1. Demolition 2. Last Breath 3. Euroshima 4. Most Dangerous Game 5. Shot To Hell 6. Say Goodbye M.F. 7. Self Destruct 8. Means To An End 9. I'm Electric 10. Mad Axe Attack 11. Shit's Ugly

Laaz Rockit were something of a cult band in the speed/thrash metal genre, partially because of the relative rarity of their albums in the past. Know Your Enemy was the first album where the band started to wander away from conventional metal to a faster direction in their music. The lightsome elements of more traditional metal are still very apparent here, and calling this serious thrash metal would be stretching it a bit. Most of the time the band sound like a typical eighties metal group with some speed metal tendencies. The high-pitched vocals can get annoying at times, and musically this album is somewhat simple. The dramatic Most Dangerous Game and the flashy I'm Electric are maybe the best tracks on this album, but on the whole Know Your Enemy leaves some room for improvement.

1. Fire In The Hole 2. Mob Justice 3. Chain Of Fools 4. Shadow Company 5. Holiday In Cambodia 6. Bad Blood 7. Chasin' Charlie 8. Mirror To Madness 9. The Omen

On Annihilation Principle Laaz Rockit dropped most of their traditional heavy metal idiocies that were still present on Know Your Enemy. As a result, this album is a lot more consistent and controlled release, not to forget the fact that the music is a lot faster and can now really be called thrash metal. The band sound much tighter and even the vocals are nastier than before, feeling just about right this time. The material is pretty well-balanced, the funny Dead Kennedys cover Holiday In Cambodia and the surprisingly subtle The Omen being more distinctive from the rest. I have a feeling that Annihilation Principle is still missing some character to be really outstanding, but it's definitely a fine thrash metal album and unarguably Laaz Rockit's best release.

1. In The Name Of The Father And The Gun... 2. Into The Asylum 3. Greed Machine 4. Too Far Gone 5. Curiosity Kills 6. Suicide City 7. The Enemy Within 8. Nobody's Child 9. Silence Is A Lie 10. Necropolis

The last album of Laaz Rockit turned out to be the heaviest and thrashiest release from the band ever. Nothing$ $acred has a cold and nasty sound, and although the songs are not as memorable as before, this album is quite effective with some special raw appeal. The guitar work is particularly convincing and helps to save even some less impressive tracks. On the other hand, the vocals sound fairly hollow and underproduced. Highlights of this album include In The Name Of The Father And The Gun... and Curiosity Kills, both totally crushing killer tracks. As a whole, Nothing$ $acred is a good release though undeniably a bit one-dimensional, especially when compared to Annihilation Principle.

1. Silverball 2. In Rage 3. Sands Of Time 4. Isolation 5. Ignorance 6. Pathetic State 7. Lost Identity 8. The Falling (Separate Ways)

For starters, this German band picked a fine name for themselves and the album cover is sort of creepy. That's where the originality mostly ends, though. Last Rites played fast and fluent albeit quite unsurprising thrash metal with no extraordinary features to speak of. It sounds competent and very consistent, with an audible dose of youthful energy that adds to the music nicely. You probably still cannot say much about this album afterwards, except for a couple of tracks with experimental touches that feel just totally unnecessary at least from a subjective viewpoint. However, even though Silverball may not be the most memorable release out there, it is almost fantastic in its class when the time frame is considered - pick any "thrash metal" album from the mid-nineties, and you are already far more likely to end up with anything else except the real thing. At least Last Rites had it formally correct for the most part.

1. Bonds - A Beginning 2. Go It Blind 3. Faces 4. Dumb Millions 5. The Worst Disease 6. Skid Talker 7. Lowbrow 8. Feigned Red Blood 9. Don't Urge Disorder

Among the group of Japanese speed/thrash metal bands in the early nineties, Lawshed managed to sound more consistent than some of their contemporaries in the local scene. Despite being a mixture of sufficiently high-speed tracks and some slower pieces, Let Us Not Talk Falsely gives a fairly coherent impression right in the beginning. There are still a couple of pounding but strangely unenergetic tracks too many that could have been better with a higher tempo, and in its current form this album is more like a neat package of competent but not really distinctive basic riffage. It is not the worst flavor of speed/thrash metal that you can find here, but even then this music is hardly striking enough to make any difference on a global scale. While Let Us Not Talk Falsely may be nearly a mandatory collector's item, musically it lacks a certain edge that you have learned to expect from a typical album in the genre.

1. Rise And Fall 2. Mark Of The Squealer 3. Be Loud 4. On The Outside 5. Defy You 6. Enforcer 7. Tools For War 8. Born To Expire 9. Marathon 10. Self Defense 11. Catholic High School (Girls In Trouble) 12. Unexpected

Thrash metal may not be the first thing that comes to mind when Leeway is mentioned, but the band's debut release is practically nothing short of a stereotypical album in the genre. Born To Expire features full-fledged thrash metal, with almost no hardcore tinge whatsoever if the general compact length of songs does not count. The vocals must be the weakest part of this album, somewhat whiny and irritating - with some more forceful vocal delivery the band's output could have been stronger by a fair notch. The riffs and guitar leads are solid though quite typical and not too captivating. Still, except for the vocals and one notably off-kilter song Catholic High School (Girls In Trouble), this recording is not all that different from any other run-of-the-mill thrash metal band's performance. Whether it provides anything worth special attention in the long run, that's a different story.

1. Lethal Liberty 2. Rhythm Rider 3. Possessed 4. Mili K.K. 5. Young Soldier 6. Dark Force 7. If You Cross The Line 8. Live For Today 9. Acid Wrath

Legion's Lethal Liberty is a fairly rare example of thrash metal from Spain, maybe not too common in the old days. The band's debut album does not deviate too much from the usual standards except for some notably positive overall feel which is not a bad thing at all. There seems to be more emphasis on heavy riffs than sheer speed, though this album is by no means a slug. At best the formula results in some fairly nice tracks like Rhythm Rider and Possessed, at worst the output is a bit too much on the dull side. Other than the slightly untrained sounding vocals, the band appear sufficiently competent and all, and the main gripe is just about the lack of more memorable and emphatic songs. Although Lethal Liberty has some promising ideas floating around, the thing as a whole could have used some more work.

1. Long Hair 2. Life Means This 3. Feel The Pain 4. Eternal Youth 5. We Will Rock You 6. Circus Of Fear 7. Unsensitive Skin 8. Nowhere To Run 9. Shit In Your Veins

Mind Training shows Legion playing in a more streamlined and consistent style than on their debut. You could even call it one-dimensional at times, but in practice the difference is not too huge. The band's sound is certainly more uniform than in the past, and the general feel is more serious and not quite as uplifting as on Lethal Liberty. It may represent some more ordinary side of thrash metal, but the music is still not too bad even though no riffs really stick to your head. The Queen cover We Will Rock You is a total filler track, though. For the most part, Mind Training can be considered just a standard piece of work, no radically better or worse than that. Even though this album can occasionally appear quite formulaic to your ears, on the whole it is listenable enough if you don't expect too much.

1. The Last Supper 2. Live Free or Die 3. AIDS 4. Bred To Die 5. Echoes From The Past 6. Pilgrimage To Insanity 7. Pimponetta 8. Spanish Blood

Developing the honorable traditions of Brazilian thrash metal further, the style of Leviaethan's debut album Smile! is not quite as rough and frantic as some earlier releases in the local scene. With some generally satisfactory riffing and a fairly focused approach, this album plays in a nice and effortless manner throughout - and that's basically the best of it. It is not hard to appreciate the jumpy riffwork on Echoes From The Past, for example, or the almost relaxed way in which many of these songs are performed, but for the most part this album is not really the catchiest kind of stuff. Smile! demonstrates even a refreshing departure from the most typical antics of its counterparts, it just does not possess too many of the qualities needed to punch through the average level.

1. Seeds Of Violence 2. Facing Reality 3. Drinkin' Death 4. In Search Of Life 5. My Cat 6. Visions Of A Distorted Path 7. The Evil Within 8. Philip VII 9. Time For Lies 10. Disturbed Mind

Leviaethan's second release Disturbed Mind is practically no different from Smile! which means mildly entertaining but somewhat forgettable thrash metal. Somehow Leviaethan's music remains even hard to grasp, and although this album plays in a nice and smooth manner in the same way as the band's debut, there are no highlights to speak of afterwards. One could say that this is easily some of the best music in its class to be played in the background when you want to have a specific kind of soundscape during other activities, but as a focus of close attention it may not be that successful. In any case, there are really no actual defects here, other than the lack of real substance that would make it worthwhile to spend great lengths of time hunting for this album.

1. Killing Machine 2. Grippin' A Heart 3. Rulers Must Come 4. Screaming From A Chamber 5. Intro 6. Shadow Of The Dawn 7. Panic & Hysteria 8. Road Of Destiny 9. Deep In Hell

Living Death were one of the legendary bands in Germany due to their pioneer position in the local thrash metal scene. Metal Revolution represents the band's early sound, the music being a combination of some fast, intense thrashing and slower, more conventional metal. The opening track Killing Machine is particularly striking, really a classic thrasher, and a couple of other fast tracks are close to the same level. A characteristic feature in Living Death's sound was Thorsten Bergmann's nasty vocals which give the band a very distinctive sound. Even though one could wish for some more speed and maybe also better production, the band's heavy approach and some blatantly catchy riffs succeed fairly well on this release. Considering its respectable intensity and some great attitude, Metal Revolution is not a bad album of old speed/thrash metal.

1. Nuclear Greetings 2. Bloody Dance 3. The Way (Your Soul Must Go) 4. Child Of Illusion

Living Death truly jumped into full gear with their mini album Back To The Weapons. While the production is not too great, the style of these tracks is fully consistent and seamless. On this release Living Death's variation of thrash metal started to become remarkably frantic and intense, complete with some of the nastiest vocals ever heard in the genre. The creaky vocal output really catches your attention, but it perfectly supports the general mood of this album. As for the music, it's maybe not that original or anything, but the energetic execution makes the songs appear distinctive enough - plus the fact that the band can make even simple riffs fly in a captivating manner. Even with only a few tracks, Back To The Weapons gives a fair demonstration of Living Death's fastest take on thrash metal.

1. Horrible Infanticide (Part One) 2. Manila Terror 3. Natures Death 4. Wood Of Necrophiliac 5. Vengeance (Horrible Infanticide Part Two) 6. Intruder 7. The Galley 8. War Of Independence 9. Eisbein (Mit Sauerkraut)

Protected From Reality is every bit as hectic as Back To The Weapons and then some, fortunately also better produced. Possibly Living Death's most consistent release, this album plays out for a large part almost as fast as thrash metal can reasonably be. All this without sacrifing any accuracy in the process, and the outcome is technically quite impressive indeed. It still carries Living Death's customary trademarks in the sound, and you certainly cannot mistake the album for any other band's release for a second. For some reason a few of these tracks tend to leave me somewhat cold in the long run, though, maybe only for the subjective feel that the high speed makes some of these songs blend together and therefore it becomes less easy to distinguish them from each other. Whatever, it is a fact that Protected From Reality is a definite quality release and one of Living Death's better efforts.

1. Last Birthday 2. Die Young 3. Shizophrenia 4. On The 17th Floor 5. Down 6. Worlds Neuroses 7. Bastard (At The Busstop) 8. The Testament Of Mr. George 9. Sacred Chao 10. Tuesday

Worlds Neuroses made quite a difference from Living Death's past recordings. This album contains some of the most experimental material the band ever released although the result somehow sounds fairly coherent, even considering the variety of the songs. Several tracks actually carry strong echoes of Mekong Delta, which of course is no accident since both Living Death's guitarists played also in that cult band. One part of the unorthodox feel of this album is due to the vocals that sound very ordinary when compared to the band's earlier albums. Still, despite all these changes in the band's sound this album manages to create a reasonably consistent feel and, in addition to some more diverse tracks, it also contains some great, powerful thrashers like the macabre Last Birthday and the rampant Shizophrenia. In Living Death's discography Worlds Neuroses may appear as the most atypical one, but it has its good points as well.

1. Killing In Action 2. Hang'em High 3. Dire Weak Up 4. Hearteater 5. Polymorphic 6. World Weariness 7. Die For (For What We Lie For) 8. Stand Up 9. Tribut Of Gutter 10. Daily Life

Living Death's final release was a very heavy, pounding affair. Killing In Action is a bit more straightforward than a couple of previous albums, but the result is quite effective indeed. Despite the change of a vocalist, the vocal style is almost identical to the high snarling so characteristic for the band. The production is very good and heavy and supports the music perfectly. As for individual songs, the stomping title track and Tribut Of Gutter are maybe the best of the bunch though most other tracks are by no means dull ones either. Except for a couple of more experimental instrumentals in the middle, the music is pretty solid thrash metal with a good number of memorable riffs and hooks - somehow I like this approach better than the band's more technical efforts. Killing In Action is not really too innovative or flashy, but the recycling of basic elements is done well enough to make the result sound pretty convincing.

1. Violence 2. Internal Unrest 3. Second Death 4. Obstruction 5. Walls Of Separation 6. Phargx Imas 7. No Grave Concern 8. Dealing With Ignorance 9. The Prodigal 10. Anorexia Spiritual

Living Sacrifice have varied their style a lot over the years, but the band's self-titled debut release is a solid example of pure thrash metal that is as free of any gimmicks as practically possible. The result is almost a perfect kind of dry but sharp thrash metal that really goes deep to the essentials of the style. At its best this can be some real fun to listen to, although you cannot completely avoid some dull moments either. One trademark of the album that you will immediately notice is the plain and very hardcore-ish vocals that may feel a bit annoying at first, but after a while you hardly mind them anymore as the band's sound is not the heaviest either. In fact, musically this album is like a perfect double of The Horde Of Torment's Product Of A Sick Mind and vice versa, complete with the similarities in production values and almost identical vocals. As amusing as this may appear, it is certain that if you like one then the other will surely fit the need as well.

1. Earthquake 2. The Scarecrows 3. Dope (Off The Ground) 4. The Focus Of Your Life 5. Deserter To Freedom 6. Skullfucked 7. Dead 8. A Weird Guest 9. Family Crime 10. Epitaph For A Dead Soldier 11. Mind Of A Child Murderer

For one thing, Lord Crucifier's The Focus Of Life got something of an original sound. Of Italian origins, this band's output is restless and often more than just a little chaotic. The arrangements actually sometimes bear a close resemblance to death metal of the nineties. The overall sound is nervous and lacks a clear direction, as if the band were still seeking their true formula. Regardless, you cannot fail to notice that while the presentation and structure are rough and raw, there are some obvious ambitions behind it all. There is probably nobody out there who would be left cold by Lord Crucifier's style, but it is a different thing altogether if the impression is favorable or not. While The Focus Of Life has some potential, most of it is not quite realized here - despite the energy, the music does not really flow.

1. Play Your Game 2. Homo Sapiens Burger 3. P.M.R.C. 4. Front Page News 5. Inexcusable Misdeed 6. Brontofrohn 7. Up In Smoke 8. Merciless Pictures 9. Shithead 10. Face No More 11. Exit

If you are prepared to consider Face No More just another demonstration of semi-tricky Swiss thrash metal then Lunacy's offering is not bound to shock you with any unheard qualities. Except the feel of lacking real purpose, this full-length debut of the band is not a terrible let-down, neither does it shine at any specific area. The band's vocalist sounds eager enough to deserve a careful nod of approval, the rest of their music is better left for imagination as it surely is not going to raise any heated arguments for or against it. Often this album can be described as just a little dull which is not too unusual for the time. No one will probably find Face No More too distracting, and from a genre-savvy point of view it is at least head and shoulders above their later recordings with more alternative leanings.

1. Crystal Lake 2. L.W.S. Inc. 3. Die A Violent Death 4. 1428 Elm Street 5. Count Your Blessings 6. Mental Weakness 7. Go Song 8. A Prayer For The Dying 9. Pieces Of Human Waste 10. Curse Of The Creeps 11. Chop Till Death (bonus)

Excluding their particularly amusing name, L.W.S. Inc. were not too distinguishable from most other bands in the thrash metal scene. This Dutch band's debut Welcome To The Asylum is more interesting for featuring several songs with lyrics about horror movies (Crystal Lake, 1428 Elm Street, Curse Of The Creeps) than the music itself. With a constant high speed and fairly lighthearted sound, the songs flow rather easily in the background as long as one doesn't try to pay any serious attention to them, otherwise it soon becomes too apparent that in the end this album is an awfully boring piece of work. The horror-themed 1428 Elm Street is about the only track with hints of original ideas and memorable touches in it, the rest sounds pretty much the same from start to finish. Probably only the most fanatic nostalgia freaks can get something special out of this one, for others Welcome To The Asylum is likely to appear just too formulaic and uninspiring.