Essential Thrash Metal Albums: 1985 – Now
From the pioneers to the present, this list of essential thrash albums features notable releases from Metallica, Slayer, Kreator, and Power Trip.
By Davey Ferchow
Since rising to prominence in the mid-1980s, thrash has become one of heavy metal’s most enduring subgenres. With complex guitar riffs and double bass drumming inspired by the new wave of British heavy metal and the lightning-fast ferocity of hardcore punk, thrash stood in contrast to the pop accessibility of glam metal, carving out an underground style that potently blended melody and aggression.
Bands like Metallica redefined what mainstream metal could be, but long before becoming one of the biggest rock bands in the world, they helped elevate thrash metal from a small scene of independent labels and DIY bands to an extreme subgenre celebrated around the globe.
Explore this list of essential thrash metal records spanning everything from classic “Big Four” bands to modern acts keeping the thrash spirit alive.
Exodus
Bonded By Blood (1985)
Formed in 1979 and featuring future Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett, Exodus were one of thrash’s earliest torchbearers. Their debut album Bonded By Blood is a thrashing masterclass in brutality and relentless energy, topped off with lyrical violence and eccentric vocals courtesy of original singer Paul Baloff. The album’s aggressive sound is balanced with melodic guitar riffs, complex solos, and a tight rhythm section holding everything together. Anyone looking for top-tier musicianship and a dash of danger in their thrash will want to give Bonded By Blood a spin.
Metallica
Master Of Puppets (1986)
Master Of Puppets takes the thrash metal foundation Metallica established with their first two albums and elevates the form with songs that are more refined, cohesive, and technically proficient. The album’s heavy tone, complex layers, and unique time signatures complement the album’s intense lyrical themes. Throughout the record, frontman James Hetfield uses his signature rasp to sing about ominous oppressors, feelings of powerlessness, addiction, religious hypocrisy, senseless violence, and Lovecraftian lore. Master Of Puppets is more than an essential thrash metal album – it’s a powerful display of songcraft and technical prowess that every music fan should hear.
Megadeth
Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? (1986)
Megadeth’s 1986 album Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? is a landmark thrash release thanks to the genre-defining riffs and snarl of former Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine. After being ousted from Metallica due to substance abuse issues, Mustaine formed Megadeth in 1983. The band’s second album Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? showcased a darker side of thrash metal with its musical twists and turns and Mustaine’s apocalyptic world-view. Fans of music that spotlights impressive guitar playing should grab a copy of Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?.
Slayer
Reign In Blood (1986)
Much like Metallica, Slayer’s third album shows a formative band ascending to the peak of their powers. Abrasive and blazingly fast, Reign in Blood’s tempo changes and slower passages add another dimension to Slayer’s brief tales of murder, insanity, and death. Tom Araya’s screams and shouts, the intricacies of the band’s two-guitar assault, and the immense power of Dave Lombardo’s drumming all make Reign In Blood as classic as they come.
Kreator
Pleasure To Kill (1986)
Credited as one of the “Big Teutonic Four”, Germany’s Kreator helped make thrash an international phenomenon. Their sophomore album Pleasure To Kill takes the genre to hellish depths, with an intensity that would go on to influence the burgeoning death metal scene of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s (Cannibal Corpse, for one, cite Kreator as a major source of inspiration). Kreator’s dynamic arrangements, vicious instrumentation, and macabre depictions of death continue to solidify Pleasure To Kill’s reputation as a must-have record that altered the trajectory of extreme metal.
Sodom
Persecution Mania (1987)
Alongside their fellow countrymen Kreator, Sodom share credit for putting thrash on the global map and influencing subsequent extreme metal subgenres. Their second album Persecution Mania rages at the crossroads of thrash and death metal with its dark atmosphere, scorching riffs, rapid-fire vocals, and explosive drumming. The album’s lyrics capture war-torn landscapes, blasphemous rituals, and heinous crimes, making Persecution Mania an ideal album for those in search of sinister thrash metal that also taps into some black metal energy.
Anthrax
Among The Living (1987)
Among The Living is another case of a band hitting their stride on album number three. The melodic onslaught of Anthrax’s third record helped pave the way for future thrash metal bands with its precision, its mix of melodic singing and shouted gang vocals, and lyrical content that ranges from important social issues to characters and plot points from the works of Stephen King. The band’s sense of humor, relaxed stage look, and fondness for skateboarding make Anthrax more approachable than some of their contemporaries, but Among The Living remains a crucial thrash metal record for those looking to get “Caught In A Mosh.”
Sepultura
Beneath The Remains (1989)
Beneath The Remains is a pivotal Sepultura release and an album that further bridged the gap between thrash and death metal upon its release. Formed in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, Sepultura became Brazil’s biggest metal export in 1989 with the release of their third album. This breakthrough record has the speed, inventiveness, pummeling rhythms, mind-blowing solos, and head-banging groove that blazed Sepultura’s innovative path through heavy metal. With visceral lyrics about war, inner turmoil, and a bleak future, Beneath The Remains continues to be recognized as a death-thrash tour de force.
Municipal Waste
Hazardous Mutation (2005)
Formed in 2000, Municipal Waste’s second album, 2005’s Hazardous Mutation, helped spearhead a new wave of crossover thrash metal with a sound that leans deeper into the genre’s hardcore punk influences. Hazardous Mutation is full of ripping guitar leads and bass lines, propulsive punk tempos, and playful lyrics that established Municipal Waste as a must-see “party thrash” band. With cover art by legendary graphic artist Ed Repka and songs that channel sci-fi and horror imagery, Hazardous Mutation is an essential for any thrashers looking to have a good time.
Power Trip
Nightmare Logic (2017)
Like Municipal Waste, Power Trip taps into ‘80s influences, but brings a unique twist to their punk-forward take on thrash metal. Their sophomore album Nightmare Logic is another staple that solidifies the style’s vitality in the 21st century. Power Trip’s take on crossover thrash includes gang vocals, blistering guitar, and mosh-worthy breakdowns, while their lyrics tackle religion, survival, and political decay. The band’s charismatic frontman Riley Gale tragically passed away in 2020, but Power Trip has reunited in 2024 to honor the legacy left behind by their late friend and vocalist.
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