Contenders for the Ultimate Thrash Metal Album
Audio Ink Radio is highlighting a handful of albums that are the contenders for the ultimate thrash metal album. – Author: Anne Erickson, Photo via Tim Saccenti
Thrash metal is a genre rooted in the past. As with many beloved musical genres and movements, thrash got its start decades ago, but thankfully, it’s still alive and well today. While nobody will ever be the next Testament or Exodus, there are newer bands creating fantastic heavy metal music in this century. On top of that, there are some of those classic bands have still been releasing new music over the past few years and keeping their voices in the genre heard. Get ready to headbang and let loose, because Audio Ink Radio is highlighting a handful of albums that are the contenders for the ultimate thrash metal album. It would be impossible to pick just one, so we’re highlighting five standouts.
Ultimate Thrash Metal Albums
Anthrax, “Among the Living”
Anthrax’s “Among the Living” is a brilliant thrash masterpiece and one that influenced many thrash bands to follow. Sure, Anthrax might be the babies in the “Big Four,” but there’s nothing little about this huge-sounding record. It’s brutally heavy all the way through, just how we like it.
Power Trip, “Nightmare Logic”
We had to throw a newer album on this tally to prove that the genre continues to thrive. Power Trip is really carrying the torch, and the band’s 2017 release, “Nightmare Logic,” is a beautiful, stunning blend of thrash metal. It’s great to get a solid thrash release like this one decades after the genre formed.
Megadeth, “Rust in Peace”
“Rust in Peace” is one of the defining albums in the thrash metal genre because of its power and complexity. There was never a question about Dave Mustaine’s incredible musicianship, and he was able to fully explore that in Megadeth, which was less commercial-sounding than Metallica. “Rust in Peace” is an example of Mustaine really showing what he could deliver on lead guitar.
Metallica, “Master of Puppets”
Audio Ink Radio recently named Metallica and “Master of Puppets” the greatest thrash metal album of all time because of its “unique musical quality, gutting lyrics, originality and overall influence.” Just try to fight with us on that. You won’t win. There are actually several Metallica albums from their early days that really show off the glory of thrash, but “Master of Puppets.” give the world such longstanding songs as “Battery,” “Disposable Heroes” and “Welcome Home (Sanitarium) and helped the movement pull ahead.
Slayer, “Reign in Blood”
The mighty Slayer released “Reign in Blood” in 1986, and this album became a blueprint for any thrash metal to follow. What’s great about this album, from a true metal lover’s standpoint, is that it’s pure thrash, from front to back. There’s no “filler” with other kinds of metal or rock music in here. It’s just 100% thrash from trop to bottom, and that’s awesome.
Testament, “The Legacy”
Testament wasn’t in the Big Four of thrash metal, but their album “The Legacy” is simply thrash at its finest. This album shows that thrash can have many shades, because the dynamics of the record go from soft and subtle to absolutely scorching in moments. You can’t beat the duel guitars on there, either.
For more thrash metal fun, find Audio Ink Radio’s feature on the best thrash metal bands of all time and watch our video on some of the greatest thrash metal bands below.
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