New Wave of Thrash Metal

MetalGuy71 wrote:

EmoElmo wrote:

DallasBlack wrote:

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No vocals?

Appears not. I'll wait til they get a vocalist before I make any final judgement (though musically, not that bad).

Here is the full sample off track # 5

I think I liked it better without the vocals

I love those vocals. It's origional, harsh yet melodic at times, and not the same monotonose shouting that 99.9% of the new wavers use.

Self promotion, but this was released last week and I guess you could consider my music part of the New Wave of Thrash Metal

Here's another one

Title track

HeavyMetal wrote:

They are NOT in the same realm of the 80s bands musically, influence, and in their song writing.

Agreed.

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Because the 80s bands, whether it be Metallica, Exodus whatever mid 80s Thrash metal band you can name, because the early bands, and the ones that stuck regardless of what anyone may think were NOT going around listening to other Thrash. They might have heard them, shared a stage with them, thought they were cool, but they weren't the basis for their song writing and certainly weren't the basis on what style of music they were going to play.

Yes they were. Kerry King said one of their biggest influences was METALLICA. That is why he jumped at the chance to play with Dave Mustaine in the earliest version of MEGADETH.

EXODUS's pre-"Kill Em All" demos sounded more like IRON MAIDEN than "Bonded by Blood".

TESTAMENT were obviously highly influenced by METALLICA and SLAYER but managed to tweak the style in their own way and write some very good songs.

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we still are looking forward to the releases of the giants.

Speak for yourself.

I'd rather hear a new disc from SACRED STORM or WARPATH than a new METALLICA or ANTHRAX disc.

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I mean, some of these bands, the newer cats, are 4 to 5 albums in and have not done much memorable stuff.

Agreed.

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Thrash influenced Thrash does not result is anything more than Thrash, at a basic, uninspired blueprint example of the style, which is nothing to write home about.

I totally disagree.

The influences of a band don't ruin their material nor do they make it remarkable.

Thrash itself is, contrary to popular belief, a pretty broad genre. Does anyone think DEMOLITION HAMMER and WATCHTOWER sound the same? It's completely possible to only have thrash influences and still write excellent thrash. HYPNOSIA did it in 1999, far past the heyday of the thrash scene.

Good songs come from equal parts perspiration and inspiration, not from having influences from this genre or that.

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It's a logical continuation of where the scene would have gone had the 90s bands had an outlet and ability to record like we do today, but I can't say I would've liked it all that much.

Actually, today's thrash scene isn't a logical continuation. What NWOTM albums sound like the sequels to "Persistence of Time", "Twisted into Form", "And Justice for All", or "Time Does Not Heal"? Very few bands have picked up at this point. Far more went back to the "Show No Mercy"/"Pleasure to Kill" era.

Some of those "late period" albums like Persistence of Time, Mental Vortex, Horrorscope and Rust In Peace are among my favorites. It's a shame the black album took off when it did, because that helped put the nail in the coffin of that "technical thrash" offshoot, cause immediately afterward many bands started simplifying their sound trying to latch onto the Metallica gravy train.

S.D. wrote:

Some of those "late period" albums like Persistence of Time, Mental Vortex, Horrorscope and Rust In Peace are among my favorites. It's a shame the black album took off when it did, because that helped put the nail in the coffin of that "technical thrash" offshoot, cause immediately afterward many bands started simplifying their sound trying to latch onto the Metallica gravy train.

Agreed.

adrian wrote:

S.D. wrote:

Some of those "late period" albums like Persistence of Time, Mental Vortex, Horrorscope and Rust In Peace are among my favorites. It's a shame the black album took off when it did, because that helped put the nail in the coffin of that "technical thrash" offshoot, cause immediately afterward many bands started simplifying their sound trying to latch onto the Metallica gravy train.

Agreed.

Agreed.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Yes they were. Kerry King said one of their biggest influences was METALLICA. That is why he jumped at the chance to play with Dave Mustaine in the earliest version of MEGADETH.

EXODUS's pre-"Kill Em All" demos sounded more like IRON MAIDEN than "Bonded by Blood".

TESTAMENT were obviously highly influenced by METALLICA and SLAYER but managed to tweak the style in their own way and write some very good songs.

I'm speaking more about the 3 to 4th wave of Thrash to come out. Of course they were influenced by Metallica when they first came out, but the first 2 Metallica albums are by far not the atypical Thrash sound that was popular in the late 80s. Metallica's first two albums are more along the lines of a speed metal release, not unlike Savage Grace, Exciter and the lot of first wave Stateside bands playing faster. Therefore the albums those first two Metallica albums influenced were a lot more traditional sounding than the later Thrash albums. Same with Slayer, first album, much more a Speed Metal album than what was going to be understood as Thrash.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Speak for yourself.

I'd rather hear a new disc from SACRED STORM or WARPATH than a new METALLICA or ANTHRAX disc.

I've been there, when the scene started to really take off in 2005 - 2007, I was totally excited about it. But, it's been 5 years already, maybe 7 if you consider Municipal Waste, and the ratio of band to great album is about 1,000 to 1. I'm not saying I personally look forward to a Big Four release, but OVERKILL are giants, KREATOR, EXODUS, TESTAMENT, SODOM, now EXUMER, these are huge names, within the realm of Thrash respectively and it's a huge generalization to assume when I say giants, I'm talking strictly big four.

Temple of Blood wrote:

The influences of a band don't ruin their material nor do they make it remarkable.

Thrash itself is, contrary to popular belief, a pretty broad genre. Does anyone think DEMOLITION HAMMER and WATCHTOWER sound the same? It's completely possible to only have thrash influences and still write excellent thrash. HYPNOSIA did it in 1999, far past the heyday of the thrash scene.

Good songs come from equal parts perspiration and inspiration, not from having influences from this genre or that.

Those are two distinct bands in the genre, though. Thrash bands, the new and old combined are about as many as the sand on the beach, take a handful of sand (bands), and about 99% of them sound pretty damn similar (unless you've become extremely immersed in those bands and have a sense of familiarity). Within that handful, sure, you might have two or three that are as distinct as the aforementioned, but, you're going to come across many more bands that sound the same than those that differentiate. Not saying that's a bad thing if you like the style, it's probably a good thing because then you have so many bands doing the style you like, but it can get stale.

I'll pass on the HYPNOSIA... The influences of a band might not ruin the material, but it certainly contributes to the longevity. I find the albums released in the heyday of thrash that had much more melodic, traditional metal and hard rock influences to be MILES more memorable than a run of the mill thrash band having an orgy over a thousand thrash albums.


Don't get me wrong, I mean, I love the genre to death, but I think there's a unique dynamic growing where fans blindly award credibility to a NWOTM band simply because the guys in them are also Thrash fans. The influences of a band may not ruin the material, but it helps if you know how to write a good song and not be completely derivative to the point it's forgettable.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Actually, today's thrash scene isn't a logical continuation. What NWOTM albums sound like the sequels to "Persistence of Time", "Twisted into Form", "And Justice for All", or "Time Does Not Heal"? Very few bands have picked up at this point. Far more went back to the "Show No Mercy"/"Pleasure to Kill" era.

Maybe not acutely and precisely, but there is a sense of the newer bands picking up where the evolution suddenly halted. Many are faster, more intense, have much more aggressive vocals, some are extremely melodic, some are extremely un-melodic, some are incredibly technical and others are pretty progressive. I agree with the point you said about it being broad, and the various styles the new bands are employing seems to me like a contiutation of the various styles the later bands were incorporating.

However, I strongly disagree...They do NOT sound like Show No Mercy. I'll give you Pleasure to Kill.

S.D. wrote:

Some of those "late period" albums like Persistence of Time, Mental Vortex, Horrorscope and Rust In Peace are among my favorites. It's a shame the black album took off when it did, because that helped put the nail in the coffin of that "technical thrash" offshoot, cause immediately afterward many bands started simplifying their sound trying to latch onto the Metallica gravy train.

Exactly, and I think the bands coming out today, at least some of them, represent the path of the style had that phenomenon of conformity not occurred.

Not sure if they belong here, but the sound is unmistakably 90's thrash, the whole album is one of the heaviest I've heard in recent years (production is outstanding too!)..There's definitely some Machine Head, Xentrix, Slayer and Even Metallica in their veins.

4 Arm from Australia

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Not sure if they belong here, but the sound is unmistakably 90's thrash, the whole album is one of the heaviest I've heard in recent years (production is outstanding too!)..There's definitely some Machine Head, Xentrix, Slayer and Even Metallica in their veins.

4 Arm from Australia

Hell ya they belong here! These guys are flippin amazing. So much energy and complete in your face metal, thrash, groove..... I love submission and their previous even more, THe empires of death. It has more?? Groove, melody? Anyway, both albums are intense and two of my favorites for the last few years....

Coram Deo wrote:

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Not sure if they belong here, but the sound is unmistakably 90's thrash, the whole album is one of the heaviest I've heard in recent years (production is outstanding too!)..There's definitely some Machine Head, Xentrix, Slayer and Even Metallica in their veins.

4 Arm from Australia

Hell ya they belong here! These guys are flippin amazing. So much energy and complete in your face metal, thrash, groove..... I love submission and their previous even more, THe empires of death. It has more?? Groove, melody? Anyway, both albums are intense and two of my favorites for the last few years....

Amen, these guys are da Sh!t...still kinda blown away by their thick crunching sound...this is what all modern Groove/Thrash should sound like

This review right here is spot on

So this album is basically filled with 9 tracks of thrashy goodness plus one of those epic build up intro tracks, "Sinn Macht Frei," which, if my German classes served me well, means "Makes Sense Without." So does that mean it makes sense to not submit for liberty? Well if my intuition is correct, then I approve of this message! Get ready, once this intro rolls into "While I Lay Awake," you won't be able to get off this ride.

Between "While I Lay Awake" and "Raise a Fist," I think I did a number to my neck. I don't know what it is about thrash metal that gets my head banging so damn hard, but 4ARM clearly knows how to do it well. Both of these tracks were in your face both musically and lyrically. Sure you get your basic thrash elements which include the fast paced drum beats and catchy as hell guitar riffs, but can we talk about the soloing on this album? Johnny Glovasa on just about every last track on this album, sets his fret board on fire with his lightening fast hands. Literally, I feel like every solo on this album is a giant grab bag of legendary thrash guitarists that had a child together and named it 4ARM. I always say stick to your guns, and these guys do just that.

The title track, "Submission For Liberty," hits next with another neck-injuring track. What made this track memorable to me was not only the beyond exceptional lead work, but the "out of left field" breakdown that literally had my jaw hit the spacebar on my computer. One of the most important ingredients to a successful thrash band is the vocalist. With powerful lyrics, you need that powerful voice to send the message across with a bang! This is where Danny Tomb steps in. Not only does he play a mean guitar, but Danny sounds like he's pretty pissed off in these songs. As bad as it sounds, an entire band can sound great instrumentally, but if they have a shitty vocalist, they probably won't get too far. Obviously Danny is doing something right if he is now releasing his third studio album and has toured with acts such as Testament and Destruction. Now only four tracks into the album, I could tell that these Aussies new what is supposed to be done in the thrash world and I was loving every minute of it.

For some people, thrash isn't very exciting because "every song sounds the same." Well "The Oppressed," is the track that kinda smacks you in the face for even thinking for a split second about cookie cutter type music. I wouldn't quite call it a ballad by any means, but this sounded like "South of Heaven" instrumentally speaking. This only adds to what I said earlier about a giant grab back of thrash musicians. Clearly 4ARM has a ton of influences in both new and old thrash bands alike, and they aren't afraid to show you that!

"I Will Not Bow," is one of my favorites off the album, and no it is not a Breaking Benjamin cover. This track is completely filled with everything you look for in a solid thrash song. I loved the riff, the beat, the flow, the solo, and then another "where in the Hell did this breakdown come from?" And no these aren't those annoying deathcore breakdowns that get old two albums before the song is even released. Oh and you know what was extra credit for me on this track to? Right before the build up to this breakdown, I most certainly caught a quick Dimebag Darrell-esque dive bomb on the guitar work. Any band that pays respects to my hero is solid in my book.

The last few tracks on the album remain original, changing, and most importantly, interesting. I can not stress how bad it is to come up with something original that is not interesting at all. Unfortunately, in today's heavy metal world, too many bands are like this. Not 4ARM though. Danny, Johnny, Andy, and Michael have created a team that has put the thrash world on notice, 4ARM is here and ready to set the bar even higher for modern thrash acts today. I look forward to these guys getting over to the States so I can experience a live showcase of what I have heard on Submission For Liberty. This only being the band's third release, they are only going to get better which speaks volumes in the world of heavy music. Get on this band wagon everybody!

4Arm sounds really good to me. Pretty strong songwriting and good riffing as well.I need to pick that album up.

Thrasher73 wrote:

4Arm sounds really good to me. Pretty strong songwriting and good riffing as well.I need to pick that album up.

This will be one of the very few albums that you'll keep listening to over and over , definitely a contender to Overkill's Electric Age

Sounds more promising than a lot of the new wavers.

Coram Deo wrote:

This is some more power thrash, but Sword of Judgement is one of my favs of the new wave. THey offer a free download on Reverbnation, and the singer is off the chart. He gets close to a Dangerous Toys sound at times......THe guitar riffs are too!

O ya, not from Portland, but Seattle..

Haven't heard a thing from these guys in a long time. I see that they updated their facebook page on July 14.

Few people commented, and asked if they are back. I'm hoping so. I'd like to add an album to the three songs I have.

Sword of Judgement is good stuff.Love the guys voice.I agree on the DT comparison.

Man, Skeletonwitch always proves to me that modern thrash has a spot in my musical library.
Album was released almost a year ago, and it still sounds fresh to me, they just feel like they bring something new to the table when compared to how most modern thrash bands just emulate everything about the 80's sound.

I've had the new Bonded by Blood in my car stereo for weeks. "I Can't Hear You" is one kick butt song!

Couldn't find a studio clip, but here's a live clip:

DallasBlack wrote:

I love 80s thrash too, but the bands for most of these new wavers are modeled after Slayer, Sepultura, Death, later Exodus, Kreator, etc. Where is the thrash of Suicidal Tendencies, Anthrax, Overkill, Heathen, Death Angel, Xentrix, early Exodus, Flotsam And Jetsam, Metallica, Megadeth, etc.? All I want is some new thrash bands that give us the variety thrash used to have. Instead all we get are the harsh vocal variety. I love most of the bands that I mentioned in the first list (I have a distaste for later Exodus due to lyrical content), but there's more to old school thrash than the harsh vocal variety.

AGREED!!

I recently listened to the last Evile album and was suprised to hear some melodic vocals (yet still gruff) mixed with the harsh vocals. I also got some meloidic vocals in a Fueled By Fire album. So there are a few new wavers that use variety in the vocals. Also the new Bonded By Blood vocalist (while not really melodic) are not as monotonose as the previous guy. I still prefer classic melodic thrash but I can live with a little singing more than none.

EmoElmo wrote:

Not sure if they belong here, but the sound is unmistakably 90's thrash, the whole album is one of the heaviest I've heard in recent years (production is outstanding too!)..There's definitely some Machine Head, Xentrix, Slayer and Even Metallica in their veins.

4 Arm from Australia

Damn straight they belong! I picked up Submission For Liberty recently, and the album CRUSHES! The full-throttle break in the later part of While I Lie Awake almost got me a bloody speeding ticket!

Thrasher73 wrote:

4Arm sounds really good to me. Pretty strong songwriting and good riffing as well.I need to pick that album up.

Yes, you do need to get it matey! VERY good album. Definitely one of my favs from this year!!

I'm with DB. That 4arm is really kickbutt though.