With the Thrash metal revival in full swing, lets take alook at Thrash metals ‘big four’ bands that bought the genre to the forefront just the heyday of 80s thrash.

• Metallica. Releasing debut album ‘kill ‘em all’ in 1983, Metallica were one of the first wave of thrash bands. Thier classic album, 1986′s ‘Master of puppets’ is one of metals much loved albums. After the technicality of ‘And justice for all’, Metallica were catapulted into rock stardom with the ‘black’ album, which cause many to level claims of ‘sell out’ at the band. After ‘load’ and ‘re-load’, fighting napster and rehab, Metallica came back out with ‘St Anger’, which the making of was filmed for the movie documentary ‘Some kind of monster’. Last year saw the release of ‘Death Magnetic’, hailed as the ‘best’ Metallica record in years. A step back in the right direction? We’ll see.
• Slayer. From California, Slayer started out sounding very Judas Priest/ Iron maiden-ish with their first two albums ‘Show no mercy’ and ‘Hell awaits’, then came their classic thrash album ‘reign in blood’ in 1986, bringing in more speed, aggression and balls to the wall brutality. When the 90s killed off most metal bands Slayer continued to survive, flying the flag for metal. ‘Seasons in the Abyss’, ‘Divine Intervention’ and ‘Diablious in musica’ all released during this period, Original drummer Dave Lombardo returned to the fold after ‘God hates us all’ and played on ‘Christ Illusion’. Rumored that the last album is going to be the last, pray Slayer going ‘south of heaven’ any time soon.
• Megadeth. After being fired from Metallica, Dave Mustaine put his anger and rage into his new band Megadeth. They released debut album ‘killing is my business and business is good’ in 1985, then much loved albums ‘peace sells’, ‘rust in peace’ amd countdown to extinction’. Megadeths one constant has alwasy been Mustaine, with a revolving door policy on the other band members. Mustaine called a close to Megadeth in 2002 after being left with nerve damage in one of his arms. But after intensive therapy regained his hand use and re-formed the band in 2004 -and released the albums ‘the system has failed’ and ‘united abominations’.
• Anthrax. Formed in 1981 by guitar players Danny Lilker and Scott Ian, Anthrax’s debut ‘fistful of metal’ is the only album to feature original vocalist Neil Turbin. Anthrax then bought in Joey Belladonna for the next 5 albums -including ‘spreading the disease’ and ‘Among the living’. After Belladonna left John Bush of Armored Saint joined the band. Anthrax then seemed to disapear, still releasing records but getting no support from their label, before moving to Nuclear Blast in 2004. Anthrax brought Joey Belladonna back in 2005 for a reunion of the classic line up before leaving Anthrax again. The band currently have Dan Nelson on vocals and are releasing a new album sometime this year.

This thrash nostalgia made you want to don some converse trainers and retro bags again? Go here.

Manowar – 2010 Summer Festival Highlights

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