[For Beginners] Start Here! A Collection of Classic Thrash Metal Songs

AriseSepultura

Sepultura – Arise [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

Brazil’s Sepultura are known for introducing the ethnically inspired rhythms dubbed “tribal beats” and creating their own brand of loud rock, but before they reached that direction with the album Chaos A.

D.

, they were a thrash metal band.

A masterpiece from their thrash era—combining their original ferocity, a refined thrash approach, and the band’s unique identity—is 1991’s Arise.

Its title track, in particular, is a highly distinctive song that practically begs to be called “Brazilian thrash.”

Nuke the CrossToxic Holocaust

TOXIC HOLOCAUST – “Nuke the Cross” (Official Music Video)

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, this band has been a driving force in the thrash metal scene since the 2000s.

Centered around the multitalented Joel Grind, who single-handedly created their debut, they’ve sustained a career spanning over 20 years.

Here I’ll introduce the lead track from their third album, An Overdose of Death.

.

.

, released in 2008.

Its runaway sound feels like the headlong velocity of thrash metal fused by brute force with the destructive power of hardcore punk, delivering a gritty coolness that straight-laced bands just can’t replicate.

Personally, I also give high marks to the fact that they brought in Seattle legend and grunge-scene trailblazer Jack Endino as producer.

Ultra ThrashCrisix

CRISIX – ULTRA THRASH || OFFICIAL VIDEO ||

With a song title like “Ultra Slash,” there’s simply no option not to listen! Among the up-and-coming thrash metal bands, Spain’s Crisix is one of the fiercest.

Bursting, high-velocity riffs; a sound that’s technical in a modern way yet retains a raw edge that’s never too polished; and a barrage of screams capped off with repeated shouts of “Ultra Slash!” While weaving in contemporary heavy sections, their bulldozing, full-throttle songwriting shows a glimpse of thrash metal’s future.

Trash All Over YouLost Society

LOST SOCIETY – Trash All Over You (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

In 2013, Lost Society—a thrash metal band that burst out of Finland with an average age of just 19 at the time—made waves.

This track from their debut album, Fast Loud Death, became a hot topic among metal fans, thanks to the sheer energy of its video: young musicians decked out in old-school metal fashion tearing through blistering thrash against a snowy backdrop.

It’s a must-listen classic within the thrash metal revival that’s unfolded since 2010.

TerrorscopeGama Bomb

GAMA BOMB – Terrorscope (2013) // Official Music Video // AFM Records

Hailing from Northern Ireland, this is a band you can’t leave out when talking about the crossover thrash scene since the 2000s.

If you listen to “Terrorscope,” a single from their fourth album The Terror Tapes released in 2013, you’ll grasp their core appeal.

Centered on the breakneck drive characteristic of thrash metal, it also weaves in melodic vocals, and the guitar solo even bursts out with a phrase from the universally known classical masterpiece Sabre Dance—absolute anything-goes mayhem.

And yet, it’s all neatly distilled into a single track, showcasing an impressive command of songwriting; you could call it a bona fide classic.

Charging the VoidVektor

Vektor – Charging the Void (Official Audio)

Among thrash metal bands that emerged after 2000, the American band Vektor stands out for its barrage of highly technical riffs and unpredictably intricate song structures.

As their self-proclaimed label “progressive sci-fi metal” suggests, their worldview sets them apart from many straightforward thrash acts—and this particular track may be where the band’s idiosyncrasies are felt most intensely.

Despite running over nine minutes, its dizzying progression keeps it from ever feeling long.

Sadistic MagicianMUNICIPAL WASTE

Municipal Waste – Sadistic Magician

Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, this band has dominated the post-2000 scene with crossover thrash that fuses hardcore punk and thrash metal as their weapon of choice.

This track appears on their third album—also known by the incredibly cool Japanese title “Madness Thrash Party.” With a lean, two-minute–plus structure and a blistering sound that leaves you no choice but to empty your mind and headbang nonstop, it’s guaranteed to send you into bliss.

Also pay attention to veteran maestro Dave Witte’s drumming, which tightly anchors the overall ensemble.