Copyright (c) 2007-2024 THE THRASH METAL GUIDE 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z D1STRAUGHT (UK)
Based on the sophomore, this is competent retro thrash played with the requisite intensity and a sense for the more intricate. There are also a few catchy gallops ("Perpetual Life") to be savoured here, as well as some truly exquisite lead guitar work ("Bajo Control"), the vicious spat-out vocals doing additional damage with heir spiteful presence, the encompassing progressive aura of "Psicosis" crossing Death with bouts of dense staccato technical riffage.
Money Equal Death Full-length, 2013 Official Site D.A.M. (UK)
Like Slammer and Xentrix, who appeared around the same time to catch the last train to the classic thrash metal genre, D.A.M. feel more comfortable staying close to the Bay-Area scene, and as such do a pretty good job, especially on the sophomore. "Human Wreckage"
is a decent debut starting quite ambitiously with the somewhat monotonous duo "Death Warmed Up" and Killing Time" which is a heavy mid-paced march without any technical pretensions despite the length. The album has its more interesting, technical moments, though: the energetic and elaborate "Prophets of Doom". Those of the kind are not many, but slower moody tracks could be found as well: "Infernal Torment". The band manage to keep the songs from merging into each other by varying the tempo and adding cool melodic choruses to the proceedings: the title-track (this is actually a more power metal-based number, the only one here, fortunately). The last piece "F.O.D." is a true revelation, albeit only 2-min long: a stunning mixture of technical and aggressive riffage which comes too late, but is a very worthy addition.
Human Wreckage Full-length, 1989 D.A.M.N. (GERMANY)
Based on "Vermochtnis": melodic Swedish thrash/death metal with progressive pretensions coming from the epic length of at least half of the tracks, and more intriguing guitar decisions. The music flirts with death metal more and is quite fast although the riffage is mostly melodic with more than obvious nods towards Dark Tranquillity and At the Gates.
Vermochtnis Full-length, 2006 Official Site D.B.C. (CANADA)
One of the better known Canadian thrash metal bands; their self-titled debut is an impressive outburst of energetic fast-paced thrash with touches of hardcore. There are stylish decisions here and there, mostly in the beginning of the songs "Deadlock" and "Monument", which create the impression that the guys warm-up for something really technical, but soon does the direct thrashing start, and seldom lets loose. The aggression sometimes goes even beyond Slayer and Dark Angel: the brutal grinding "Lies", the short explosive "Power and Corruption", and generally there's no speed lost here. The 2nd half is more restrained, with the sound getting more hardcore-based, with clear nods to D.R.I. except on the soft rock-ish closer "Trauma X".
Dead Brain Cells Full-length, 1987 Official Site D.E.A.D. (JAPAN)
Based on the "Digital Ecstasy & Die" EP, this act indulge in industrial digitalized thrash which obviously tries to follow the lofty models of Ministry and Die Krupps, but this is too radio-friendly and dancey to even please the less capricious 90's crowd, ending somewhere in the vicinity of mid-period KMFDM only without the female vocal support.
Digital Ecstasy & Die EP, 1993 D.E.A.D. (INTERNATIONAL)
An Australian/Swedish collaboration this one, namely the former In Flames member Niels Nielsen and the ex-axeman of the long-since-extinct progressive thrashers Bezerker, who have selected the modern thrash/death idea to spread around this time, the semi-complex chugs of the opening "Before I Die" interlacing with direct lashing riffs of "Death Toll". "Race to the Grave" adheres to a few not very controlled blasts, and "Dead" is a tamed mid-tempo chugger with sparse atmospheric additives, those kind of dissipated by the very shouty rending death metal vocals.
Of Vile and Hate Full-length, 2024 Official Site D.E.I.M.O.S. (POLAND)
Soft thrash/crossover mixed with punk and heavy metal; tender stuff mostly mid-paced with careless scattered clean punk vocals.
Atma Full-Length, 1992 D.E.T.H. (BRAZIL)
Based on the "Rehearsal" demo, this band pulls out a brutal intense mixture of thrash and proto-death metal not far from Vulcano and Sarcofago, but with a dirty sound and screechy apocalyptic vocals which are not very well heard throughout. The guys try to play as fast as possible and at times manage to synchronize their efforts to produce more meaningful stuff from which the short screaming leads seem to be the best part.
Hell Demo, 1987 D.F.A. (CANADA)
This music is made by the same guys who are behind the wild thrash/death/grind project Poser Disposer. Here they are more controlled offering fast aggressive thrash/crossover coming as a cross between Sick Of It All and Cryptic Slaughter.
Defy False Authority Full-length, 2003 My Space D.F.C. (BRAZIL)
Based on "O Massacre Da Guitarra Eletrica", this is a good thrash/crossover band with a style similar to Ratos De Porao's less thrashy works (their early period before "Brazil"). There are some brutal moments, too ("Mafia Do Jaba").
TChan Nan Nan Nan Nan Full-length, 1994 Official Site D.F.W.B. (USA)
Rough modern post-thrash mixed with hardcore; the angry death metal vocals lead the show the music being a more brutal version of the roller-coaster performance of the heroes Pro-Pain with a pinch of faster-paced rhythms ("With the Bear") the latter element giving the effort a big refreshing boost. The dominant jumpy riffs are often interrupted by more vivid passages including a few nice melodic tunes ("Into a Steaming Pile of Peanutty Brown Bear Feces", the excellent closing instrumental "The Ballad of Bear Hunter Billy Dugan and the Insurmountable Cave Spelunking Expediton").
D.F.W.B. EP, 2016 Official Site D.G.I. (ARGENTINA)
This is intense modern thrash of the more dynamic variety with shades of both death metal and hardcore. There's a little bit of groove involved, but on the other hand there are several melodic moments as well as a few screaming leads. The singer is an angry hardcore semi-shouter with a gruffer death metal blend.
Intensivo Full-length, 1998 D.H. (BRAZIL)
Based on the debut, this band sound almost unaffected by the modern trends of the 90's and try to come up with intense thrash/death metal of the old school, similar to Sadus' debut. They only partially succeed, however, as the guitar sound is very thin, the singer is an awful hardcore shouter, and the songs make sudden, sometimes awkward jumps from a more quiet into a more aggressive section, and then backwards. Some faster passages are pure black metal ("Illusions", etc.), and the overall tempo is quite energetic, but often degenerates into mindless bashing ("Cerebral Wash", and elsewhere).
Human Deformation Full-length, 1994 D.HATE (UKRAINE)
This is heavy, doomy modern post-thrash spiced with sparse, but not very appropriate, sudden faster outbreaks of the core variety. The singer is a throaty death metal semi-shouter, and more attached, more soulful singing could have been more beneficial.
Game With Ghosts Full-Length, 2011 Official Site D.I.V. (RUSSIA)
This band shares members and ideas (both are open nazi bands) with another Russian formation -Korrozia Metalla. D.I.V. are the better ones music-wise; their debut is furious, raw thrash, frequently bordering on death metal; the musicianship is not so bad, and the guitars are quite sharp; the songs are long, but the delivery is direct and straight, nothing technical if we exclude "Bal U Satani": a nice, more ambitious song, closing on 11-min, featuring some really great hooks, and numerous tempo changes.
Devils' Sabbath Full-length, 1988 Official Site D.I.Y. (ITALY)
Based on the "Shadows of Grime" 2-song demo, these Italians push the boundaries of the genre towards less restrained death metal territories, and they manage to create havoc not far from the one of their compatriots Schizo (the drummer Pat Pappalardo was also a member of Schizo at the time). Both compositions are fairly lengthy (5-8min), and it's admirable that the band manage to hold this ultra-brutal bash the whole time without shedding a tear. At present some of the band members operate under the name Southern Black Sand where the style is groovy post-thrash; and some of them had tried more retro-sounding stuff, in the thrash/crossover arena, as Waste with one EP released in 1999.
Church Wants More Demo, 1988 D.K.R. (BRAZIL)
These guys lash out jolly energetic thrash/crossover in the vein of mid-period Suicidal Tendencies and Excel. The band keep respectable speed throughout thrashing with force on a few moments with sharp but also melodic riffs; it's a pity it all lasts for just over 12-min despite the presence of 8 tracks. The band's guitarists are also involved in the act Persecution where they play more aggressive retro thrash.
What the Fuck is... D.K.R.? Demo, 2009 My Space D.M.B. (ARGENTINA)
This act offer a mix between modern and retro thrash/crossover whic is fairly dynamic and at times moshes out with a fair amount of passion: "Realidad Demanda", the surreal semi-technicaller "Religion Genocida", the proto-death outrage "Virgen del Suicidio", etc. "Nuevos Suicidas" is outstanding thrash/death with a Death flavour, and the closing "Instrumental" is a very cool quiet epitaph to this nice intense offering.
Santuario de la Demencia Full-length, 2014 Facebook D.N.A. (USA)
Intense dark thrash with echoes of Deathwish; the tracks, however, are shorter and have a kind of an undeveloped feel as though the guys had a very limited time booked in the studio (although this may have been a garage) and had to rush in order to come up with something. Not surprisingly, the sound quality is awful putting the bad shouty singer up front also giving a very thin screamy edge to the guitars.
Victim in Damnation Demo, 1989 D.N.R. (BRAZIL)
The abbreviation stands for... see the album-title; otherwise the band thrash on with an abrasive edge without breaking the laws of modern thrash too much except for several more aggressive deathly moments (check out the closing rager "Parasitas"). Shades of post-thrash and hardcore can also be felt here and there also in the vocal department where the guy rends his throat in a forceful overshouty fashion. Slow and fast tracks take turns as either side reflects the optimistic mood permeating this recording. Some of the band members also play in another modern thrash formation: Stupid Vision.
Do Not Resuscitate Full-Length, 2013
Official Site D.O.G. (CANADA)
Wild amateurish thrash/crossover with clear hardcore pretensions; fast optimistic stuff served with an awfully fuzzy guitar sound, with short 1-2min tracks, direct very simplistic riffs, and indifferent punky vocals.
A World of One Divided by All EP, 1987 D.R.E.A.D. (USA)
Based on "Hymns of Chaotic Lore", these folks deliver modern "dreadful" post-thrash which keep good balance between the more playful side ("What's Done Is Done") and the more hard-hitting one (the battle-like "Down Come the Hammers"). "Systematic Sacrifice" is a wild unbridled headbanger, but this more brutal side isn't very extensively covered if we exclude the angry shouty deathly vocalist.
D.R.E.A.D. EP, 2009 D.R.I. (USA)
The kings of crossover/thrash; the band has been an enormous influence on the genre, with almost every second thrash/crossover band readily borrowing from them. Their first efforts were punk/hardcore mixtures, and it was with "Crossover" when they wrote the rules of the genre, although to talk about thrash metal there would be a bit farfetched. "4 Of A Kind" followed a similar pattern, but with "Thrash Zone", like the title suggests, their music took a decidedly more thrashy direction, and most of the time the sound on this one was all-out thrash with longer tracks, sharper riffs and slower heavier compositions. Crossover delights are certainly thrown in later on, but at that point the guys have already entered too deep into the "thrash zone" with no signs of getting out soon.
Majestic Twelve (W. T. T. C. O. C) Full-length, 2021
"Inside Out" begins with the first three songs raising the flag of the Bay-Area sky high, in an energetic and headbanging tempo. Towards the middle the music becomes more complex and technical, but loses the biting edge, and the songs are longer including one not very convincing ballad ("Winter Tears"). Fortunately the guys return to the more winning formula later on, and despite the presence of another not very appropriate heavy/power metal number ("Circles") and another heavy semi-ballad ("Beneath Closed Eyes"), this album delivers the goods almost as well as the debut.
Inside Out Full-length, 1991
"Forbidden Anger" tones down the aggression and is an overall more melodic affair developing in mid to up-tempo with sparse raging outbursts. The music stays closer to death metal again with progressive-tinged sections near the end where the longest compositions have been placed, the final opus "Hall Of Fame" alone closing on nearly 8-min being a cool varied number constantly mixing heavy stomping with fast furious riffs, ending in a downbeat depressive mode ala Katatonia.
Forbidden Anger Full-length, 2009
The band were actually aiming higher than that, and the follow-up is a much more technical affair, quite progressive and complex sounding at times with a distinctive Voivod-flair. This offering will be a big surprise to those who loved the debut, simply because the approach is entirely different; there are no speedy, aggressive numbers except for a few sections, and the riffs meander and turn, creating an effective, but at times quite a complicated landscape. Musically the band have considerably grown-up, and Phil Dakin sings less angrily. The soft peaceful approach on the opening "The Genesis Explosion" will leave many disappointed, especially when there's nothing really technical involved to compensate it, but comes "Heliosphere", and things get both more aggressive and more complex. The aggression disappears, but the complexity remains for the rest of the songs being quite jumpy and hectic on "Exit the Giants", which is a really stylish technical thrasher. "Estuary" promises a more energetic entertainment for a while, and remains relatively straight-forward; the same can't be said about the excellent abstract Voivod-ish "Humanity's Child" and "Phobos And Deimos" (this song may have influenced Voivod later for choosing a title for their 1997 opus), or the creepy spacey closer "Infinite Universe" which nicely combines surreal riffage with sharp edgy guitars, sounding quite "out there" most of the time. Despite the sudden change of style, this album is a fairly satisfying listen showing the guys's more mature, proficient musical side.
The band had a third album ready as an immediate follow-up to "Universe" which was later released under the title "Unreleased", but its release was delayed for five years. It's only six tracks and the style tries to preserve the technical patterns established on the previous effort by adding more energy ala the debut which makes the tracks more immediate, occasionally featuring some stylish guitar work ("Siren's Song"), but quite often are the riffs unimaginative as well settling for repetitive mid-paced patterns with only the last "Root To All Evil" trying unsuccessfully to liven up the morose atmosphere. This is hardly a worthy follow-up to "Universe", and would have sounded even more confusing if released immediately after it. Six years later, when there were just a few fans still remembering them, this short effort could have served as a cool, unexpected (and also "unreleased"), but not exceptional reminder of the good old 80's and their underground heroes.
Universe Full-length, 1989
Unreleased Full-length, 1995
Hell EP EP, 1995
Minus Full-length, 1996
Rehearsal Demo, 1987
"Sob o Signo de Sate" is in a very similar vein; merry, but intense as well, thrash/crossover with short explosive tracks which seldom go beyond the 2-min mark and consequently seldom contain anything more than the usual friendly bash which is as close to the hardcore fraternity as it is to the more extreme examples from the early-80's punk scene (Discharge, Broken Bones).
Igreja Quadrangular do Triangulo Redondo Full-length, 1996
Farofa Kind Live album, 1998
Sob o Signo de Sate Full-length, 1999
O Massacre da Guitarra Eletrica Full-length, 2002
DxFxCx/ANFO 7" EP, 2004
O Mal Que Vem Para Pior Full-length, 2005
“Days of Hate” is another fervent moshing beast, the band having returned from the dead after a lifetime of hibernation, emphasizing on the death metal side more this time, the aggressive “Envy” and “Psychosis” leading the uncompromising pack, “Cerebral Wash” bringing back the thrash with fiery determination, the second half woven of a few more hard-thrashing tunes (the title-track, “Forgotten People”), the final “Bonanza” an all-instrumental nuance of power/speed metal tenderness.
Verdades da Vida Full-length, 1998
Days of Hate Full-length, 2023
"L.I.F.E." is a more brutal and a more aggressive recording sticking more often to the fast-paced parametres without completely forgetting about the choppy breaks. "F. F. F." is a very surprising short hectic technicaller which overshadows everything deeming the second half of the album virtually unlistenable except for the spacey doom-soaked closer "Cobra".
L.I.F.E. Full-length, 2015
Despite the 4-year gap between the two albums, "Mein Kampf" is a fairly satisfying slab of 80's thrash, less aggressive than the debut, but fast-paced and energetic with a couple of heavier semi-groovy numbers thrown in and one great speedy Oriental piece "Hesh" which is clearly the highlight.
"Russian Frost" is another good work with energetic retro thrashers mixed with heavier, groovier ones, and with several more melodic pieces clinging towards the balladic sector. In other words, the guys have made the transtition towards the other side, and for at least half the time this effort is a tribute to the 90's post-thrashy scene. "Rap Monkey" is a pounding steam-rolling groover which sets the scene for the less impressive side of the album, but "The Night of Long Knives" brings back some of the old school vigour with bouncy lively rhythms. The title-track is a steady mid-pacer, again more on the classic side, and "Right to Die" is a cool heavy semi-ballad with a strong bass presence. "Alien" is a fine choppy modern progressiver the band alternating between more intense sections and more lyrical deviations, all the way to the angrier more belligerent "Ugly Creature" which straddles between heavy groovisms and livelier headbanging passages. "Lenin From Hell" is an entertaining power/thrasher with a dramatic stomping rhythm-section, and "You're not Gonna Fuck Her" is a fairly cool retro speed/thrasher, its merits partly clouded by the brooding post-thrasher "Mad Dog" at the end. The vocals are gruff semi-clean, sometimes singing, sometimes reciting, but generally doing a good job without emitting too much emotion.
The band's later efforts took a more modern industrial semi-thrashy turn albeit still retaining the more aggressive thrashy roots on some of the songs. By the way, these latter endeavours have been considered as parts of the own project of Sergey Taydakov, the band's founder and only permanent member, run under his own name.
Mein Kampf Full-length, 1992
Russian Frost Full-length, 1996
Werwolf (Oboroten') Full-length, 2001
Beshenye Psy Full-length, 2001
Myortvaya Golova Full-length, 2003
Umiraj Full-length, 2004
The "Church Wants More" demo is another extreme unrestrained affair the guys shooting a raging bullet after another, short brutal cuts with little musicality present, "Ash..." trying to fit into the more proficient confines with a couple of more sensible riff-patterns, but still this is a wild proto-death recording which significance, like the one of the subsequent demo, in spawning the extreme metal genres is barely deniable.
Shadows of Grime Demo, 1991
Test of Time Full-length, 2017
Hymns of Chaotic Lore Full-length, 2018