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 L.O.B. (UKRAINE)
Choppy Bay-Areasque retro thrash (think Defiance, above all) is what one will come across here, the crunchy rhythms of "Hysteria" pairing well with the steady semi-technical shreds of "Non Voice Core", the not very convincing rough semi-clean vocals assisting humbly on the side, the muddy production not interfering too badly into this decent old school reminder.
Portal Of Hate Demo, 1994 L.S.D. (MOLDOVA)
This band has close connections with the premier metal act from Moldova, the death/thrashers Accident. Based on the debut demo, this is stuff not far removed from the works of the other outfit being lashing thrash without too many death metal tendencies, also accentuated by very good bass work. The sound quality is awful, though, and the good musicianship is obscured by it. The singer benefits from the situation with his expressive semi-shouty baritone which accompanies stylish, semi-technical numbers among which "The Valley Of Unrest" is a very good atmospheric instrumental, and "The Haunted Palace" is an intense basher thrashing hard for over 5-min.
Spirits of the Dead Demo, 1991 L.S.N. (USA)
This band features George Robb, the bass player who later took part in other more renowned acts, like Agent Steel and Detente, and more recently has formed another band: Obscene Gesture, along with his other colleagues from Agent Steel. This early formation offers typical energetic power/speed/thrash in the vein of quite a few bands from the American 80's scene: Agent Steel, Blessed Death, Whiplash (the vicious vocals will also lead you in this band's direction), etc. This is good speedy music, but is only three songs (the fourth track ("Trapped") is a 7-sec brutal joke), and the members scattering all over the metal spectre shortly after that prevented the band from recording anything else.
Fall to the Reich! Demo, 1986 My Space L SOL TACE (UK)
Based on the full-length, this band deliver quite cool modern technical thrash/death which gives a stylish groovy twist to the more direct passages which are not very long and also carry a certain technical charge distantly echoing more recent Meshuggah and the more restrained side of their compatriots Biomechanical. "Mistress of the Sun" is a doomy progressive cut which influences the following "Rise" before the latter indulges in a short speedy section. Mechanical brutality will one come across on "Army of Darkness" which mixes thick meaty grooves with more conventional Swedish melo-death moments. "Decevil" is another intense piece before the brooding closer "Skin" wraps it up in an enchanting atmospheric fashion with ethereal melodic hooks and great lead guitar work which was kind of missing on the previous material, but here the guy compensates with exemplary performance. This is an original release which gives a less ordinary spin to both the melo-death/thrash and the groovy movements by making this blend their own which by all means can be extended further on future efforts.
L Sol Tace Demo, 2010 Official Site LÄÄZ ROCKIT (USA)
This respected band began as one of the many power metal acts which the US music scene was producing in heaps in the mid 80's. With "Know Your Enemy" the band made their claims to become one of the new thrash heroes although the sound on this one is still pretty much power metal with a few thrash headbangers thrown in for good measure. "Last Breath" is a truly impressive opener: a great power/thrasher that remains the finest song on this one. Later on the band exercise their abilities in playing speed metal and do a fine job until the last couple of tracks where the sound is a direct take on their heavy/power metal beginnings, and leaves a certain aftertaste.
City's Gonna Burn Full-length, 1984 Official Site LA CHUDRA (LITHUANIA)
The EP: these Lithuanians with the interesting name play thrash/crossover which clings more on the playful, roller-coaster side recalling the softer nature of Lawnmower Deth and The Offspring when they relax completely ("Molly Chambers"). This is fun, unpretentious stuff which would hardly entertain the hard-core thrash metal fans a lot, but would be a cool backround for those who would like to jump around in a merry, carefree pogo.
Kaimietiskas Smaukalas EP, 2011 LA CORRIVEAU (CANADA)
This is laid-back post-thrash with alternative overtones which has its edgier moments (the speedy shredders "Head on the Wall" and "Trickster"), as well as possessing a few echoes from the Black Album ("Vampire"). Still, those shifts are not enough to compensate for the less imaginative groovy sections which permeate the album, those not terribly bad, carrying a bit of dynamics. It's just that when listening to them for the thousandth time and beyond, one may as well pass most of it through his/her ears without paying too much attention.
Soul Possession Full-Length, 2012 LA HORDE (FRANCE)
This French formation provide modern "dystopic" thrash which straddles between industrial and hardcore, but intercepting these
two approaches with copious amounts of melody at every opportunity including several playful crossover tunes ("Coma"). The
singer doesn't occupy too much space his rending hardcore/deathy shouts assisting the diverse musical palette without any pretensions
at vocal greatness.
Dystopie Full-Length, 2015 LA MUERTE (MEXICO)
Old school thrash which is on the suitably complex side, the guys raging with little restraint at times ("Sectas Suicidas"), at others incorporating a wider array of rhythms and tempos ("Amenaza Humana"), the more technical chops on "En el Cementerio" standing for the highlight, then more aggressive entangled proto-death extrapolations a very close second. The singer is a shouty deathster, jumping the melee with vociferous quarrelsome panache.
Amenaza Humana Full-length, 2022 LA PESTILENCIA (COLOMBIA)
Based on the debut, this is a mix of the fashionable at the time thrash/crossover and brutal death metal with sparse adherences to grindcore. The singer acquires more brutal tones with a strong death metal shade to mix it up with his softer hardcore-ish timbre on the more laid-back material. This is a laughable blend of two contrasting styles the band never too sure which path suits them better, consequently messing up both beyond repair with primal amateurish musicianship.
La Muerte - Un Compromiso De Todos Full-length, 1989 Official Site LA RESISTANCE (AUSTRIA)
Based on "Kick the Bucket", these guys indulge in modern groovy post-thrash which will make many fans "kick the bucket" due to its derivative nature and rehashed riffage which at its best tries to reach the Gothenburg school with a few more energetic sections ("Ready to Kill"). On the other hand, we have full-blooded exercises in doom ("Doreen666", "Human") as well as several more noteworthy shredders ("Hate La Resistance") which should be more next time around.
No Other Days Full-length, 2005 Official Site LABELED (USA)
Based on the demo: heavy pounding groovy post-thrash sitting comfortably between Pantera and more recent Pro-Pain; not a total waste, by the way: "Times of Treason" is a nice energetic headbanger, and the guitars are not stale moving around with the odd more melodic tune added.
Labeled Demo, 2009 My Space LABORATORY (SWITZERLAND)
This not very known formation pull out modern power/thrash which mostly suffers from the not very fitting gruff death metal vocals. The delivery is strictly mid-tempo with atmospheric balladisms ("Human War") amply provided alongside very cool melodic leads and more or less successful attempts at more progressive song-writing (the gothic hymn "Destiny of Love", the doomy chopper "The Beggar" which also features a short rock'n roll theme at the end).
Spacecake Full-Length, 1996 LACE DRAGON (USA)
Based on the demo, these folks produce intense moshing thrash which has some, not very overt, technical tendencies on the longer material ("Satanic Dreams"), but the short ripper "Violence" seems to deliver the better with its impetuous galloping rhythms helped by the cool soaring, clean vocals, but obstructed by the muddy sound quality.
Demo Demo, 1989 LACERATE (CHINA)
This Chinese gang provides a hesitation between modern and classic thrash which main flaw is the hysterically rending vocalist whose antics are ultimately difficult to recognize. Otherwise the music delivers with sharp riffs, proficient leads, various tempos, although the guitar sound is too noisy mostly hampering the fast parts the latter playing a secondary role to the prevalent mid-paced passages, but bearing the album's finest cut: the prophetic headbanger "2012".
Return of the King Full-length, 2011 Official Site LACERATE (GERMANY)
Based on the "Invincible Endless Sea" demo, this act pull out friendly heavy/power/proto-thrash metal which lacks an edge, and most of the time it's either semi-balladic (the title-track), or it trudges in a not very impressive mid-paced manner ("Never Be Wise"), the not very striking mid-ranged clean vocalist merging with the uneventful musical background.
Demo Demo, 1988 LACERATE (UK)
A 3-tracker of more relaxed abrasive thrash/crossover which very surprisingly introduces a lyrical balladic motif on "The Awakening" although the latter absolutely suits the nice passionate clean vocalist. A couple of more belligerent rhythms liven up the environment on "Nuke 'Em", but overall this is somewhat noisy mid-paced stuff with not very high production qualities.
Demo Demo, 1991 LACERATED GODS (GERMANY)
Wow, this is probably a live recording so expect a very pristine sound quality with a muffled guitar sound, merging with the drums (the bass is barely heard). On top of that the singer is the ultimate shouter doing it in an expressive deathly manner, but nothing is understood from what he sings so most of the time what one will hear is roars topping up the musical noise, which comes as a poor man's early Messiah; in other words, this is old school thrash/death also sharing some of the primal brutality of the early Brazilian school.
Night of the Pain... Demo, 1993 LACERATION (USA)
Based on the "Realms of the Unconscious" demo, this act offers classic thrash of the more aggressive type ala Devastation and Slayer. This is fast intense music with fine Chuck Schuldiner(R.I.P.)-sque vocals and good heavy breaks. The guys play more melodic thrash/crossover with It, and almost as furious retro thrash with Invection. "
Demo Demo, 2008 My Space LACERTA (AUSTRALIA)
Based on the debut, these folks provide quite cool modern thrash/death with progressive pretensions where sharp riffs and virtuous melodies cross the "duel" topped by not very impressive subdued death metal vocals. More drama pours from the slower stomping numbers ("Necronomy" which also comes with a great technical fast-paced section), but the real power lies in the more elaborate progressivers like "Mind Processor" which branches into wild technical death metal at some stage, to these ears for the better. "Slaughter Plan" could be considered another highlight with its impetuous melo-death intricacy ala Quo Vaids (Canada), with "Projection Of Pain" not too far behind with its mazey speedy crescendos. "Overseer Of Decay" closes the album in a more minimalistic, epic fashion with superb melodic tunes and engaging vortex-like configurations.
Mind Processor Full-length, 2010 Official Site LACK OF FAITH (USA)
The guys from the power metal stalwarts Steel Attack entertain themselves here in a quite different way pulling out heavy progressive power/thrash metal with shades of doom (on "Aeternus Caligatio") coming close to the music of their compatriots Memory Garden and Memento Mori. "Suffocate" is a seismic thundering opener which completely overshadows the short experiment in modern groove "I", but then comes the high-octane doom on "Nothing", and things look normal again. "Psychological Chaos" is more vigorous mixing the dark riffage with more dynamic thrashy sections, and "Immortal" brings in more modern atmosphere with a couple of proto-groovy hooks. "Tell Me" is another potent doom opus, but "Mesmerize Me" starts riffing more aggressively, before "A World of Disorder" brings the winds of power metal with it. "The Pain Remains" is the definitive doom metal hymn offering heavy hammering riffs for about 8-min in the spirit of the Germans Doomshine, but things liven up again on the final "Enemy Within" which is a dark edgy power/thrasher. Ronny Hemlin leaves a very positive impression behind the mike, but he already honed his "weapon" in both Tad Morose and Steel Attack, here sounding more dramatic and emotional, and a bit higher-pitched. Actually the first attempt at metal the band had made in the distant 1994 under the name Major Arcane when they released a solitary 4-song demo.
Act of Perfection Full-length, 2000 LACK THERE OF (USA)
A mix of modern thrash and death metal with nice guitar work; there is groove involved, too, but the final result isn't bad at all; this is heavy music with brutal death metal attacks and a frequent change of tempos with two vocal styles used simultaneously: one a deep death metal growl, the other a black-ish rasp.
Fault Of The Flesh Full-length, 2005 My Space LACKTOR (CHILE)
Based on "Legado", this band play intense vivid thrash/death of the old school; some compositions ("Kuklinski, el Hombre de Hielo" from the EP) are lengthy with a pronounced crusty vibe, but others ("Carrona") are short outbursts of energy, the vociferous shouty death metal vocalist handling all the stylistic swings with the same confrontational glee.
Kuklinski, el Hombre de Hielo EP, 2017
Seven Seconds to Terror Demo, 1992
The Carcass of Eternity Full-Length, 2013
However, on the next one power metal was a distant memory, and "Annihilation Principle" still remains one of the better achievements of the genre. "Fire In The Hole" thrashes uncompromisingly from the very beginning, leaving no room for any melodic deviations. "Chain Of Fools" is a mighty riff-fest followed by the great galloping speed/thrasher "Shadow Company". "Holiday In Cambodia" is a fine cover of Dead Kennedys, and will definitely help you develop a liking towards the original although there's hardly any shade of punk here. Later on every track is a masterpiece of razor-sharp thrash with very good guitar work: a headbanging feast at its finest. "The Omen" is a very well deserved break for the band from the intense thrashing: a nice ballad with a very good vocal performance (Michael Coons is one of the greatest singers on the whole metal field).
Things continued in the same vein on "Nothing'$ $acred": another smashing thrashterpiece, showing no signs of slowing down or compromises with the more aggressive sound. The album begins with intense up-tempo thrashing numbers until it reaches the raging "Curiosity Kills", a speed/thrash delight, but remains one of its kind on this effort. The next tracks take a slower, but quite hard-hitting turn, led by the excellent "The Enemy Within", laced with fine technical hooks. "Nobody's Child" is the obligatory ballad (the guys include similar songs on each of their works), this time shorter, but equally as cool. "Silence Is A Lie" tries to thrash in a faster manner once again and admirably succeeds, giving way to the graceful closer: the marvellous instrumental "Necropolis", which boasts a magnificent lead guitar performance which might make you listen to the preceding material again, just to check whether you will find traces of such guitar wizardry earlier (but no, and this is the mystery- why did the guy spared himself on most of the songs, but unleashing all his genius on just a single piece?!), and superb technical riffs.
Then the band split up, with some members later giving way to their infatuation with the 90's groovy sound with their other band Gack, which has almost nothing to do music-wise with the band's past.
"Left for Dead" is a very unexpected, unheralded comeback, but shows the band in a decent, if not very inspired form to produce pretty decent thrash metal once again. This work is not an exact continuation of "Nothing Sacred"; it sounds like a mix of not much classic thrash and Gack ("Delerium Void", "Erased", etc.), the continuation of Laaz Rockit during the 90's. The tempo is seldom fast, and there's one quite good heavy semi-ballad in the middle ("Ghost In The Mirror"). The guitars crush with pounding, heavy riffs, but apart from the more up-tempo opener ("Brain Wash"), there's not much material for headbanging. Fans of early and late period Laaz Rockit will not be very delighted, and this could hardly pass for one of the most impressive comeback releases of recent years.
No Stranger To Danger Full-length, 1985
Know Your Enemy Full-length, 1987
Annihilation Principle Full-length, 1989
Nothing'$ $acred Full-length, 1991
Left for Dead Full-length, 2008
"Salvation/Decay": the thrash/crossover roller-coaster is on full display here spiced with more aggressive death metal leanings ("Toll") with a fleeting shade of crust ("Inbred") also present to ensure the more brutal delivery which gives way to atmospheric blacky sweeps on the Bathory-sque "Vulva Control" and the excellent black/crossover shredder "Perpetual Chaos", the highlight here. "Mr. Skinner" is an acceptable dissonant semi-headbanger, and "5 Jums 1 Man" is a cool turn to full-blooded thrash with dramatic accumulations. "Anvil and Hammer" is the band's tribute to Motorhead and Tank, and the closing "†††" is again more on the black metal side with a sparse use of blast-beats. The delivery is decidedly more aggressive than the one on the EP and consequently more diverse, to these ears for the better.
Salvation/Decay Full-Length, 2015
Las Nuevas Aventuras De...La Pestilencia Full-length, 1993
El Amarillista Full-length, 1997
Balistica Full-length, 2000
Productos Desaparecidos Full-length, 2005
Paranormal Full-length, 2011
Kick the Bucket Full-length, 2013
Labeled Full-length, 2009
Lace Dragon Full-length, 1990
Invincible Endless Sea Demo, 1993
The full-length debut arrives after a gigantic hiatus, but is constructed around the same aggressive sensibility, with death metal more prominently present, the violent moshers "Bed of Nails" and "Monolith" leaving no stone unturned. "Inhumation" is a more controlled stomper, but run for cover on "Perpetual Sickness" and "Weaponized Dominion", pure death metal madnesses with raging hyper-active riffs.
"I Erode" is a raging beast overall, remorseless cuts like "Excised" and "Sadistic Enthrallment" raising the flag of death metal high, whereas "Carcerality" shows bigger technical prowess, with thrash completely sidelined by the end thanks to the short violator "Impaling Sorrow" and the choppy hammering title-track.
Consuming Reality EP, 2009
Realms Of The Unconscious Demo, 2010
Demise Full-length, 2021
I Erode Full-Length, 2024
The self-titled follows the same diverse trajectory, but its adherence to more brutal death metal ways of expression may not be to the thrash metal fan's liking the whole time. Still, one has to acknowledge the visceral power of impressive technical shredders like "Hell To Pay" and the excellent more complex opus "Void Of Shadows". "Gargantua" richly deserves its title being a supreme take on the pounding technical death metal idea the band really outdoing themselves on it nearly reaching Necrophagist-esque virtuosity. "Molecular Residue" erases all vestiges of thrash with a more brutal death metal-ish aura which reaches operatic proportions at some point leaving the more immediate delivery for the hyper-active, hyper-blasting as well at some stage, closer "Ambiguous Forms". Although this second coming doesn't have much to do with thrash, it's undeniable that the guys are expert musicians who are yet to reveal their full potential.
Lacerta Full-length, 2017
Aeternus Caligatio Full-length, 2003
"Colonizacion" doesn't stray too far from the path chosen, the lads lashing with overt glee, with pure death metal ("Serpiente Resplandeciente") enterign the social consciousness alongside direct hardcore strippers (the title-track), the latter approach contaminating at least one third of the cuts here, "Extirpadores de Idolatria" rising above the dominant immediacy with an array of more contrived pirouettes.
Hambruna Full-length, 2019
Legado Full-length, 2022
Oro Negro EP, 2023
Colonizacion Full-length, 2024