venom, Sodom, Sarcofago, Bathory, etc with a more updated and modern sounding production. **

Desaster – Hellfire’s Dominion - Although Desaster fall firmly into the late 90s black/thrash revival, their approach is very different to their peers perhaps with the exception of D666. Sounding like a popurri of different 80s thrash (especially German) and first wave black metal acts, Desaster take this foundation to craft a more refined, galloping, folky and epic sound as opposed to just borrowing old riffs. The end result is an excellent effort that alternates between fast paced thrashier numbers and mid-paced bangers like the linked “Teutonic Steel”.

Ritual Carnage – The Highest Law - Just like Defleshed, Ritual Carnage arrived in the late 90s to deliver a brutal death/thrash assault taking the teutonic sound to an extreme conclusion. One of the best Japanese metal acts of all time.

Scepter – I’m going to Hell - A thrashier (although still quite mid paced) version of early Celtic Frost/Hellhammer. Pretty much a better version of Usurper.

Trascendental – Dimensions - Absolutely killer proggy/technical death/thrash that is basically a thrashier version of Leprosy and Testimony of the Ancients. Get the Xtreem compilation that comes with this album and the debut as they are equally as good and one of Spain’s unsung heroes in the underground during the mid/late 90s.

Whiplash – Thrashback - Whiplash’s attempt to bring back thrash in the 90s with a decent “comeback album” (technically they had still been producing music, but it was groove metal boredom). As their band names might hint, this is fairly straightforward Kill Em All-era Metallica/early Megadeth style thrash that goes for a punchier approach to songwriting. Nothing groundbreaking, but still a decent listen (especially at the time).

1999

Dekapitator - We Will Destroy... You Will Obey!!! - Matt Harvey’s side project that delivered a serious dose of unrelenting thrash, taking inspiration from the heavier side of the genre like Slayer, Dark Angel, Sodom, Destruction, etc.

Delirium Tremens - Violent Mosh Ground - Fun and raw early Sodom/Destruction worship. Dumb lyrics, but overcome by the sheer conviction in its delivery.

Fatal Embrace - The Ultimate Aggression - Fun blend of different influences – drawing from a wide pool of bands like Slayer, Exodus, Kreator, Sodom, etc. My only complaint here are the somewhat dull vocals and the meaningless Bonded by Blood cover at the end.

F.K.U. - Metal Moshing Mad - Thrashy crossover not too dissimilar from S.O.D., including silly lyrics. It gets a bit tiring towards the end, but there are plenty of satiating riffs for thrash fanatics.

Hellstorm – Fucking Bleed - Little known Swedish black/thrash act that suddenly released this album out of nowhere. You already know the deal, just pure filthy Sodom/Destruction worship all the way through.

Hypnosia - Violent Intensity - Many are familiar with Hypnosia’s full length “Extreme Hatred”, which was a blistering and well-crafted album of early Kreator worship. Violent Intensity is the precursor to this album and is equally as good, delivering riff after riff of top tier Germanic thrash.

Invasion – Conquered - Absolutely repugnant and downright nasty death/thrash that invokes a deathier Kreator and even throws some South American sounds from Sarcofago/early Sepultura on top. At times it feels like I’m listening to a thrash version of Revenge. It’s only real sin is sometimes sounding too samey at times, but at its best, this is high quality intense thrash.

Sabbat – Karisma - Given their prolific discography, no doubt most people are at least familiar with some Sabbat. If not, prepare yourself for Engrish black/thrash. There is a punky undercurrent here, helped by Gezolucifer’s off the wall vocal delivery. Not for the faint of heart.

Sodom – Code Red - It was hard to choose between this and Tapping the Vein, but Code Red arguably deserves more credit. Sodom’s mid 90s career consisted mostly of forgettable punky semi-thrash music, but here we get a return to form and continuing where Tapping the Vein left off. Incredibly hostile and in your face thrash metal with some DM touches. A great way to end the decade for such a legendary band.

Terror Squad - The Wild Stream of Eternal Sin - Another Japanese band whose main source of inspiration is the Teutonic scene, but with the notable difference that they combine elements of Japanese hardcore into their formula – most present in the vocal delivery. This is a frantic experience from beginning to end and will appeal to fans of both styles.

Testament – The Gathering – I don’t consider myself the biggest Testament fan, but The Gathering is a great attempt at merging more “modern” styles with thrash. Make no mistake, this definitely has a lot of traces of 80s Testament, but retaining some of the deathier elements of Demonic and part of the groove of bands like Pantera. It’s a concoction that could have gone sour, but they make it work in part thanks to the amazing drum work present by Dave Lombardo and the rest of the ensemble cast (Steve Di Giorgio, James Murphy). Basically, this is the one Testament album to spin if you’re not a Testament fan.