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 some very wild music as a result. The band play quite fast most of the time, but the overall sound is not heavy or brutal, with vocals which sound lke 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-TINXION (HOLLAND)
Based on the "Twisting The Knife" demo, this is brilliant 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 in some parts, and combined with the mostly speedy riffs, make for a great headbanging fun. These guys are definitely destined to reach far.
Twisting The Knife Demo, 2005 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 more complex. The singer does a marvellous job covering all ranges: low growls, mid-ranged powerful voice (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 some 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 great melodic lines, and the nice soft, progressive-laced break in the middle, make it a truly standout track. This is a really impressive debut from the Brazilian metal scene, where there are very few acts who play a similar kind of music.
God From The Machine Full-length, 2006 Official Site 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 some 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 with some 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, and with a 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, and you'd always be able to recognize them; something which can not be said about many bands, especially from the thrash metal spectre. "Kin" introduced some power metal in the proceedings and slowed down considerably, but the final result was still quite satisfying with longer, almost progressively-styled songs, and a heavier sound. "Scourge" is a departure from their basic style, being modern thrash similar to late period Accuser, or even Prong.
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 thrash fans. The next six 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, probably the best one to ever come out of Spain. The first two albums are quite competent classic thrash of the fast, intense type along the lines of Forbidden's debut and Death Angel's "The Ultra Violence", with some more melodic power metal tracks on "Eutanasia". "Expiración" acquires some more technical and modern tendencies, but is also a very 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- "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 was an excellent start, being thrash/speed metal with a certain technical edge, recalling Have Mercy and Blessed Death.
Promo Demo, 2006
Cronology of Death Split, 1991
Signs Of Mental Decay EP, 1991
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