Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s ultimate Pit test
The remaining part of the 80s thrash metal part of my ultimate Pit test is yet another 4.5-star classic album. My time reviewing it makes up for the odd reviewing experience I had with their next album So Far, So Good... So What! a couple years back. Here are my thoughts:
To say that this band is a joke would be blasphemy to any metal community, but fortunately, there's nothing in Megadeth's sacred highlight album Peace Sells... but Who's Buying? that can ever be considered a joke! Without the Big 4, the majority of the next generation of thrash wouldn't have existed. What can be considered a joke is the sh*t that band and Metallica released in the late 90s. Peace Sells... is what got Megadeth into the Big 4, though the success isn't as huge as Metallica's 3rd album that year. Most of the songs here can be considered classics in the thrash realms. The highlights have so much happening, and I really did have the need to explain them in full detail in the review. There's just a lot you can find in the tempos, riffs, solos, vocal sections, you name it! The track I've had the most struggle with is the penultimate track that is the cover but it's better than one in the next album and not a total stinker. The rough weakness is easy to overlook so you can focus on this music that any fan of metal/thrash can't live without. With the young genius minds of Mustaine and crew, they know how to work out their true charm. Well, it has often been suggested that their true charm isn't finalized until Rust in Peace, but I'm talking about the classic 80s thrash era here, an era that's part of my ultimate Pit test, a part that I just finished in the test, with this album of thrashy madness. A true classic winner!
4.5/5
Coming up: The last part of my initially planned Pit test, the 21st Century era of thrash.
It may surprise a few people but I've never found much to enjoy in Destruction's first two releases "Sentence of Death" (3/5) & "Infernal Overkill" (3/5). In fact, I find them to be seriously overrated. It's "Eternal Devastation" (4/5) that's where Destruction begins to be of interest to me as I've always found the added precision & complexity to be a major drawcard. It's a very solid thrash record indeed.
"Peace Sells" (4.5/5) is Megadeth's finest work for mine. It very much represents the soundtrack to my youth with a sophistication that was as yet unmatched for the thrash scene.
Ben, Daniel, Vinny... You guys can't miss out on this melodic yet brutal offering of horror-themed deathly thrash metal. I think it's so amazing, and I'm sure some of you might like it slightly more. I would encourage adding the melodic death metal subgenre to this release due to its common use of European-style melody. Sonny, this can also be for you when you're ready to continue your death metal rediscovery.
Longtime Deceased fans might have discovered them as early as 1997's Fearless Undead Machines, but I've only just found this band via this album As the Weird Travel On, almost two decades after its release. It's a weird yet great and underrated gem that mixes pieces of speed metal, heavy metal, and death metal into their own different brand of deathly thrash, worshipping horror films and literature in their lyrics are aesthetic, while staying more underground than the buried dead. It's amazing how this band can be at the height of their evolution despite not releasing any full albums in the 80s. Though this album is far past when mixing death metal with thrash metal could be considered a milestone, this is quite a timeless sound, one that I have much more leeway for now than in my more melodic teenage years. There's more complex structure in the heaviness and melody, without going technical or progressive. Half the amount of songs each range from 6 to 8 minutes in length. The riffs and different tempos are catchy, though sometimes predictable. Still there are fresh things that often appear like a great rhythm, a tasteful lead, or background keyboards in the gloomy night. Guitar duo Mark Adams and Mike Smith do some grade-A leads and solos that are close to Guardians territory, but you're still reminded about the album's rightful place in The Horde and The Pit. In fact, fans of Morbid Angel might like this more than fans of DragonForce. The intense hyperspeed of some songs is filled with rock-on rhythms while firing away with deathly blast beats, all performed by drummer Dave Castillo (RIP). Throughout these killer deathly thrash albums, King Fowley and co. keep themselves steady in their unique direction of genuine coherence. And they certainly add more fame to the Swedish death metal sound despite being from America. I would've never had the courage to explore this band, album, or metal genres a decade before this review, but now I do. It's great to hear such energetic speed with different ideas of horror, like Helloween but far more brutal. So get ready for this f***ing fright night, metalheads!
4.5/5
Another extreme thrash album that should be listened to by the heavier thrash fans (especially Ben, Daniel, Vinny, and Sonny), though this one is from a short-lived practically unknown band. Here are my thoughts:
Hypnosia was a more unknown and underrated band. They were formed in the late 90s and tried to revive the withering thrash metal scene with a few releases, including this album Extreme Hatred released in 2000. Sadly, they did not get the amount of fame they were hoping for, and they split up a couple years later. There's no chance they will ever reform, due to the passing of drummer Michael Sjöstrand from skin cancer. RIP... When the band was still active, their music did not affect metal's formula or popularity at the time, yet you can't deny the goodness of the music that's worth many listens. Extreme Hatred can be considered a tribute to the classic 80s era of bands like Sepultura, Kreator, and Slayer, in almost a higher level. You can hear it from the vocal screams, drum blasts, and guitar riffs of fast beastly thrash fury. The thrash metal scene is no longer how it was in the classic 80s era, though the Swedish death metal scene was expanding in the early 2000s to include thrash, with bands like The Haunted and The Crown. Different from the popular 80s thrash bands while touching upon what made them great. If you wish for more of the aspects of Sepultura, Slayer, and the Teutonic thrash Big 4, in a short-lived yet different and unique band, Extreme Hatred is your answer. Nothing wrong if you're up for the riffs chopping you and drums running you over like a train before you're pieced back together by the end!
4.5/5
The last album of the main initial part of my ultimate Pit test is one of the most evil and well-structured thrash metal releases in very recent times. Here are my thoughts:
The second album from Sepulcher, Panoptic Horror has quite an evil thrash metal sound that has rarely touched the genre in the present compared to the past. It's basically a reboot of early thrash metal with blackened guitars. I personally like the rough pain in the vocals. There's interesting bass and solid drums, the latter being subtle yet shining. The songs in the first half have pretty much the same structure with riffing transitions from slow and fast without being too overpowering. The riffing is quite memorable and, for the newer thrash fans, worth coming back for. In the second half, the structure gets more varied while focusing on the classic thrash revival with different elements of chaotic dissonance. Panoptic Horror is worth helping out in that mission. If you're up for Leviathan-like arrangements added to Opeth-like progressive structure injected into a thrash sound reminiscent of Vektor and early Voivod, this album has it all!
4.5/5
And that's the end of my initially planned part of my ultimate Pit test, but it's not entirely over yet! After a small break for the weekend, this Monday I'll continue the Pit test with an album for two remaining Pit genres, crossover thrash and stenchcore. Then the next day, I'll review an album from each of the 3 essential thrash bands that I've originally missed; Kreator, Metallica, and Slayer (the albums I choose will still be a surprise), along with maybe one more album that hopefully I'll find perfect (5 stars). Stay tuned for the encore, Pit members...
Back in my ultimate Pit test, it was hard for me to decided which crossover thrash album to give a listening/reviewing session to see if I have what it takes in the subgenre, but ultimately I chose the second album from Corrosion of Conformity...
Animosity is different from the hardcore style they had in Eye for an Eye. This band and Suicidal Tendencies are known as two bands who started adding more metallic influences to their thrashy hardcore to create a different subgenre, crossover thrash! Solos and heavier riffs are added to hardcore, though not as metallic as metalcore which was not invented yet at that time. The instrumentation shows the band refined talent as the band play like professionals. There's great flow in the rhythms and sinister harmonies to make punky metal anthems. Animosity has that insidious energy to fill this offering. So get ready for a crossover the heavier metalheads will surely never forget with many songs mixing raw metal with energetic hardcore. A couple songs even hint at the band's later sludgy sound, with the title closer having a Black Sabbath-like sound. Animosity is a swift album sealing the thrash-hardcore blend known as crossover thrash. The riffs punch through static and atmosphere to create some evil dark punky metal anthems. The aggression has made this album a classic for mostly punk fans. The metalheads wish for the sound to be more metallic. Still this is an album I would recommend to anyone looking for an earlier blend of hardcore punk and metal, worth some good listening....
4/5
And now for a dive into an album (or EP because of its short length, 6 tracks in 26 minutes) that has formed a crossover sound crossover between thrash and crust punk known as stenchcore. Here are my thoughts:
Filled with political angst, one of the founding bands of the genre (besides Amebix), Sacrilege severed the border between hardcore and thrash in a darker sound with their debut Behind the Realms of Madness! To level up their uniqueness, the band has front-woman Lynda "Tam" Simpson doing some of the grittiest female vocals since Joan Jett, though Tam can't keep compete with other crossover thrash vocalists out there. Despite that, the vocals add to the well-executed dirty vibe of thrash. Most of the tracks are thrilling anthems with the hardcore of Discharge, the speed of Motorhead, and the thrash of Destruction, all combined into one. That's the kind of sound fans of those bands should look out for. I'm quite amazed to find this stenchcore sound that really kicks a**!
4.5/5
Coming up tomorrow: The final moment of truth for whether or not I'm qualified for The Pit, checking out an album (selected by myself, still a surprise) from each of 3 of the most popular bands of the genre; Kreator, Metallica, and Slayer!
The Kreator album I chose to review is indeed a classic to the heavier metalheads. However, a few riffs here are a bit repetitive and don't stand out as memorable for me. And that album is...
Despite the riffing issue, the album is very good! Drummer Ventor and Guitarist Mille have an awesome motive of each song using vocals from one of them. Ventor has a shouting style, while Mille is a thrash growler. Ventor performs some d*mn kick-A drumming with a bit of hammering technicality. Mille performs an OK blend of smooth and crunchy in his guitar, though his guitar work could've used some improvement. Rob Fioretti performs audible bass that helps the brutal rhythms stay steady. There are some brutal headbanging thrash classics here, and they have different tempo changes, switching from slow and soft to fast and brutal. Though the repetitive riffing and choruses make the album just a tad overrated. Despite that, the wicked heaviness is something that can't be lost....
4/5
Metallica's debut has made me realize the band's earlier strength, and it can pretty much be the ultimate start of thrash! Here are my thoughts:
Kill 'Em All (originally titled Metal Up Your A** until their record label manager suggested changing the album title and cover art) combines the more speedy and punky elements of Motorhead, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest, as if they covered the heaviest tracks from those bands and increased the tempo and added more heaviness to the riffs, solos, and vocals, thereby updating the classic formula. Of course, these are all original songs, and very unique ones too. Many of them are classics that have the potential to kick-start thrash metal, though the phrase "thrash metal" wasn't coined until next year when the late Kerrang! journalist Malcolm Dome was describing an Anthrax song. There are a few different-sounding tracks, either having a hard rock groove or mid-paced destruction, along with an instrumental in which the late Cliff Burton shines with his bass soloing, though maybe it can be more of a bonus track, no disrespect to Burton. Kill 'Em All is perhaps the first full-on thrash metal album, so listen before you judge, and...well, have fun!
4.5/5
I'm glad to finally get into the thrash action of this band Slayer, and that's quite impressive for me considering their infamous controversies. Here are my thoughts:
Their 1983 debut Show No Mercy has been known as more of a Maiden/Priest-influenced album, albeit more satanic. Basically a more melodic and less brutal thrash sound. Haunting the Chapel has been known as the EP that hinted at their darker heavier direction. I think choosing this album to review that sits right after moving out of the classic heavy metal-influenced sound and starting their full-on thrash sound that would reach its most brutal in Reign in Blood is a wise move of mine. Hell Awaits has a lot of wicked evil thrash anthems with the raw power of the guitars added to a lot to the evil sinister themes and perfect top-notch drumming from thrash veteran Dave Lombardo. And don't forget the subtle bass playing and not-so-subtle vocal range of Tom Araya. Thrash fans shall headbang to the speed, structure, and darkness that made Slayer the unique thrash band they've been known as. This is mandatory for extreme metal fans. Welcome to Hell!
4.5/5
I think I'm up for one more thrash metal album to find on my own before concluding my ultimate Pit test for real. Stay tuned for that real soon...
Way to go Andi. It seems like you have enjoyed a lot of classic thrash a bit more than you thought you would - certainly more than I thought you would!
Thanks, Sonny! I also didn't think I would enjoy a lot of classic thrash as much as now, I'm glad I do. However, what really hits the perfect spot is when technicality is added to the heaviness, proven by this album I've chosen as the grand finale for my ultimate Pit test, which I'll add the technical thrash metal subgenre to when I'm added to the clan...
I was thinking about trying to find one more thrash band that would be perfect enough to prove that I can fit well in The Pit, but ultimately, I decided that this can already be proven by a classic I'm already familiar with. One that has... 246 RIFFS!!!! All of them rule as they strike through your mind and soul, taking control from beginning to end. Everyone has a different feeling when it comes to a certain album, and I find this album to be full of high-quality thrash genius! The perfect lineup can show you more than just those killer riffs. The production is clean with audible instrumentation. Drummer Gene Hoglan adds some slower technicality alongside his usual fast thrash. Vocalist Ron Rinehart is a perfect fit here with strong vocals as the riffs from the guitarists slay away. The lyrics written by Hoglan are awesome, dealing with insanity and death in greater depths than the still perfect Darkness Descends. Even the music is incredible, including how well the bridges and choruses are structured. All that confirms that this is one of the most complex and extreme thrash albums around. The amazing soloing reaches the top compared to some other thrash albums. All this will make you stay in attention through the progressive length that most songs have, which one of them at over 9 minutes. People might think of Darkness Descends as the band's greatest album, and while they're right, Time Does Not Heal is very close to that reign as one of the greatest albums of thrash and tech-thrash. Truly standing the test of time!
5/5
So what have I learned from my Ultimate Pit test? I've learned to have the bravery of expanding my thrash comfort zone to check out the popular classics, not just the underrated underground gems. And it has really paid off, scoring some 4 or 4.5-star reviews from me! But like I said, what really hits the perfect 5-star spot is when technicality is added to the heaviness, as you can see from the 5-star reviews I've given albums from thrash bands like Annihilator, Demolition Hammer, and Dark Angel, along with tech-thrash bands that aren't involved in the test, like Coroner, Sadus, and Vektor. The only bumpy part of that road is the groove metal section, in which the albums of that style I've reviewed in the test don't reach that mark of greatness, only about 2.5 or 3 stars in my reviews, except for Demolition Hammer's Time Bomb (4.5 stars) which made me too optimistic about those other groove metal albums before checking them out. So yeah, I've finally proven myself ready for The Pit! Though I'm not yet ready to replace the clan that's likely to be taken out of my lineup, The Gateway. Although I haven't really finding a lot of alt-metal masterpieces lately (despite a few great gems) which is a solid reason in my opinion, I plan to participate in one more round of playlist track submissions and one final feature release submission before making my grand switch, so stay tuned for those. That's all in this thread, folks!
A Spotify playlist I've made of highlights from the albums I've reviewed in my Ultimate Pit Test:
Brief return to this thread for one more Slayer album I decided to review, jumping forward 30 years...
Here is their final album Repentless, which is also their only album without founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman after his untimely passing two years earlier. Also absent was their mighty drummer Dave Lombardo. Does this album work without them? Eh, not so much... Hanneman was known for his creative thrash songwriting. He knew how to add in spooky experimentation to the band's songs, while the band's other founding guitarist Kerry King wrote the typical upbeat tracks. With King in full control of most of the songwriting in this album, you might think this would be full-on fast thrash, especially with a promising start in the first few tracks. About half of this album is just low-tuned mid-tempo groove metal, unfitting for what I expect from this band. Only a couple thrashy highlights appear in the second half of the album, and a couple more thrashy songs sound uninspired and anti-climatic. Guitarist Gary Holt does some great soloing work as if he has learned from Hanneman himself. Drummer Paul Bostaph is also good, while not the same as Lombardo. King performs some of the greatest riffing in thrash. Tom Araya continues his experienced aggression in the vocals and bass. And while Repentless is not how I thought they would end it all, I recognize the earlier Hell Awaits as a classic essential enough for my potential in The Pit. So long, Slayer.....
2.5/5
OK, one more encore for this thread, this album from another popular thrash band I haven't checked out until now...
Testament is known as one of the SECONDARY Big 4 of thrash, alongside Exodus, Overkill and Death Angel. Reviewing this album The Formation of Damnation is a good leap from Slayer's Repentless since drummer Paul Bostaph stepped in to play drums for this Testament album at a time when Dave Lombardo (who also recently rejoined Testament) continued his time with Slayer. I also remember guitarist Alex Skolnick performing with Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. However, the quality varies in lukewarm ways. Some songs are brilliant, others are just uninspired. It's a bit frustrating when one half of the album is great and the other is more average. The highlights each have strong melody and a catchy chorus, along with fast harsh aggression for the speedier fans. However, the few poor tracks lose a bit of the band's earlier skill, and while there's longer guitar soloing, it just lacks anything memorable and comes out as pretty much aimless. The flawless highlights are certainly worth listening to, especially for thrash fans. Yet those poor tracks leave me ending another encore to my Ultimate Pit Test with a slight foul taste in my metal mouth....
3.5/5