Greatest Thrash Metal Albums By Sub-Genre

Oh look, another thrash list thread!

In this one, list your favorite albums from all the various sub-genre's of thrash metal: progressive/technical, death, black, power, crossover, and speed. Since this kind of thing is very time consuming, you don't have to go all out and list 10 or more like I did. Also, in my list I'm going to resist the urge to use any modern albums (except for black/thrash), and no more than one album per band - that's tacky.

Thrash Metal

10. Kreator- Coma of Souls (1990)
9. Testament- The Legacy (1987)
8. Vio-lence- Eternal Nightmare (1988)
7. Overkill- The Years of Decay (1989)
6. Sabbat- Dreamweaver (1989)
5. Exodus- Bonded by Blood (1985)
4. Slayer- Reign in Blood (1986)
3. Anthrax- Among the Living (1987)
2. Metallica- Ride the Lightning (1984)
1. Megadeth- Rust in Peace (1990)

I usually always cite "Rust in Peace" as progressive thrash metal, but seeing as though it's the pinnacle of the entire genre, I couldn't leave it out here.


Speed/Thrash Metal

10. Savage Thrust- Eat 'Em Raw (1990)
9. Hallows Eve- Death and Insanity (1986)
8. Iron Angel- Hellish Crossfire (1985)
7. Warrant- The Enforcer (1985)
6. Razor- Executioner's Song (1985)
5. Heathen- Breaking the Silence (1987)
4. Whiplash- Power and Pain (1985)
3. Holy Terror- Terror and Submission/Mind Wars (1987/88)
2. Metal Church- Metal Church  (1984)
1. Anthrax- Spreading the Disease (1985)


Progressive/Technical Thrash Metal

20. Mekong Delta- The Principle of Doubt (1989)
19. Target- Master Project Genesis (1988)
18. Forbidden- Twisted into Form (1990)
17. Depressive Age- First Depression (1992)
16. Anacrusis- Manic Impressions (1991)
15. Dark Angel- Time Does Not Heal (1991)
14. Realm- Endless War (1988)
13. Metallica- ...And Justice for All (1988)
12. Heathen- Victims of Deception (1991)
11. Intruder- A Higher Form of Killing (1989)
10. Blind Illusion- The Sane Asylum (1988)
9. Annihilator- Alice in Hell (1989)
8. Deathrow- Deception Ignored (1988)
7. Аспид- Кровоизлияние (1992)
6. Tourniquet- Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance (1992)
5. Coroner- Mental Vortex (1991)
4. Artillery- By Inheritance (1990)
3. Voivod- Dimension Hatröss/Nothingface (1988/89)
2. Watchtower- Control and Resistance (1989)
1. Toxik- Think This (1989)


Death/Thrash Metal

15. Slaughter- Strappado (1987)  
14. Protector- A Shedding of Skin (1991)
13. Revenant- Prophecies of a Dying World (1991)
12. Sepultura- Arise (1991)
11. Sadus- Illusions (1988)  
10. Devastation- Idolatry (1991)
9. Demolition Hammer- Epidemic of Violence (1992)
8. Morbid Saint- Spectrum of Death (1990)
7. Magnus- I Was Watching My Death (1992)  
6. Num Skull- Ritually Abused (1988)
5. Ripping Corpse- Dreaming With the Dead (1991)
4. Possessed- Seven Churches (1985)
3. Merciless- The Awakening (1989)
2. Massacra- Enjoy the Violence (1991)
1. Pestilence- Malleus Malificarum (1988)


Black/Thrash Metal

15. Nifelheim- Nifelheim (1994)
14. Gospel of the Horns- A Call to Arms (2002)
13. Aura Noir- Black Thrash Attack (1996)
12. Desaster- Angelwhore (2005)
11. Bestial Mockery- Evoke the Desecrator (2003)
10. Witchery- Dead, Hot and Ready (1999)
9. Absu- Tara (2001)
8. Atomizer- The Only Weapon of Choice (2003)
7. Sarcofago- I.N.R.I. (1987)
6. Deströyer 666- Unchain the Wolves (1997)
5. Sodom- Persecution Mania (1987)
4. Sabbat- The Dwelling (1996)
3. Celtic Frost- To Mega Therion (1985)
2. Bathory- Under the Sign of the Black Mark (1987)
1. Venom- Black Metal (1982)


Power/Thrash Metal


15. Heretic- Breaking Point (1988)
14. Visitör- Visitör (1993)
13. Manilla Road- Mystification (1987)
12. Powermad- Absolute Power (1989)
11. Meliah Rage- Kill to Survive (1988)
10. Lääz Rockit- Annihilation Principle (1989)
9. Paradox- Heresy (1989)
8. Iced Earth- Night of the Stormrider (1991)
7. Sanctuary- Into the Mirror Black (1989)
6. Tourniquet- Stop the Bleeding (1990)
5. Flotsam and Jetsam- No Place for Disgrace (1988)
4. Metal Church- The Dark (1986)
3. Agent Steel- Unstoppable Force (1987)
2. Helstar- Nosferatu (1989)
1. Mystik- The Plot Sickens (1992)


Crossover Thrash Metal

20. Aversion- Fit to be Tied (1992)
19. M.O.D.- U.S.A. for M.O.D. (1987)
18. Body Count- Body Count (1992)
17. Wehrmacht- Shark Attack (1987)
16. No Mercy- Widespread Bloodshed (1987)
15. Attitude Adjustment- American Paranoia (1986)
14. Crumbsuckers- Life of Dreams (1986)
13. The Accüsed- Martha Splatterhead's Maddest Stories Ever Told (1988)
12. Ludichrist- Immaculate Deception (1986)
11. Dr. Know- Wreckage in Flesh (1988)
10. Carnivore- Retaliation (1987)
9. Excel- Split Image (1987)
8. Corrosion of Conformity- Animosity (1985)
7. Agnostic Front- Cause for Alarm (1986)
6. Cryptic Slaughter- Money Talks (1987)
5. S.O.D.- Speak English or Die (1985)
4. Suicidal Tendencies- How Will I Laugh Tomorrow... (1988)
3. Cro-Mags- Best Wishes (1989)
2. Leeway- Born to Expire (1989)
1. D.R.I.- Dealing With It (1985)

As stated in the other thread, "Dealing With It" is a punk record. But, I've always held it to a high regard and consider it an honorary thrash metal album, personally. If you want, you can pretend "Born to Expire" is the #1 choice.

Kudos to whoever makes a doom/thrash list.  

Absu- Tara ? It sounds more death metal to me than Blackened Thrash Metal, like the more trebley / high end-sounding "The Third Storm of Cythraul" album, but to each his own.

For Thrash Metal, with many bands, including the Big Four (Big 5, if you include Exodus), I usually pick the debut LP's.
Even in other metal genres, debut albums or EP's/singles usually are the best, and most raw and/ or sincere effort.
Would have included Anihilated (from England) in there with one of their 1980's Lp's.

Death/Thrash Metal
Good list, I would have added INSANITY "Death After Death" in there.

Crossover Thrash Metal
Almost that whole list has been my playlist since forever!

Too lazy to make my own lists.

So these would be sub-genres of sub-genres of sub-genres? There's an Abbot & Costello routine buried in there somewhere....

S.D. wrote:

So these would be sub-genres of sub-genres of sub-genres?  There's an Abbot & Costello routine buried in there somewhere....

There's definitely a Monty Python one.

You're just setting yourself up for failure here.No one can agree on genres much less sub genres.

When you've got two Anthrax albums that were released a year apart in separate categories...it's probably a good sign you're overthinking it.

S.D. wrote:

When you've got two Anthrax albums that were released a year apart in separate categories...it's probably a good sign you're overthinking it.  

2 years apart, actually. Charlie and Scott's excursion with S.O.D. influenced the material on AtL greatly.

I've got no problem with the categories and it's an interesting read. My lists would probably look fairly different but to be honest it sounds like too much work for a genre that i have barely listened to in 20+ years.

Manilla Road never struck me as a thrash metal band; their mid-period releases are thrashy, but still within the confines of epic heavy metal. You may as well consider Liege Lord's Master Control, Iron Angel, and early Overkill power/thrash metal.

Painkiller wrote:

Manilla Road never struck me as a thrash metal band; their mid-period releases are thrashy, but still within the confines of epic heavy metal. You may as well consider Liege Lord's Master Control, Iron Angel, and early Overkill power/thrash metal.

It's not exactly an unpopular opinion, you know. The thrash influences of those releases were so prevalent, it even alienated some of the fans.

I guess I'll take the big sticker on my "Mystification" CD's word for it: "CLASSIC POWER/THRASH!"

Thrasher73 wrote:

You're just setting yourself up for failure here.No one can agree on genres much less sub genres.

That's fine with me, I enjoy the varying opinions on the subject. However, I don't feel the need to get flustered and call others out on their genre classifications when this shet isn't even set in stone.

There's a lot to say here ...

I agree overall with the different categories. I also agree that "Spreading the Disease" is more of a speed metal album and "Among" is more of a thrash album (for those that like to split these hairs).

Why not use any modern albums, if they are good enough? I think that would make it a lot more interesting.


More later ...

Temple of Blood wrote:

Why not use any modern albums, if they are good enough?  I think that would make it a lot more interesting.

#1. I figured it would give the list a more "official" look.

#2. Including retro/modern releases in with albums considered to be masterpieces is off-putting to some.

#3. I was planning to include a new thrash category at the end, but never got around to it.

Still might make some edits later when I have some free time.

I'm going to give this a go, but with fewer choices than your list.

Thrash Metal
7. Testament- Souls of Black
6. Overkill- Taking Over
5. Onslaught- In Search of Sanity
4. Sepultura- Arise
3. Anthrax- Persistence of Time
2. Exodus- Fabulous Disaster (Impact is Imminent could go here too)
1. Metallica - ...And Justice For All (I consider this to be one of, if not the greatest album ever recorded--I also never really considered it very technical, but I see it made your prog/tech list)

Speed/Thrash
This sub-sub genre is not really my thing. I like my thrash slower and chunkier. But I do love 2 albums you included on your list, though I will list those here, though I never really thought of them as such:
2. Heathen- Breaking the Silence
1. Anthrax- Spreading the Disease

Prog/Tech
Much of what you listed on your list, I never really felt was any different than just "thrash"...but based on the many excellent records you chose to include:
4. Wrathchild America- Climbing the Walls (do they count as such?)
3. Intruder- A Higher Form of Killing
2. Forbidden- Twisted Into Form
1. Heathen- Victims of Deception

Death/Thrash
Looking at what you included in your list, this is not a sub-genre I'm too into. I listed Arise on my regular list...I don't see that as very deathy, personally. I like Devastation and DH well enough, but not super into them...so my one pick would be:
1. Possessed- Seven Churches

Black/Thrash
I like Skeletonwitch okay. But anyway...I enjoy Venom well enough, and Celtic Frost.

Power/Thrash
What would Metal Church's Blessing in Disguise count as? If it's power/thrash, throw that here for me. I love Laaz Rocket's Annihilation Principle, but I see that as just a straight up thrash record. My main 2 picks here would be:
2. Powermad- Absolute Power
1. Meliah Rage- Kill to Survive

Crossover
Hard to put these in any order, and I'm disregarding the one album per band stipulation, but I love the hell out of:
-Cro-Mags- Age of Quarrel
-Cro-Mags- Best Wishes
-Cro-Mags- Alpha Omega
-Leeway- Born to Expire
-Crumbsuckers- Life of Dreams
-Suicidal Tendencies- s/t
-Suicidal Tendencies- Join the Army
-Suicidal Tendencies- Lights Camera...Revolution
-Gang Green- You Got It
-Gang Green- Older Budweiser
-Void- Potion for Bad Dreams
-MOD- Surfin' MOD
-Agnostic Front- Cause for Alarm
-Agnostic Front- Liberty & Justice
-DRI- Crossover
-DRI- Thrash Zone

Thanks for taking the time out to do a list! I'll have to check out some of those crossover albums you listed sometime.

And yes, Wrathchild America and "Blessing in Disguise" are all valid answers, I think.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Why not use any modern albums, if they are good enough?  I think that would make it a lot more interesting.

That's a great point actually man. Just curious, do you mean modern albums by classic bands or new bands?

The lists are interesting, but for me personally, that's way too much division to attempt to write something like that. VERY surprised to not see Abattoir on your Speed list.

Some of those bands I don't consider thrash at all. Some to me are also in the wrong sub-sub-genre list. I don't really see the need to do this though either. But its your list not mine.

Lurideath wrote:

Some of those bands I don't consider thrash at all. Some to me are also in the wrong sub-sub-genre list. I don't really see the need to do this though either. But its your list not mine.

I think it's just for fun. I enjoyed doing it.

I do have to say, at age 21 - you have a vast knowledge of sound !
Me, I'd kinda like to know the years - on the releases - but very good lists -
I'm not a thrash person - but I do know some of those CDs listed - fascinating.

Glower wrote:

I do have to say, at age 21 - you have a vast knowledge of sound !

Thanks, man. I appreciate that.

And sure, I can add the dates.

Dreamweaver is by no means over rated. I would probably have in my progressive list, but wherever it was it would be really high on that list.

Some interesting feedback.

Temple of Blood wrote:

9. Annihilator- Alice in Hell - This is a good one, but I think NNland beats it

In the words of Autothrall: "Never, Neverland isn't so bad, but it has that macaroni song."