Copyright (c) 2007 THE THRASH METAL GUIDE
0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z I.N.C. (USA)
One of the less conventional American thrash metal bands, I.N.C. play an interesting brand of dry, mechanical technical thrash, slightly recalling Voivod and Equinox on the more experimental moments, and Intruder, or Paradox, on the faster and more straight ones. Both albums are full of interesting, stylish riffs and quirky moments, although at least for me the speedy, direct sections work better, creating a nice, headbanging atmosphere. Some of the songs are long, but ironically, those are the less appealing ones, as the guys simply stick to a certain number of riffs without much deviation.
Razorback Full-length, 1987 Vibrations of Doom I.N.R.I. (HOLLAND)
A more aggressive version of the modern thrash/death metal of bands like The Crown and Terror 2000; the music is quite fast and brutal, staying closer to death metal.
Hyper Bastard Breed Full-length, 2002 Official Site I4NI (USA)
This band boast a stellar line-up comprising of members from bands like Overkill, Warning Sf, Angel Witch, Exodus. Style-wise this is heavy thrash sounding like slower Exodus and Anthrax; good stuff, but somehow underwhelming, having in mind the all-star cast involved.
It's All Fun and Games Best of/Compilation, 2001 I HATE SALLY (USA)
Based on "Don't Worry Lady": this band pull out a mix of thrash and hardcore, with a certain industrial edge. The vocals are awful hardcore shouts, but the guitar work is not too bad, often adhering to some alternative moments. The songs are generally short, no longer than 3-min, but there two monstrous tracks, in the 8-9min range, but they sacrifice the more energetic tempos for some bland dragging doomy moments, which end up nowhere. "Iseah's Cancer" is a cool ballad, and is close to being the highlight of the album. "Mary! Mary!" is the band's tribute to the sludge/doom scene.
Sickness of the Ages Full-Length, 2004 Official Site ICE (USA)
The name is cold, I know, but of you manage to overcome the cold, you will hardly be disappointed. Based on the "Ice" demo, this band offer very cool heavy thrash ala early Exodus and Testament, mostly mid-tempo with smashing riffs. "Walls of Oppression" suddenly turns to more up-tempo technical thrash, and is a very pleasant surprise. The heavy, riffage, however, returns for the demo closer: "Rasta Man", which is a very interesting blend of thrash and reggae, so good that noone bothered to come up with a similar mixture all these years- ha ha ha!.
Ice Demo, 1990 ICE AGE (SWEDEN)
An all female thrash metal band; this is the band, from where the legendary Debbie Gunn started her career, as a matter of fact. The style doesn't stray from the one practiced by other similar bands, like Meanstreak, for example. The music is melodic, lacks a punch, but is enjoyable.
Demo '86 Demo, 1986 Official Site ICELAND (FRANCE)
Interesting and varied 80's thrash - there are fast headbangers, epic/pagan tracks, and some slower ones close to Celtic Frost; a mixture which works quite well. The album opens in a shattering manner with the great aggressive smasher "Brain Washing". After that it slows down, and at least half of the tracks acquire this unique pagan atmosphere so typical for the Brits Sabbat: "Merry Sinner" is probably the best example of this influence. "Traces of Dreams" is a doom-laden, slow, heavy number, graced with some stylish leads and meaty riffs. Then the music speeds up again, with shorter, but very effective headbangers. The vocals are very good, although a bit dirty, with this rough, semi-clean blend, very similar to Chris Astley (Xentrix).
Iceland Full-length, 1990 ICON-EIGHT (NORWAY)
Very good classic thrash metal which manages to "Thrash The Moment"(and after it) quite well. The band mix furious, fast thrashers ("Torn Asunder") with some moody, slower tracks ("Psycho Terrorizer"). The last song- "Trial By Fire", is not a Testament cover.
Thrash the Moment! EP, 2006 Official Site IDOLS ARE DEAD (ITALY)
Melodic modern thrash, along the lines of Metallica's Black Album and 90's Megadeth. This is feelgood stuff, with no any pretensions for more aggressive play, flowing in the same mid-tempo energetic vein, with good James Hetfield-like vocals, and cool choruses. The closing track takes a more playful, groovy shade, going under the title "Twiggy" (could be a tribute to the legendary model?!).
Mean Full-length, 2008 My Space IGNORANCE (UK)
Based on the debut, these guys try to break the standard thrash formula in a way similar to another British band: Re-Animator, or the Americans Mordred. In other words, funk meets thrash metal. Ignorance are more of a crossover/thrash act, and have done a better job than the other two bands, simply because apart from all these new touches used they haven't forgotten to be a thrash metal band, and there is a considerable presence of heavy sharp riffs. Contrary to the debut, their sophomore release is a total disaster, having no ties to thrash at all, being some very bland, unappealing funky, alternative form of rock/wave.
The Confident Rat Full-length, 1991 ILLEGIANCE (UK)
A blistering debut EP of heads-down old school thrash, which will make you headbang the way past masterpieces have: Vio-Lence's "Eternal Nightmare", Necrodeath's "Fragments of Insanity", Sacrifice's "Forward to Termination", etc. "My Temple, Your Tomb" is an explosive aggressive opener, followed by the more controlled and heavier "Betrayed". "Visions Of Torment" is a marvellous steam-rolling thrasher; the speed returns with the closing "Sombre Promise", which finds some time to slow down in a nice, atmospheric way, before the final intense, furious thrashy section shoots the listener at close range. The singer has a very effective sinister singing style, coming as a vicious fusion of Rob Urinari (Sacrifice) and Marcelo "Flegias" Santos (Necrodeath). This is a really impressive beginning, which finely paves the way for the coming for the eventual full-length.
Disease and Disorder EP, 2005 Official Site ILLWILL (SWEDEN)
Members of Mercyful Fate and King Diamond have gotten together with the intention to pay tribute to the modern thrash metal scene. And they have done a great job; this is awesome modern technical thrash with mangnificent guitar work, courtesy of the mighty Andy La Rocgue who, again, is in top form here. The music is like a more technical version of Fight's "War Of Words", the resemblance coming also from the vocal department where the guy really sounds like Rob Halford most of the time, but you have to think of the vocals Rob used on the Fight works, and more particular, "Small Deadly Space". There is industrial thrown in as well, and another band the music might remind you of, would be Skrew, but here the riffs are more interesting, and the tempos more varied. Don't take it as a downpoint that the best track here is a ballad- "Eternal Sleep", which boats some very cool heavy guitar work, and a very strong vocal performance. Maybe, to compensate things a bit, the guys put the most aggressive song right after it- the excellent riff-monster "K.A.O.S.". Apparently a one-album project, Illwill have left a considerable trace on the 90's metal scene.
Evilution Full-length, 1998 Official Site IMAGIKA (USA)
The band's self titled debut is power/thrash, with more emphasis on power metal- a good job, but not hard enough to be classified as high quality thrash. "Worship" is a good move in the right direction, with thrash metal taking the upper hand. This eventually led to the band's finest hour- their third effort: first class Bay Area thrash. The band have the detrimental habit to leave big gaps between their albums, making a large part of the metal audience forget about them by the time of the next release. Fortunately, this tradition has been broken in 2006 when the band came up with an immediate follow-up to the excellent "Devils On Both Sides". Their last two albums saw the band going back to the mixture of great thrashers and more restrained power metal tracks.
Imagika Full-length, 1995 Official Site IMBALANCE (NORWAY)
This band were operating under the name Frost before, releasing a solitary demo with a style closer to black metal. Here the music is quite diverse: there is some heavy, groovy thrash, but quite often it speeds up acquiring some classic qualities with some good, hard-hitting riffs. The EP opens with the aggressive thrasher "Burial Of Consciousness", in the best tradition of Slayer and Vio-Lence, which is partly ruined by the sloppy, groovy ending. Apparently the guys were warming the settings up for the groovy "Deprivation". "Ride the Blades" is not faster, but boasts some cool sharp guitars, and a very cool lyrical deviation in the middle. "Torn From My Time" is another ordinary groovy track, if we exclude another nice balladic mid-section with a gothic shade.
Burial of Consciousness Demo, 2004 Official Site IMMACULATE (SWEDEN)
A decent attempt at classic thrash metal, with nods to numerous practitioners of the genre. The problem is that these guys want to be something more than just old school thrash-resurrectors, and they try something more elaborate and technical, but either the lack of clear ideas or musical skills lead these experiments nowhere, making some of the songs sound clumsy and unfocused, something like a lesser Juggernaut(USA). Sticking to the laws of more conventional thrash metal would serve these guys a lot better, as it proved on some of the tracks.
Thrash, Kill 'n' Deströy Full-length, 2007 Official Site IMMORTAL SIN (USA)
Classy music sounding like a more aggressive Intruder ("Born to Lose"), power/thrash ala Griffin, or Omen ("Dark Castle"), or superb technical thrash in the Have Mercy and Ulysses Siren vein ("Sonic Scream").
Demo Demo, 1988 IMPACT (USA)
Excellent old school thrash calling to mind Sacred Reich's debut or Evildead's "Annihilation Of Civilization"; this is fast, intense music, accompanied by very good powerful semi-clean vocals ala Michael Coons (Laaz Rockit). In the middle the guys have placed a more temperate, longer track, more technical, and with a slight power metal spirit: "It's the End of the World", which works just great.
Take The Pain Full-length, 1991 IMPACT WRENCH (USA)
Based on the "Attention Defecit Disorder" demo, these guys pull out cool thrash, which manages to sound quite interesting most of the time. This is technical stuff, quite choppy and tempo changing, although the music never gets too intense (except on the closing riffs of "Believe in Extremes"). The sound is heavy, with a strong presence of the bass, and might remind you of Forced Entry, or even Forbidden's "Twisted Into Form" on the best moments ("It's a Personal Problem").
Violence Sweet Violence Demo, 1989 My Space IMPENDING DOOM (GERMANY)
Like some other bands from Germany at around the same time- Delirious, Blood Red Angel, etc. these guys have tried to make us all feel like the 80's had never been gone. And they have managed to do that with their classic take on thrash which will remind you of early Kreator and Destruction, Razor's early undeveloped period, and thay haven't forgotten to slow down here and there, where the order of the day becomes Celtic Frost/Hellhammer. The musicianship is not on a very high level, but it wasn't very high in the early stages of the genre, either, so for nostalgic reasons this band scores high. "Apocalypse III The Manifested Purgatorium" moves the band's sound into more modern territories, introducing black and death metal in the proceedings, and improving the production qualities a bit.
Caedes Sacrilegae Full-length, 1997 Official Site IMPERIAL (FRANCE)
Based on "Aux Crépuscules", this band offer excellent aggressive classic thrash, with a black-ish edge. The opener "Le Narcissique" will startle you with its furious, ultra-fast approach, but later things get under control, although those blast beating moments don't disappear completely, and grace at least half of the songs. "Vermin" is an excellent cover of one of the best songs of the Dutch Asphyx. "La Lune Rouge" is an awesome speed/thrasher, with great guitar work, followed by two similar, but shorter, ones: "Imperial", and the closing "Thrasheurs 13", which slightly betrays the thrash idea at the end, slowing down, adding a more melodic touch to the proceedings.
Aux Crépuscules Full-length, 1998 My Space IMPIETY (SINGAPORE)
Throughout their career the band stick to a very furious, aggressive mix of black, death and thrash metal which serves them well, although very often the intensity is too big for the average thrash fan to handle. Their style resembles Impaled Nazarene, early Destroyer 666, and another act from the Far East- the Chinese Resurrection. The last two full-lengths come with a more controlled, almost technical guitar work, although the aggression still reigns supreme.
Salve The Goat...Iblis Exelsi EP, 1993 Official Site IMPIOUS (SWEDEN)
One of the better practitioners of the modern death/thrash metal mix. The music is along the lines of The Crown, The Haunted and the likes. Impious are perhaps more aggressive, with their sound staying closer to death metal.
Evilized Full-length, 1998 Official Site IMPOSTOR (NORWAY)
This is another band where Messiah-the former member of Mayhem, used to play in the past, along with the legendary Faust- the man behind the black metal icons Emperor, and a current member of the thrashers Blood Tsunami. Based on the "Little Hitler Illusion" demo, this is played just for the fun of it Hellhammer-like black/thrash, so don't expect any high achievements music-wise. There are moments where the guys (apparently drunk) make fun of some children's lullabies, or military marches, or everything in between. This is hard to be taken even as a rehearsal for the much bigger things awaiting the band's members in the near future.
Rehearsal of chaos Demo, 1987 IMPULSE MANSLAUGHTER (USA)
On both albums the style is thrash/crossover mixing some very fast aggressive sections with laid-back punk-ish ones. "Logical End" features a not very faithful, but effective hardcore cover version of Sisters of Mercy's "Gimme Shelter".
He Who Laughs Last...Laughs Alone Full-length, 1987 Vibrations of Doom IN.SI.DIA (ITALY)
This band evolved from Inviolacy- a very promising act playing aggressive Slayer-esque thrash (see the review a few lines below). The name change brought some changes in the style as well, as the music this time is of the heavy, more technical type, with longer song-structures, somewhat along the lines of late 80's Metallica. The speed has been sacrificed for the sake of punishing, heavy riffage, although some good headbangers are still present: "Si...Realta" from "Guarda Dentro Te", and "Grido" from "Istinto E Rabbia". There are some modern insertions, as well as quiet, acoustic passages. This is quite good, and would appeal to both classic and modern 90's thrash fans.
Istinto E Rabbia Full-length, 1993 Fan Site IN AGGRESSION (CHILE)
Good aggressive thrash metal in the Slayer-vein with some proto-death parts and touches of early Celtic Frost in the slower sections.
Advance Tape Demo, 1988 IN CHAINS (BELGIUM)
First rate classic thrash, which offers both speedy intense thrashers ("The Snakepit") and stomping, steam rollers ("Convulsions of the Truth") in the best tradition of the Brits Cerebral Fix. The guitar work is quite cool, nicely alternatiing between sharp riffs and more catchy hooks. The fast-paced numbers are more, and quite of you will jump around on tracks like "Shot at Dawn" and "Instinct (of Selfpreservation)". "Gas Attack" brings forward some more intriguing riffs, and makes the thrashing even more appealing. The closer "Thrashed Down" is not the fastest, or the most aggressive song, but relias on heavy, stomping riffs, which work as fine. The vocals are meanish, black-tinged, but fit the very good music just fine.
Demolition Business Full-Length, 2008 IN HELL (BRAZIL)
This is another band where Mauricio Nogueira (Torture Squad, Krisiun)- one of the best modern Brazilian guitarists, shows his talents. Based on "Suffering in Hell": these guys play a cool mixture of thrash and death, with a classic edge. The music only seldom reaches for more aggressive fields, and the riffs flow nicely, being of the heavy, dark variety, staying closer to thrash. The paced is mostly in the mid-tempo, and could have benefited from more faster sections, like the ones on the excellent "Profane Creation", which offers some technical licks ala Death, or the opening "We'll Honour The Insignificance". "The End" ends the album in an awesome more brutal manner, combining the furious death guitars with some nice more technical thrash ones.
Suffering in Hell Full-length, 2002 IN TYRANNOS (GERMANY)
It is not a very common practice among the German thrash metal bands to sing in their native tongue, if we exclude a few solitary attempts made by Sodom in the not so distant past, but with bands like In Tyrannos things may change. Apart from singing in German, these guys offer a really fine slab of classic thrash, which doesn't sound like the thrash we used to associate with this country, but is more along the lines of their American colleagues: Slayer, Vio-lence, Devastation, among others. The tempo is predominantly fast and quite intense, but without any proto-death elements; the only time when the guys take a break from the aggression, is on "Logenrituale"- a dark slow, doomy thrasher. This is pure unadulterated thrash the way it used to be played during the gerne's heydays. The guitars are very sharp, with a slight technical edge here and there. Although the German metal scene has been filled constantly with retro thrash acts in recent years, this band have all the chances to become one of the more prominent acts from there.
Die Maske Fallt Full-length, 2007 INANE EMINENCE (AUSTRALIA)
Modern melodic thrash with a slight death metal edge, quite close to the French Lyzanxia and Swedish acts like Corporation 187, Carnal Forge, etc.; fast-paced music with melodic guitar lines and shouty, throaty vocals.
The Fading Light In Your Eyes EP, 2004 Official Site INCARNATE (HOLLAND)
This is a 5-track demo of aggressive fast-paced thrashy hardcore along the lines of Sick of It All and Beyond Possession.
A Dark Age Of Lies Demo, 2004 Official Site INCINERATOR (ITALY)
Based on the "Live Into the Crematorium" demo, this is probably the first band in Italy who picked on the proto-death sound of bands like Possessed. Their music is fast and aggressive, with the only disappointment being the awkward power/heavy metal number "Crematorium". And of course, the bad throaty vocals, which sound like a poor version of Anihilated's Simon Cobb.
Live Into the Crematorium Demo, 1986 Fan Site INCINERATOR (SWEDEN)
A very good job: classic German thrash in the Destruction, Kreator and the first Exumer album vein; this is really a thrash attack- short, but memorable! 5 tracks of fast, aggressive thrash with good, sharp riffs and nice vocals in the Mem Von Stein (Exumer) vein.
Thrash Attack EP, 2000 Fan Site INCITER (CROATIA)
Very good old school thrash which brings to mind quite a few heroes from the 80's on the best moments: Metallica, Testament, Xentrix, etc. The singer tries to emulate James Hetfield, and succeeds at times, but the decision to spice those main vocals with some clean alternative and gruff, death metal ones, is awkward and could be avoided for the future. The pace is mid to up-tempo, but with the appearance of those clean alternative vocals, the music seems to lose its edge. There are touches of modern thrash, as well as some more technical sections on the longer songs ("Defray", "Lifeless (Agony)"). "Organic" is very good heavy, mid-paced instrumental thrash.
Burned Out Cells Full-length, 2006
The Visitor Full-length, 1988
Ultra Sonic Hatestorm Full-length, 2007
I4N EP, 2001
The Plague EP, 2005
Don't Worry Lady Full-Length, 2007
I Hate Sally Vs GFK Split EP, 2007
Demo Demo, 1991
General Alert Demo, 1987
Demo 88 Demo, 1988
Instant Justice Demo, 1989
Positively Shocking Full-length, 1992
"Feast For The Hated" follows on the steps on the last two albums; in other words we have a good blend of thrash and power metal, which reminds me of a more thrashy Iced Earth this time, including the very good, Matt Barlow-like vocals, which in the clean sector surpass even him (check out the nice ballad "The Sick Sense"). The new implements are some blast-beats on "Bleed As One Appease The Gods", which is a cool progressive-tinged song; the aggressive proto-death riffage on "Behind Immoral", accompanied by more brutal death-ish growls, but otherwise this is not very intense stuff, and as such falls behind the great "And So It Burns". Pure more immediate thrashers are nowhere to be heard, and all compositions mix the two aforementioned styles in almost equal dozes. "Thinning Out The Herd" thrashes quite intensely, but it still has its more quiet breaks. The other thrash peak is the speedy "New Power Succubus", which is all-out thrash almost until the end. The closing "Succubus" is traditionally longer and more complex, and here the singer is "helped" by a fine female vocal, which gives the song an additional gothic shade, an impression further "cemented" by the inclusion of some atmospheric sections; from a thrash metal point of view it may not be of big value, but is a good work of thought-out metal.
Worship Full-length, 1998
And So It Burns Full-length, 2001
Devils On Both Sides Full-length, 2005
My Bloodied Wings Full-length, 2006
Feast For The Hated Full-length, 2008
Bestial by Nature EP, 2006
Attention Defecit Disorder Demo, 1991
Impact Wrench Demo, 1992
Signum Of Hate Full-length, 1998
Blasphemy Incarnate EP, 2000
The great pale Hunter EP, 2001
Apocalypse III The Manifested Purgatorium Full-length, 2001
Thrasheurs 13 EP, 1998
Malmort Full-length, 1999
Moonblood EP, 2002
Asateerul Awaleen Full-length, 1996
Funeralight EP, 1997
Skullfucking Armageddon Full-length, 1999
Kaos Kommand 696 Full-length, 2002
Paramount Evil Full-length, 2004
Formidonis Nex Cultus Full-length, 2007
Terror Succeeds Full-length, 2000
The Killer Full-length, 2002
The Deathsquad EP, 2002
Hellucinate Full-length, 2004
Holy Murder Masquerade Full-length, 2007
Little Hitler Illusion Demo, 1987
SNS - Still Not Satisfied? Demo, 1990
Logical End Full-length, 1988
Guarda Dentro Te Full-length, 1995
An Extensive Aberration Demo, 1989
The Final Torment Full-length, 2004
"Uh!?!" carries on in the same vein, but the music is even faster and more intense, consisting of short, brutal outbursts, plus another cheesy number, this time placed at the end: "Uh!?!" ("Uh!", indeed).
Mass Genocide Demo, 1987
Uh!?! Full-length, 1989