Thrash Through the Ages

[IrritatedTrout]

I like that one more than Hell Awaits.

[PowerMaiden]

Originally Posted by El Gordo

Show No Mercy and Kill 'Em All will always be linked in my mind. They were the first two, and still among the best.

Totaly agree they sound the same too, a few years back I tried to rank the songs on both albums to see wich one was better and in the end it was a tie.


Great thread again with Manky's one it's refreshing not to have to deal with Glam Metal that was becoming way to present lately on this site...

Cheers !
PowerMaiden

[IrritatedTrout]

That's just one guy though. Although it is funny how the amount of times the words 'glam' and 'sleaze' are used daily on this site jumped massively the past month or so.

[El Gordo]

Anthrax - Fistful of Metal - February, 1984

More of a speed metal band at this point, Anthrax's debut doesn't quite have the same impact of the first two thrash LP's. There are thrash moments to be sure, like "Metal Thrashing Mad" and "Howling Furies", but most of it adds nothing to the fledgling thrash movement. This really doesn't sound like Anthrax anyway, and not just because of Neil Turbin's over-the-top vocals... Scott Ian and co. just haven't found that signature Anthrax sound that would be so obvious on their next album. One 'groundbreaking' thing about this album is that it's the first to feature the Ill-advised Thrash Metal Cover Song. "I'm Eighteen" totally fucks up any and all momentum created by the first two tracks. They don't butcher it or anything, but fuck... leave it until the end or throw it on a b-side.

Standouts: Metal Thrashing Mad, Howling Furies

Score: 6/10

[El Gordo]

Razor - Armed and Dangerous - May, 1984

Another album more on the speed side of things, but still a pretty important release since Razor would become one of the more active thrash bands throughout the 80's. This is more or less pure Motorhead worship, right down to the vocals. Most of this stuff would show up on their full-length debut, Executioner's Song, and it seems to work best when they keep it short and fast like on "Hot Metal" or "Take This Torch". Some fine guitar work here for sure, but really nothing all that memorable... well, except for "Take This Torch", I keep screaming that chorus in my car! And how awesome is that album cover?

Standouts: Take This Torch, Hot Metal

Score: 6/10

[mankvill]

Razor kicks dicks but Violent Restitution is their best.

[El Gordo]

Sodom - In the Sign of Evil - May 5, 1984

And yet another debut album from a classic thrash band that isn't quite thrash. But this ain't freaking speed metal, kids. This is first wave black metal! This has to be one of the absolute heaviest things around at the time. The production is a little lacking, especially for thrash, with the guitars a little low and the drums and demented vocals way out front, but the effect isn't lost. This is heavy, ugly, snarly, Venom-inspired blasphemy. It's pretty simple blasphemy though. The riff-o-ramas from later Sodom albums haven't made an appearance yet, as most of the songs consist of about 2-3 real riffs.

Standouts: Outbreak of Evil, Blasphemer

Score: 6.5/10

[mankvill]

I'm actually kind of with you that In The Sign Of Evil is fucking awesome but still pretty lacking.

[El Gordo]

Originally Posted by mankvill

I'm actually kind of with you that In The Sign Of Evil is fucking awesome but still pretty lacking.

If it were all Outbreak of Evil, it would be killer. But... it's not. Sodom didn't really hit their stride for a few years still.

[Onioner]

An I weird for liking the Persecution Mania re-record of Outbreak of Evil way more than the original? The riff just sounds so badass with Frank Blackfire playing it.