Spotlight: Modern Thrash

So what is modern thrash? I know what Bay Area Thrash is; Metallica, Megadeth, Exodus, Testament, etc. But what is modern thrash? I have a whole bunch of artists that I have labeled as modern thrash. Well, for me, modern thrash takes the best of metalcore, death metal, and everything else since the late 80's and throws it together to get a sound of metal that is most reminiscent of Bay Area Thrash. These are the bands that weren't afraid to play solos all the time solos were a bad thing.

Take The Autumn Offering. They are always labeled as metalcore. And sure, you hear it...definitely. But overall they are thrash. Their debut was mainly hardcore/metalcore with sprinkles of thrash, but their follow-up Embrace the Gutter is pure thrash with sprinkles of metalcore. Listen to the solo in the title track.

And for those looking for the metalcore part, listen to Ghost. You go from a solo that could have been put on any Iron Maiden album to a breakdown that could go on any Killswitch Engage album. BTW, this band switched vocalists and it hurt them big time. I couldn't stand their latest and it even made my disappointments for 2007.

Sanctity was founded by Trivium...neat huh? Anyway they were so impressed that they covinced their label to sign them. Road to Bloodshed is class thrash. Much like Susperia, they sound like Testament a lot of the time. Their vocalist also hits some Halford-like high notes too. The solos are really tight and crisp...much like Megadeth. Unfortunately, they just lost their vocalist/guitarist and drummer due to personal reasons. So who knows what will happen to this band now.

Havochate and Lazarus are too classic thrash bands. Once again, Havochate sounds alot like Testament. Nothing wrong there. As for Lazarus, they sound like a faster version of Exodus...that's right a faster version. The solos on this album are amazing. The first time I heard the album I was grinning from ear to ear like I did with Machine Head's The Blackening. Solid bands and I will be looking forward to their new ones.

Last up Shadows Fall. This band is still labeled a metalcore band, but after their second album, I think they turned more thrash. The War Within has very little if anything that sounds like metalcore...some breakdowns here or there. Shadows Fall were never afraid to play solos. In fact, it was their video for Destroyer of Senses that brought them back. I was blown away to hear a true metal song on MTV. Most of the hardcore vocals are gone for cleaner screams/singing. Listen to these songs and tell me they are metalcore.




Playlist for the week:
Monday: Embrace the Gutter, Ghost by The Autumn Offering from Embrace the Gutter
Tuesday: Fiction, Still Alive, Alone by Havochate from Cycle of Pain
Wednesday: Beneath the Machine, Zeppo, The Shape of Things by Sanctity from Road to Bloodshed
Thursday: Last Breath, The Onslaught part 1 by Lazarus from The Onslaught
Friday: What Drives the Weak, Inspiration on Demand by Shadows Fall from The War Within