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 X-CRETA (BELGIUM)
Speed metal meets thrash/crossover on this album producing very wild music as a result; the band plays quite fast most of the time, but the overall sound is not heavy or brutal, with vocals which sound like a cross between Schmier and Tom Angelripper. Early Bathory with a pinch of crossover would be a good description.
Patronizing the Heterodox Full-length, 1986 Vibrations of Doom X-SEED (UK)
Mark Duffy, the man who earlier sang for Toranaga and Major Threat, has surrendered to the modern vogue, playing with his new formation your average groovy post-thrash, slow and clumsy with no surprises whatsoever. He would be a bit hard to recognize, though, since he has adjusted his singing to the music delivering in a gruff angry manner, not miles away from Jan-Chris De Koeijer (Gorefest).
Desolation Full-length, 1996 Official Site X-TINXION (HOLLAND)
Based on the "Twisting The Knife" demo, this is quite cool bombastic speed/thrash metal which recalls quite a few heroes from the 80's: Paradox's "Heresy", Vio-lence, Forbidden, among others. The guitars acquire quite a technical edge on some parts, and combined with the mostly speedy riffs, make for a great headbanging fun. These guys are destined to reach far.
Twisting The Knife Demo, 2005 Official Site X-VISION (FRANCE)
Based on the debut full-length, this band pulls out heavy groovy thrash with a couple of sudden grinding outbursts and also sudden, but to a lesser effect, doom-laden ones. The music is dynamic and jumpy in the beginning, but later on loses the interesting moments, and settles down for one-dimensional repetitive riffs with a few reminders of Pantera's former glories ("Close Yourself").
[Confused] EP, 2002 Official Site X RAPTOR (BRAZIL)
A very good young power/thrash metal band; the style reminds me of the Swedes Fifth Reason and Morgana Lefay, but the Brazilians' music is more thrashy and crunchy, and generally more complex. The singer does a marvellous job covering all ranges: low growls, mid-ranged powerful tones (the predominant style), and some high-pitched shrieks. The predominant riffage is quite heavy and pounding, like on the opening "The Black Mirror", but the inclusion of short, but stylish leads, dissipate slightly the dark character of the music which could be considered a flaw by some. Later on the album picks more aggression and speed, offering really impressive tracks: the great intense thrasher "Pay the Price"; the jumpy, more technical "Burning Hate", which is not too far from Nevermore at their best; the excellent dark progressive/technical "Simulacra Simulation". The pounding steam-roller like sound from the opener returns for "Hidden Mask of Existence", but with more interesting guitars. "Businesschrist" is not too far from this pattern, but the cool melodic lines and the nice soft, progressive-laced break in the middle, make it a standout track. This is a really impressive debut from the Brazilian metal scene, where there are few acts who play a similar kind of music right now.
God From The Machine Full-length, 2006 Official Site XANADOO (SINGAPORE)
Based on the 3-song "Blood and Dirt" demo, this band plays straight retro speed/thrash, taken directly from the early Destruction works. This is cool fast-paced stuff with the obligatory rolling Destruction-like riffs, and the fierce uncompromising approach. No pauses for breaks, no unnecessary melodic deviations... thrash till death! And hey, guys, get rid of those awful computerized vocals on "Plague of Mankind", will you!
Dome Made Demo Demo, 2006 My Space XENOFANES (SWEDEN)
This band is the first attempt of the guitarist Danne Sporrenstrand to play more aggressive music, before joining Hypnosia a few years later. Based on the Split he, along with his colleagues, sounds quite convincing, pulling out lengthy for the style death/thrash/black metal compositions with interesting stylish "decorations" ala early Therion and Nocturnus. "The Journey" is a nice semi-technical atmospheric death/thrasher, whereas "Deep Black Cold" is much more brutal leaving the more technical riffage far behind, lashing out with full force.
In the Shadow of Naked Trees Demo, 1995 XENOLITH OGER (JAPAN)
These guys are representatives of the more straight, less eclectic side of the Japanese thrash metal scene. The band's style is rough, not very appealing thrash, not very fast or aggressive either, which is highlighted by the stylish leads which sound almost surreal on the pounding, monotonous background.
Cattle Brand Demo, 1989 XENOPHOBIA (SLOVENIA)
Based on the "Last Fragments Of Morbid Reality" demo, this band play aggressive thrash/death metal with crossover touches ("Impulse of Violence"), quite fast, with short, 1.5-2 min tracks. "Signs Of Mental Decay" is a nice little gem, maybe not as aggressive with better guitar work, offering fairly satisfying deviations from the path: the slow, doomy "Money Over Mind", a riff-fest of the crushing, heavy type; the frenetic technical "Addict To Chemicaly", with a great sinister, keyboard background; the complex, progressive "Caught In Eternity" which is a fabulous blend of doomy and hectic technical riffs, taking turns the whole time, topped by nice operatic female vocals. Even the closing "Signs Of Mental Decay" has a great genuine finishing technical passage, nicely opposing to the more brutal nature of the beginning.
Last Fragments Of Morbid Reality Demo, 1990 XENTRIX (UK)
The band who managed to bring the Bay Area thrash to the UK (along with Slammer); Metallica are an obvious influence on the band, but few are those who have done a better job impersonating the Americans. This is far from mere Metallica-worship as Xentrix's approach is not as technical, at least compared with the Americans' late 80's works, and their songs have the nice quality to stay in your head, either because of the catchy main riff or because of the memorable choruses, and you'd always be able to recognize them not without the help of the emotional characteristic semi-clean vocals of Chris Astley. "Kin" introduced more laid-back power metal as well as a few modern "borrowings" into the proceedings, and slowed down considerably, but the final result is still quite satisfying with longer, almost progressively-styled songs, and a generally heavier sound. "Scourge" is a departure from their basic style being modern 90's post-thrash similar to late-period Accuser and 90's Prong; it also introduced the new "throat" behind the mike Simon Gordon who replaced the departed Astley, and his gruffer less melodic style suited better the newly acquired musical approach. After the split-up the original members took a low profile, except Gordon who continued his career in other modern post-thrash acts, like City of God and Thousand Points of Hate.
Shattered Existence Full-length, 1989 Official Site XLR8 (USA)
The first 8 tracks are pure American power metal, not bad, but would be of little interest to the thrash metal fans. The next six numbers show the band moving towards thrash, still infused with a certain doze of power metal. The singer is a find with his powerful emotional voice sounding very similar to the mighty DIO. The music is heavy, mid-paced, kind of reminiscent of the Black Sabbath "Dehumanizer" album with punishing proto-groovy riffs.
Demo Demo, 1990 XUDEF KLAS (SPAIN)
A fine thrash metal band, one of the better ones to come out of Spain; the first two albums are quite competent pieces of classic thrash metal of the fast, intense type along the lines of Forbidden's debut and Death Angel's "The Ultra Violence" with more melodic power metal tracks on "Eutanasia". "Expiración" acquires more technical and modern tendencies, but is another solid release (you might find it their finest hour, depending on the taste). It doesn't offer many headbanging moments; the tempo is mid-paced, occasionally descending to more quiet, balladic territories (the last two tracks: lengthy, but quite good ballads).
Igual De Claro Full-length, 1989 XYSTER (UK)
Evil, black-ish thrash akin to Bathory and early Onslaught; the similarities with Bathory are also in the vocal department, and more particularly in the ones Quorthon (R.I.P.) used on the two most thrashy Bathory releases later during the mid-90's ("Requiem" and "Octagon"). The music is quite brutal and fast, and delivers the goods most of the time. "Subnormal" is a nod to Slayer, and is arguably the best song on the album.
In Good Faith...? Full-length, 1989 Vibrations of Doom XZANTHUS (USA)
This is the first band of Henry Moreno, the drummer who later made a bigger impact on the metal scene with Imagika and Taunted. This 3-song demo is an excellent start for the man being thrash/speed metal with a certain technical edge, recalling Have Mercy and Blessed Death.
Promo Demo, 2006
Time of the New Slavery Full-length, 2004
So Close, So Far Full-length, 2007
Mindless Purge Demo, 2007
Blood Is Dirt Demo, 2008
Southeast War Thrashing Split, 2008
Promo Demo, 1996
Xenofanes/Cranial Dust Split, 1997
Cronology of Death Split, 1991
Signs Of Mental Decay EP, 1991
The guys stirred quite a controversy with the "Ghostbusters" EP which made the film makers angry for the use of the unauthorized cover art on the single, but not for the excellent jolly cover version of the main song from that same film. All the band members, except Astley, are still active having recently founded the melodic thrash combo Hellfighter, with Gordon taking over the vocal duties once again.
Ghostbusters Single, 1990
For Whose Advantage Full-length, 1990
Dilute to Taste EP, 1991
Pure Thought EP, 1991
Kin Full-length, 1992
Scourge Full-length, 1996
Eutanasia Full-length, 1992
Expiración Full-length, 1998