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 I.C.O.N. (UK)
Based on "The Blacklist", these folks pull out radio-friendly post-thrash with shades of crossover the latter making the songs
dynamic and generally more interesting. The pace seldom changes, though, and the listener may loosen his attention, especially
on the couple of more laid-back, stoner/doom influenced pieces in the second half. The singer leaves a rather positive impression
with his levelled clean baritone able to emit both emotion and indifference at will.
Control EP, 2006 Official Site I.N.C. (USA)
One of the less conventional American thrash metal bands, I.N.C. play an interesting brand of dry mechanical semi-technical thrash slightly recalling Voivod and Equinox on the more experimental moments, and Intruder, or Paradox, on the faster and more straight ones. Both albums are full of interesting, stylish riffs and quirky moments although at least to these ears the speedy, direct sections work better creating nice, headbanging atmosphere. Some of the songs are long, but ironically, those are the less appealing ones as the guys simply stick to a certain number of riffs without much deviation. The band were earlier known as Genocide Inc., the style a bit more orthodox albeit still thrash-fixated.
Razorback Full-length, 1987 Official Site I.N.R.I. (HOLLAND)
A more aggressive version of the modern thrash/death metal of bands like The Crown and Terror 2000; the music is quite fast and brutal, staying closer to death metal.
Hyper Bastard Breed Full-length, 2002 Official Site I.V.R. (BULGARIA)
These Bulgarians provide modern post-thrash/power metal which is edgy and crushing, but seldom stretches beyond the Black Album conventions the singer also following James Hetfield's more recent vocal histrionics. "Dreadful Omen" tries to bang the head with a portion of more dynamic moments, but this is fun of the more moderate type with a fairly nice soothing ballad ("Soul Confession") as a finishing touch.
Soul Confession Full-Length, 2015 I'LL EAT YOUR FACE (IRELAND)
Based on "Irritant", this band, which is only two people, plays an extravagant all-instrumental mix of death, thrash, grind and progressive balladic sections which is quite technical and jumpy without being too brutal. The approach is modern, and never loses the dynamics also giving the melodic peaceful passages enough space to develop which may be considered a drawback by some since the compositions are too short, half of them closing around the 2-min line, and a bigger length would give this unusual blend a more complete form.
FatBoxLifeDestroyer EP, 2006 My Space I4NI (USA)
This band boast a stellar line-up comprising of members from bands like Overkill, Warning Sf, Angel Witch, Exodus. Style-wise this is heavy thrash sounding like slower Exodus and Anthrax; good stuff, but somehow underwhelming, having in mind the all-star cast involved.
It's All Fun and Games Best of/Compilation, 2001 I ACCUSE (USA)
Fast punk-ish thrash/crossover with very short incoherent tracks, little musicianship (if any), and noisy semi-shouty punky vocals.
Split Split, 2006 I AM VENGEANCE (USA)
Modern laid-back thrash/post-thrash which is suitably intense on occasion the band shredding forward with assured steam-rollers like "Minnesota Nice", or the dramatic stomper "Devil's Wings". Just when one starts thinking that more speed would be advantageous comes "Cut the Tongue" to serve the more dynamic riffage as well as several melodic lead sections. This song, however, would be quite a contrast to the remaining material which is mild and pleasant with dark gothic overtones the harsh shouty death metal singer not quite fitting to this latter part.
Infect the Earth Full-Length, 2013 Official Site I AM THE INTIMIDATOR (USA)
An optimistic elevating all-instrumental intro opens this cool tribute to the old school speed/thrash roster, which later develops in a both energetic spinning speed/thrashy manner ("Gasoline") or rolls around with heavy quasi-doom rhythms ("Eat the Smoke"), the decent clean-ish high-strung singer occasionally spattering his performance with scarier deathly growls. The title-track is an assured speed metal anthem, and "I Am Here...Now" is an imposing doom hymn with with scintillating lead pyrotechnics.
I Am the Intimidator EP, 2024 Official Site I DONT KONFORM (USA)
This power trio specialize in rough old school thrash which can be pretty moshing (the aptly-titled "Mosh Pit"), but expect quite a
few mid-paced walkabouts ("Defiant Breed") as well, with more frivolous thrash/crossover excursions ("We R I.D.K.") brightening the
setting. The singer keeps to the mid-ranged semi-declamatory registers, pulling himself together for the more interesting
deviations on the quasi-progressiver "Time to Go", but spitting only bile and venom on the curt nonchalant closer "Fuck Your Face".
Sagebrush Rejects Full-length, 2018 Official Site I DREAM OF APOCALYPSE (USA)
Industrialized noisy modern thrash which has the requisite headbanging aesthetics and generally keeps the tempo up with overt shades of hardcore and crossover (check out the merry energizer at the end "Walk for the Bullshit") and Entombed-like post-death. "To Protect and Write Tickets" will scare the unprepared with its brutal blasting rhythms which are not encountered anywhere else and are even replaced soon after by heavy doom-laden ones on the long sinister piece "Goin' Out for Thai Food".
The Filthy End EP, 2012 I HATE SALLY (USA)
Based on "Don't Worry Lady": this band pull out a mix of thrash and hardcore, with a certain industrial edge. The vocals are awful hardcore shouts, but the guitar work is not too bad, often adhering to alternative moments. The songs are generally short, no longer than 3-min, but there are two monstrous tracks, in the 8-9min range, which sacrifice the more energetic tempos for bland dragging doom moments, and end up nowhere. "Iseah's Cancer" is a cool ballad, and is close to being the highlight of the album. "Mary! Mary!" is the band's tribute to the sludge/doom scene.
Sickness of the Ages Full-Length, 2004 Official Site I SET FIRE (GERMANY)
Groovy 90's post-thrash which comes served with bouts of alternative elements and a few more dynamic shenanigans ("Dead but Breathing")
The prevalent stomping tone is seldom broken, though, but when these breakages come, they provide the finest moments on the album:
the epic blacky "Call Me Satan" which also features nice female vocals. The vocal delivery is fairly big here ranging from clean
alternative croons to hysterical black metal rasps, not many of them fitting the style on display although the female participation
is again not bad at all.
Destroy-Create-Transform Full-Length, 2019 Facebook IAMDISEASE (SLOVENIA)
This band play direct stripped-down classic thrash/crossover which varies the pace "courting" at times the more modern sounds (groove, that is) ("Zelja Drugega") including the dragging doomster "Bregovi Dero-'cde Reke". Near the end the guys ultimately disappoint elongating the songs by making them boring slow experiences with repetitive monotonous riffage without any exciting moments. The vocals are another irritation being shouty and noisy with an abrasive edge.
Iamdisease Full-Length, 2012 Official Site IBOGAINE (FRANCE)
Based on the EP, this band plays cool modern thrash, not miles away from mid-90's Voivod, and the new Eric Forrest project E-Force; the drummer from that band: Kopf, also hits the drums here. The music is dry and mechanical, but packs a punch, and sounds fairly intriguing, even finding time to thrash with the best out there: "Icon Curse". On the other hand, we have doom-laden compositions: "Zombi", which suddenly turn into a whirlwind of technical riffage. "Tibetan Terrorist" is more on the industrial side ala Ministry, whereas "React" doesn't stray too much from the mechanical thrash path carved by Meshuggah and Voivod.
Ibogaine EP, 2006 My Space ICE (USA)
The name is cold, I know, but of you manage to overcome the "cold", you will hardly be disappointed. Based on the "Ice" demo, this band offer cool heavy thrash ala early Exodus and Testament, mostly mid-tempo with smashing riffs. "Walls of Oppression" suddenly turns to more up-tempo technical thrash, and is a pleasant surprise. The heavy riffage, however, returns for the demo closer: "Rasta Man", which is an interesting blend of thrash and reggae, so good that no one bothered to come up with a similar mixture all these years- ha ha ha!
Ice Demo, 1990 ICE AGE (SWEDEN)
An all female thrash metal band; this is the band from where the legendary Debbie Gunn started her career, as a matter of fact. The style doesn't stray from the one practiced by other similar all-female bands, like Meanstreak and Original Sin, for example. The music is melodic, lacks a punch, but is enjoyable and catchy.
Demo Demo, 1986 Official Site ICE FIELD KINGDOM (RUSSIA)
This act deliver all-instrumental pieces which are more on the modern speed/thrash side the hard-hitting riffs assisted by more or less obtrusive keyboards. This is imaginative stuff with twists and turns served within relatively short (3-4min) song-structures which are both fast-paced and dynamic and slower and pensive so a wide ground has been covered without sounding overdone. The only drawback is the computerized sound coming from the guitars which creates the impression that there may be just one person behind the music. Regardless, this is a cool effort which also provides several more quiet balladic moments for the tender hearts.
Civilization Of Decline Full-Length, 2013 ICE GIANT (USA)
A hyper-active blend of speed, thrash and power metal high on melodies and epic arrangements; the approach has its slower stomping side ("Obscuring Cloud"), but it's rousing speedsters like "The Tower" and "Wrath Of Justice" that keep the proceedings flying. The vocals are of the dual type, one is clean and attached, the other gruff death metal-ish.
Ice Giant Full-length, 2017 Official Site ICED (BRAZIL)
This is officious academic old school thrash/death assisted by gruff death metal vocals. The militant march instigated on "Slaughter and Destruction" is interrupted by the more violent facade of the title-track, "Iced" reverting back to the more laid-back expletives with a near-doomy layout springing up at some stage, before a furious grinding break tears all the idyll to pieces. "Fatal Illness" carries on in the same overtly brutal manner, and "Human Weakness" switches to full-on death metal to finish off the squeamish with intense no-bars-held barrage.
Morbid Process Demo, 1996 ICED EARTH (USA)
These legends of American power metal had their feet firmly on thrash soil in the beginning. The self-titled debut is a brisk, inspired, albeit rough around the edges offering (but definitely not burnt!), full of highly-charged galloping speed/thrash rhythms ("Iced Earth", "Written on the Walls") which may make the more hot-blooded jump the horse and ride to oblivion deep into the prairies. Thrash with a Bay-Area tinge takes over on the excellent "Colours", and on the brilliant semi-ballad "Curse the Sky", one of the band's finest achievements. The aggression then gets mixed with a more serious, almost progressive song-writing to quite an impressive effect, for "Life and Death", the first-rate instrumental "The Funeral", and especially the monstrous closer "When the Night Falls" which, despite its colossal for the style 9-min length, seldom has a dull moment and never stops thrashing with force. Despite some flaws, mostly in the production and the sound-quality department, this album showed an outfit ready to keep the genre alive during its most difficult period.
Iced Earth Full-length, 1991 Official Site ICELAND (FRANCE)
Interesting and varied 80's thrash; there are fast headbangers, epic/pagan tracks, and slower ones close to Celtic Frost; a mixture which works well most of the time. The album opens in a shattering manner with the great aggressive smasher "Brain Washing". After that it slows down, and at least half of the tracks acquire this unique pagan atmosphere so typical for the Brits Sabbat: "Merry Sinner" is probably the best example of this influence. "Traces of Dreams" is a doom-laden, slow, heavy number, graced with stylish leads and meaty riffs. Then the music speeds up again, with shorter but effective moshers. The vocals are very good, although a bit dirty with this rough semi-clean blend, very similar to Chris Astley (Xentrix). Some of the musicians were also active with the classic thrash outfit Black Ghost.
Messiah Complex EP, 2007
New Born Lie Full-length, 2009
The Blacklist Full-length, 2015
The debut begins quite ambitiously with the 8-min and more composition "Indestructible Noise Command", which provides constant speedy thrashing, without losing the fast-tempo for a split second. "The Grip of Death" repeats the same formula, but "War Not Words" slows down, adding a very good bass bottom and stupendous lead guitar work, which takes a considerable part from the song. The more technical approach remains for two more numbers before "Fists from the Mighty" brings more intense thrash in a shorter form (only 4.5-min) which stays until the end with the bass making his voice heard quite strongly on the final "Passageway Through Purgatory". As a whole this effort offers a cool, albeit a bit uneven blend of direct and more complex thrash which could have been more appealing if the songs were at least twice as short.
"The Visitor" isn't miles away from the style of the debut, but the guitar tone is more abrasive, to the point of annoyance on the slower material ("Bed Time Stories"), and the faster tracks predominate, this time quite satisfying slabs of hard-hitting speed/thrash. If one manages to ignore the abrasive guitar sound, he will be able to enjoy this effort quite a bit, finished with the nice punk-ish cover version of The Cars' "Just What I Needed/Candy-O". Although the technical elements on this one aren't as obvious, it can pass for the better achievement with its more sincere straight delivery.
The "Bleed the Line" EP: both legends of thrash and underground phenomena rush to compete these days as to who will come up with a better comeback release so lets' welcome I.N.C. who were one of the earliest disappearances from the scene after two albums released in a quick succession. The EP contains six songs showing a band not having forgotten how to thrash in a cool energetic way, and to these ears the main annoyance comes from the singer (if that's the same one) who has acquired an unpleasant hardcore-ish semi-shout which is way inferior to his much better clean antics of old. The music is better, though, mixing classic and modern influences as the former clearly dominate producing cool headbangers ("Full Metal Jacket", "Fueled By Regret"), but the approach is pretty conventional and kind of unexciting citing more recent Exodus quite a bit, completely lacking the stylish sterile technical sound of their full-lengths. This is a workmanlike, "testing the soil" kind of effort, which would hopefully grow into something more striking on the eventual album...
"Heaven Sent...Hellbound": the eventual album is out now with all the six songs from the EP included. The other six numbers are inferior being more modern-sounding with not much life inside the exception being isolated sections from "Swallowed", and the intense headbanger "Audio Erotic Asphyxiation". The irritating semi-shouty singer additionally fails to convince the listener that this is hardly the best comeback album made in the new millennium seeing an old veteran struggling to bring back the magic of their old days sinking into mediocrity even faster than some of their "apprentices".
"Black Hearse Serenade" is just a tad better than the previous flop, and the opening "Stirring the Flock" tries to "stir" a moshpit with its dynamic headbanging guitars. More interesting moments follow later, though: the cleverly-constructed Annihilator-esque "Cyanide & Whiskey", an eventful composition with tasteful melodic leads; the dramatic crusher "The Lies We Devour"; the more laid-back quirky post-thrasher "Lucky #7". The end is underwhelming with the speed reduced considerably hitting the bottom on the closer "Love Like Napalm" which is an overlong (6.5-min) ballad bringing the album down. The band are still in a relative creative cul de sac trying to combine their old school sound with the modern trends, but this amalgam is still on the fairly average side despite the several more interesting moments encountered this time around.
"Terrible Things": it's not exactly terrible things that have been stirred here, and fans of old school thrash should be able to find quite a few things to like here with frolic thrashers like "Fist-Go-Rek" and "Declaration" ensuring the uplifting party atmosphere. The title-track rages with more passion, but "Pledge of Legions" calms the ball down with more laid-back power metal-ish rhythms. The album gains inertia afterwards with a string of intense moshers, with bigger ambition displayed on the more serious and not as aggressive "Nemesis". Not a bad effort at all, this opus can even pass for the band's finest hour since the reformation.
The Visitor Full-length, 1988
Bleed the Line EP, 2010
Heaven Sent...Hellbound Full-length, 2011
Black Hearse Serenade Full-Length, 2014
Terrible Things Full-Length, 2019
Ultra Sonic Hatestorm Full-length, 2007
Now That's What I Call Manual Strangulation Vol. 1 Split album, 2008
Irritant Full-length, 2010
I4N EP, 2001
The Plague EP, 2005
Don't Worry Lady Full-Length, 2007
I Hate Sally Vs GFK Split EP, 2007
React Full-length, 2008
Demo Demo, 1991
The full-length would be a big surprise as hardly anyone has expected the girls to come back in such an unheralded manner. But here they are, and the galloping swagger of "Hell Or Nothing" will pull in the listener instantly although the approach is more on the speed metal side, the girls also trying something friendlier and power metal-ish ("Clever"), the final result not far from classic Chastain except that the vocals are more lyrical and emotional, lacking the iron blend of Leather.
General Alert Demo, 1987
Demo Demo, 1988
Instant Justice Demo, 1989
Breaking the Ice Full-length, 2017
Just a few months later, apparently encouraged by both the critical and commercial success, which surprisingly saw the metal masses still willing to part with a few dollars for more retro thrash stuff in the early 90's, the guys were back with another full-length. The bombastic orchestral intro of "Angel's Holocaust" and the opening balladic tunes may confuse the listener, but the speed/thrashing havoc soon springs up, nicely assisted by menacing operatic background vocals. Forceful thrash rules on the next "Stormrider", which again tries to deceit with a tender balladic start. Keyboard implements sneak into "The Path I Choose", but the thrashing madness there never stops. "Mystical End" is probably the lyrical deviation reminding of the great 80's American power metal scene, sounding more laid-back and controlled. No more of the kind, though, as "Desert Rain" is a vintage hard-hitting speed/thrash masterpiece, with one of the greatest choruses in metal history ("The desert rain... is changing me, It's called on me... to rise"), and a fine bass interlude. "Pure Evil" is "pure evil" Bay-Area thrash ala the Forbidden debut (which is the main reference point when talking about the early Iced Earth works), references also made with the title: non-stop riff-fest (with great bass performance again, accentuated on the middle break), after which the fan would hardly have any energy left to take one more colossal 9.5-min thrash metal opus which is the closing "Travel in Stygian". No complaints, as the guys have left their souls on this one, making it a really impressive take on more thoughtful thrash, bordering on the technical at times: a whirlwind of riffs and tempo changes, which come served with high-pitched vocals ala Rob Halford (remember "Painkiller") in the beginning, not heard anywhere else on the album, as opposed to the not very interesting, one-dimensional throaty main ones although John Greely does a fairly good job on the balladic parts, and his cleaner tone is by far his better side. It was pretty clear that he was on the way to improvement, but this was his last performance for the band as Matt Barlow stepped in soon after.
Three years later the guys are here again with a new singer on board: Matt Barlow, and the question about the musical direction immediately arises. To the fanbase's utter delight the guys continue in the same merciless manner, thrashing with full force all the way through, seemingly viewed as one of the very few defenders of the classic 80's thrash metal faith during the very hard for the genre mid-90's. The band's penchant for more complex song-structures springs up on the very first song: "Burnt Offerings", which despite the slightly overlong quiet break is a truly satisfying slab of vintage 80's speed/thrash. Then comes a string of stripped down speed/thrashing hammers: "Last December", "Diary", "Brainwashed", which will make you raise your fists high, as well as your middle finger to those who had said that thrash was long gone buried deep in the underground. The heavier, doomier side of the genre is honoured with the crushing riff-fest "Creator Failure". And, of course, let's not forget the epic-long closer which here reaches larger-than-life proportions with its 16.5-min; the name is "Dante's Inferno", and seldom will one come across a single dull moment. This is full-fledged thrash, seldom interrupted by the occasional more melodic, balladic interlude; the guys change the tempo frequently, relying mostly on galloping riffs, until the breathtaking outro where mighty sharp riffs meet a nice piano tune as both disappear out of hearing into the void...
This masterpiece was the band's last stop from the thrash metal train, and on their subsequent releases they chose the less edgy, more power metal-based side of the genre, and although they succeeded in becoming one of the most popular metal acts of the past 15 years, their early days are by all means those which contain the band's most inspired and creative moments.
Night of the Stormrider Full-length, 1992
Burnt Offerings Full-length, 1995
The 2023 entry is a remastered, re-recorded version of the band’s debut; no major alterations save for two tracks (“Still Have to Pray”, “Final Mission”) missing.