Copyright (c) 2007-2024 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-COPS (USA)
Members of Gwar have gotten together with two ex-members of Rigor Mortis for the recording of this corey/groovy tribute to the 90's which is served in a more jocund merrier form with obvious traces of the good old retro crossover mostly reflected in the shorter more direct tracks. Otherwise the guys also "flirt" with stoner/doom ("Your Mother") and classic heavy metal ("Paddy Wagon Rape") plus adding a not bad individualistic steam-roller cover of Deep Purple's "Highway Star". The singer, who is none other but Sheriff "Tubb" Tucker, both an x-Gwar and Rigor Mortis member, quarrels throughout with a forceful semi-declamatory tone.
You Have the Right to Remain Silent... Full-Length, 1995 Official Site 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-HATRED (BRAZIL)
Modern thrash metal with progressive/technical tendencies, at least in the beginning; the album develops in an energetic pace well expressed on the short intense opener "Filthy Pride" which may annoy you with the "gruff/husky" vocal duel which will be the dominant one, unfortunately. Not much technical stuff happening on this one, but "New Nightmare" is already a more elaborate, and more satisfying, affair despite the obvious loss of speed. "Intermittent Happiness" provides intriguing dry, mechanical technical thrash with a nice faster twist at the end. "Sacred Liar" is an emblematic Swedish melodic thrasher, but "Current Facts" hardens the course moving the sound a bit towards the classic school as well. The technicality has almost completely disappeared up to this point, and the band settles for a slow/fast track alternation till the end turning the album into an average offering of the Gothenburg school.
All Pages Burned Full-Length, 2010 X-MANTRA (NEPAL)
Based on "Crying for Peace", this Himallayan act offers modern post-thrash of the doomy type which gets wild at times ("Bhasan"), but few are the deviations from the monotonous sleepy pace which is assisted by hoarse semi-clean vocals. This is "peaceful" (but not really "crying") stuff with heavy abrasive guitars.
Crying for Peace Full-length, 2003 X-METHOD (USA)
This is direct, intense, "sexy alcoholic" modern thrash which borders on groovy post-thrash at times, and there are a few good attempts at the ballad the latter ruined by the rough semi-shouty vocals which are otherwise fitting to the more aggressive material. Still, ""Waiting 4 the Rain" is a really good emotional ballad overshadowing the more dynamic cuts among which "Trianglesand 6's" is a cool steam-rolling number contrasting with the couple of fast-paced hardcore-ish tracks in the 2nd half.
Sex Alcohol Rebel Music Full-Length, 2016 X-PULSSION (FINLAND)
4 guys from Helsinki indulging in crunchy modern power/thrash which aims at catchiness and playful riffage. The dominant mid-paced approach may tire at some stage as well as the inexpressive gruff semi-clean vocals. The heavy stoner/doom semi-ballad "Leather Demon" is an expected addition whereas the short speedy headbanger "Fucked Her Good" near the end would be a surprise. This is peaceful feelgood stuff which needs a bit of refinement (the closing overlong uneventful instrumental "The Last Judgement" just one example) before grasping more fans for the hearts.
Dying Legacy Full-length, 2011 Official Site X-RAY (GERMANY)
This is the third incarnation of the thrash metal veterans Backwater; after releasing one album under the name Tai-Pan, they decided to pay tribute to the modern 90's trends, and here comes this offering which is the guys' lowest point by a long shot. This is pedestrian groovy post-thrash at its least imaginative despite several heavier intense sections ("LD 50") scattered around. Later some of the band members continued their career in the power metallers Chinchilla.
Dehumanized Full-length, 1996 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 My Space X-TINXION (HOLLAND)
Based on the "Twisting The Knife" demo, this is fairly 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-TREMITY (GERMANY)
This band serve melodic 90's post-thrash which is surprisingly devoid of too many groovy ornaments, with "Resurrection" being a particularly effective progressiver. The guys don't reach such heights elsewhere but both the title-track and the introspective "The Cold Heart" are more thought-out, pensive compositions which partially betray the post-thrash idea, branching out into balladic territories, the semi-clean/semi-shouty vocalist not participating very actively on those. Some of the musicians also play with the retro thrash outfit Coldspot.
Morir es Vivir Full-length, 2006 My Space X-VISION (FRANCE)
Based on the debut full-length, this band pulls out heavy groovy post-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,Y,Z (CZECH)
Based on the "Uncommon Space" demo, this is very well executed, quite unusual as well, progressive thrash/death with a lot of atmosphere mingling with the complex riff-patterns which are along the lines of Death, Pestilence, and Alarum. The song-structures are quite unconventional the atmospheric undercurrents stylishly intercepting the mazey guitar tapestries. "Delusion of Senses" introduces keyboard sections which stay around later including on the weird funkism "Unordinary Pictures" and the spacey eclectic closer "I Am Reviving" which shakes hands with Spastic Ink and Spiral Architect. The singer changes his style from semi-shouty/semi-death croons to cleaner more emotional tones.
Uncommon Space Demo, 1999 Official Site X3MO (ARGENTINA)
These Argentinians pull out heavy seismic power/thrash, which is both classic and modern-sounding on occasion, with thundering riffage which evolves in mid-pace for most of the time graced by a couple of more melodic guitar lines. The singer has a mean semi-screamy voice which has a strong sinister flavour and suits the musical delivery all over. "Desperación" is a nice melodic cut dispersing "the dark clouds" above with more playful rhythms which later grow into the highly-charged closing doomster Tampra".
Devastacion EP, 2010 X RAPTOR (BRAZIL)
A very good young power/thrash metal band; the style reminds of the Swedes Fifth Reason and Morgana Lefay, but the Brazilians' music is more thrashier and crunchier, 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 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 not many 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 metal 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 XDECLARATIONX (UKRAINE)
These guys are typical representatives of the Swedish melo-death/thrash metal movement: think early Dark Tranquillity. The music is melodic and fast, apparently during the early stages, since later on the sound becomes slower with a shade of doom, and the faster sections are pure death metal. The singer is the staple vicious shrieker his rendings not so suitable for the doomy side.
Demos 2009-2009 Best Of Compilation, 2009 XENDRA (HONDURAS)
This act has ties to the most famous metal export from Honduras: Delirium. So expect similar radio-friendly post-thrash typical for the more recent works of the other band, generic and trite stuff which will be even more boring than the Delirium works because of the longer compositions where not much actually happens except for several lyrical romantic balladic variations. There are whole 16 songs here, but few will be those who would last beyond the 8th one.
Xendra Full-Length, 2000 My Space XENOBLIGHT (DENMARK)
A modern thrash/deathy "beast" which possesses some of the intricate Darkane-sque flair, especially on vigorous, "shape-shifting" speedsters like "Shapeshifter" and the more diverse, more dramatic "Obsidian Chromatism". Bigger ambition is displayed with the longer and more thought-out opus "Nocturnal Manifestations" and the hyper-active Vektor-influenced "Predominance", the vocals also going into that band's direction being a bit harsher and more hysterical, and are performed by a girl (Marika Hyldmar, also the melo-death metallers Illanth). Some of the musicians were earlier involved with another, more thrash-prone act, Velociter.
Procreation Full-length, 2018 Official Site XENOBLOOD (USA)
Modern thrash with shades of progressive, power and even death; a diverse package which has its moments, naturally, the clean side of the vocal duel by all means one of those, the gruff deathly one not much to talk about. This is crunchy mid-paced stuff for the most part, the lively histrionics on "Aftermathematics" a decidedly energizing booster, but expect a most idyllic balladic instrumental ("Sirens of Deimos") and the aggressive death metal drama "Proteus", and the ambient, again all-instrumental, delight "Parallel Dimentia", the epitaph on the overtly brutal side, "A Simulation", a furious death/thrash shredder. The band members are also active with the groove metallers Amillennial, the black/doom hybriders Order of Unukalhai and Sunwrecker.
Embracing the Evolution Full-length, 2022
Official Site 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 Facebook 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 XENOPHILE (USA)
A very pleasant surprise this way comes from the Longest Valley in New Jersey: state-of-the-art progressive/technical power/thrash which shoots everything in its way all the way to Helstar's legendary "Nosferatu", this album's long lost twin. "Systematic Enslavement Of Consciousness" is the expected meandering progressive opener, and the next "Absolution" is even more deeply immersed in atmospheric, progressive roamings. The romanticism left aside, the band start thrashing with full force with "Scorching The Skies" the edge partially lost again on the otherwise quite cool semi-balladic "Faceless Destiny". Guitar acrobatics galore will one come across on "Forgotten Holocaust", a virtuoso opus with a heavy rhythm section and puzzling technical decisions. "Heretic" is the direct ripper here, still pretty intricate; before the galloping power metal anthem "Fate Denied" tones it down, but just a bit. Hard brutal thrashing follows suit with "Suffer Unto Tyranny", not much sophistication here save for a portion of stylish melodic leads. Another galloping delight ("Hollow Corpse") is shot at close range paving the way for the encompassing closing 9-min saga "In The Ruins", a varied progressiver mixing fast aggressive passages with quiet, balladic ones topped by the great clean high-strung vocals which are the perfect "marriage" between Ski (Deadly Blessing) and Messiah Marcolin (Candlemass). One should welcome these young talents with open arms looking forward to hearing another glorious tribute to the good old past with a twist in the future, and possibly give an ear to their other project, the thrash/crossover act Paralysis.
Kurshi Full-length, 2004
The band's productivity isn't the biggest in the world, and a 5-song EP comes out after a lengthy 5-year break. There will be no disappointed again since the guys don't betray their blitzkrieg style lashing fast and tight the whole time with Paradox's "Heresy" again being the main influence introducing the odd slower stomping break ("Genetic Sickness", "The New Hive"). The guitars adhere to quite cool memorable melodies more often this time, and the singer delivers with his switch from mid-ranged semi-clean to gruffer death metal-tinged vocals managing to come up with a couple of nice catchy choruses in a way again similar to Paradox.
"From the Ashes of Eden" is finally a fact, and the band are intent on conquering the scene with this intricate blend of modern and classic speed/thrash which on the opening "Amalgamation" even shows signs of catchiness with the inclusion of very good clean vocals. "Survivors of Hell" is a hard-hitting shredder before "Severed from Heaven" epitomizes a more moderate approach with shades of progressive. "Genetic Sickness" brings back the speed/thrashing melee with a more pronounced participation of the clean vocals; and "Uniformity" gloriously reminds of the 90's power/speed metal scene with its soaring rhythms. The highly energetic saga carries on in the 2nd half "Destruct & Reanimate" and "The Divine" leading the pack there both being impetuous headbangers with nice memorable melodic hooks. The band have acquitted themselves with aplomb here, and surely they have other tricks up their sleeves which they will expose us to in the days to come.
Act The Injured Innocent EP, 2010
From the Ashes of Eden Full-Length, 2016
Time of the New Slavery Full-length, 2004
So Close, So Far Full-length, 2007
The "Nature of Soul" demo continues the progressive saga first in a melodic bombastic manner with the opening "The 4th Verse of Lord Caitanya", later in a creepy diverse way with "Siksasthaka: The 5th Verse of Lord Caitanya". "Madness" is a superb technical piece with a great lead section and a few atmospheric "decorations" at the end where a piano tune sneaks in. Wild shredding thrash/death awaits you on the short surreal hecticer "No Lamentation (Reincarnation)" whereas the title-track is more on the abstract Coroner's "Grin" side with a few pounding quasi-groovisms inserted. "Sri Nrsinhadeva" wraps it up with an exiting portion of fast raging and milder spacey moments intertwined in an engaging provocative manner, another display of high level musicianship which is also evident in the other bands the guys used to play: the doom metallers Monastery, and the progressive death metal weirdos Forgotten Silence.
Nature of Soul Demo, 2002
The hellish trio is finally able to come up with an official full-length, and few will be the disappointed to hear this sincere slab of unadulterated old school thrash metal which is constantly fast even touching hardcore/crossover at times. But, seriously, the speed is really commendable, and isn't far from the Japanese Fastkill or the Dutch Expulsion. Hats down for the excellent tribute to the early German school "Republic of Drones", or for the maddening ultra-speedster/proto-deathster "Plague Of Mankind", as well as for almost every other song. The guitar sound is a bit thin, though, and could be boosted up for the future. And the singer could use a more aggressive, more forceful tone: his voice is also thin lacking the energy which the music has in abundance.
Mindless Purge Demo, 2007
Blood Is Dirt Demo, 2008
Southeast War Thrashing Split, 2008
Black. Death. Grind. Shit! Full-length, 2010
"Pissing in the Holy Grail": wow, the band have finally managed to release a full-length, and the listener will be immediately captured by the ephemeral technical "decorations" on the opening lasher "Soulthirst". Later on things become more straight-forward, but the engaging thrashing on "Spitfire Inferno" and "Mentally Damaged" will win the fans who will also come across a few more serious, black metal-decorated opuses ("Next Stop Purgatory", the colossal epic title-track at the end) where the mood and time shifts may make one lose the plot. The vocals are agonizing death metal ones, but their attached delivery ensures them being more than just an appendage.
Promo Demo, 1996
Xenofanes/Cranial Dust Split, 1997
Pissing in the Holy Grail Full-Length, 2015