The Thrash Metal Thread

Exodus: Bonded By Blood

In the eyes of many metalheads, heaviness canbe a more defining factor than writing ability. This is why some more simplistic albums, like Kreator's Pleasure to Kill, are more well-received than many of their more creative efforts later on. So since this is Exodus' debut, it's not much of a surprise that a few of the songs have the same tempo and vibe. This album helped to push the limits of what was generally accepted in metal at the time. You can tell from the structures of the songs that these guys listened to a fair bit of that old-fashioned NWOBHM stuff like Iron Maiden, which explains the thankful focus on melody and riffs being handled and treated like equals. That's a difficult thing to do for a lot of thrash bands. Unfortunately for me, I'm a Metallica guy, and I'm that way because their golden age is diversified, exceptionally poetic and has a vocalist who doesn't need all those effects to maintain a form of power. I'm certain this singer here's done that without effects on other albums, but it was a faint distraction for me.

Now if I wanna pump myself up, I might choose a couple of songs from this album for the sake of that. The fact that each song goes for the same vibe, core and genre does in fact mean it's not a very creative effort in that vein, but the balance of melody and riffs is quite impressive, ensuring that Bonded By Blood is a consistently great effort and a good example of how to do thrash right, even if it's technically just one way.

90/100

Frozen Doberman - "Frozen Doberman" demo (1989)

The first demo tape from this four-piece thrash metal band from the Central Coast of NSW. The production is pretty crap with all instruments sounding pretty weak. The vocals are in a similar style to Anthrax's Joey Belladonna but are nowhere near as capable with the lyrics being pretty immature too. I saw these guys play live a few times during the 1990's as they were somewhat of a mainstay of the local scene at the time but they were certainly a lot better than this by that point.

For fans of Anthrax, Sacred Reich & Exodus.

2.5/5

Holy Rite - "Mosh for the Master" demo (1989)

A one-off demo tape from a Christian death/thrash five-piece from Hornsby in Sydney. It's a complete piss-take too which certainly helps with stomaching the cheesy religious themes. The instrumentation generally sits in the conventional thrash metal space although there are a couple of tracks that are more like crossover thrash & heavy metal. The vocals are a different story with most of the seven-song tracklisting seeing front man John Courtney taking a more extreme death/black metal direction complete with the occasional King Diamond-style soprano dive-bomb. In fact, there's a fair bit of Mercyful Fate in some of the riffs & solos too actually. These guys would go on to become a more significant death metal band by the name of Deracination in the early 1990's with drummer Gary O'Connell also playing in a band that my own band Neuropath used to associate with a little bit in Destrier. This cassette is certainly pretty fun at times (see the hilarious intro track or the riotous "Mosh" for example) but I'm not too sure that many non-Aussies would get it to be honest as it's kind of a celebration of our self-embraced hobbo-isms. I don't think you'd be missing out on too much in the grand scheme of things but blackened thrash closer "Or You Will Die" is pretty cool.

For fans of Spectral Birth, Incubus (AUS) & Slaughter Lord.

2.5/5

Addictive - "Pity of Man" (1989)

The debut album from these Sydney thrash metal legends who made a big impact on me in my youth. It comes off the back of the pretty decent "Ward 74" demo tape from the previous year & sees Addictive taking things to another level with a very solid outing buoyed by a production job that beautifully showcases the four-piece's aggressive take on the genre. Some of the songs from the demo tape have been re-recorded here & have benefited from the more professional packaging, particularly a rhythm guitar tone that reminds me a lot of Slayer. There's a strong consistency to this material that I'd describe as sitting somewhere between the Bay Area thrash of Testament & the more extreme sound of Slayer & Kreator. I know that sounds very good on paper but it also ends up delivering on that potential & I can easily hear the influence that this album has had on a band like Allegiance. I'm not surprised either as I think this is a step up from some of the more well-known Aussie thrash records like Mortal Sin's "Mayhemic Destruction" & "Face of Despair" or Hobbs Angel of Death's self-titled debut. Guitarists Joe Buttigieg & Mick Sultana would go on to play with Mortal Sin during their 2000's comeback actually while drummer Matt Coffey would spend some time with a couple of notable Canberra metal bands in alternative metallers Henry's Anger & underground death metal legends Psychrist. "Pity of Man" comes highly recommended to all of our members of The Pit.

For fans of Massive Appendage, Acrophet & Allegiance.

4/5

Dark Angel - Leave Scars (1989)

Genres: Thrash Metal

Ironic that the first post on this thread is a Dark Angel review.  This is a return to the album after having it in my thrash chart for a couple of years.  But a return to Darkness Descends a while back and a lowered rating  made it necessary to return to this and see if it still belongs in my top 100 of thrash or my top 100 of 1989.  It seems pretty obvious from the first track that the primary focus of this album is simply to thrash and be heavy, so that's not necessarily a good sign despite appealing to the metalhead in me with its raw power, especially where Hoglan is concerned.  This guy's prowess goes far beyond the standard thrash that these guys play.  But in this raw power is also some subpar mixing.  Things are a little fuzzier than I like, and combined with the ambiance of the vocals, I can barely make out what Rinehart's saying.  So the production alone has a big pro and a big con.  On top of that, the guitarists' solos aren't really doing anything for me anymore.  Thankfully, there are some instances of real compositional skill.  The seven-minute song No One Answers gets better as it goes along, for example.  But the mixing can also really screw things up.  The instrumental Cauterization's maxing is constantly getting in the way of the guitars, almost making it sound more like a harsh noise album than a metal album.  I get it, they have power.  Now can that power be molded with SONGWRITING?  You know, like Butcher the Weak, Ride the Lightning, any Emperor album, PAINKILLER?

I'm not sure why I ever gave this album a 9/10.  Did the heaviness really hypnotize me that much when I first heard it?  Damn. That actually hurts.  They didn't even manage to do justice to that Zeppelin cover.  Was I even paying attention to the album?  It really is a brutal album.  This is the kind of brutality that slam death metal bands wish they could achieve, and thankfully the band makes it look easy.  Unfortunately, everything is album the album is just OK.  Having said this, even though I'm disappointed in myself for betraying my long-time standards for heaviness back then, I'm happy about this major correction.

65 / 100

Persecution - "Tortured Existence" demo (1989)

I've decided that this one-off demo tape from a relatively unknown Victorian death/thrash four-piece is actually my favourite Aussie extreme metal release of the 1980's this week. I picked it up through the tape trading scene back in the early 1990's & quickly became heavily into its well-executed combination of aggressive thrash metal instrumentation & monstrous death growls. The classic Slayer influence is undeniable but I don't seem to care as that's the sound that changed my life more than any other & I simply can't get enough of it. The quality across the twenty-two-minute run time is extremely consistent with all four songs sitting at a very solid level without ever reaching the top tier. Bass player Bo Remy also played in Hobbs Angel of Death during the 2010's & drummer Dakka featured on some of the better mid-to-late-80's releases from crossover thrash outfit Depression who I really like. Interestingly, Persecution used to be known as No Remorse who released a single demo tape called "Stroke of Death" that I quite liked in 1988. I highly recommend that our The Pit members check out the "Tortured Existence" CD compilation which draws together both demo tapes for a truly underground Aussie thrash experience. 

For fans of Slayer, Sepultura & Spectral Birth.

4/5

Mortal Sin - "I Am Immortal" single (1990)

Another decent, if relatively uneventful, piece of Metallica worship from Australia's most well-known thrash export. Includes just the three tracks in the studio version of the title track plus two live songs recorded from a 1989 show at Sydney's Enmore Theatre. I would end up seeing Mortal Sin supporting Megadeth at the same venue a few years later actually in what was a pivotal gig for me at the time. This is all relatively simple stuff that's unanimously enjoyable but doesn't bring a lot to the table that you haven't heard a million times before.

For fans of Xentrix, Stone & Hobbs Angel of Death.

3.5/5

Mass Confusion - "Confusion Intrusion" (1990)

The only album from this Melbourne thrash metal outfit whose 1988 "Rolling in Stitches" demo tape I revisited in recent months. It's a pretty good effort too although I think I slightly prefer the demo as there are a few obvious duds included amongst the higher quality material here. This is more of a conventional thrash release than the crossover thrash of the demo tape. The gnarly vocals of front man Darren Walsh remind me very much of Nuclear Assault's John Connelly & are highly effective while a lot of the riffage brings to mind Steve Souza-era Exodus which can't be a bad thing. You may know bassist Phil Gresik from his time with Bestial Warlust, Deströyer 666 & Hobbs Angel of Death while drummer Chris Phillips spent some time with Tyrus & Depression. I'm not gonna suggest that "Confusion Intrusion" is in any way essential but it's not a bad Aussie thrash record nonetheless. 

For fans of Nuclear Assault, Exodus & Vio-lence.

3.5/5

Redeemer - "The Light is Struck..." (1990)

This is a one-off album from a little-known female-fronted Sydney band whose sound sits right in the middle between US power metal & thrash metal & is influenced by records like Judas Priest's "Painkiller" & Savatage's "Sirens". It's all pretty good metal-as-fuck stuff too, particularly the shredding guitar solos. I dunno what happened to Redeemer after this but it's a shame that they didn't go on to bigger & better things as there's definitely some potential here, despite the cheesy folk metal style cover artwork.

For fans of Vicious Rumors, Helstar & Enticer (AUS).

3.5/5

Iron Lightning - "The Winds of Change" demo (1990)

I wasn't a fan of Brisbane thrash metallers Iron Lightning's 1989 demo "Don't Fear... the Darkness" & their second effort doesn't fare much better to be honest. The band members can play alright but the song-writing & vocals leave a fair bit to be desired. As with their earlier work, there's a classic heavy metal vibe to some of this material but I would have preferred it if they'd stuck with their higher velocity tempos as the shreddier tracks are a touch more palatable. Front man Max Valentine & bassist Mouse (also of blackened thrashers Spear of Longinus) were originally a part of speed metallers Black Widow who I got a little more out of than Iron Lightning but still don't rate particularly highly so my adopted state of Queensland would have to wait a little longer to receive a genuine contender in the extreme metal stakes. 

For fans of Metallica, Megadeth & Testament.

2.5/5

Cromok - "Image of Purity" demo (1990)

The earliest demo recordings from an Australian thrash band that originated in Wollongong (a city that's located a couple of hours south of Sydney) & ended up relocating to Malaysia in 1991 where they continue on with their craft still to this day. This six-song affair is pretty well produced but is let down by some very limited drumming & fairly uninteresting guitar solos. I don't mind the Cromok sound though which presents Bay Area style thrash instrumentation underneath some grunty vocals that come more from a Teutonic angle. It's all largely forgettable stuff in the grand scheme of Aussie thrash though & Cromok seem to have a much stronger legacy in Malaysia these days.

For fans of Mortal Sin, Darkness & Exodus.

3/5

As a Malaysian, I have heard of Cromok, but haven't gotten around to really listening to that band. I actually didn't know until now that they formed in Australia. Sadly, two of the founding members passed away over the years. RIP Din and Miji

Spectral Birth - "Raze" demo (1990)

The excellent second & final demo tape from this Melbourne extreme thrash metal outfit. I quite liked 1987's "Sinful Dreams" demo tape (which they released under their earlier Incubus moniker) & 1988's "The Turbulence" cassette was also worth hearing. This time we see the duo taking things to the next level though by opting for a more traditional thrash metal sound rather than the blackened thrash of "Sinful Dreams" or the death/thrash of "The Turbulence". These five tracks sound a lot like the Teutonic scene, particularly Kreator who would appear to be the main influence here, & the end result is a balls-to-the-wall, aggressive thrash outing that should tick most of our The Pit members boxes. In fact, I'm gonna go so far as to say that I think "Raze" might be the best thing to come out of the Australian extreme metal scene to the time too which is really saying something. "Raze" sounds as fresh & incisive as it did the first time I heard it back in the early 1990's. It's a complex riff-fest with rhythmic & structural changes coming thick & fast but the song-writing always maintains cohesion due to the fact that main song-writer Laurie Ferdinands contributes all vocals, guitars & bass. Get on this one gents!

For fans of Kreator, Slayer & Agressor.

4/5

Exceed - "Deranged Hallucination" demo (1990)

The first of two demo tapes from this short-lived Canberra-based thrash metal act that features future Alchemist bassist Alchemist & whose sound owes more to the down-tuned darkness of Celtic Frost than it does to the Americans. Front man Andrew Norris' tone sounds like a less-whiny "So Far, So Good... So What!"-era Dave Mustaine while "Doubled Existence" hints at "Bleach"-period Nirvana more than it does thrash but it's an anomaly with the other three songs sitting in the thrash space & also being noticeably stronger. I don't mind this cassette for something a little different.

For fans of Celtic Frost, Obituary & Megadeth.

3.5/5

White Trash - "Feel Free to Say..." demo (1990)

A Sydney thrash metal band formed by drummer Wayne Campbell (Grungeon/Baltak) after leaving Mortal Sin where he played on classic Aussie metal records like "Mayhemic Destruction" & "Face of Despair". "Feel Free to Say..." also features future Mortal Sin guitarist Troy Scerri interestingly enough. White Trash's sound was built around a backbone that was drawn from Steve Souza-era Exodus but which added a few more adventurous influences for added interest. The band can all play really well & the song structures are tight & professionally executed. Front man Brendan Grimes does a pretty reasonable job too. It's only the demo-quality production job that caps the appeal of a release like this one with all six songs being worth a listen. Wayne is a bit of an icon of the Sydney metal scene & I knew him back in my Neuropath days as he used to book us for shows at the Enfield Boulevard Hotel which was the location of what I consider to be our most successful headline gig. Sadly, he hasn't been seen for almost three years now after going missing while walking near his home. He was always a larger than life character who didn't mind a drink & could be a bit divisive at times but I really hope that he turns up shortly, if only for his family's peace of mind.

For fans of Exodus, Mortal Sin & Grungeon.

3.5/5

Ultimatum - "Let the Missiles Fly" demo (1990)

The first of two demo tapes from a Perth-based metal band that existed between 1989 & 1992. The sound that Ultimatum are pushing here sits somewhere between thrash metal & heavy metal & would likely have been labelled as US power metal had the band been American. It benefits from a more than decent production job for a demo of the time. The vocals of bass player Simon Watson aren't the strongest you'll find but they certainly have a snot-nosed charisma to them, often reminding me of Megadeth mastermind Dave Mustaine. The six songs on offer all possess a certain charm & sit largely at the same quality level, being enjoyable enough to maintain my attention but rarely seeing my blood really pumping. Consequentially, I find this cassette to be worth a listen or two but I can't see it being something that many would return to all that often.

For fans of Megadeth, Metal Church & Meliah Rage.

3.5/5

Mortal Sin - "Face of Mayhem - Live" (1990)

A legendary local show at Sydney's Enmore Theatre which pretty much signaled the end of the Aussie thrash metal icons first era with bass player Andy Eftichiou the opening remaining member by the time 1991's "Every Dog Has It's Day" third album saw the light of day. Original drummer Wayne Campbell (Baltak/Grungeon) had already left by this stage & was replaced temporarily by well-known comedian Steve Hughes (Nazxul/Sadistik Exekution/Slaughter Lord). The tracklisting is pretty solid with three-quarters of the eight songs being taken from 1989's "Face of Despair" sophomore album & a couple from Mortal Sin's 1987 debut "Mayhemic Destruction". I have to admit that I would have liked to see the title track from the debut included here as it's always been my favourite cut from the band's 80's era while "Martyrs of Eternity" has never been a song that appealed to me much so it would have been the obvious one to lose out in that battle. As it stands though, "Lebanon" & "I Am Immortal" are unsurprisingly the two standouts with the rest of the material offering a pretty reasonable, if largely uneventful & fairly basic, array of 80's thrash prowess. 

For fans of Xentrix, Stone & Testament.

3.5/5

Sanctum - "To Dust" demo (1990)

The debut release from this Melbourne outfit & a damn fine one it is too just quietly. Sanctum would go on to become a death metal band in the coming years but here we see them taking on a techy brutal thrash metal sound that I've always found to be highly appealing. "To Dust" is definitely worth checking out if you enjoy the comparison bands I've listed below.

For fans of Sadus, Exhorder & Invocator.

4/5

Inflictor - "Jesus Wept" demo (1990)

The first of two demo tapes from this capable Adelaide-based thrash metal outfit. It contains five songs that could easily have come from the second tier of the Bay Area thrash scene with the primary differentiator being the super-shreddy lead guitar work of Scott Maxwell whose ambition is admirable but whose execution can still with a little more work. I really dig the gruff vocals of front man Chris McKenzie while the five-piece lineup also includes drummer Paul Reilly who also played on Bezerker's excellent "Laugh at the Light" demo from two years earlier. I quite like this cassette but unfortunately not all of this material is of the high standard set by highlight tracks "Manic Depressant" & "Haemorrhage".

For fans of Exodus, Testament & Vio-lence.

3.5/5

Armoured Angel - "Communion" demo (1990)

The third & final demo tape from these Australian extreme metal legends & I think it's the best of them too. It contains four songs that perfectly round out Armoured Angel's second era i.e. their thrash metal one following their early heavy metal ones during the mid-1980's & preceding their death metal heyday that dominated the remainder of the 1990's. Despite the consistency of this release, I still feel that it's a step down from the death metal model the trio would go on to become known for. In fact, I still regard this Canberra establishment as one of the most premium examples of the genre to come out of this country. Perhaps the controlled, mid-tempo formula they tend to stick to doesn't translate quite as well to the thrash metal genre? Still... I don't think "Communion" is gonna disappoint too many of our The Pit members & I know a few people that swear by it to this day which isn't surprising given just how influential these guys were to our local scene..

For fans of Sepultura, Sodom & Slayer.

3.5/5