TEN THRASH METAL BANDS (That Aren’t The “Big 4”)

If you’re anything like me (heaven help you), then you got into the goodness that is Thrash Metal by way of one of the so-called “Big 4”: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and/or Anthrax. For me, it was Metallica…which lead to the domino effect of discovering (in order) Megadeth, Anthrax, and then Slayer.

And while these four are truly the standard by which all Thrash Metal is judged by, there is far more out there to choose from than just those bands. So, with it being the middle of Summer–the season made for Thrash Metal–let’s explore, in no particular order:

• TESTAMENT

I was a bit late on discovering the goodness that is Testament, but when I did, it was all over. After calling themselves Legacy and releasing a demo called Testament, these guys took thrash and turned it on its head with Chuck Billy’s meaty roar, Alex Skolnick’s amazing lead work, and Eric Peterson’s infectious riffs.

Required Listening:

The Legacy (1987)

The New Order (1988)

Practice What You Preach (1989)

• OVERKILL

Overkill is the band that I fortunately discovered after everybody suddenly began listening to Metallica after the so-called Black Album dropped. Overkill have churned out consistently heavy albums for 40 years, with a heady blend of Bobby Elsworth’s distinctive screams, Bobby Gustafson’s vicious guitars, and DD Vernie’s HUGE bass sound…

Required Listening:

Feel The Fire (1985)

Under The Influence (1988)

The Years Of Decay (1989)

Horrorscope (1991)

• KREATOR

Okay, so Germany’s Kreator got overshadowed by America’s rising thrash titans, but those of us who discovered them were floored by their primal aggression channeled through their frantic thrashing, and their snarling vocals…

Required Listening:

Pleasure To Kill (1986)

• DEATH ANGEL

Incredibly talented for their tender years, not to mention keenly focused on thrashing it up, Death Angel ushered in the second wave of Bay Area metal bands, all of them snapping at the heels of the scene’s big name, but Death Angel had the songs to back up their youthful cockiness…

Required Listening:

The Ultra-Violence (1987)

• EXODUS

Yeah, I know that Exodus’ ties to the “Big 4” was losing their guitarist to Metallica in the early 80s; but Exodus are proof that the thrash genre wasn’t defined by just the four bands, and, truth be told, those four bands all probably looked to these guys at some point for inspiration as well…

Required Listening:

Bonded By Blood (1985)

Pleasures Of The Flesh (1987)

• SODOM

Ever since forming in 1982, German thrash veterans Sodom have evolved from Neanderthal style thrash aggression, to refining themselves to the streamlined attack style by their third release. You want the shred? They’ve got your shred right here…

Required Listening:

Agent Orange (1989)

• NUCLEAR ASSAULT

Featuring Danny Liker of Anthrax/S.O.D. fame, Nuclear Assault were so gnarly they almost qualified for the “Crossover Thrash” list I’m working on concurrently. Almost hardcore punk in places, and a big hit with the crossover crowd thanks to their short, sharp bursts of political invective and their irreverent humor, this is a must-have…

Required Listening:

Game Over (1986)

• HIRAX

Hirax vocalist Katon DePena is one of the most enthusiastic thrash scenesters of all time, not to mention one of the few black frontmen in metal, and he deserves all the success he gets…

Required Listening:

Power And Pain (1985)

• WHIPLASH

This New Jersey trio may not have made it to the Big 4, or even the Big 20, but they sure wrote a classic thrash anthem in the shape of “Warmonger”…

Required Listening:

Power And Pain (1985)

• FLOTSAM AND JETSAM

And finally, we have Arizona’s own Flotsam And Jetsam, a band that–like so many of the big thrash acts–got discovered via the Metal Massacre compilations, and became the band that featured future Metallica bassist Jason Newsted on their debut release…

Required Listening:

Doomsday For The Deciever (1986)

No Place For Disgrace (1988)

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Songs That Define Me: “The Wind” (Demon Hunter)

This song, which appeared on the Happy Christmas Vol. 5 compilation, I don’t really consider a Xmas song, per se. I do, however, consider it a December song. Something I pull out and play only in the final weeks of the year.

This always touches me, with its melancholy lyrics and music. It reminds me of the ones I love that are gone, or are far away, either physically or emotionally. I hold on to them, keep them close to my heart, and hope that one day I will be reunited with them.

These city lights illuminate your breath
As you tell of all the ways that you feel dead
December left you cold and alone
I’m sorry, but I have enough to fear on my own
Dying to care
I’m searching for some solace in this air

But the wind, it cuts to my bone
The wind, this hollow breath of cold

The snowflakes fall like ashes into dirt
Like every hope that rose and dissolved into hurt
Dying to care
I’m searching for some solace in this air

But the wind, it cuts to my bone
The wind, this hollow breath of cold
The wind, it cuts to my bone
The wind, in winter’s arms I feel at home

And I won’t let go
But I will take you with me
Right to the end…

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A Long-Time Metallica Fan (Me) Listens To “Lux Æterna”

Okay, time for me to weigh in on this new Metallica track that is what everyone seems to be wanting to talk about. I’ve heard (or read) everything from “They’re back to Kill ‘Em All form!” to “This is the WORST thing I’ve EVAR heard!”

Quite frankly, I haven’t been excited about a new Metallica release since I was 17 and the Black Album was released. And while I may have gotten my hopes up when hearing a cut from both Death Magnetic and Hardwired…To Self Destruct, both of which had their bright spots, but ultimately still remain albums that I rarely pull out to give a listen to.

So, here we are, with the announcement of a brand new Metallica album to be released in 2023, and with it a pre-released single to give us all a taste of what’s to come. And the buzz has been the strongest I’ve heard that they’ve gone back to their classic thrash roots. Well, I’ve heard that one before. And there’s only one way to cut through all the hype (or hate, whichever your stance is).

And if you haven’t heard it yourself, here’s your chance to play along at home…

So, here’s what I have to say about the song:

It’s fine.

Do I think “Lux Æterna” is representative of the full album that is set to release next year? Probably not. Now, do I think that they popped this song out to ride the sudden surge in popularity due to “Master Of Puppets”, a song that was originally recorded in 1986, becoming the surprise feel-good hit of the summer of 2022, because of Season 4 of Stranger Things? Most definitely.

They also made heshers sexy again…

Is the song a return to form? Yeah, if by that you mean taking NWOBHM¹ and speeding it up to nosebleed velocity, then definitely, yeah. And that was their modus operandi to begin with. As a matter of fact, the drumming pattern utilized here is taken directly from the Motorhead song “Overkill”, which is one of the bands that inspired Metallica to begin with.

Now, to all the naysayers claiming that they’re just recycling their sound from Kill ‘Em All…well, I’m afraid they do have a bit of a valid argument, as at one point in the song there’s a riff break that sounds like a direct lift from the song “Hit The Lights” from that album. Listen to it yourself. You’ll know it when you hear it. I kinda groaned a bit when I did.

And if there was any other point of contention I may have with “Lux Æterna” it’s that Kirk Hammet’s solo on this lacks the bite and utter raw power that his solos on Kill ‘Em All had. It’s very “meh”. Then again, and I hate to say this because I have admired Kirk’s guitar playing on the first five albums, but he’s steadily been declining in the “wow factor” department since the Black Album.

So, to sum things up: “Lux Æterna” is a tasty bit of retro thrash goodness from a band that most deservedly is experiencing a renaissance as of late. It doesn’t make me excited about the new album². Nor do I expect it to be a full-on retro thrash album. They’re Metallica. They can do whatever the hell they want. They owe me nothing.

Still waiting on a refund for this, though…guys?

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::FOOTNOTES::

¹“New Wave Of British Heavy Metal”…here’s a handy-dandy Wikipedia article

²and in case you somehow don’t know, it’s titled 72 Seasons for some reason, and has perhaps the worst cover art since their last release

The GAUNTLET: Michael John Larson

I asked a bunch of my friends to answer the questions in the Gauntlet and discuss their thoughts on the music that means the most to them; here’s one of the responses…

Michael John Larson is the guitarist for the Black Metal band Frost Like Ashes, as well as having a hand in several other bands. He’s also one of my Facebook friends, so I sent him a request to participate in The Gauntlet. He obliged, and here we are…

THE ALBUM THAT CHANGED MY LIFE WAS:

Thick As A Brick (Jethro Tull)

“I remember listening the day it came out. I was 3. I sat and listened and fell in love with music. After that listening to records was a family thing my mom and me did. The Beatles, Black Sabbath and more. Yep I remember wanting to play music after that.”

THE FIRST ALBUM I BOUGHT WAS:

The Long Run (The Eagles)

THE ALBUM I BREAK THE SPEED LIMIT TO IS:

Annihilation Of The Wicked (Nile)

“I say this one cuz it was the last album I did this to.”

THE ALBUM THAT SHOULD NOT BE IS:

Risk (Megadeth)

“Or some mumble rap thing.”

THE ALBUM I NEVER THOUGHT I’D LOVE IS:

Plans (Death Cab For Cutie)

SOMEONE ASKS ME WHAT METAL IS, I GIVE THEM A COPY OF:

Master Of Reality (Black Sabbath)

THE ALBUM I WOULD WANT WITH ME ON A DESERT ISLAND IS:

Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? (Megadeth)

NO ONE WILL BELIEVE I OWN A COPY OF:

The Best Of B.J. Thomas (B.J. Thomas)

THE SOUNDTRACK TO MY LIFE IS:

“I don’t know really, but Motorhead’s “Born To Lose, Live To Win” seems like a fitting theme song though.”

THE BEST SOUNDTRACK ALBUM IS:

Heavy Metal Soundtrack

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The Gauntlet

You can tell a lot about a person by what they listen to. To the average person who just knows me on the surface level, I am an unashamed \,,/METALHEAD\,,/. However, to those who are within my circle of friends that I have allowed to know me on a more personal level, understand that it’s a bit more nuanced than just “I listen to metal only”.

So, in an effort to be a bit more, shall we say, vulnerable–because music is as intimate as anything physical–I have taken the questions posed to musicians in a regular article featured in the Metal Hammer magazine, and answered them myself, with a bit of modification because I am not, in fact, a musician. I call this bunch of questions The Gauntlet. I may ask my own friends to answer these questions as well, whether they be musicians or not, because I am always interested in discussing the personal power of music in someone’s life. Here we go, then…

THE ALBUM THAT CHANGED MY LIFE WAS:

Highway To Hell (AC/DC)

To Hell With The Devil (Stryper)

Okay, we’re beginning this with a tie: AC/DC’s classic Highway To Hell, because it was my first actual taste of hard rock and metal back when I was the tender age of 11; and Stryper’s To Hell With The Devil, because it introduced me to my Lord Jesus utilizing really, really good metal.

THE FIRST ALBUM I BOUGHT WAS:

Rio (Duran Duran)

Again, I was 11, and I had been slowly using the birthday, Christmas and allowance money I saved up on music instead of toys; I was really into Duran Duran, so I bought their 2nd album at the K-Mart while accompanying my grandparents there one evening. I chose that one, because it had “Hungry Like The Wolf” on it, but the entire album is a front-to-back banger, to this day.

THE ALBUM I BREAK THE SPEED LIMIT TO IS:

Rust In Peace (Megadeth)

This was also my first Megadeth album, back when I thought Metallica was the be-all, end-all of thrash metal. This album is just pure speed, and whenever I play it in the car, I always unconsciously want to go as fast as the music.

THE ALBUM THAT SHOULD NOT BE IS:

St. Anger (Metallica)

I usually can find something good about every post-Black Album release (I don’t count Lulu as an actual Metallica release, change my mind), every one except St. Anger. There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this release, whatsoever. It’s badly produced, badly written, the lyrics just suck, and it’s evident that the band that once were the trendsetters were now following the trends themselves.

THE ALBUM I NEVER THOUGHT I’D LOVE IS:

The Sound Of White Noise (Anthrax)

I still maintain that Joey Belladonna was the voice of Anthrax. Back in 1992, when this album was released, I wanted nothing to do with it, because not only did it not feature Belladonna on vocals, but I knew about how he was let go from the band, and wasn’t happy about it. However, about a decade or so ago, I decided to give it at least one listen, and…it’s much, much better than I thought it would be. It’s now not only one of my Top Five favorite Anthrax albums to date, I have a better appreciation for the “John Bush Years” as well.

SOMEONE ASKS ME WHAT METAL IS, I GIVE THEM A COPY OF:

Painkiller (Judas Priest)

Okay, sure, I understand that most would say, “Why not British Steel? Or Screaming For Vengeance? Or Keeping The Faith?” And I’m not arguing with those, as they’re fine representative albums. But for me, from the opening bombast drum solo of the title track, all the way through to the album ender “One Shot At Glory”, this thing is just pure, unadulterated \,,/METAL\,,/.

THE ALBUM I WOULD WANT WITH ME ON A DESERT ISLAND IS:

The Wall (Pink Floyd)

I initially bought this album because of the song “Another Brick In The Wall, Part II” (the “We don’t need no education” song from the radio), but soon the entire album grew on me. This was my first introduction to what is a concept album, and even after all these decades, listening to this thing not only never gets old, I always manage to get something new out of it with every listen. So yeah, if I found myself on an island and this was the only thing I had to listen to for the rest of my days, I would be just fine.

NO ONE WILL BELIEVE I OWN A COPY OF:

First Class (The Boones)

Look, there’s a lot of music in my collection that many who know me well won’t even blink an eye at, simply because they know that my taste in music beyond \,,/METAL\,,/ is incredibly varied and nuanced. However, I have to admit I have no idea how this album found its way into my collection. So, you might say that even I can’t believe I own a copy of an album put out by Pat Boone’s daughters from the 70s.

THE SOUNDTRACK TO MY LIFE IS:

The Last Temptation (Alice Cooper)

When it comes to my Christian faith, it’s not what you would call your normal American Evangelical variety, and this concept album by the undisputed king of dark theater for the mind is eerily uncanny at how close the storyline parallels my own journey through the valley of the shadow of death. The final song still sends chills down my spine to this day.

THE BEST SOUNDTRACK ALBUM IS:

The Crow

Last Action Hero

We opened this with a tie, and it’s fitting that we’re going to end this with a tie: The soundtrack to the 1994 movie The Crow is the perfect collection of music to brood to, as well as having perhaps the most perfect song from The Cure in existence (again, change my mind). The soundtrack to the 1993 movie Last Action Hero, though, is near perfect in that it has songs from varied hard rock and metal sources, like AC/DC, Alice In Chains, Megadeth, Fishbone, Cypress Hill, as well as a freshly John Bush-fronted Anthrax, all on the same disc.

Whelp, there we have it. How would you answer these questions yourself? Even if you don’t like metal (for whatever reason), what are the albums that mean the most to you? Let me know.

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366 DAYS OF METAL: “More Metal Than You” (Brian Posehn)

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366 DAYS OF METAL: “Wheels Of Steel” (Saxon)

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366 DAYS OF METAL: “Happiness In Slavery” (Nine Inch Nails)

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366 DAYS OF METAL: “Lost In The Shadows” (Northern Flame)

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366 DAYS OF METAL: “The Fall” (Place Of Skulls)

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