We've had this discussion before but...

I don't know, so many important albums it's hard to say this is wrong but my list would definitely have

Kreator - Pleasure To Kill
Dark Angel - Darkness Descends
Voivod - Killing Technology
S.O.D - Speak English or Die
Possessed - Seven Churches

I didn't see anything in their list that would expressly disagree with. I did think it was funny that they started off by saying all death metal and heavy metal albums weren't included then they include an album by one of the founders of death metal, Death. Haha! However, I do think that album is more thrash metal than death metal.

I would not put Slayer's Reign in Blood at number one. Metallica's Kill 'Em All would have been a better choice at #1 if the list is "important thrash releases" rather than just "favorite thrash releases." Frankly if it were me, I'd go with South of Heaven or Show No Mercy over the over-rated "Reign in Blood".

Dark Angel and Voivod didn't even make their Honorable Mentions. I think they at least deserve to be in that list, though I'm a bit partial to DA and Voivod.

Surprised to see Annihilator in the list.

The inclusion of Symbolic was a nice little wildcard, impressive coming from the worst channel on YouTube.

I bet that comment section is a f*cking travesty.

I have no problem with this list at all. There would have been a couple of bands like Death and Annihilator that I would have replaced with Death Angel (The Ultra-Violence) and Flotsam & Jetsam (No Place For Disgrace). The other albums that were on this list, I might have changed a couple, but it's splitting hairs essentially. The guy reading this list should probably figure out how to pronounce Sepultura. Three times he called them SePULTRUH. Hilarious...

The Top 10 thrash albums that were most influential on ME personally...

TIE / Megadeth - So Far, So Good...So What / Peace Sells
Anthrax - Among the Living (comic books, Steven King, John Belushi. Love it!)
Death Angel - Act III (wow, melody and acoustic guitars in thrash?)
Metallica - Kill 'em All
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Testamant - The New Order
Overkill - Horrorscope ('Frankenstein' ended many a tape comp)
Flotsam & Jetsam - High (not a fan favorite, but I love it)
Exodus - Fabulous Disaster (Toxic Waltz. 'nuff said)
Tourniquet - Psycho Surgery (who knew Christian thrash was a thing?)

In most cases, those albums were probably my first exposure to said band (though not always), so even if they weren't necessarily fan-favorites, they'll have nostalgic value to me. And most of them (sorry, Tourniquet) still get somewhat frequent spins from me to this day, no matter how many times I've played them. They all hold up extremely well too. None of them sound dated to me.

Voivod and Suicidal Tendencies get honorable mentions. Angel Rat is my favorite Voivod album, but it could be argued that they were moving away from thrash at that point. And my introduction to Suicidal was Prime Cuts, a compilation album, so I didn't count that. Lights, Camera, Revolution could've made the cut though.

Here's a few of my favorite albums, most influential to me (obviously).

metalinmyveins wrote:

The guy reading this list should probably figure out how to pronounce Sepultura. Three times he called them SePULTRUH. Hilarious...

What a f00king poser, amirite? Personally, I've always pronounced it "bor-ing."

Sodom should have made the top 10..

Thrash metal vinyl LP debut's were Most important, it was what started it all.

Metallica - Kill Em All
Slayer - Show No Mercy
Anthrax - Fistful of Metal
Megadeth - Killing Is My Business
Exodus - Bonded By Blood

Kreator - Endless Pain
Destruction - Sentence Of Death
S.O.D. - Speak English Or Die
Zoetrope - Amnesty
Hirax - Raging Violence

If we're listing stuff influential to us personally, I'll play along.

Megadeth-Peace Sells
Metallica- Master of Puppets
Forbidden- Forbidden Evil and Twisted Into Form
Testament- The New Order and Practice What you Preach
Exodus- Fabulous Disaster
Overkill- Under the Influence
The Crucified- S/T and Pillars
Living Sacrifice- S/T
Seventh Angel- The Torment and Lament for the Weary
Vengeance- Human Sacrifice and Once Dead
Believer- Extraction from Mortality and Sanity Obscure

Just to name a few.

Forgot to add,

Sacrament- Haunts of Violence

My personal list...

Sodom - Agent Orange
Dark Angel - We Have Arrived
Sepultura - Arise
Pestilence - Malleus Maleficarum
Overkill - Taking Over
Morbid Saint - Spectrum Of Death
Destruction - Infernal Overkill
Slaughter - Strappado
Megadeth - Rust In Piece
Holy Moses - Finished With The Dogs
Onslaught - The Force
Possessed - Seven Churches
Suicidal Tendencies - How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today
Slayer - Reign In Blood
Demolition Hammer - Epidemic Of Violence

My list:

Metallica - Kill 'Em All
Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss
Suicidal Tendencies - Lights Camera Revolution
Testament - Practice What You Preach
Coroner - Mental Vortex
The Crucified - S/T
Sacred Reich - The American Way
Sepultura - Arise
Dark Angel - Time Does Not Heal
Tourniquet - Psychosurgery
Flotsam and Jetsam - No Place For Disgrace
Overkill - The Years of Decay
Megadeth - Peace Sells

Lots of nice lists gentleman.

My influential list would be different than my favorites.

Following on from what James has said, all of these records changed my musical landscape in one way or another.


Kreator - Pleasure To Kill
Slayer - Hell Awaits
Megadeth - Killing is My Business...
Metallica - Ride the Lightning
Voivod - Killing Technology
Possessed - Seven Churches
Destruction - Infernal Overkill
Sodom - Obsessed By Cruelty
Anthrax - Spreading the Disease
Death - Scream Bloody Gore
Exodus - Bonded By Blood
S.O.D - Speak English or Die
Sacrifice - Forward to Termination
Coroner - No More Colour



With huge honorable mentions for Bathory, Celtic Frost, Ludichrist, Cryptic Slaughter, Metal Church, Venom, Trouble and Candlemass for being hugely influential but not quite thrash.

Boris2008 wrote:

Cryptic Slaughter

I was listening to Money Talks yesterday on the way into work and thinking about how essential that record/band is to thrash.

Also, Dakota, if you like Leeway (who doesn't? they ruled), you should check out Iron Age if you haven't. Actual crossover in that it's hardcore/punk kids playing Leeway-ish thrashy stuff. Not sure if they are still together.

The Thrash albums that have had the most effect on me ---

Metallica - Ride The Lightning
Anthrax - State Of Euphoria
Megadeth - Rust In Peace
Slayer - South Of Heaven
Overkill - Horrorscope
Testament - Practice What You Preach
Toxik - World Circus
Destruction - Release From Agony
Kreator - Extreme Aggression
Sodom - Agent Orange
Coroner - Punishment For Decadence
Possessed - Seven Churches
Razor - Violent Restitution
Sepultura - Arise

James B. wrote:

My influential list would be different than my favorites.

At the end of the day, I really only care about what influenced me personally, which would be my favorites. I don't really care what influenced the scene or genre. Everyone pretty much already knows what albums/bands did that anyway.

Mine, in no particular order...

Metallica - Master of Puppets
Megadeth - Peace Sells
Anthrax - Among the Living
Exodus - Pleasures of the Flesh
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Living Sacrifice - S/T
Deliverance - Weapons
Ultimatum - Puppet of Destruction
Tourniquet - Psycho Surgery
Testament - The Legacy

ZombieHavoc wrote:

Also, Dakota, if you like Leeway (who doesn't? they ruled), you should check out Iron Age if you haven't. Actual crossover in that it's hardcore/punk kids playing Leeway-ish thrashy stuff. Not sure if they are still together.

I'll check them out. Modern crossover is especially great.

mc666 wrote:

James B. wrote:

My influential list would be different than my favorites.

At the end of the day, I really only care about what influenced me personally, which would be my favorites. I don't really care what influenced the scene or genre. Everyone pretty much already knows what albums/bands did that anyway.

Great point Monty

There are bands like Celtic Frost, Dark Angel, and Kreator that changed my opinion on harsher vocal styles, but their albums are not necessarily in my top 10 or so. There are also drummers who influenced my playing in some degree or another, but I don't like the band they are in as much as others. Example, Lombardo from Slayer. He showed that aggressive didn't always mean fast. as well as being subtle at quicker tempos.

Oh yeah I looooove FWATH! Let's mosh guys!

Death Sentinel wrote:

Oh yeah I looooove FWATH! Let's mosh guys!

FWATH= the sound of a goat farting in the desert

James B. wrote:

Death Sentinel wrote:

Oh yeah I looooove FWATH! Let's mosh guys!

FWATH= the sound of a goat farting in the desert

yep pretty much.

nobody ever mentions the band that is my favorite thrash band...its like they are forgotten...