Thrash & Speed Metal

Overkill is an American thrash metal band from the New York metropolitan area, founded in 1980 by bassist D. D. Verni, drummer “Rat” Skates, and singer Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth. Overkill was founded in 1980 by D.D. Verni and Rat Skates (born Carlo Verni and Lee Kundrat). Bobby Ellsworth, who was actually a bassist at the time, joined the band as a singer and brought a guitarist with him. After some back and forth, the musicians finally agreed on the band name Overkill. This was based on…

Destruction is one of the oldest German thrash metal bands still in existence today. It was founded in 1982 in Weil am Rhein in southern Baden and is one of the “Big 3” of German thrash metal, along with Kreator and Sodom. The band is known for its aggressive, fast sound and its uncompromising attitude towards the norms of the genre.

Their debut album “Infernal Overkill” (1985) and “Eternal Devastation” (1986) are among the early thrash milestones and established Destruction as one of…

Kreator is a German thrash metal band that was founded in Essen in 1982 as Tyrant. The band is one of the best-known and oldest German bands in this genre. Together with the bands Destruction and Sodom, Kreator forms the so-called triumvirate of German thrash metal. To date, the band has sold over two million albums worldwide. The name is derived from the Latin creator (‘creator’), but Miland “Mille” Petrozza's history teacher told him after the release of the debut LP that the name…

Sodom is a German thrash metal band that was founded in Gelsenkirchen in 1981 and is one of the most influential bands in the genre. Together with Kreator and Destruction, Sodom forms the “Teutonic Thrash” trio, which had a decisive influence on the development of thrash metal in Europe.

The band became particularly well known with their debut album “In the Sign of Evil” (1984) and the follow-up “Persecution Mania” (1987). Sodom combines fast-paced thrash riffs with dark, often socially…

Exodus is an American thrash metal band from the Bay Area in California. The band was founded in 1981 and is signed to Nuclear Blast. The band's discography includes ten studio albums. Exodus is unofficially considered the inventor of this style and inspired bands such as Death Angel, Testament, and Violence.

Bands such as Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth are considered as the “Big 4” of thrash metal. The band Exodus has had a formative influence on the development of the genre,…

Anthrax is a metal band that was founded in New York in 1981 by guitarist Scott Ian Rosenfeld, now the only original member. Anthrax, together with Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer, forms the “Big Four” of thrash metal. Initially heavily influenced by the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and the US metal and speed metal genres that emerged in response to it, the band played a key role in the development of thrash metal. On their first album and the following EP, their style was still somewhat…

Megadeth (derived from megadeath, meaning a million deaths) is an American metal band founded in 1983 by singer and guitarist Dave Mustaine, guitarist Greg Handevidt, bassist David Ellefson, and drummer Dijon Carruthers after Mustaine left Metallica. Handevidt was replaced by Kerry King before the first concert, but after five concerts, King returned his full attention to Slayer. Megadeth are considered pioneers of the thrash metal movement in America and later throughout Europe and, together…

Slayer (English for “murderer” or ‘butcher’) is a thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. It is one of the most influential metal bands in the world and, together with Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax, forms the “Big Four” of thrash metal. The band regularly causes controversy due to its lyrics. Four Slayer albums have been certified gold in the US. In 2007 and 2008, the band won a Grammy in the Best Metal Performance category. Slayer was founded in 1981 by guitarists…

Metallica is an American metal band founded in 1981 in Los Angeles, California, by drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield. Just one year after its founding, the band moved its base to San Francisco, where the local thrash metal scene quickly developed into a center for hard, uncompromising music—and Metallica soon became its figurehead.

Today, the band is one of the most commercially successful and influential metal acts worldwide: with over 110 million records sold, including…

Annihilator is a Canadian thrash metal band founded in Vancouver in 1984 by guitarist and songwriter Jeff Waters. The band is one of the most important representatives of the thrash metal genre and has made a name for itself with its technically demanding guitar riffs and fast, precise song structures.

Their debut album “Annihilator” (1989) and the follow-up “Alice in Hell” (1990) were celebrated as milestones in thrash metal. The song “Alison Hell” in particular is a classic of the…