Thrash metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo. The songs usually use fast percussive beats and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead guitar work. The lyrical subject matter often includes criticism of The Establishment and concern over environmental destruction, and at times shares a disdain for Christian dogma with that of black metal. The language is typically direct and denunciatory, an approach borrowed from hardcore punk.
Sanctuary is an American thrash/power metal band, formed in 1985 in Seattle, Washington. They were broken up from 1992 to 2010. The band consists of Lenny Rutledge (guitar), Joseph Michael (vocals), George Hernandez (bass), and Dave Budbill (drums). The lead vocalist position was held by Warrel Dane until his death in 2017. They have released four studio albums and one live EP.
Cacophony was an American heavy metal band formed in 1986 by guitarists Marty Friedman and Jason Becker, and signed to Shrapnel Records. They released two studio albums and remained active until 1989, after which both guitarists forged their own solo careers and joined other bands.
Pestilence is a Dutch death metal band from Enschede, founded in 1986. There have been numerous lineup changes with the band over their 36-year career, with guitarist and vocalist Patrick Mameli as the only constant member. After disbanding in order to pursue other musical directions in 1994, Pestilence reunited in 2008, and was put on a "permanent hold" in July 2014. However, the band reunited once again in October 2016. To date, Pestilence has released nine studio albums, and they are often known as part of "progressive death metal's Big Four", along with Death, Atheist, and Cynic.
Forbidden was an American thrash metal band from the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Formed in 1985 as Forbidden Evil, the group was founded by Jim Pittman and guitarist Robb Flynn. Since their formation, Forbidden have broken up and reformed twice with numerous line-up changes. The most recent line-up of the band was Russ Anderson (vocals), Craig Locicero (guitar), Matt Camacho (bass), Steve Smyth (guitar) and Sasha Horn (drums). After breaking up for the first time in 1997 and briefly returning in 2001, Forbidden reunited once again in 2007 but has been on an indefinite hiatus since 2012.
Cathedral were a doom metal band from Coventry, England. The group gained attention upon release of its debut album, Forest of Equilibrium (1991), which is considered a classic of the genre. However, the band's sound evolved quickly and began to adopt characteristics of 1970s metal, hard rock and progressive rock. After releasing ten full-length albums and touring extensively for over two decades, Cathedral broke up after the release of The Last Spire in 2013.
Coroner is a Swiss thrash metal band from Zürich. They garnered relatively little attention outside of Europe. Formed in 1983, the band broke up in 1996, but reformed 14 years later. The band has performed at multiple live venues and festivals around worldwide since 2011, and plans to release their first studio album in nearly three decades in 2022 or 2023.
Cerebral Fix are an English thrash metal band formed in Birmingham in 1986. They became members of the UK thrash metal and death metal scenes through four albums, three of which were on major labels before finally disbanding in 1993. In 2006, the band announced its reformation. Drummer Neil Farrington died in the early hours of 20 December, 2009.
Dungeon was an Australian melodic power metal/thrash metal band based in Sydney, Australia, considered by some as one of Australia's leading metal bands. The group existed from 1989 to 2005, released six full-length albums, and toured heavily both throughout Australia and internationally.
Blind is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Corrosion of Conformity, released on November 5, 1991 via Relativity Records. The album saw the band change their crossover thrash sound of the 1980s to a more straightforward metal sound.
Shotgun Messiah was a Swedish glam metal band originally from Skövde formed by guitarist Harry Cody, bassist Tim Skold, and drummer Stixx Galore. Cody and Skold were the mainstays of the band, and along with various personnel released three albums—Shotgun Messiah, Second Coming and Violent New Breed.
I Hear Black is the sixth studio album by American thrash metal band Overkill, released on March 9, 1993 by Atlantic Records. It was the band's first to feature drummer Tim Mallare.
W.F.O. is the seventh full-length studio album by thrash metal band Overkill, released on July 15, 1994, on Atlantic Records.
Necroshine is the tenth studio album by thrash metal band Overkill released on February 23, 1999, on CMC International records.
Time Does Not Heal is the fourth and final studio album by Dark Angel, released in 1991. This was Dark Angel's final album before their break up in 1992. Work on a follow-up album, under the name Atrocity Exhibition, was prepared, but never advanced past a few demos. Time Does Not Heal was also Dark Angel's only album with former Viking guitarist Brett Eriksen, who replaced Jim Durkin two years earlier.
Armoured Angel were an Australian thrash and death metal band from Canberra, which formed in 1982 as Metal Asylum. The band's founding mainstay, Glen "Lucy" Luck provided bass guitar. They pushed the musical boundaries of the local thrash metal scene and were pioneers of Australian death metal. The group also helped establish Australia's metal festival, Metal for the Brain in 1991. They issued a studio album, Angel of the Sixth Order, in July 1999 before disbanding soon after.
Magellan were a progressive metal/rock band formed in San Francisco, California, United States by brothers Trent and Joel Wayne Gardner in 1985. The band's albums featured a number of well-known guest musicians, such as Ian Anderson, drummer Joey Franco, and bassist Tony Levin. The group co-wrote songs with Chicago frontman Robert Lamm on his album, Living Proof (2012).
Hogan's Heroes was an American hardcore punk band formed in New Jersey in 1984. During their time they recorded three full lengths for California label New Red Archives. The band broke up in 1993.
Forced Entry is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1983 in Seattle, Washington under the name Critical Condition. The band released two studio albums, one EP and three demos before breaking up in 1995, and briefly reunited in 2002. They announced in 2020 that they were planning to reunite again for a series of shows and possibly new material. Forced Entry never achieved mainstream success, but they are often regarded as pioneers of the Seattle thrash metal scene, along with Metal Church, Panic, Bitter End, Coven, R.I.P. and Sanctuary.
Uncertain Future is the debut album by American thrash metal band Forced Entry. It was released on June 30, 1989, on Combat Records.
