http://www.mediafire.com/file/zdlojznvj3b/Golden Age of Thrash Part I (1985-1986).zip

http://www.mediafire.com/file/rwjhtlziil4/Golden Age of Thrash Part II (1987).zip

http://www.mediafire.com/file/5mmoeohq0og/Golden Age of Thrash Part III (1988-1989).zip

http://www.mediafire.com/file/3dtubogdafj/Golden Age of Thrash Part IV (Addendum).zip

Part I

Destruction – The Ritual – Infernal Overkill (1985)
Along with Kreator and Sodom, a member of the so-called Teutonic trio of the mid-80′s German thrash scene.

Kreator – Tormentor – Endless Pain (1985)
Along with Sod…ok, you get the point. Kreator is considered thrash, but they are probably one of the earliest examples of what the kids call blackened thrash nowadays. Amazingly, they put out albums all throughout the 90′s, and in fact, just recently released their 12th LP in 2009 (“Hordes of Chaos”). Kudos Kreator.

Overkill – Kill at Command – Feel The Fire (1985)
One of the more theatrical thrash acts with Bobby “Blitz” at the helm vocally. Like Kreator, still going strong.

Razor – Cross Me Fool – Evil Invaders (1985)
Hails to our brothers north of the border keeping the fire of metal alive during those cold wintry nights. Razor are so fucking metal, they released two classic albums in 1985 alone.

Deathrow – Slaughtered – Satan’s Gift (1986)
I hate when bands get labeled “second tier”, but alas, this German band is often overlooked compared to their Teutonic brothers. Not that the music suffers for it. This stuff is rather excellent and well worth seeking out for the true thrash fiends among you.

Exumer – Silent Death – Possessed by Fire (1986)
The Germans really had this thrash thing nailed down. Exumer only put out two albums, but I’ll put this first one up with pretty much anything the genre has produced. One of my favorites.

Nuclear Assault – Vengeance – Game Over (1986)
I remember listening to the album “Something Wicked” back in ’93 or so. I really hated it, and thought these guys were a joke. Well, time heals all wounds, and ameliorates most bad impressions, and that certainly applies to my opinion of Nuclear Assault. Game Over fucking owns (or pwns?).

Onslaught (UK) – Fight With The Beast – The Force (1986)
One of the few decent thrash bands hailing from The Isle.

Part II

Blood Feast – Venomous Death – Kill for Pleasure (1987)
One of the lesser knowns among this list. One of the most German-like of US thrash acts, meaning very aggressive and fast.

Coroner – When Angels Die – R.I.P. (1987)
If you’re “in the know”, you know about Coroner. Perhaps, not coincidentally, these Swiss thrashers are known for their technicality. Coroner rank high on the list of thrash gods.

Infernäl Mäjesty – Skeletons in the Closet – None Shall Defy (1987)
Not as well known as their Canadian brethren Razor, but definitely worth a listen.

Messiah – Nero – Extreme Cold Weather (1987)
If Coroner were the Swiss clockmakers of thrash, Messiah could be called the Swiss version of…ah hell, I don’t have a good analogy here. They’re just fucking different…and evil as all hell. This is probably what black metal should sound like.

Papsmear – Vivisection – Lunch for the P.M.R.C. demo (1987)
My favorite little-known Vegas thrashers. It don’t get much thrashier than this.

Slayer – Aggressive Perfector – Reign in Blood (1986)
(Note: I realize I made a mistake with the date on this one. Fuck me.) Their reputation precedes them, of course. No doubt about it, Slayer were good, but I don’t think the music really lives up to the cred. You be the judge.

Sodom – Bombenhagel – Persecution Mania (1987)
The third leg of the Teutonic trio. So German, it makes me want to eat a pretzel.

Toxik – Pain and Misery – World Circus (1987)
You’ll swear Mike Sanders is the inspiration for Rockso, “The Rock ‘n Roll Clown”.

Whiplash – Burning of Atlanta – Ticket to Mayhem (1987)
I’m not just saying this because I currently call Atlanta my home, but this has got to be one of the best thrash song of all time. If any thrash song was ever meant to make you dance, this was it.

Part III

Anacrusis – Frigid Bitch – Suffering Hour (1988)
So damn hard to find this album. Probably because those who have it are holding on for dear life.

Annihilator – Wicked Mystic – Alice in Hell (1989)
Canada always gets the short end of the hockey stick. Germany had the Teutonic Trio. The US had the “Big 4″. Well, fuck it, Canada gave the world Annihilator, Razor, Infernal Majesty, and Voivod (not to mention Anvil).

Exodus – Corruption – Fabulous Disaster (1989)
And the award for goofiest cover goes to…Fabulous Disaster, indeed.

Hobb’s Angel of Death – The Journey – Hobb’s Angel of Death (1988)
One of the most important bands in the history of Australian metal. Really. But what is the significance of Dio being on the cover? Hmmm….

Morbid Saint – Lock Up Your Children – Spectrum Of Death (1988)
Here’s a tip. If you’re name dropping bands in a metal forum, this is one of the best. Lock up those children!

Realm – Eleanor Rigby (Beatles cover) – Endless War (1988)
Yeah, that fucking Eleanor Rigby. You know, I would’ve put Xentrix’ cover of Ghostbusters in this mix, but it was from 1990. Shit.

Rigor Mortis – Bodily Dismemberment – Rigor Mortis (1988)
These guys are untouchable in my book. Amazing.

Vio-Lence – Bodies on Bodies – Eternal Nightmare (1988)
One of the more unique thrash vocals, may remind you of Suicidal Tendencies. Vio-Lence is one of those bands that tends to polarize, so you’ll either love ‘em or hate ‘em. I quite like them, thank you, very much.

Xentrix – Balance of Power – Shattered Existence (1989)
I feel like this is the band that late-career Metallica most resembles, for better or worse. You really should hear their version of the Ghostbusters theme, though.

Part IV

Artillery – The Challenge – Terror Squad (1987)
Denmark. Represent.

Atrophy – Preacher, Preacher – Socialized Hate (1988)
Underrated.

Carnivore – Inner Conflict – Retaliation (1987)
Yeah, this is what Brooklyn thrash should sound like.

Dark Angel – Merciless Death – Darkness Descends (1986)
Heav and aggressive as fuck.

Disciples of Power – Ice Demons – Powertrap (1989)
Along with Papsmear, maybe the least known of all the bands here. It’s too bad, because these guys were really good.

Heathen – Death by Hanging – Breaking the Silence (1987)
Very technical, very clean for a thrash band. Has gained popularity in recent years, perhaps, due to the fact that you can download their albums for free on the interweb.

Num Skull – Murder by The Minister – Ritually Abused (1988)
Not stupid thrash.

Tyrranicide – Pull The Plug – God Save The Scene (1989)
Only put out one LP, but it’s pretty great. From Pleasanton, CA of all places.

Voivod – Forgotten In Space – Killing Technology (1987)

Saving the best for last, perhaps…Canadian thrashers par excellence, up there with Coroner in terms of musical chops. Their musical stylings would change up quite a bit over the years, but they left an immortal legacy with these first few albums.

That’s all for this time…next time…something else.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/momzntmkjzx/Dawn of the Dead – Death Metal 1985-1988.zip

At this stage, death metal was not too far removed from thrash, except for the vocals, which had obviously become tuned down in pitch.

Here’s the track listing:

01 Possessed – “The Exorcist” – Seven Churches (1985)
Widely considered the first death metal album, or at least, the first LP.

02 Morbid Angel – “Unholy Blasphemies” – Abomination of Desolation
(released in 1991, but originally recorded in 1986 as a demo titled “cream Forth Blasphemies”)

03 Devastation (Chicago) – “Devastation” – A Creation of Ripping Death (demo) (1986)
One of the true early pioneers of death metal. Unfortunately, these guys never really made it, although they were apparently hugely influential on the scene at that time (along with Master, another Chicago-based death metal band).

04 Sepultura – “Show Me The Wrath” – Morbid Visions (1986)
Sepultura would quickly tone down their dm act and focus on thrash, but this album is still a classic.

05 Repulsion – “Black Nightmare” – Horrified re-issue (originally recorded for 1986 demo)

Coming out of Flint, Michigan in the mid-80′s, Repulsion was a huge influence on the nascent grindcore/death metal scenes. Their original 1986 demo was later released by the Carcass-founded Necrosis label in 1991.

06 Necrophagia – “Terminal Vision” – Season of the Dead (1987)
Aside from Devastation, probably the most often overlooked participants in the early dm scene.

07 Slaughter (Can) – “Nocturnal Hell” – Strappado (1987)
From our Canadian bros to the north! Never to be confused with the American glam act of the same name.

08 Death – “Zombie Ritual” – Scream Bloody Gore (1987)
You didn’t think I’d make a death metal list without Death, of course?

09 Pestilence – “Subordinate to The Domination” – Malleus Maleficarum (1988)
Pioneers of the Dutch dm scene. Martin van Drunen, the lead and instantly recognizable vocalist, would go on to form Asphyx.

10 Bolt Thrower – “Nuclear Annihilation” – In Battle There Is No Law (1988)
Performed three live sessions on the British John Peel radio show between 1988-1990.

11 Death – “Primitive Ways” – Leprosy (1988)
Death metal was now fully formed, and ready to take on the world…at least, for the next 4-5 years, until the major labels took control.

Stay tuned for HISTORY OF EXTREME METAL PART III (GOLDEN AGE OF THRASH)

The Rise of Thrash and First Wave Black Metal

Metal Mix I – Dawn of Extreme Metal

01 Venom “Angel Dust” Welcome To Hell (1981)

Raw and dirty, but catchy as hell. Widely considered the first extreme metal band. Also considered by many to be the first black metal band, but as I have noted before in this forum, that seems to be primarily due to the title of their next album (“Black Metal”, doh). Venom are hugely influential on development of thrash and black metal genres, although they are probably best categorized as speed metal, ala Motorhead (but evil-er).

02 Venom “Countess Bathory” Black Metal (1982)
03 Venom “To Hell and Back” Black Metal

Second LP, builds on the first in terms of songwriting and is even darker.

04 Hellhammer “Crucifixion” Satanic Rites (Demo, 1983)
05 Hellhammer “Reaper” Satanic Rites

Primitive. That’s probably the word you’d want to use to describe Hellhammer. Hellhammer would release a few demos and then morph into Celtic Frost (sampled a bit later), with both bands being heavily influential on the first wave of black metal and pretty much every extreme metal band to follow.

06 Metallica “Phantom Lord” Kill ‘Em All (1983)

As Joker says, “here we go…” This is the first thrash album. Some people who think they’re too cool for school ‘dis Metallica as an influence, but that’s just silly to me. This album blew up the thrash scene. Period. And it’s easy to see why. They could actually write good songs.

07 Mercyful Fate “Evil” Melissa (1983)

Not quite thrash or black metal at all, but King Diamond’s vocals are extreme enough to warrant inclusion.

08 Voivod “Live for Violence” War And Pain (1984)

Often overlooked, but these early Canadian thrashers had a unique style that is widely respected by those “in the know”. I got into Voivod in the early nineties, well after their best stuff, and so never had a great opinion of them until recently when I dug through the back catalog. Great stuff.

09 Metallica “Trapped Under Ice” Ride The Lightning (1984)

It’s tough to decide whether this or Kill ‘Em All is the better album. Certainly, one can argue that Metallica had “grown” a bit musically – of course, if you don’t think “growth” and “metal” should be uttered in the same sentence, that would be an insult.

10 Celtic Frost “Into The Crypts of Rays” Morbid Tales (1984)

So here the Frost are fully formed. More refined than Hellhammer were, but still gritty. In my opinion there really isn’t much in metal that has surpassed the stuff that Celtic Frost did 25 years ago (but they keep tryin’).

11 Metal Church “Metal Church” Metal Church (1984)

Hands down, the best metal band name ever, right? Anyway, Church are kind of the bastard step child of thrash, but it’s good stuff. Still a little bit NWOBHM and maybe a smidgeon of glam influences, but thrash enough for me to include.

12 Bathory “War” Bathory (1984)

First wave, second wave, whatever you call it. This is definitely the first black metal album proper. Quorthon said he wasn’t influenced by Venom, but that’s hard to believe. Several of the songs (even the band name) have the same title as songs that appear on “Black Metal”, not to mention the goat horns logo. Whoever his influences were, it’s clear that Bathory influenced every black metal band that followed in the same way that Black Sabbath influenced most every heavy metal band that followed them.

13 Dark Angel “No Tomorrow” We Have Arrived (1984)

They arrived, but nobody would care until their next album Darkness Descends. But I had to do 13 songs, you know?

Papsmear - Music to Kill By Cover

Don’t be fooled (or grossed out) by their name. Papsmear are a virtually unknown Las Vegas-based thrash band from the mid-80′s. I got turned on to these guys by a member at Metal Archives several months ago. At that time it was near impossible to find any of their CDs or LPs online. That MA member sent me a CD-R of some the Papsmear tapes he had. The sound quality was absolute tripe, but the music was awesome.

Fast forward to December 2008, while doing a bit more research into these guys, I found a new metal label called M-THEORY started by Marco Barbieri, manager of Warbringer and ex-President of Century Media. And of course, I wouldn’t mention this unless it related to Papsmear, right? According to Barbieri (from the M-Theory MySpace page):

Upon my return to Las Vegas last year I started running into old friends, amongst these old band members. When I was a teenager PAPSMEAR was the closest thing we had to Slayer, Exodus or Kreator and many here were enamored with them. Despite some compilation appearances the group never broke out of the Vegas scene and eventually broke up. I always cherished their first two ‘80s demos and through conversations with the band I’ve agreed to release a limited 1000 copy CD collecting these demos, bonus live tracks (25 remastered songs = 80 minutes of music) and a DVD featuring 3 live shows. This release is done jointly with Metal War Productions, out of Pennsylvania, whose co-owner Spencer is also a big supporter of the band and shared the same vision of making the music available again and to a wider audience.

Needless to say, I contacted M-THEORY and ordered “Music to Kill By”. And let me tell you, it is not to be missed for any thrash fan. This stuff is aggressive, brutal, and fast as all hell! Don’t take my word for it, though. I’ve put a couple of tracks that you won’t find on either the Papsmear or M-Theory MySpace pages:

Strangler – Papsmear – Music to Kill By

Incorrigibly Wicked – Papsmear – Music to Kill By

What’s next up for M-THEORY? This is an e-mail exchange I had with Marco:

Hails, Marco! I just ordered the Papsmear album. It’s awesome that you are making that available, and I’m definitely going to spread the word. I heard that you are also going to re-issue “Product of a Sick Mind” by The Horde of Torment. Is that true? That would be sick. \m/

Yes, The Horde of Torment is the next reissue I’m working on. It will collect the band’s official three demos (remastered) with a bunch of extra goodies (that’s the part we’re trying to sort through and agree upon).

Thanks,
Marco Barbieri

10. Saviours – Into Abaddon (Firewake Angel)

9. Hail of Bullets – Of Frost and War… (The Lake Ladoga Massacre)

8. Blasphemophagher – Nuclear Empire of Apocalypse (Devastating Radioactive Torments)

7. Hooded Menace - Fulfill The Curse (The Eyeless Horde)

6. Dead Congregation – Graves of The Archangels (Vanishing Faith)

5. Thou – Peasant (Burning Black Coals And Dark Memories)

4.  Acid Witch – Witchtanic Hellucinations (Swamp Spells)

3. Prostitute Disfigurement – Descendants of Depravity (Killing for Company)

2. Urfaust – Drei Rituale Jenseits Des Kosmos (EP) (II)

1. Lugubrum – Albino de Congo (Lugwampinga)

So, with that, let’s begin. In this first podcast, which is more like a test run, I’m keeping it short and sweet. 7 songs from 7 essential bands – all either thrash or death metal. Here’s the playlist:

1. Sepultura – Inquisition Symphony – Schizophrenia
2. Obituary – Redefine – World Demise
3. Vio-Lence – Ageless Eyes – Eternal Nightmare (live)
4. Nihilist – Shreds of Flesh – 1987-1989 (comp)
5. Exumer – Journey to Oblivion – Possessed by Fire
6. Celtic Frost – Into The Crypts of Rays – Morbid Tales
7. Atheist – Piece of Time – Piece of Time

Mediafire download (mp3, 128 kbps)