1. Intro 2. A Cautionary Tale 3. Hosanna In Excelsis 4. Behind The Crooked Cross 5. Horned Is The Hunter 6. I For An Eye 7. For Those Who Died 8. A Dead Man's Robe 9. The Church Bizarre

From today's perspective Sabbat were easily the most original and innovative British thrash metal band of their time. Instead of following the standard thrash formula, Sabbat derived inspiration from old pagan legends and folklores which helped to create some unique imagery and feel in their music. The band's debut release History Of A Time To Come was already a strong demonstration of this style, thrash metal with a very distinctive sound and feel. Due to the rather ambitious songwriting, the music does get a bit ponderous at times although Martin Walkyier's stressed, rapid vocals breathe some extra life into the songs. Whether or not one actually finds Sabbat's style appealing, they were certainly not trying to copy anyone else.

1. The Beginning Of The End (Intro) 2. The Clerical Conspiracy 3. Advent Of Insanity 4. Do Dark Horses Dream Of Nightmares? 5. The Best Of Enemies 6. How Have The Mighty Fallen? 7. Wildfire 8. Mythistory 9. Happy Never After (Outro)

Sabbat's Dreamweaver is a true magnum opus, an epic concept album based on the novel The Way Of Wyrd which tells an intriguing, mythical tale that takes place in the pre-Christian England. The lyrics could easily fill two or three ordinary albums, but despite the extensive lyrical content this album doesn't feel tedious at all, thanks to the intense delivery. Here Sabbat refined their genuine style ever further and the result is no less than the pinnacle of British thrash metal. Martin Walkyier's rapid vocals are as solid as ever, and the hypnotic songs demand the listener's absolute attention, sounding like nothing else out there. Due to its complexity and strong thematics, Dreamweaver may not be an easily accessible album for most people, but those seeking something else than your standard thrash metal should find this one extremely rewarding.

1. The Demise Of History 2. Theological Void 3. Paint The World Black 4. Dumbstruck 5. The Voice Of Time 6. Dreamscape 7. Without A Trace 8. Mourning Has Broken

Sabbat's final album turned out to be quite different from the band's earlier works. Due to Martin Walkyier's departure and some other stylistic changes, the sound of Mourning Has Broken is unlike anything the band had previously done. The music is somewhat less thrashy than before, leaning towards power metal though the heavy riffs still give it a solid base. Ritchie Desmond's vocals are very grand, totally different from Walkyier's style, and they give this album a noble feel which I sort of like. However, it's the songwriting that makes this release particularly difficult. The first couple of tracks sound extremely disjointed and confusing, and despite some slightly more focused songs later on the general disorienting feel of this album can make it very challenging for a casual listener to get into it. This and the great difference from Sabbat's original style probably led to the demise of this album and the band. In my opinion Mourning Has Broken is not quite as bad as many like to suggest, but it can certainly take a very long time and a lot of patience to really learn to appreciate it.

1. Testimony Of Apocalypse 2. Slave To Sin 3. Hellfire Denied 4. Repentance 5. Valley Of Dry Bones 6. Mortal Agony 7. Conquer Death 8. Absence Of Fear 9. The Risen 10. Blood Bath

Whatever the motives, it is a fact that Sacrament delivered their music in the most impetuous manner imaginable. With Testimony Of Apocalypse there is really nothing more you could ask for as far as pure intensity is considered. Although the production is somewhat hollow, the heavy roar of this crushing steamroller easily reaches up to the level of an impenetrable sound wall that bands like Dark Angel managed to create at their best. It isn't until Absence Of Fear that you get something of a break, and even then it is only in a form of a short intro. Although the thoroughly religious lyrics can be pretty unreadable unless you are in the know, and the album more than occasionally sounds like the band are playing the same song repeatedly over and over, you can just let the music unload itself onto you and it will take care of the rest. Try and let a ton of bricks fall on your head, and you may notice that the experience is actually a tad lighter than Sacrament's offerings.

1. Haunts Of Violence 2. Carry The Corpse 3. Destructive Heresies 4. The Wicked Will Rot 5. Supplication Of The Destitute 6. Souls In Torment 7. Separate From Iniquity 8. Seared Consciences 9. Under Threat Of Death 10. Portraits Of Decay

Sacrament's second album Haunts Of Violence may deserve a nomination for the best thrash metal release that most people never heard of. From the opening title track to Portraits Of Decay, this album is an ultimate piece of American thrash metal of the highest order. With a different vocalist than on Testimony Of Apocalypse, the first moments of this recording may remind you of Forbidden, but Sacrament's sound is notably more forceful and gritty. The production is very good and sharp, and the shredding guitars and nasty vocals complement each other perfectly - how could you not like the combination of a positively rabid vocal performance and killer riffs like on Supplication Of The Destitute, for example. The style of songwriting is extremely consistent, to the point that some may complain there is little actual difference between songs, but if the formula is this excellent then why not use it. Just pay attention to details and you will find that few other albums can provide the same kind of wicked quality as this.

1. Death Squad 2. Victim Of Demise 3. Layed To Rest 4. Ignorance 5. No Believers 6. Violent Solutions 7. Rest In Piece 8. Sacred Reich 9. Administrative Decisions

Sacred Reich's debut has a raw, very cheerless sound that makes the album something of an uncomfortable listening experience. The music is pretty conventional thrash metal with very plain vocals and an extreme amount of social and political commentary in lyrics. Social consciousness in music is not a bad thing at all, but in Sacred Reich's case the combination is beyond depressive. It doesn't help things that a lot of the material is somewhat plodding although the band maintain decent speed throughout the album. Considering the lyrical content or not, Ignorance may be one of the most depressing thrash metal albums ever released, something that takes time to get used to it.

1. Surf Nicaragua 2. One Nation 3. War Pigs 4. Draining You of Life 5. Ignorance (live) 6. Death Squad (live)

With this mini album Sacred Reich started to aim at an interesting direction in their music after the grave serious debut. The sound of Surf Nicaragua is vivid and fresh, even the Black Sabbath cover War Pigs is very well done. The title track is a fast, furious piece of thrash metal with none of the tedious nature of Ignorance left. Even the live versions of a couple of older tracks sound more tolerable and energetic than the original recordings on the debut album. Although Surf Nicaragua was basically just an intermediate release, it added some welcome energy to the band's sound.

1. Love...Hate 2. The American Way 3. The Way It Is 4. Crimes Against Humanity 5. State Of Emergency 6. Who's To Blame 7. I Don't Know 8. 31 Flavors

The American Way was the culmination of the development of Sacred Reich's style and without a doubt their best album. The music is not such straightforward pounding anymore, instead this album is a piece of heavy, versatile thrash metal with a great deal of fine details thrown in. Except for the light and experimental 31 flavors, these tracks are crushing, angry performances. The lyrics are still quite heavy on the social commentary side but in a more intelligent way, without the overly preaching tone of the debut album. The American Way is almost totally different from the one-dimensional sound of Ignorance, but it is still very thrashy and convincing, nothing like the band's later albums where more modern influences would start to prevail.

1. The Awakening 2. Sacrifice 3. Turn In Your Grave 4. Homicidal Breath 5. Warrior Of Death 6. Infernal Visions 7. Burned At The Stake 8. Necronomicon 9. The Exorcism 10. Possession 11. Decapitation 12. Beyond Death

Together with Razor, Sacrifice were one of the better known Canadian thrash metal acts and made some fine albums. However, their debut is just an example of what happens when the amount of enthusiasm goes way beyond the actual talent and resources. Torment In Fire is a slab of primitive thrash metal with a very poor production and little content other than childish boasting. At the first listening I thought the album sounded more like a demo tape until I later heard some of the actual demo tracks which were even worse. The lyrics are so satanic and violent throughout that this sounds almost like a concept album. But while Slayer for example had some credibility from the very beginning, Sacrifice manage to sound just ridiculous here. The music is pretty much the same stereotypical mindless thrashing with no reason whatsoever (Decapitation is almost cute, though). At least it is interesting to note that Rob Urbinati's screams and growls sound almost normal here when compared to his later grinding style.

1. Forward To Termination 2. Terror Strikes 3. Re-Animation 4. Afterlife 5. Flames Of Armageddon 6. The Entity 7. Forever Enslaved 8. Cyanide 9. Light Of The End 10. Pyrokinesis

By Forward To Termination Sacrifice had already matured to a reasonable level, now sounding more like a real band, and the result is a lot more controlled and effective than the chaotic debut - not to forget about some decent production values. Musically this album is not exactly spectacular, but the tight execution gives it a life. The songs benefit from the fact that the band still played very fast and had not yet started to wander into more ambitious directions which would add some tediousness to their later releases. Especially the furious tracks Terror Strikes, Re-Animation and Pyrokinesis still sound as great as ever, even with some nostalgy attached to them. Although there are no big musical differences between most Sacrifice albums (naturally excluding the debut), Forward To Termination is actually their most recommended work.

1. As The World Burns 2. Soldiers Of Misfortune 3. In Defiance 4. Existence Within Eternity 5. Pawn Of Prophecy 6. Lost Through Time 7. A Storm In The Silence 8. Truth (After The Rain)

With the frantic As The World Burns as the opening track, the third Sacrifice release starts off sounding very similar to Forward To Termination. The general feel of Soldiers Of Misfortune is definitely more mellow than on the earlier albums, though, and the title track and Truth (After The Rain) are some of the most diverse pieces Sacrifice ever made. The band had generally slowed down a bit while most of the songs on this album are still pretty fast. On the other hand, many tracks are somewhat basic and uninspiring, which makes the album sound a little dull. Rob Urbinati's vocals take another step to a more extreme direction though this just sort of strengthens the customary Sacrifice sound here. Although I know that Soldiers Of Misfortune is a quality release and all, it is inevitably missing some of the intensity that helped Forward To Termination to really rise above the average level.

1. My Eyes See Red 2. Apocalypse Inside 3. Flesh 4. Salvation 5. Beneath What You See 6. Incarcerated 7. Ruins Of The Old 8. The Lost 9. Freedom Slave

The last Sacrifice album took the constant development of the band to its logical end, from the raw and primitive Torment In Fire to their heaviest and most ambitious release ever. Apocalypse Inside refines the style of Soldiers Of Misfortune with a heavier production and somewhat more unified songwriting. Despite some improvements, the result is not necessarily better than its predecessor as it still sounds rather dry and most songs are even slower than before. Urbinati's decayed vocals are nearly unrecognizable at times and the occasional distortion effects on a couple of tracks make it sound even worse. Don't get me wrong, the musicianship and production values are definitely high and Apocalypse Inside is quite a decent release, it just doesn't get my vote for the best Sacrifice album out there.

1. Edmund, A Butler's Tale 2. I Fall In Temptation 3. Contents Of Logical Disbelief 4. Destitute Of Compassion 5. Acknowledged By Life 6. Thus I Cry 7. Conducted Strain

If you are not used to taking a hammer to your skull on a regular basis, the first moments of Sacrificial's Forever Entangled may come across as an unexpected full-scale attack on the senses. This Danish band's debut album hits hard and relentlessly with its ultra-heavy pounding and roaring guitars, complete with vocals locked to an aggressive tone like no tomorrow. Carrying a specific nineties tint with it, this release brings Invocator's customary style to mind although Sacrificial clearly have a certain grim edge over their countrymen as far as pure energy goes. It is a highly entertaining and refined pack of fury, nevertheless. Some might accuse Sacrificial for sticking to an ultimately one-dimensional kind of presentation here, but sometimes the most obvious means give the best results. For those who are into pummeling thrash metal in the vein of Invocator and the like, Forever Entangled is essentially nothing short of mandatory.

1. Life Line 2. Shadow From Mordor 3. At Death's Door 4. A Violation Of Something Sacred 5. The Closing Irony 6. Out Of Sight Out Of Mind

Among the British speed/thrash metal bands Sacrilege were a fairly original group with something of a style of their own. The band's debut Behind The Realms Of Madness is basically an underproduced and very rough but intense full-frontal assault. Even Lynda Simpson's harsh vocals are appropriate for the style and give the band's sound an original touch. Despite the raw production, a couple of the most memorable tracks like At Death's Door and A Violation Of Something Sacred are quite satisfying pieces. As a whole the album would still benefit from a better sound quality, though, as now the output is sometimes a bit too thin and hollow. Just look past the technical shortcomings and the music may turn out worth the time.

1. Sight Of The Wise 2. The Captive 3. Winds Of Vengeance 4. Spirit Cry 5. Flight Of The Nazgul 6. The Fear Within 7. Search Eternal

In comparison to Behind The Realms Of Madness Sacrilege's second album Within The Prophecy is considerably less straightforward but also a lot heavier and more pounding. On this release the band's style of songwriting became clearly more ambitious with some particularly long and complex tracks, which is increasingly more evident towards the end of the album. Speed-wise these songs are notably less frantic than on the previous release, with more refined vocals and some mid-tempo riffs adding to the stomping feel, but it is still far from the ponderous doom metal sound that the band would finally adopt. Even though the more complex approach occasionally results in some loss of focus, at its best the music on Within The Prophecy can be strangely intriguing.

1. Azmeroth 2. Crucified 3. Fun With Napalm 4. Born Of Hell 5. Time To Die 6. Skinned Alive 7. Cancer 8. Judge Death 9. Death Toll 10. Words Of God 11. Final Rites 12. Slaughterhouse 13. Victimized

Every now and then you may encounter an album where already the first couple of minutes is enough to blow the cobwebs off your head for good. This is truly the case with Sacrilege B.C. and Party With God, one of the genuine examples of ultra-fast thrash metal with no holds barred. Quite honestly, this is some of the fastest stuff you can hope to find without crossing over to blatant hardcore, even comparable to Slayer's Reign In Blood or Dark Angel's Darkness Descends although not quite as deadly accurate. Sacrilege B.C. took their frantic approach to such absolute extreme that it's almost surprising the result doesn't just fall apart due to the sheer speed going over all limits. Miraculously, everything from rapid-fire drumming to lightning fast guitar solos sticks together. While this kind of thrash attack makes it even more difficult to distinguish between individual songs, and the whole thing is certainly not something you could expect to be able to play repeatedly for long hours, there's some special appeal in Party With God that you can rarely find elsewhere.

1. Dimension Of Violence 2. Execrated (They Will Be) 3. Skin To Skin 4. The Sickened Thrill 5. Terminal Suicide 6. Disputed Death 7. The Die Is Cast 8. Catalepsy 9. Injured 10. Truth Is - What Is

Sacrosanct's debut didn't show much promise for this Dutch band. Truth Is - What Is is rather ordinary, technically adept but musically pretty boring thrash metal. The tracks basically seem to go nowhere and the album on the whole lacks direction and style. The riffs are way too fragmented to stick to your head, which makes the songs just become one stream of tracks totally undistinguishable from each other. The band have a good, heavy and thrashy sound with obvious technical influences and some powerful vocals, but the music is too bleak and dull. I wouldn't call Truth Is - What Is a totally failed attempt, but with practically nothing to make it stand out in the genre it's difficult to really like this album.

1. Like Preached Directions 2. Mortal Remains 3. Illusive Supremacy 4. Hidden Crimes Untold 5. With Malice Prepense 6. Enter The Sanctum 7. Astrayed Thoughts 8. The Silence Of Being

Compared to Sacrosanct's first album, Recesses For The Depraved is a lot better example of the band's music. With a more focused and, if possible, even heavier approach, this album features some awesome moments. Though still not entirely a memorable effort and some parts dragging a bit, this album gains momentum by the sheer intensity and convincing delivery of the music alone. Despite recycling some basic elements throughout the album, the massive, crushing songs are guaranteed to leave no one unresponsive, and the heavy, roaring vocals complement the band's powerful sound immensely. The lack of immediate hooks makes it at first a bit difficult to follow with the music, but after some continuous listening one can really start to appreciate the underlying strength of these songs. With Recesses For The Depraved Sacrosanct finally managed to create some fine results - if only the whole album was as strong as its best moments.

1. Certain Death 2. Undead 3. Sadus Attack 4. Torture 5. And Then You Die 6. Hands Of Fate 7. Twisted Face 8. Fight Or Die 9. Illusions 10. Chemical Exposure

Sadus were certain pioneers in the death/thrash metal field, actively developing their style from album to album. The band's debut effort Illusions is way more straightforward and accessible than their later, more technical and death-oriented releases. This shows in a certain simplicity of these songs that play almost like faster versions of careless outtakes from early Slayer rehearsals. But while Sadus already in their early form were able to hit notes at absolute breakneck speed, the outcome ends up sounding very one-dimensional, near monotonic at times. Despite their frantic nature and the band's technical talent, these tracks simply tend to bore the hell out of me - not to mention those irritating, tense vocals that can seriously get on your nerves. Without its notable intensity Illusions might have been buried in the piles of countless minor thrash metal albums of the time without a trace, now the evidence of the band's early state is worth attention although definitely not among my personal favorites.

Note: This album was later re-released as Chemical Exposure with different cover art.

1. Road Warriors 2. Crematory 3. Sarcastic Reborn 4. Thrash Tonight 5. Love At First Sight 6. The Kruger Story 7. Fate 8. Runaway

Slovenia's gift to the old speed/thrash metal scene, Sarcasm's original debut release Crematory sounds genuinely dated from the very first notes. The band's performance does not really convince you immediately in the beginning, as it is not the thrashiest or heaviest kind of music that this album is composed of. The first couple of tracks can actually give something of a lackluster impression despite their speedy riffs. Fortunately there are also better examples of the band's more intense side later on, but even these are padded with some less inspiring pieces that effectively act as pure fillers. While there is room for albums like this in the genre, one can only imagine how much Crematory could have benefited from some more unrestricted energy and generally sharper execution than this.

1. The Laws Of Scourge 2. Piercings 3. Midnight Queen 4. Screeches From The Silence 5. Prelude To A Suicide 6. The Black Vomit 7. Secrets Of A Window 8. Little Julie 9. Crush, Kill, Destroy

Being one of the most respected black metal groups in Brazil, Sarcofago gradually refined their style further in the field, a development that culminated in The Laws Of Scourge. Possibly one of Sarcofago's most refined and best produced releases ever, especially considering their older and remarkably more raw albums, this black/thrash metal epic is somewhat reminiscent of Sepultura's style at the time but with a notably heavier and darker tone, not forgetting the still apparent black metal touches. Whereas the title track and Crush, Kill, Destroy are some great, pretty straightforward thrashers, it's tracks like Piercings and Screeches From The Silence in particular that really highlight the strengths of this album. Although a couple of slower pieces drag a bit, the quality of the whole shines through. I know some folks consider The Laws Of Scourge a pop album in Sarcofago's discography, but that is no reason to skip the thing when the music is this good.

1. Acid Bath 2. Speed Or Bleed 3. Madman Marz 4. Eat 'em Raw 5. The Vice 6. Infected 7. Seed Of Demon

Savage Thrust's Eat 'em Raw is one cute speed/thrash metal album, and I don't mean just the cover. Except for the vocals that are rather high-pitched, bringing the John Cyriis era Agent Steel to mind, the band's sound is laudably heavy in a nice old-fashioned way. Actually the characteristics of this album suggest that maybe it was released a few years too late to gain more serious attention - which is a slight pity, as the music remains strong enough to make a favorable impression on anyone who is willing to give it a try. No matter whether playing fast or slow, Savage Thrust deliver their songs in a steady powerful manner, and even though most of these riffs may not appear too special, their potential is realized as fully as possible. Sometimes you cannot help but appreciate an album for its passionate spirit alone, and that's where Eat 'em Raw outshines many of its more calculated and cold counterparts.

1. Violence At The Morgue 2. Threshold Of Pain 3. Make Her Bleed Slowly 4. Epileptic Void 5. Removal Part 1 & Part 2 6. Psycho Terror 7. Sick Of It All! 8. Manifold Hallucinations 9. Behind That Curtain 10. Main Frame Collapse 11. Delayed Death

Among the limited number of Italian thrash metal releases Main Frame Collapse makes it fairly easy to understand why Schizo made some name for themselves with this album. There are several likeable features here, from powerful riffs to ripping vocals that pierce through your ears regardless of safeguards applied. Incidentally the music sometimes reminds me of Necrodeath, not least due to the vocals, even though Schizo's sound is simpler and also somewhat more immature in comparison. Although the style of these tracks varies from short striking thrashers to longer mid-tempo pieces, most of them manage to create something of a uniform feel throughout the album. Not to forget about individual tracks like Make Her Bleed Slowly that is quite memorable in all its nastiness. Compared to numerous more stagnant recordings out there, Main Frame Collapse gets its point across more promptly.

1. Quasimodo 2. Panic In Wehrmacht 3. Wanker 4. Absolute Banger 5. Young Blood 6. You're Wrong 7. Chainsaw Massacre 8. I Don't Care 9. Take Off Your Hands 10. I Wanna F..k Ya 11. Bullshit 12. Disappointment 13. Bloodsucker

With a name like this, one might wonder how serious the band's motives were in the first place. Compared to other German speed/thrash metal bands of the time, the debut album of S.D.I. appears quite unruly indeed. The opening track Quasimodo is so fast you'd be forgiven for thinking it's playing at the wrong speed at first. Not only is the presentation somewhat "unrestricted", with titles like Wanker, Chainsaw Massacre and I Wanna F..k Ya it would be too easy to label the thing as a total joke. But despite some obvious signs of bad taste, S.D.I. could also deliver some surprisingly classy moments, and at its best the band's energetic sound is simply uncomparable. Just take the wild Quasimodo, the cheery Absolute Banger, or the menacing Bloodsucker as examples of some fine speed metal. Better have a strong sense of humor when approaching this one, though - some of it is definitely of an acquired taste.

1. Depths Of Death 2. Mourir 3. Dogs Of War 4. Corpse 5. Evil Is The Night 6. Sentinel Beast 7. Revenge 8. The Keeper 9. Phantom Of The Opera

Sentinel Beast's only release Depths Of Death provides an interesting dose of old speed metal from the mid-eighties. Being one of the few bands in the genre with a female vocalist, their sound is a little more original and distinctive than in your average band. Sentinel Beast's musical style is something in the vein of the old Nasty Savage, complete with a dark sound where Debbie Gunn's husky voice fits very well. The songs are quite old-fashioned in a good way, the track Sentinel Beast being one of the better examples of the band's dynamic style. There's something inevitably dated in the music of Depths Of Death but like stated, the result has some genuine appeal of its own.

1. The Curse 2. Bestial Devastation 3. Antichrist 4. Necromancer 5. Warriors Of Death

In order to not have heard of Sepultura at some point, one should have been living under a rock for a very long time. But all bands have to start somewhere, and Sepultura's beginnings were fairly humble. The band's first mini album Bestial Devastation is a simple and primitive release with a rather shoddy and raw production. The music has not too much common with Sepultura's more convincing albums to come, and for the most part it sounds almost like something any underground thrash metal band in Brazil could have done. It is quite straightforward pounding with no special features to mention of (the spoken intro The Curse sounds pretty laughable, though). Although most tracks here may not draw any major attention anymore, the result is not quite as bad as one could suspect, just not exactly comparable to Sepultura's later works.

1. Morbid Visions 2. Mayhem 3. Troops Of Doom 4. War 5. Crucifixion 6. Show Me The Wrath 7. Funeral Rites 8. Empire Of The Damned

Sepultura's first full-length release Morbid Visions was something of an attempt at a more streamlined style although it still suffered from a very mediocre sound quality. It cannot be denied that the constant high speed is kind of respectable, but on the other hand this album makes Bestial Devastation seem almost surprisingly versatile in comparison. With an energetic feel but little imagination or even semi-catchy riffs, this rough show carries a close resemblance to Sodom's earliest works, which is probably more than enough to tell you if this one should be in your interests or not. There is a specific kind of primitive and badly produced releases in thrash metal, and despite its historic status Morbid Visions just happens to be one of the albums in that particular niche.

1. Intro 2. From The Past Comes The Storms 3. To The Wall 4. Escape To The Void 5. Inquisition Symphony 6. Screams Behind The Shadows 7. Septic Schizo 8. The Abyss 9. R.I.P. (Rest In Pain) 10. Troops Of Doom (bonus)

Drastically more advanced and mature than Sepultura's earlier efforts, Schizophrenia is actually surprisingly effective for a release that preceded the band's leap into the major league. Already perfectly controlled and quite focused, the music is slightly more straighforward than on the band's later releases, but otherwise it perfectly captivates the customary Sepultura sound. The tracks work well enough without any polished gimmicks, though the album on the whole is somewhat let down by a mediocre production that makes everything sound muddy. Then again, the speed and intensity easily match and surpass any of the later albums. For friends of Sepultura's classic period, Schizophrenia is fully as essential as anything that followed.

1. Beneath The Remains 2. Inner Self 3. Stronger Than Hate 4. Mass Hypnosis 5. Sarcastic Existence 6. Slaves Of Pain 7. Lobotomy 8. Hungry 9. Primitive Future

Beneath The Remains is generally considered to be a classic thrash metal album though personally I cannot seem to be able to appreciate it to its fullest. My major gripe with this album in general is the monotonous feel of it. Technically there's nothing to complain about as the band's delivery is dead accurate, but the riffs are a bit too repetitive for my taste. The general dry sound of this album is not helped by Max Cavalera's vocals that are quite one-dimensional, after all. Stronger Than Hate is a real highlight with its wonderful riffs and clever structure, but the rest of the songs sound less distinctive to my ears. It must be said that Beneath The Remains is a well-done, refined piece of work and it certainly leaves a whole lot of other releases behind, I just cannot help failing to see some of its claimed qualities.

1. Arise 2. Dead Embryonic Cells 3. Desperate Cry 4. Murder 5. Subtraction 6. Altered State 7. Under Siege (Regnum Irae) 8. Meaningless Movements 9. Infected Voice

Arise featured a little more controlled and polished but still very aggressive Sepultura sound. A considerable factor contributing to the quality of this album is the top-notch production which results in a totally awesome, very dynamic and heavy sound that only a few other albums can match. The music is not quite as fast and unrestrained as before, but the riffs are generally more memorable and the album on the whole feels more mature and focused. The vicious opening track is easily one of the most impressive thrashers ever created, whereas some more varied tracks like Subtraction and Altered State are among the other highlights of the album. Although Sepultura were not a definite pioneer in the scene, one must admit that their brand of thrash metal was extremely well done. Without a doubt, Arise deserves a place among the classic releases.

1. Tormented Forever 2. The Charmer 3. Forbidden Desires 4. I Of The Needle 5. Expletive Deleted 6. Dr. Hatchet 7. Locked Up In Chains 8. Acoustic Interlude 9. Katie 10. Epilogue

Seventh Angel carried the flag of British thrash metal with such respectable intensity that the results are worth attention even many years after. The Torment is a notably heavy offering with a few moments of nearly medieval feel adding to the unique sound. The opening crusher Tormented Forever immediately goes for the throat with its gritty attack, effectively making the most memorable track of the album. Ian Arkley's vocals can be downright punishing and complete the band's dark and angry sound. While the lyrics touch some religious themes, the presentation is more mature than what most other similar bands used to practice. Heaviness may be the most important keyword of this album, and all songs share the same kind of grim quality. Although the outcome is at times a bit too ponderous for my taste, The Torment has some genuine touches of originality that simply cannot be ignored.

1. Recollections Of A Life Once Lived 2. Life In All It's Emptiness 3. No Longer A Child 4. Full Of Blackness 5. Lament For The Weary 6. Woken By Silence 7. Falling Away From Reality 8. Dark Shadows 9. Passing Of Years 10. Secure In Eternity 11. Farewell To Human Cries

In a way Seventh Angel were comparable to their countrymen Sabbat in terms of originality, whereas thematically the bands were almost in the opposite ends of the spectrum. Seventh Angel's sophomore effort Lament For The Weary is, if possible, even darker and more melancholic than The Torment while the songwriting is more varied and interesting. The songs feature even some doomy slow passages combined with thrashing speed bursts in an effective manner. Following a theme of child abuse and its effects on life, the lyrics paint images of depression and despair with such emotion that the result makes most other albums with supposedly dark content seem only seriously immature in comparison. Add this to the fact that the overall sound is not in the least lighter than previously, and tracks like No Longer A Child and Woken By Silence become perfectly natural choices to play when shadows fall. With its awesome compositions and darkened feel Lament For The Weary is truly one of a kind, an album of majestic quality. Even if you couldn't care less about the band's underlying message, get this album still as musically it beats most others 11-0.

1. Escape 2. No Return 3. Outside 4. Under Grief 5. From Out Of Insane 6. Last In The Night 7. Reason X 8. Escape From Mind

For a debut album from one of the few Russian thrash metal bands known also outside Russia, Shah's Escape From Mind is interesting already for its non-musical values. Actually the content here is not unlike what you could expect from almost any other band of the time, rather energetic if not vastly original. The biggest surprise is how well thought-out many of these tracks actually turn out. Although the sound quality is quite muddy and gives this album some real underground feel, the music is far from sloppy or primitive. Many riffs are at least semi-catchy at best, and there is a consistent thrashing mood throughout the whole album. Despite some lengthy songs the music never gets too dull, either. Maybe Shah didn't play in the most original style, but Escape From Mind is still quite a satisfying presentation of the band's abilities at the early stage.

1. Total Devastation 2. Beware 3. Coward 4. Bloodbrothers 5. Save The Human Race 6. Age Of Dismay 7. Threshold Of Pain 8. Say 'Hi' To Anthrax

Shah's Beware is technically somewhat more advanced than Escape From Mind while the music remains rather energetic and fairly complex. This time the outcome is a bit more dry and unexciting than previously, though. The guitar sounds a bit hollow although the production on the whole appears pretty decent. The songs mostly sound derivative to say the least, but some nice details help the result to avoid becoming totally forgettable. In fact, even though the music feels a bit tedious at times, towards the end it gradually wins you over. The massive tracks Age Of Dismay and Threshold Of Pain in particular are some of the better examples of this album's content. Although Shah's sound was not too fresh or original, Beware is not a bad album in its class of basic thrash metal.

1. Killing Machine 2. Overload 3. Damned Sinner 4. Age Of Darkness 5. Trashing Metal Race 6. Terror Collection 7. Masdon Must Die 8. Mad Future 9. Ashes To Ashes 10. Metal Fight

Although Terror Collection was released after Beware, most of its material was written already years earlier. This actually shows in a positive way, as the approach is generally a lot more straightforward and effective and avoids much of the occasional dry sound of the preceding album. It seems Shah were at their best when doing rather simple, fast thrashers - for example, Killing Machine is a classic, rapid burst of riffs, with Mad Future coming close second. On the other hand, the slow and pounding Ashes To Ashes and Metal Fight sound extremely dated today but that just adds to their nostalgic feel. Somehow the music on this album manages to create a positively cheerful atmosphere, something not too common in these circles. Filled with lots of healthy speed, Terror Collection can be recommended also to other than hardcore fans of Shah.

1. Within You (It Hurts) 2. Luminous Green 3. The Masonry 4. In The Machine 5. Here M. G. R. 6. La Danse des Morts 7. Ophelia Dreamed 8. Ethereal

There is a certain niche of bands who kept clinging to the vanishing original thrash metal scene for one reason or another, and Shrine happen to belong to this group. Although the band's Portuguese origins raise some interest in their music in advance, and their only release Perspective starts out almost promising, you soon realize that there is nothing new under the sun. This album definitely has some style of its own, but it is another thing altogether whether much of this holds any great value in the long run. The band handle their instruments in a convincing way and the outcome is no weak at all, but no matter how close, it is not quite there to leave a mark. Only a few years earlier and Shrine could have made something of a name for themselves even with this kind of rather unsurprising delivery - at this point it was hardly an option anymore.

1. Vision 2. Echoes Of Damnation 3. Voice Of The Pariah 4. Pitbull 5. Living Hypocrisy 6. Path Of Uncertainty 7. Death By Womba 8. Dark Tide Rising 9. Necromantic

You got to give it to Silence, they must have put everything they had into this one. The first couple of tracks on Vision go straight to the point - there is no actual intro to speak of, the main riff goes off immediately and the vocals quickly follow. After such a direct initial attack you may start to wonder if the whole album is this eager, but in reality there is at least some variation to it. Almost an hour long, this recording includes everything that can be considered must-have in typical American thrash metal of the time, blending it together into a semi-successful riff-fest. The sound is sharp and clear and the band have the right attitude, and with some more creativity and memorable riffs they might have eventually made it. Even now the outcome is not totally without some limited appeal. For sure, if the sound and feel of it was the only thing that matters then this album would be a winner.

1. Self Abuse 2. From The Darkest Depths Of The Imagination 3. Open Season 4. Theatre Of The Depraved 5. Matrix Of Madness 6. Distraction Of Thought 7. Rise And Fall 8. Prey Upon The Weak

Based on their name and general style, Silent Scream clearly draw their inspiration from bands like Slayer. Too bad that From The Darkest Depths Of The Imagination is so bleak for a full-length release. The production of this album is about the heaviest you can get, but it sort of goes to waste with these tracks that must be some of the most derivative and plodding pieces I have heard. Sure, the band sound extremely heavy and technically there is not much to complain about, but the lack of imagination combined with very dull delivery doesn't exactly make the music appeal to your senses. Especially the first half of this album is awfully boring and pointless, and the rest is actually better only by a couple of individual riffs. With its overly flattening feel, this one is just a perfect choice to play in the background when you're having a major depression.

1. The Sky Beneath My Feet 2. Trance Dance 3. A Minute Piece 4. The Widdershins Jig 5. Our Dying Island 6. Pagan Man 7. Cradle Will Fall 8. Skyclad 9. Moongleam And Meadowsweet 10. Terminus

The Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth was a remarkable debut for the British folk-thrash metal masters Skyclad, at this early stage with more elements of forceful thrash metal than actual folk music. With the notable exceptions of the heavily folk influenced The Widdershins Jig (complete with a violin) and the affective Moongleam And Meadowsweet, plus a couple of short interludes, this album is about as heavy as anything Sabbat ever made and not much behind in speed. With Martin Walkyier's angry vocals remaining some of the best in the thrash metal history, there are some truly classic tracks on this album, starting with the captivating The Sky Beneath My Feet and ending with the incredibly heavy and menacing Terminus. Ridiculously much more original and memorable than most other albums out there, The Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth completes the righteous Sabbat trilogy of pagan thrash in a lot more satisfying way than Mourning Has Broken ever did.

1. Tenement Zone 2. If Thine Eye 3. Johnny's Home 4. Razor's Edge 5. Hellbound 6. Hunt You Down 7. Gods' Prey 8. Fight Or Fall 9. No Excuses 10. Born For War

Slammer's The Work Of Idle Hands... must be one of the most American sounding British thrash metal albums from the late eighties. This is partially due to the professional, dynamic production by Mark Dodson, who also produced some Anthrax and Suicidal Tendencies albums, but in addition Slammer's style is very similar to most American bands of the time. On this debut Slammer played smooth thrash metal which appears somewhat generic and uncreative. The first few tracks actually manage to raise some serious interest and make you expect more from the album, but the music soon degenerates into pretty average thrash. The band appeared to be very capable and the production is top-notch, but in the end The Work Of Idle Hands... is rather generic although quite entertaining in its own way.

1. Insanity Addicts 2. Bring The Hammer Down 3. Maniac 4. I.O.U.

Apparently Slammer's debut, while well-produced, was not that successful to begin with as this mini album was released on a minor label. Not supported by such a top-notch production anymore, Insanity Addicts sounds simply bland and very generic. Whereas The Work Of Idle Hands... had at least a few tracks worth some interest, the songs on this mini album are nowhere close to even that level. The fairly neutral production of this release just emphasizes the relatively weak vocals and the general lack of power in the music. Without any particularly good points, Insanity Addicts is just another addition to the category of mostly forgettable albums in the scene.

1. What's Your Pleasure? 2. Greed 3. In The Name Of God 4. Just Another Massacre 5. Architect Of Pain 6. Every Breath 7. I Know Who I Am 8. Corruption 9. Think For Yourself 10. L'Ultima

Slammer's final release is just every bit as insignificant as the band's previous albums and more. The production of Nightmare Scenario, while somewhat decent, is pretty bland especially compared to the debut, which makes this album seriously lack power. The music doesn't contain much real energy, and it goes through your head without a trace whatsoever. It's not that the band couldn't play fast and well, but a solid album needs more than that. The sound of this release on the whole is just totally emotionless and boring. If there's a couple of good riffs on Nightmare Scenario, they effectively get lost in the general dullness of the music.

1. Disintegrator / Incinerator 2. Nocturnal Hell 3. F.O.D. (Fuck Of Death) 4. Tortured Souls 5. Parasites 6. Curse 7. Strappado 8. Maim To Please 9. One Foot In The Grave 10. Tyrant Of Hell 11. Death Dealer 12. Tales Of The Macabre

Slaughter were a real cult band already in their time. Strappado is a complete representation of this Canadian legend's original style, a piece of extremely heavy and pounding thrash metal. At average, these songs are not very fast except for a couple of tracks, and most of the time Slaughter tend to sound like a thrashier version of Celtic Frost, in both good and bad. While fully heavy and gruff, sometimes their sound gets a bit too simple and plodding. The best pieces like Curse and the title track are very nasty and effective, while the rest has some rough charm of its own as well. One cannot help but feel that on the whole this album is not quite as spectacular as you might expect based on its cult status only, however, a certain level of vintage sound just adds to the experience. In the end Strappado remains one of the more essential albums from the old times.

1. Not Dead Yet 2. Flake 3. Threshold Of Pain 4. Timewarp 5. Death Comes Ripping Through You 6. The Dark 7. Astral Projector 8. Telepathic Screams

Slaughter's self-released Not Dead Yet marked a change from the original style of Strappado. After some line-up changes the band's sound had become faster and more straightforward by a notable amount, and on this album Slaughter simply sound more like an average thrash metal band on all counts. But although the music is not quite as original as on the debut release, these tracks are fairly powerful even with their more formulaic style. The roaring vocals, heavy riffs and fast pace eventually make this album if not as memorable as Strappado then at least a well-done piece in its class of heavy thrash metal. It's not like Slaughter would have remarkably lost steam with the stylistic changes, as Not Dead Yet would be a decent recording in almost any band's discography.

1. Evil Has No Boundaries 2. The Antichrist 3. Die By The Sword 4. Fight Till Death 5. Metal Storm / Face The Slayer 6. Black Magic 7. Tormentor 8. The Final Command 9. Crionics 10. Show No Mercy

Of the most classic thrash metal debuts, Slayer's Show No Mercy was musically already so effective and controlled that it's a bit surprising considering the age of this release. While there was a great stylistic difference between Metallica's Kill 'em All and Master Of Puppets, Slayer's Reign In Blood is essentially just an extremely refined version of Show No Mercy. Except for Tom Araya's particularly raw vocals on this album, the band already sound about the same as on their later releases. In fact, the production is amazingly decent - especially the guitar sound is very sharp and clear. Some of these songs may not sound that hot from today's perspective anymore, but generally the material is very satisfying. For example, The Antichrist is actually so catchy that it's almost funny. It is certainly a good thing that they got rid of the eye liner soon after, though.

1. Chemical Warface 2. Captor Of Sin 3. Haunting The Chapel 4. Aggressive Perfector (bonus)

With this mini album Slayer took a slightly darker and heavier direction in their music. While there is some noticeable progression in the song structures, the result does not have quite the same appeal as Show No Mercy. There's just not as much energy in this release as before, which makes the songs appear somewhat dull and repetitive. Even the production is notably worse - the guitars in particular sound very muddy compared to the debut album. From my point of view this is just one of the least impressive Slayer releases to date.

Note: The bonus track Aggressive Perfector is supposedly the original version of this song and quite different than the new recording found on the extended edition of Reign In Blood.

1. Hell Awaits 2. Kill Again 3. At Dawn They Sleep 4. Praise Of Death 5. Necrophiliac 6. Crypts Of Eternity 7. Hardening Of The Arteries

Slayer's second full-length release continued directly in the vein of Haunting The Chapel, now with some better success in the song department. Hell Awaits is again a dark, foreboding effort, but it manages to incorporate at least some of the energy of Show No Mercy with more ambitious song structures. Musically there are no big differences, and for the most part the material is basically fine even though it does get a bit dull after the first couple of songs. The production lacks some dynamics again, but the quality is pretty sufficient anyway. While this album is still no match for the debut, it was a definite improvement over the preceding mini album and a sign of even better things to come.

1. Angel Of Death 2. Piece By Piece 3. Necrophobic 4. Altar Of Sacrifice 5. Jesus Saves 6. Criminally Insane 7. Reborn 8. Epidemic 9. Postmortem 10. Raining Blood

It's amazing what a difference some concentration and good production can make - not to forget about a clear vision and the skills to fulfill it in practice. Gone is the murky, rather unattractive sound of the previous couple of Slayer releases, Reign In Blood is like an electric shock bound to raise anyone up from the dead. Despite the initial impression being one of screaming chaos, this is actually the most controlled and precise recording possibly ever created in the genre. The band play at an absolute clockwork accuracy and never before did Tom Araya's vocals sound so clear as on this album. The songs are short, controlled bursts of energy that hit you like nails in the head. Reign In Blood is faster and more intense than most other thrash metal albums together, like a perfect crystallization of what the scene was all about at its best. I must admit it originally took me some time to fully appreciate the intensity of this release, but listening to an untold number of generic, bleak albums that sound as interesting as watching paint dry surely gives you some perspective. Never a dull moment with this one.

1. South Of Heaven 2. Silent Scream 3. Live Undead 4. Behind The Crooked Cross 5. Mandatory Suicide 6. Ghosts Of War 7. Read Between The Lies 8. Cleanse The Soul 9. Dissident Aggressor 10. Spill The Blood

The follow-up to the magnificent Reign In Blood introduced some remarkable stylistic changes in Slayer's music. Perhaps the most drastic "innovation" happened in the vocals as Tom Araya started to "sing" - not very melodically or anything, but the difference to his earlier shouting was clear. In addition, the band slowed down a bit, which led to several mid-tempo songs on this album. The added variety is not necessarily a bad thing, but some energy was evidently lost in the process. Nevertheless, some of the new songs are still excellent (the apocalyptic title track is actually one the most memorable songs Slayer ever made, and Spill The Blood sounds totally evil) and the rest is not too bad either. A couple of tracks sound notably weaker due to the more mellow vocals and the cover song of Judas Priest's Dissident Aggressor is a total waste of time, but as a whole South Of Heaven is a reasonably good Slayer album.

1. War Ensemble 2. Blood Red 3. Spirit In Black 4. Expendable Youth 5. Dead Skin Mask 6. Hallowed Point 7. Skeletons Of Society 8. Temptation 9. Born Of Fire 10. Seasons In The Abyss

By the release of their fourth full-length album Slayer had matured considerably as a band, and the result was heavier and more convincing than on their previous release. Seasons In The Abyss is one of Slayer's strongest albums, representing a successful blend of aggression and variety. The band had recovered their traditional energy and now continued with a new sense of memorable songwriting. The vocals are very well balanced, some of the best on any Slayer album. As for the songs, almost all of them are equally strong and the whole album has a very consistent feel to it. Following the slightly lacking South Of Heaven, this album was a much better demonstration of Slayer's direction after Reign In Blood.

1. Killing Fields 2. Sex, Murder, Art 3. Fictional Reality 4. Dittohead 5. Divine Intervention 6. Circle Of Beliefs 7. SS-3 8. Serenity In Murder 9. 213 10. Mind Control

In 1994 the whole thrash metal scene was practically dead and buried, when Slayer returned after a long absence. Divine Intervention goes back to the fast and brutal style of the early Slayer albums while it still preserves a certain sense of more advanced songwriting. The album is not too different from the past efforts, in fact it sounds like it could have been released already a few years earlier. Lyrically the band explored some new grounds as Sex, Murder, Art and 213 combine twisted sexuality and violence, leading to some extremely nasty effects. Musically this album is a refined, professional piece of work, and my only real nitpick is about the occasional distorted vocals that can really get on your nerves. In my book Divine Intervention would have been an appropriate obituary for the classic thrash metal genre.

1. Flesh Storm 2. Catalyst 3. Skeleton Christ 4. Eyes Of The Insane 5. Jihad 6. Consfearacy 7. Catatonic 8. Black Serenade 9. Cult 10. Supremist

Only the good news first - Christ Illusion must be the first proper thrash metal album from Slayer in more than a decade. Whereas the previous couple of releases during this period featured at most a couple of decent thrashers while the rest directly derived from modern metal, here the ratio is the other way round. Musically this album harks back to the days of Seasons In The Abyss and Divine Intervention in particular, and at least formally the band did succeed in re-inventing the wheel. In practice, most individual tracks from the old releases are more memorable than this whole thing. It's as if the band forgot about how to write a classic riff instead of just whacking out simple notes in a repetitive manner. One could say this album is like a zombie that tries to imitate the life it once had but is only partially successful in that. You got to give it to Slayer, though, at least they still try.

1. Outbreak Of Evil 2. Sepulchral Voice 3. Blasphemer 4. Witching Metal 5. Burst Command Til War

Although Sodom are one of the oldest and best known German thrash metal bands, their beginnings were not necessarily an indication of things to come. With a fairly primitive and sloppy sound, the band's first mini album In The Sign Of Evil is something short of the early eighties standards set by other more competent bands at the time. While the original version of Outbreak Of Evil has a nostalgic feel to it, the rest of the album has not aged too well. The music brings memories of old Venom or even Celtic Frost to mind, and you can almost smell the mold when playing this one. Some elements of the album just add to the unintentional comical feel that you cannot avoid when listening to these songs. One ought to give respect to those who started the genre, but In The Sign Of Evil is just one of those releases that time should have forgot.

1. Deathlike Silence 2. Brandish The Sceptre 3. Proselytism Real 4. Equinox 5. After The Deluge 6. Obsessed By Cruelty 7. Fall Of Majesty Town 8. Nuctemeron 9. Pretenders To The Throne 10. Witchhammer 11. Volcanic Slut

It is debatable whether Obsessed By Cruelty was actually an improvement over In The Sign Of Evil or not. The production is pretty awful, thin and messy, and it seriously takes away from the listening experience in any case. Musically (a term used somewhat loosely here) the album may have a slight formal edge over its predecessor, as it sounds more energetic and standard albeit rather bad thrash metal. Admittedly the output can appear quite funny when observed with a healthy sense of humor, but to listen to it more than once in a short period of time may turn out to be an impossible task for any other but the most hardened folks. Needless to say, neither of Sodom's earliest releases is what I would recommend using as a first example when demonstrating the genre to uninitiated folks, unless the purpose was to scare them off from the topic for life.

1. Nuclear Winter 2. Electrocution 3. Iron Fist 4. Persecution Mania 5. Enchanted Land 6. Procession To Golgatha 7. Christ Passion 8. Conjuration 9. Bombenhagel 10. Outbreak Of Evil 11. Sodomy And Lust 12. The Conqueror 13. My Atonement

After their very primitive beginnings Sodom started to gain some momentum with Persecution Mania. The style of this album is quite similar to Slayer's Haunting The Chapel era with its straightforward, slightly repetitive riffs that make the album sound pretty consistent and focused. Admittedly, the simplicity of riffs throughout the album gets somewhat tedious at some point, at least it doesn't make the songs appear too distinctive. As a result, it's pretty hard to remember much about this album even after repeated listenings. Of the included bonus tracks (from the Expurse And Sodomy mini album), Sodomy And Lust is actually more memorable than anything on the original full-length album. Though I must admit that on Persecution Mania Sodom developed a style that is very refined, almost analytical in its approach, the result still leaves me somewhat cold.

1. Agent Orange 2. Tired And Red 3. Incest 4. Remember The Fallen 5. Magic Dragon 6. Exhibition Bout 7. Ausgebombt 8. Baptism Of Fire 9. Don't Walk Away

In a way, Sodom's Agent Orange feels almost like an immediate sequel to Persecution Mania. It's pretty much the same, after all - rather repetitive and simple riffs that can get tiresome after a while. The title track gives this album a raging start, but unfortunately the rest is not in the same class. In comparison, Persecution Mania was better at maintaining constant speed whereas some mid-tempo parts on Agent Orange do not make the songs any more effective. The band pull some slightly more interesting tracks near the end - Ausgebombt is almost a cheerful holler, Baptism Of Fire a fine thrasher, and the Tank cover Don't Walk Away weird but sort of funny. Still, I never found Sodom's music too impressive and this album doesn't do that much for me, either. In retrospective, Persecution Mania is the more stylish album of these two.

1. An Eye For An Eye 2. Shellfire Defense 3. The Saw Is The Law 4. Turn Your Head Around 5. Capture The Flag 6. Cold Sweat 7. Bloodtrails 8. Never Healing Wound 9. Better Off Dead 10. Resurrection 11. Tarred And Fathered 12. Stalinorgel

Better Off Dead is basically another typical Sodom album with only minor variations. This time the band's sound is slightly more monotonic than on the previous couple of albums, which makes it quite a dull experience. Two cover songs from Tank and Thin Lizzy are certainly more distinctive than the rest of the tracks, but otherwise they feel rather unnecessary. The better original tracks on this album are also the fastest ones - when the band drop some speed even so slightly, the result is often far too plodding and boring. Although Sodom's sound never was too polished, Better Off Dead unmistakably lacks some style especially when compared to Persecution Mania. This is simply just one of the less interesting Sodom releases.

1. Body Parts 2. Skinned Alive 3. One Step Over The Line 4. Deadline 5. Bullet In The Head 6. The Crippler 7. Wachturm 8. Tapping The Vein 9. Back To War 10. Hunting Season 11. Reincarnation

The first couple of tracks from Tapping The Vein with their death metal vocals unarguably sound like the heaviest and most intense material in Sodom's history. Although the vocals quickly revert to a more customary style, this album as a whole does belong to Sodom's most energetic releases and easily surpasses its predecessor Better Off Dead. The refreshing speed is what makes tracks like Skinned Alive and The Crippler so attractive, whereas the slower but crushingly heavy Reincarnation takes its place among the better tracks on this album. Still, it's not quite enough to cover the fact that Sodom's sound remains fundamentally monotonous and unimaginative here. After all, the amount of sheer brutal energy alone helps only so much. Although Tapping The Vein breathes some life into the tested Sodom formula, the result could still use some more work to make it really shine.

1. Get What You Deserve 2. Jabba The Hut 3. Jesus Screamer 4. Delight In Slaying 5. Die Stumme Ursel 6. Freaks Of Nature 7. Eat Me 8. Unbury The Hatchet 9. Into Perdition 10. Sodomized 11. Fellows In Misery 12. Tribute To Moby Dick 13. Silence Is Consent 14. Erwachet! 15. Gomorrah 16. Angel Dust

Anyone who was impressed by the ultra-heavy nature of Tapping The Vein must have been initially shocked by Get What You Deserve. This album redefines 'raw', considering its cover, riffs, production, everything. More than pure thrash metal, this album appears like a twisted mixture of punk and thrash - at first this rather quirky sound is strangely refreshing, but it gets old really fast. Appropriate for the theme, most tracks are pretty short and only a few reach the magic 3 minute mark. But although it's not exactly a great piece of art and the musical values are really not that high, there's some almost perverse charm in this thing. Let's just say that if you ever have a bunch of unwanted visitors who don't get the hint, just play this loud and see them jump out the window in no time. The best track of the album? Tribute To Moby Dick, with whales singing. Now that's some of the creepiest and most hilarious stuff at the same time.

1. Masquerade In Blood 2. Gathering Of Minds 3. Fields Of Honour 4. Braindead 5. Verrecke! 6. Shadow Of Damnation 7. Peacemaker's Law 8. Murder In My Eyes 9. Unwanted Youth 10. Mantelmann 11. Scum 12. Hydrophobia 13. Let's Break The Law

Masquerade In Blood certainly starts off in an impressive way - the opening title track is a crushing, laudably heavy attack on the senses. Although there are some signs of more characteristic Sodom than on the previous attempt, the band were apparently still experimenting with a more loose sound. This time there are some obvious Motorhead influences, plus another couple of songs in German thrown in to the mix. Not surprisingly, it's still more than sufficiently rough around the edges. Most songs are still on the short side but easily more memorable than on Get What You Deserve, the title track and the genuinely catchy Peacemaker's Law being the best examples. That said, as a whole Masquerade In Blood follows the typical Sodom route; occasionally you can find a diamond in the rough, but most of the time it is something of an acquired taste.

1. Frozen Screams 2. Fuck The Police 3. Gisela 4. That's What An Unknown Killer Diarized 5. Hanging Judge 6. No Way Out 7. Polytoximaniac 8. 'Til Death Do Us Unite 9. Hazy Shade Of Winter 10. Suicidal Justice 11. Wander In The Valley 12. Sow The Seeds Of Discord 13. Master Of Disguise 14. Schwerter zu Pflugscharen 15. Hey, Hey, Hey Rock'n Roll Star

Whatever it is said about Sodom's releases in the nineties, it cannot be denied that they have their moments, no matter how few. 'Til Death Do Us Unite opens like in the good old days, with a bit stereotypical but nonetheless fine thrasher Frozen Screams. Again, not the whole album is in the same league, and those familiar with the previous two releases pretty much know what to expect also this time - typically raw thrash metal with some punkish overtones, and a few songs with Tom Angelripper doing his best impersonation of Lemmy Kilminster. While the quality varies considerably, the best moments are quite entertaining. Fuck The Police is as catchy as the cover version of Hazy Shade Of Winter is amusing, and the slow, melancholic Schwerter zu Pflugscharen even shows hints of unpolished beauty never heard before. Seems like Sodom were developing their sound after all, slowly but surely.

1. Intro 2. Code Red 3. What Hell Can Create 4. Tombstone 5. Liquidation 6. Spiritual Demise 7. Warlike Conspiracy 8. Cowardice 9. The Vice Of Killing 10. Visual Buggery 11. Book Burning 12. The Wolf And The Lamb 13. Addicted To Abstinence

Code Red marked Sodom's return to the heaviest form of thrash metal last heard on Tapping The Vein. Gone are slightly more unorthodox crossover ventures into punk and hardcore, this album is full of solid heavy thrash riffs with a good production from start to finish. Granted, there are no such inventive moments as occasionally on the previous albums, but the consistent speed and intensity make up for it. In particular, the first two tracks following the intro are prime examples of how things should be done. Expect no surprises or remarkable signs of originality, but everything you find here is done in a professional way throughout. While I never was a fan of Sodom in their early days, my hat is off to them for tightening their act again after all those years.

1. Among The Weirdcong 2. I Am The War 3. Napalm In The Morning 4. Minejumper 5. Genocide 6. Little Boy 7. M-16 8. Lead Injection 9. Cannon Fodder 10. Marines 11. Surfin' Bird

One of the few original thrash metal bands who made it through the nineties, Sodom turned out to be surprisingly alive and well even on the verge of the new millennium. M-16 is certainly something else than an exercise on minimalism or a half-baked effort between punk and thrash. A concept album about the Vietnam war (not totally unlike Agent Orange), it features some of the strongest and most memorable songwriting ever found on Sodom's releases. Among The Weirdcong and I Am The War leave no doubt about the thrashing rage the band can best deliver, while Napalm In The Morning is the nastiest mid-tempo stomper one can hope to find. When the formula of these tracks practically applies on the whole album, it's no wonder that the result is among the better thrash metal platters released in the recent years. While Code Red was a fine return to form, M-16 is more like the next logical step up and forward.

1. Blood On Your Lips 2. Wanted Dead 3. Buried In The Justice Ground 4. City Of God 5. Bibles And Guns 6. Axis Of Evil 7. Lords Of Depravity 8. No Captures 9. Lay Down The Law 10. Nothing To Regret 11. The Enemy Inside

With Sodom's self-titled offering at hand, you'd be hard-pressed to find deviations from the band's customary style. In fact, Sodom may appear even too ordinary at first, as most songs just seem to apply those same old ideas in a less absorbing manner. Wanted Dead and City Of God are possibly the most notable exceptions from this rule, the former with its killer execution and riffs and the latter with some melodic touches used for a good effect (the long guitar solo in particular deserves a special mention). There's a certain level of standard quality maintained through the album, but make no mistake, innovative or memorable as M-16 this is not. Although the band sound almost surprisingly tight, the production is too beefed-up for my taste. This is not really a bad album, but it sounds rather plain when compared to the band's previous releases.

1. The Sin Of Sodom 2. Blasphemer 3. Bloody Corpse 4. Witching Metal 5. Sons Of Hell 6. Burst Command 'Til War 7. Where Angels Die 8. Sepulchral Voice 9. Hatred Of The Gods 10. Ashes To Ashes 11. Outbreak Of Evil 12. Defloration

Going back to roots for a while, Sodom chose to give their debut album In The Sign Of Evil a new treatment - but not in the most obvious manner. With more than a half of its tracks unreleased up to this point, and performed by the line-up of the original release, The Final Sign Of Evil is more than just a fashionable re-recording of the old. Taking all the added value into account, this release can be actually considered an independent product in its own right. While it can be a matter of opinion whether the sound and feel of it is really comparable to the original one, it must be admitted that the result is notably consistent and old-fashioned in a good way. The album is far from slick and overproduced, with a definite charm of its own. In fact, even those who usually cannot stand Sodom's oldest material might want to check this out - it can lead to a positive surprise, really.

1. Intro 2. Misc. Bullshit 3. My Gun 4. One Swift Kick 5. A View Of Death 6. Street Wars 7. I Don't Wanna Relax 8. A. A. 9. N.R.G. 10. Extro

As a brief general description of Sonick Plague's What's The Purpose, 'street thrash' couldn't be more fitting. The sound is rather energetic, even fresh, and the band appear to have been able to get it going when really needed. Most of it escapes memory very quickly, though, and despite some slight underground appeal there is hardly any reason for this album to gain wider recognition in the first place. It's the usual case with the band doing their part probably as well as reasonably possible, but on a bigger scale it is just not quite enough. At least Sonick Plague manage to avoid total dullness by incorporating some unruly touches in their music which is only a good thing. If that sounds fair enough then why not, just note that it is not the flashiest or most distinctive stuff that this album contains.

1. Free Violence 2. Dig 3. Buzz Fly 4. The Game I 5. 101 6. Go Team Go 7. E.T. 8. The Game II 9. Pimple Sprayer 10. Together To Make A World 11. Changes 12. Rock 'n' Roll Forever

Based on the first track only you could mistake Soothsayer's Have A Good Time for any typical thrash metal album of the time, but soon after that it starts to get a little bit wild. In a way this album truly delivers what the title suggests, as these Canadian thrashers surely knew how to insert feelings of having a good time into their music. For example, if Dig doesn't put a smile on your face then you know you have become hopelessly cynical already. Needless to say, Soothsayer's sound is not the most serious you have heard, but when the band put even the slightest effort into it the result is as good as anything out there. If it weren't for a couple of particularly oddball tracks that break the good thrashing mood (reminiscent of Witchhammer's Mirror, My Mirror), this could have been really great. Nevertheless, if you don't mind some goofy bits then Have A Good Time is a good example about a thrash metal album from the funnier side of the genre.

1. Face The Life 2. Mr Crack 3. No Way 4. Political Pollution 5. Up And Down 6. For Your Country 7. Believe Or Not 8. Revenge 9. Easy With Money 10. A Statue Comes To Life

Except for some thinness in the overall sound, Statue's debut release appears much like any typical American production of the time, which is not a bad achievement considering the band's Finnish origins. Statue Comes To Life is a refined piece of speed/thrash metal with semi-complex riffs and some very consistent style. The vocals are not very heavy, but they are quite clear and fit the rest of the band well. Musically Statue would have been at home among the plethora of US west coast thrash metal bands, that's how familiar this thing actually sounds. This time the drawbacks are (again) due to the lacking content, as the general feel of this album is unarguably somewhat monotonic. It is far from being truly boring though, the band's sound is pretty cool and the riffs keep revolving in your mind even though they do not immediately stick to your head. Although Statue's effort didn't really open any new paths, it is not a bad release of its kind, easily worth another look.

1. Justice Day 2. No More 3. The Cage 4. This Old Man 5. Choose Death 6. Nowhere To Hide 7. Synchronized 8. Too Fast 9. Private Room

If a cult band status would be measured based on the relative obscurity only then Steel Fury would rank pretty high for sure. Lesser Of Two Evils features quite typical old speed/thrash with touches of power metal. The band's sound is pretty powerful though not exceptional by any means, other than the fact that the album actually sounds a few more years older than one could expect. This just indicates that the band's offering was probably a bit behind the times already upon its release. Steel Fury certainly had some genuine style, but unfortunately the result is pretty forgettable. For the most part this one gets just nostalgia points, though it must be admitted that the slower but heavier tracks Nowhere To Hide and Private Room are not too bad stompers, especially the latter deserves an honorable mention for its haunting impression. Still, a couple of fairly memorable tracks do not make this album too remarkable as a whole.

1. Time To Die 2. Undertown 3. Into The Waters Of Hate 4. Eternal Shit 5. Cx Cx Ox 6. That's All Folks 7. Deadly Watch 8. Nx Mx Px Lx Sx

Saucy, Tippler & Intoxicant were yet another proof that it is only a good thing that some bands did dare to bring some new ideas of their own into the scene, regardless of whether the outcome was actually successful or not. Twen Two Visions demonstrates a slightly different take on the typical thrash metal mix prevalent in Brazil, sounding once in a while more unruly and unconventional than one is really used to. It even appears kind of refreshing among most other bands who follow the same formula over and over, and you can only wish that this album as a whole didn't sound as light-headed as now. The guitar sound is quite good in a chainsaw-like manner, and the band effectively avoid making a dead-serious impression all the time, but musically this is far from a classic recording. Definitely good for an occasional listen, though.

1. Get Stoned 2. No Commands 3. Eat Your Pride 4. The Day Of Death 5. Reached Out 6. Real Delusion 7. Brain Damage 8. Escape 9. Final Countdown 10. Overtake

When the prime Scandinavian thrash metal act Stone made their debut album, the result was quite a feat even on a worldwide scale. The album opens with the definite Stone trademark holler Get Stoned which is simply a stupendous piece featuring some of the heaviest riffs ever recorded. The songs are filled with youthful energy and played with unmatched intensity, not to forget about the immense speed that resembles a freight train on the loose. The heavy production is more than appropriate for the music, and with the heaviest vocals found in the scene and musicianship second to none even at this early stage, the outcome is just bonecrushing. Musically this is still Stone's most straightforward album, and even though the band would later reach some totally new levels in their music, the debut album has preserved its unique appeal.

Note: The American release of this album has different cover art than the original Finnish pressing.

1. Finlandia 2. Sweet Dreams 3. Empty Corner 4. Back To The Stone Age 5. Concrete Malformation 6. No Anaesthesia 7. Light Entertainment 8. Kill The Dead 9. Meat Mincing Machine

After the furious debut, Stone continued to develop their effective formula even further. On No Anaesthesia! the music is no less intense than before, but the songwriting has reached a certain level of maturity with more complex and ambitious arrangements, supported by the band's extreme musicianship and skill. The individual tracks on this album are more distinctive than on the debut. Sweet Dreams is one of Stone's best tracks in the vein of Get Stoned, whereas the crushing Back To The Stone Age and the massive title track open some totally new dimensions in the band's music. All this is wonderfully supported by the painfully clear and accurate production. Actually the only beauty spot on this album is due to some particularly twisted lyrics. That aside, No Anaesthesia! is Stone's best release and one of those albums that still sound as fresh and good as when they were originally released.

1. Stone Cold Soul 2. Another Morning 3. White Worms 4. Empty Suit 5. Spring 6. Storm Inside The Calm 7. Ocean Of Sand 8. Meaning Of Life 9. Friends (bonus)

Colours was the last Stone release to remain mostly faithful to the original high-speed antics before the band's sound took the final turn to a bit more experimental direction. Although the music here is not that much different from the previous efforts, this album has a slightly heavier feel, mainly due to the fact that the songs do not have quite the same amount of hooks as before and the production is a bit on the rough side. This is not to say that Colours wouldn't have its share of fine tracks in the traditional Stone vein. For example, the opening track Stone Cold Soul is yet another brilliant, crushing piece again not unlike Get Stoned on the debut. The first half of this album is unarguably stronger than the second as the tracks do get a little tedious towards the end. Still, despite lacking some qualities of the previous releases, Colours is a fairly solid Stone album.

Note: The Japan release of this album has a slightly different (reddish) color variant of the cover.

1. Planetary Destruction 2. Behind Death's Door 3. Cremation 4. Catastrophic Deed 5. Needful Things 6. Fall From Grace 7. Deadly Psychic Evil 8. Environmental Suicide 9. Preacher And The Politician 10. The Switch

As an example of speed/thrash metal of the most typical kind, Stygian's Planetary Destruction follows the formal requirements almost by the book. It's got a variety of tempos, straightforward but somewhat unmemorable riffs, and a pummeling sound that is probably the best part of this album. Musically it is often a bit dull, and you cannot help but feel that most songs are just repetition of the same. While Gary Golwitzer had a highly distinctive style of his own on Wrath's Nothing To Fear, here the man sounds a lot more ordinary and typical vocalist in the genre. A couple of slow and mellow tracks make an exception from the general formula but that's about all to it. There is some consistent quality in Stygian's style and the production values are quite satisfying, it's just that Planetary Destruction is far from the most striking release out there.

1. Trip At The Brain 2. Hearing Voices 3. Pledge Your Allegiance 4. How Will Laugh Tomorrow 5. The Miracle 6. Suicyco Mania 7. Surf & Slam 8. If I Don't Wake Up 9. Sorry?! 10. One Too Many Times 11. The Feeling's Back

Of all the crossover bands of the eighties who experimented with speed/thrash metal at some point, Suicidal Tendencies got it the most perfectly right with their brief entry into the genre. How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today is remarkable not only for its exceptionally lengthy title. From the very first track, this album pushes the limits of speed metal with simply stupendous songs supported by great production values. The guitar sound is especially top-notch and makes the excellent riffs and soloing stand out like never before. Not only that, but the lyrics of these songs are light years ahead of your usual standards. Although they deal with some dead serious topics like depression, suicide, and personal issues, there is some immensely uplifting quality in them. This is one of those rare albums where strict genre borders should not matter as long as the music is good - and the music on How Will I Laugh Tomorrow... is very good.