Old - Down With the Nails

 

Genre: Black/Thrash Metal

Country: Germany

Year: 2006

Label: Tyrant Syndicate

Awww yeeaahhhh, that's the stuff! I'm sure many of you are already familiar with this gem, but for those of you who aren't, prepare to have your face ripped off by this filthy, delicious, stripped-down slice of German black/thrash slayage. This is a zero bullshit album brimming with awesome riffs and vitriol-drenched vocals all wrapped in a savage, visceral production that couldn't be more perfect for this style of music. Down With the Nails truly captures that old-school feeling, and pulls it off with every ounce of genuine honesty one could hope for. As is the case with many albums in this vein, there's not much to be said beyond the fact that it rules. Old certainly didn't reinvent the wheel with this one, but they did a damn good job of paying homage to the music they obviously have a lot of love for - which is absolutely fantastic, because that's the point. Be sure to check this out if you in the mood for some good old-school beer-swilling face-shredding black-thrashing mayhem. Awesome.

For fans of Celtic Frost, Sodom, Darkthrone, and Destruction.

Down With the Nails 

Bewitched - Diabolical Desecration

Genre: Black/Thrash Metal

Country: Sweden

Year: 1996

Label: Osmose Productions

This is some good ol' head bangin' fun from Sweden. Diabolical Desecration is all about simple, stripped-down black thrash (more on the thrash side) that gets to the point: no-frills here, just good riffs and down to business songs. These guys certainly have no intention of reinventing the wheel, which is fine, because this album is crackling with energy and riffy goodness. My one complaint is that I would have liked the production to be a bit more raw and visceral as I think it would have served the attitude of the music a bit better. Not to say the production doesn't work - I just would've preferred a more chaotic feeling. Small gripe aside, this album has some great riffs (which evince a very strong Motörhead vibe more than a few times) and is definitely a worthy addition to any black thrash fan's collection.

For fans of Nocturnal, Desaster, Midnight, and Sabbat.

Diabolical Desecration

Absu - The Third Storm of Cythrául

Genre: Black/Thrash Metal

Country: U.S.A.

Year: 1997

Label: Osmose Productions

Absu is one of my favourite American bands, blending thrash and black metal with occult atmospheres, awesome lyrical themes, and epic album artwork - in short, they have it all. Many people prefer Tara, the album that came after this one, and while that album is indeed fantastic (and includes "Stone of Destiny", my favourite Absu song), I think I prefer The Third Storm of Cythrául overall. Tara focuses on blisteringly fast riffs and leans heavily on the thrash side of their sound, whereas Storm is a bit more balanced. Even when the guitars are thrashing away and the drums are pummeling your face like a jackhammer, the arcane atmosphere still manages to ooze from every note. Absu is a unique band that plays vicious, epic music, and The Third Storm of Cythrául is a good way to introduce yourself to their stuff if you aren't already acquainted with it.

For fans of Desaster, Usurper, and Night Conquers Day.

The Third Storm of Cythrául

Desaster - A Touch of Medieval Darkness

Genre: Black/Thrash Metal

Country: Germany

Year: 1996

Label: Merciless Records

Desaster is an extremely cool German band that I don't hear getting talked about too often, which is a damn shame. They play an addictive brand of thrashing black metal that is at times more black and at times more thrash, but regardless of what kind of riffage they're tearing your face off with, you can rest assured it fucking slays. This is no-gimmicks metal, no keyboards, no female vocals, just riff after riff of kickass metal that makes no compromise and takes no prisoners. A Touch of Medieval Darkness is the band's first full-length, and I really love the titular dark medieval atmosphere they managed to saturate their sound with. This is the most 'black' and least 'thrash' of their albums, and as a result, it has the most pervasive atmosphere, which I really enjoy. Don't get me wrong, the pedal-to-the-metal black-thrashing assault of their later albums totally rules too, but part of me has a soft spot for the overall feeling and mood of A Touch of Medieval Darkness. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

For fans of Deströyer 666, Nocturnal, Aura Noir, and Usurper.

A Touch of Medieval Darkness 

Usurper - Twilight Dominion

Genre: Thrash/Black Metal

Country: U.S.A.

Year: 2003

Label: Earache Records

Usurper is an incredibly cool and criminally overlooked American band that has been cranking out their own unique brand of blackened thrash metal since 1993. These guys are absolute lords of slinging molten steel through your speakers, with blistering riffs, a thundering rhythm section, and a killer vocal assault (very reminiscent of Tom G. Warrior). This is some serious headbanging material full of heavy, ripping guitar work and choruses that really get stuck in your head. If you're looking for something vicious, hard rockin', and fun (in a malevolent kind of way), then Twilight Dominion is right up your alley.

For fans of Nocturnal, Celtic Frost, Deströyer 666, and Aura Noir.

Twilight Dominion

Artillery - By Inheritance

Genre: Speed/Thrash Metal

Country: Denmark

Year: 1990

Label: Roadrunner

Get ready for some kickass Danish thrashing speed metal! By Inheritance completely slays - blazing riffs, thundering drums, killer vocals, this album has it all. This is good old-fashioned denim-clad metal done the right way, no two ways about it. Many of the choruses here are downright infectious and demand rowdy sing-alongs, and the guitarwork will no doubt have your air guitar flying and your head flailing. Flemming Rønsdorf's voice is definitely a high point for me, and this album simply would not be what it is without him. By Inheritance is definitely an overlooked classic, so don't miss out!

For fans of Angel Dust, Grave Digger, Running Wild, and Accept.

By Inheritance

Merciless - Merciless

 

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal

Country: Sweden

Year: 2003

Label: Black Lodge

Merciless is a Swedish death metal band who injects a healthy dose of thrash into the mix and crushes your skull with it. They've been around since 1990, and were actually the fist band to sign to Deathlike Silence Productions. This is heavy, catchy death/thrash metal with no gimmicks - just good riffs and good songs. This album really doesn't have any weak points, and remains high-energy for its entire length. This is definitely one of my favourite death metal bands, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another album (it's been 7 years since their last release, but apparently they're still active). All of their albums are guaranteed to make you bang your head, so grab a copy and prepare to thrash!
 

Merciless