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 V.A.R. (CZECH)
Based on "Pod Vodou", these guys play melodic thrash which for the time sounds quite retro, but also quite toothless and soft. The tempo is mid to up at best, and somewhere towards the middle the music acquires the expected modern tendencies, which stay till the end, spoiling considerably the little impression made previously from this pretty pedestrian effort. The last three tracks abandon the thrash metal idea, one of which is a cover version of Black Sabbath's early hit "Children of the Grave" sung in Czech, and done awfully.
Personal Destruction Full-length, 1992 Official Site V.I.C. ROYAL (GREECE)
A heavy mix of post-thrash and hardcore with echoes of mid-90's Sepultura, and Puncture on the more industrialized moments. There's absolutely no temptation at a faster play: everything is stomping and mid-paced at best with a few alternative deviations (the cool ballad "Eternal", accompanied by a much better clean voice, compared to the harsh hardcore shouter on the rest). The guys lose it near the end, though, by epitomizing a mellower sound finished with another ballad ("Simply Alone Now"), this time too tender and
not really relevant.
To Be Continued... Full-length, 2003 V-ANGER (ITALY)
Some trust in "shovels", some trust in "spades"... Anyway, this outfit specialize in modern "shovel" thrash/post-thrash which is quite vivacious and energetic without completely lacking the groovy "traps" the latter almost missing from the ripping headbanger "Soldiers Of Pain", and of course from the Sepultura cover of "Biotech Is Godzilla" in the middle. Watch out for the splitting closer "Hate For All", another all-out mosher, which wraps up this effort with reckless abandon supported by the good expressive shouty vocals.
In Shovel We Trust Full-Length, 2014 V12 (PORTUGAL)
The debut demo is four songs of edgy energetic speed/thrash metal clinging more towards the American models, along the lines of mid-periiod Helstar and Savage Grace. The music is speedy with melodic and sharp hooks taking turns under a not very good sound quality. "Tales of Glory" is the oddity here being a calm epic power metal piece with a very good bass bottom.
Demo Demo, 1987 My Space V3H3M3NT
This is good modern power/thrash, an interesting diverse stuff with heavy meaty riffs which never stay stale, but move around constantly switching from one tempo to another without ever reaching the very fast parameters. There are balladic instrumental inclusions ("Taurus"), excellent heavy atmospheric semi-ballads ("D-Caf"), and playful funky variations ("Fragments Of Insanity"). The singer is low-tuned, and his semi-clean timbre could be barely heard at times. The problem is that there is not much speed here, and the monotonous riffs may tire the listener near the end where the
longer and the more dragging songs have been placed.
One More Fix Full-Length, 2000 VACANT GRAVE (USA)
The full-length: this band offers first-rate intricate thrash/proto-death metal akin to Atheist, Funeral Nation, Revenant, and Hellwitch on the more frantic parts. The music is aggressive and quite fast bashing with full force at times, but leaves room for more stylish technical exploits: the jumpy hectic "Room For 1 More" which comes served with nice, but short leads; the excellent mid-paced instrumental "Graven Scripture" which is the most melodic (except for the wild frantic ending), but is truly one of the best tracks. "Killer Instinct" starts as a ballad, and keeps it going for about 2-min, but after that the guys turn it into an intricate intense death/thrasher with another cool lead guitar work implemented later on. "Supernatural Force" is also worth mentioning using the main theme from the cult horror film "Halloween" in the beginning, but later evolves into a more aggressive thrasher, accompanied by a cool melodic section. The performance on the whole album is outstanding making even the more ordinary immediate tracks come with genuinely interesting riffs and tempo changes: check out the last two jumpy, semi-chaotic numbers "Evil Deceiver" and "Vacant Grave". The band looked well set to give the fashionable at the time thrash/death metal mixture the desirable technical twist, but like Revenant they didn't last beyond the obligatory full-length debut.
Eternal Nightmare EP, 1989 Official Site VACUUM (JAPAN)
Based on "Natural Born Thrashers", this outfit specialize in lashing modern thrash/core which at times borders on fierce grindcore ("Sweat) even, the choppy groover "Paradise Mixer" overwritten by the more stylish chops of "Drives Overflow" and the non-fussy thrashing of the appropriately-titled "Destroyer". Elsewhere it's thrashcore ("Hells River Terror", "Living Dead Warriors") that dictates the plot, the very shouty rending singer a major noise provider, but very little else.
Grind Crossover Hard Death Rock EP, 1996 VAE VICTIS (GERMANY)
Based on "My Place in Hell", these folks can easily find a "place in hell" with their vicious black-ish brand of old school thrash which is quite intense and aggressive with some more or less appropriate blast-beats showing up here and there. Speed rules the
proceedings, at times being overtly Germanic ("Greetings From Enola Gay"), at others being hypnotic and epic ("Face Your Fear"), at others being pure speed metal delight (the title-track). The singer croaks like a raven with an added more brutal death metal blend and fits the wild bashing camaraderie. Some of the musicians also play in the black metal formation Gleaming Empire.
Black Fucking Thrash Metal Full-length, 2008 Official Site VAE VICTUS (CANADA)
Based on the demo: aggressive fast thrash which bears resemblances to Slayer's "Reign in Blood" and Dark Angel's "Darkness Descends", but the songs here are longer, and at least the leads are more proficient. The problem is with the fuzzy guitar sound which partially decreases the impact from this otherwise very hard-hitting music. The vocals are quite good, sounding like a cleaner, and a higher-pitched version of Tom Araya, with a pinch of Russ Anderson (Forbidden).
Demo Demo, 1987 VAEXUS (USA)
Modern/classic power/thrash that is characterized by steady punchy mid-pacers ("War is Peace", "Riot Squad"), the semi-balladic allure of "Obsolete" not quite obsolete, "Into the Abyss" throwing the approach into the doom abyss, of which the band fail to climb out with a string of somewhat lethargic snooze-inducing cuts, the vociferous deathly singer the major claim at ruder awakening.
End of the Line Full-Length, 2024 Youtube VAFFEN (MEXICO)
The debut: these Mexicans offer intense, no-bars-held retro thrash which boasts a very good sound quality and good attached semi-clean vocals with appropriate shouty tendencies. The guys thrash on with conviction adding the more stylish hook ("Terror Infundado") here and there. Meaty lashing riffs will attack you from all sides, especially on merciless numbers like "Metzican Warrior" and the ultra-speedster "Tezcaltlipoka" which also comes with the finest lead work on the album. The guys relax at times with more laid-back crossover rhythms ("La Lakra"), which is perfectly acceptable, but they have to watch out for those frequent peaceful/noisy interludes coming between the actual songs bringing nothing more meaningful to the album. "Welcome To Mexico", like the title of the closer says... the new Mecca of thrash with Vaffen as its leaders.
Welcome To... 500 Aelos Full-length, 2010 Official Site VAGABOND (GERMANY)
Based on "Thunderbolt", this act serve classic power/speed/proto-thrash done in a vigorous galloping fashion somewhat marred by the deep unmelodic vocals. The album is permeated by an officious epic atmosphere which doesn't get lost even on the speedy moments which aren't that many. Consequently the delivery may bring some boredom near the end where more energetic pieces like "Back In The Stone Age" lie in wait to show the guys' interest in the 80's American metal heritage: Omen, Attacker, Liege Lord, etc. to whom this album is a faithful, albeit hardly exceptional, tribute.
Ignition Full-length, 2010 Facebook VAGINATOR (CHILE)
This Chilean trio pulls out cool classic speed/thrash metal with touches of crossover; the music is quite fast, reaching a Wehrmacht-like intensity at times: "Masacre Vaginator". "Basura Callejera" is a nice aggressive speedy thrasher, followed by the
drunken joke song "Demolicion (Los Saicos)", which is kind of underwhelming, breaking the monolithic brutal sound up to this point, although a big excuse is brought near the end, with a fast-paced thrashy exit. "Vaginas All Nite" is more moderate thrash/crossover, but "La Mataflaite" is brutal thrash at its best in the best spirit of the Swedes Merciless and early Pestilence.
Demo-licion Demo, 2008 My Space VAGRANT (USA)
This band play modern quasi-groovy thrash which starts with the promising Slayer-esque roller-coaster "Resurrection" mixed with a bit of groove. The intensity is retained on hard-hitting cuts like "Damaged" and "Death Will Come", and generally the dynamics is quite high matched by the angry shouty death metal vocals every bit of the way. "Walk of the Dead" is a more hectic semi-technical chopper, but the melo-thrash/death "chainsaws" on the closing "Evil Within" seem to steal the highlight prize.
Asylum Of Darkness Full-Length, 2017 VAIS (BELGIUM)
Based on the "Silent Torture" demo, these Belgians serve stomping dark mid-paced retro thrash which acquires a more pounding doomy clout ("Desire For Pain") the latter developments nicely carried by the good clean attached vocals. "Black Storm" is a cool combination of the two currents, a rugged belligerent composition.
Silent Torture Demo, 1991 VAITOR (COLOMBIA)
This young outfit indulge in ripping old school thrash which is played at really high-speed throughout bordering on proto-death introducing the odd more technical element on "Detonacion" where also some virtuous screamy leads can be heard. "Justicia E Igualdad" is a nice take on the more elaborate Paradox speed/thrash sound, a lashing headbanger with a nice acoustic Latino guitar-driven mid-break. Things get even more interesting on the next "Alima1as" which keeps the more intriguing decisions flowing before all hell breaks loose on the short "Ven Al Mosh". The closing "Thrash Metal" shouldn't even contain any music the title
saying it all, an aggressive shredder with echoes of Exodus' eponymous debut. The vocals are on the more restrained semi-shouty side and don't distract too much from the impetuous musical approach.
Deto-Nacion Full-Length, 2014 Facebook VALACAR (USA)
This act pull out rough, not very carefully rehearsed, old school thrash/crossover which is mostly on the melodic side suddenly dispersed by the awkward aggressive death metal break ("Throne of Skulls") which suits better the gruff semi-deathy singer. The
music is very unpretentious with numerous jolly decorations which create an optimistic atmosphere not far removed from the one on the early Gwar releases.
Throne Of Skulls EP, 2012 Official Site VALCYRIE (SWEDEN)
This obscure gem is a real keeper: very well-executed technical thrash, fast intense stuff with good intelligible semi-death metal vocals. "At The Mountain" is an ambitious encompassing opener thrashing in a clever, but also pretty intense, manner for about 7-
min, recalling both Messiah and Death from around the same time, only more thrash-fixated. "Reborn Into Reincarnation" is a more immediate ripping thrasher with lashing sharp riffs and a few good melodic leads. Then the bigger complexity returns with "Prepare
To Suffer" which will also remind you of late-80's Metallica and Testament being a fast technical Bay-Area piece. "Symptom Of Brutality" is another seismic technical number combining immediate speedy sections with elaborate twisting ones to a fairly positive
effect. The sound quality is very good, and later these talented musicians left a more memorable trace on the metal scene under the name Pathos, one of the most prominent acts to come out of Sweden (the guys had one demo released in 1992 as Depict Pathos).
Into the Questions of What? Demo, 1991 VALDEMAR (INTERNATIONAL)
Based on the sophomore, these folks deliver capable retro power/speed/thrash which gallops with the finest horses out there on "Here Comes... What Follows" after overcoming a lengthy but alluring balladic inauguration. The speed/thrashing joy carries on unabated on "Red Mist" and "Madness in the Attic", bringing the winds of the Bay-Area with them, before "Planet of Sorrow" calms down for a portion of well-levelled mid-paced pageant. The singer is a decent mid-ranged clean throat, his more lyrical side displayed on the closing pacifier "Ghost Town Reverend", the mellowest proposition here.
Internal Struggle Full-length, 2018 Official Site VALE ARCANE (USA)
Ex-members of Arsis have gotten together for the production of this fairly pedestrian melo-thrash/death offering which contains not a single grain of the flamboyant technicality of their former band. The guys by all means know how to play as evident from the melodic galloper "Three Mouths of Satan" as well as a few other cuts; it's just that in an over-saturated style as the one the guys have chosen to venture into one should try much harder in order to have his voice heard.
Death Messages Full-Length, 2015 Official Site VALFIERNO (ARGENTINA)
Good edgy retro thrash flows from this 5-song demo which mixes hard riffs with soaring melodies no worse than early Paradox and Squealer, but there is harder thrashing to be heard on the Slayer-esque "Contrafuego", as well as heavier power/thrash on the closing "Escapando". The singer is a shouter of the expressive semi-clean type, and his antics suit well the intense musical delivery.
Sin Piedad Demo, 2009 My Space VALHALLA (USA)
Choppy, semi-technical thrash with good tasteful leads; the guys shred with competence although the muddy sound production hampers their efforts a bit. The songs are lengthy, but the stylish rhythms keep flowing unerringly along with the very good bass performance. "Drifter" is an ambitious progressive number which recalls Heathen's future exploits on "Victims of Deception". The singer shouts in a not very attached semi-clean fashion, and creates quite a bit of noise at times.
"Personal Destruction" is a much harder offering containing vigorous intense retro thrash with good speedy riffs and sinister semi-declamatory vocals, but it is not exactly "Brutalni Chaos", like the opener's title tries to imply. There are whole 16 tracks here so expect a couple of more laid-back power/thrash metal numbers which are also cool although the gruff vocals kind of don't suit them too well.
"Za Put Minut Po Smrti" is really bad, post-thrash without any life and intensity, just rehashed mellow riffs to no end with power and heavy metal present more than the good taste allows. This would be a total waste of time for the thrash metal fan, and even the diehard fans of the band would be quite disappointed.
"Level 6" is a tad edgier, but the fun for the thrash metal fan would be minimal; the guys have settled for their radio-friendly modern, groovish metal and apparently have no intentions of breaking the formula any time soon...
Zovislost Full-length, 1995
Pod Vodou Full-length, 1998
Rozdvojen ale schopen Full-length, 2001
(15 Years) Fast Like Bikila EP, 2003
Za Put Minut Po Smrti Full-length, 2007
Level 6 Full-Length, 2014
The only full-length the guys recorded only partially preserves the raw aggression of the demo settling for more moderate power/speed metal with not many shades of thrash: "Causa Perdida" is a good example of the latter being a cool semi-technical
galloper. The sound quality is much better, and the musicianship has improved quite a bit (check the addictive leads on the excellent epic speedster "Negacio Das Almas", the highlight of the album), but as a whole this otherwise cool effort will fail to
impress the thrash metal fan a lot.
Claustrofobia Single, 1990
V12 Full-length, 1990
Demo 93 Demo, 1993
Life Or Death Full-length, 1990
The Sense of Vision and Hearing Full-length, 1998
Laugh in the Black Full-length, 2002
Natural Born Thrashers Full-length, 2003
My Place in Hell Full-length, 2011
21 (wow, they're still alive?!) years later the band is back, and the album title shouldn't keep you guessing long what you will be listening to although the sound bears little resemblance to the one on the demo. This is indeed black/thrash metal sounding closer to black metal, still serving cool fast headbangers, more thrash-oriented. The constant blast-beats, however, ruin the impression, leaving little room for the thrash rhythms to develop, and often does the album end up sounding closer to Impaled Nazarene, rather than, say, Aura Noir, or the Japanese trend in the genre. The singer now is a pure black metal semi-shouter, and fits the music fine.
Black Fucking Thrash Metal Full-length, 2008
"Global Madness" is indeed "madness", the band thrashing on with no remorse adding tasteful lead sections on every track, the final result not very far from Forbidden's debut and the works of the Slovenians Negligence. More relaxed melodic moments can be caught ("Essence of Disaster") as well, but also prepare for some really engaging technical/progressive thrashing on the diverse "The Disease Called Humanity", and on the intelligent fast-pacer "D.F.A.-Six Beer Under". "La Era de las Me1quinas Espirituales" will welcome the listener with virtuoso performance the guys reaching the pyrotechnics on Toxik's "World Circus" with ease. "In Memoriam" is abundant in addictive melodies and hard thrashing riffs, another exemplary whirlwind of speedy, technical crescendos. There's no speed lost on "Dios Ha Muerto" either, another brisk technical feast for the ears; and "Sonido del Vicio" inserts some balladic lyricism, but otherwise this is the next in line very satisfying technical speed/thrasher, adding more to this excellent effort, one of the finest achievements of the Mexican metal scene of the new millennium.
Global Madness Full-Length, 2016
Thunderbolt Full-length, 2012
"Vaginadictos" is a less serious and an inferior for that matter offering featuring more melodic thrash/crossover with sincere punk references. There are a few more brutal songs, but they are a little more than a mere aggressive bashing with very simplistic repetitive guitars.
The full-length relies on tracks from the demos to pull it through so expect fast relentless thrash mixed with more laid-back crossover tunes all played in a carefree speedy manner. The surprise would be the new composition, the almost 10-min long "RockandRollicos", which is a rockish crossover delight of the merry unpretentious type despite its colossal length. This monstrous song influences the rest which is on the softer side with crossover reigning supreme seldom disturbed by the odd more aggressive thrashy break.
Vaginadictos Demo, 2009
Thrash & Roll... A Tu Culo! Full-length, 2010
Roaming Forever Demo, 1992
The debut is not as convincing, the pulverizing "The Hive Mind" confidently laying out the semi-technical dynamics on which half the album has been built, with both "Midnight Dawn" and the balladic filler "Distorted Thoughts" decidedly on the lazier side of the spectre, with "MK-Ultra" helping a bit with a more energetic rhythm-section, the virtuous gallops of "Tilted Perception" another boosting segment. Butthat's pretty much all as the second half doesn't deliver as well, the bottom reached with the soporific soothing ballad "Shackles".
Mind the Insane Full-length, 2021