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The Official Thrash Metal Recommendations Thread


RelentlessOblivion

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I was involved with the rock scene (especially the Styles who were the biggest band in Lonnie at that point) and it was same as metal scene in terms of punter numbers and cash flow. 

The big bands like the Angels went through already established promoters and to be honest they were few and far between.  The JJJ bands (eg Magic Dirt, Living End, Grinspoon) used to come before I got involved in the scene but by early 2000s they limited their Tasmanian tour appearances to Gone South festival (and that too died by about 2003).

 

Literally Tassie ceased to have any mainland let alone international acts tour until MONA opened up in 2011 and its owner David Walsh as well Brian Ritchie of the Violent Femmes who lives in Tasmania started getting big acts in, including bizarrely black metal acts whilst vineyard owners such as Joe Chromy started "Days on the Green" type events.

However Launceston and North of state is still largely off the touring schedule for most bands and the rock and metal music scene here is effectively dead.

Of course in 2020 it the Hobart scene collapsed in a heap and now it's back to nothing with talk of cancelling Dark Mofo and other events...though I did find out Ulcerate is coming to Hobart in October.   

 

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On 7/27/2021 at 10:33 PM, KillaKukumba said:

I couldn't get into V, not sure what it was. I don't hate it but it just wasn't an album I could bring myself to buy because I figured it would be lucky if I ever played it a second time.

Oh I gotcha.  Yeah, I read quite a few reviews of "V", and I saw a lot of comments about the new bassist not being as good.  I really enjoy "V", perhaps as much as "Time is Up" and "Burn", although I still need some more time with it before making the determination more fully.  I will admit the album opener does sound quite similar to "Blackened" from Metallica's "...And Justice for All", a point that wasn't lost on a lot of fans.  I think the track "Ritual of the Mind" is the best one on there, even though it has a lot of mid-pace tempo.  Do you have a favorite sub-genre?  Any thrash bands you really dig that you could recommend?  I'm a groove metal fan above all else, but thrash is a close second, so I'm always looking to expand my thrash catalog. 

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I don't understand genres so I listen to whatever music I like :)

These days I have a range of things from older bands like Flotsam & Jetsam, Metal Church, Overkill, Dark Angel, newer stuff like Angelus Apatrida, Dust Bolt, Bonded and Plague Years. But I generally listen to anything from hard rock to death metal. About all I don't listen to is black metal and dance music.

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1 hour ago, KillaKukumba said:

I don't understand genres so I listen to whatever music I like :)

These days I have a range of things from older bands like Flotsam & Jetsam, Metal Church, Overkill, Dark Angel, newer stuff like Angelus Apatrida, Dust Bolt, Bonded and Plague Years. But I generally listen to anything from hard rock to death metal. About all I don't listen to is black metal and dance music.

Great call with Plague Years!  I just discovered them about 7 or 8 months ago.  Their album "Circle of Darkness" is absolutely killer.  It's got a nice balance of thrash and groove, and the production is fantastic.  I'm not sure if you've seen their music video for "Play the Victim", but it's awesome and really makes the viewer miss going to metal shows.  And I'm definitely with you on the whole black metal thing.  I could never see the appeal and never got into it, unless you consider Cradle of Filth to be black metal, which most die-hard fans of the sub-genre seem not to want to include them for whatever reason.  I love me some Flotsam & Jetsam as well.  "Doomsday for the Deceiver" is a very underrated thrash debut.  Their most recent couple of albums are pretty amazing as well.  

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21 hours ago, KillaKukumba said:

Flotz started well, had some okay stuff in the middle but have just got better with the last few releases. Having two albums from them in two years has been very welcome.

Looking forward to the new Exodus album too.

Yeah man, the last 2 releases have been fantastic.  And AK said they have enough material to release another new album next year, perhaps!  And that's cool.  I didn't know Exodus was planning to release a new album.  Should be killer.  I'm sure my opinion on them isn't a popular one, but "Shovel-Headed Kill Machine" is my favorite album from them.  

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I'm a bit sick of bands telling us their new albums are going to be <insert epic sounding noun> only to be let down. I really hope Exodus' new one is a killer and has all the great things Gary has spoken about, but I wont get really excited until I hear some songs, or the album.

Based on the last two albums and the idea that album 3 was written at a similar time Flots next album will be a day one buyer for me.

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36 minutes ago, KillaKukumba said:

I'm a bit sick of bands telling us their new albums are going to be <insert epic sounding noun> only to be let down. I really hope Exodus' new one is a killer and has all the great things Gary has spoken about, but I wont get really excited until I hear some songs, or the album.

Based on the last two albums and the idea that album 3 was written at a similar time Flots next album will be a day one buyer for me.

Yeah man, absolutely.  Can't wait to get my hands on the new Flotz as soon as possible.  

On a random note, have you ever heard of a band called Burning Witches?  All-female metal band, and man they can really play.  They've come out with new albums in back-to-back years in 2020 and 2021.  If you have a moment, I'd highly recommend them.  The vocals are fairly harsh, rather than operatic, like you might hear in Nightwish or similar bands.  

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17 minutes ago, KillaKukumba said:

Yeah I've been a fan of Burning Witches since they released their S/T in 2017. Their latest The Witch of the North didn't hit me as hard as the others but I haven't listened to it that much.

Gotcha.  Yeah I'm still digesting these most recent 2 albums, but I really dig what I've heard thus far!

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2 hours ago, KillaKukumba said:

I'm a bit sick of bands telling us their new albums are going to be <insert epic sounding noun> only to be let down. I really hope Exodus' new one is a killer and has all the great things Gary has spoken about, but I wont get really excited until I hear some songs, or the album.

Based on the last two albums and the idea that album 3 was written at a similar time Flots next album will be a day one buyer for me.

 

Not just the bands and their PR, but the supposed "independent" blogs etc.  You'd think by this stage Metallica had outdone Master of Puppets many times!

The truth is sad unimaginative writing and need to keep bands/labels on side to keep getting free music or access to musicians.

 

I find the last few remaining print mags like Decibel or Zero Tolerance far more critical than the net.

 

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On 7/30/2021 at 12:01 PM, Dead1 said:

Of course in 2020 it the Hobart scene collapsed in a heap and now it's back to nothing with talk of cancelling Dark Mofo and other events...though I did find out Ulcerate is coming to Hobart in October.   

Ulcerate are also coming to Sydney.  I hope to go with my son and your old sparring partner Carlos M.  Fucking COVID fucking willing...

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Yes Deadovic, some of us are still in contact with Carlissimo. I've been known to exchange a message with him every now and then myself. I assure you he has not met with an untimely demise, he is alive and well. Just recently finished completely renovating his little house in Marrickville, posted some pics on FB. And Fang has dropped at least 2 new albums since last time he posted on M-Fi so he keeps himself busy. I'm sure Doc will be happy to tell him you said hello.

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22 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

. And Fang has dropped at least 2 new albums since last time he posted on M-Fi so he keeps himself busy. 

Good to hear he is doing well.

It was always his unabashed passion for indie rock and his almost mechanical, sterile approach to metal that really used to get me (along with the woke stuff).  

Literally his approach to metal reminded me of Apu in that episode of the Simpsons where he was pretending to be an American and like baseball to get his citizenship:

 

 

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In Defence is good crossover thrash that leans more toward the hardcore side of the spectrum (think S.O.D. or DRI). I have the LP "Don't Know How to Breakdance" and I spin it ever couple of days because it's like S.O.D. in that it's humorous but the humor is more innocent and not toward the "offensive" side of things like S.O.D. was. They have songs about veganism (I Eat Kids), having your bike stolen (Bike Thieves Can Suck It), and other silly stuff (Veronica Mars, Bringer of War). I like them a lot but they are broken up now.

The other band I'll recommend is a band that I recently discovered and have been crazy about since I got their album in the mail the other week, Colombia's Witchtrap. They're like a blackthrash thing but with more of an old school sound than say, Witchery. They are very much influenced by Venom, Kreator, and Destruction & their lyrics are standard early black metal fare (think like Hell Awaits-era Slayer). Some people have criticized them and said that they bite riffs off of earlier bands, but to be completely honest, if you're going for an old school vibe, you're probably going to be biting riffs in one way or another.

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3 hours ago, KillaKukumba said:

I'm going to check out In Defence later, I like silly crossover thrash and the topics they throw around.

They have a pretty silly music video on YouTube called "Black Metal Mania" that I was watching earlier. But definitely check them out, they're pretty good. I got the album through Profane Existence distro when I was going though a big phase of ordering D-beat and crust vinyl.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Mortal Vision "Eternal Hatred"  - Ukrainian thrash metal, reminiscent of Sepultura (when they were good) and Sodom.

Knife "Inside the Electric Church" - German speed metal with lots of heavy metal influences and a punky attitude

Allegiance "Torn Between Two Worlds" - Australian thrash metal band from the 90s that I only just got around to.  Remind me of Xentrix a lot.

Scarecrow - "Raise the Death's Head" - Matt Harvey and current Death Angel members thrash project

High Command "Devoid of Reality" - US thrash act, sometimes crossover at one time hardcare punk

 

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