In 1987, heavy-music scenes were strictly divided and definitely did not play nice with each other. But looking back on such a landmark year some three decades later, we can now appreciate the influence of Guns N Roses Appetite for Destruction alongside the impact of Deaths debut and the bombast of Candlemass—because not only can those records be seen in a clearer context, they also proudly share some of the same fans. And thats the beauty of time: things marinate and evolve. Ideas change, mentalities change, landscapes change. But when it comes to the heavy-metal revolution that was happening around the world 30 years ago, what was rad stayed rad—and thats what were celebrating with this playlist.Thrash adheres to the same face-ripping formula today as it did back then, and those who are into it are still completely stoked to be caught in a mosh. Monster ballads are now less polarizing to Beavis and Butthead types because most of us decided its not only okay to have guilty pleasures, it actually might be a lot cooler if you did. And yeah, there might still be some purists who will forever ignore the fact that Whitesnakes finest hour came at the same time as Napalm Deaths (and who think the two bands have no business being on the same playlist), but the variety of heavy music and abundance of killer guitar solos that define 1987 are actually pretty impressive to see in one place.It was a year where you could venture deep into the darkness with Sodom and Bathory, glimpse the future of extreme music with Death, scale the highest heights (and notes) on King Diamond and Helloweens most iconic albums, or maybe even get a little emotional with Def Leppards biggest commercial hit. You also got essential records from one of the greatest metal singers of all time (Dio), one of dooms most prolific bands (Candlemass), one of extreme metals sacred godfathers (Celtic Frost), not to mention a few of thrashs big guns (Testament, Anthrax, Death Angel, Overkill). It wasnt all just happening then; much of it was still emerging then, taking shape and branding its scorched mark on heavy and popular music worldwide. Heres a 30-year flashback of all the awesome varieties of metal from 1987.This feature is part of our Thrash 101 online course that was produced in partnership with the good rocking folks at GimmeRadio, a free 24/7 metal radio station hosted by heavy-music experts like Megadeths Dave Mustaine and Lamb of Gods Randy Blythe. Check them out here and sign up for the Thrash 101 course here.
Thank you for checking out the seventh installment of our Thrash 101 program, produced in conjunction with GimmeRadio, your free 24/7 radio station hosted by heavy-music experts and artists. Check it out here.In 1987, heavy-music scenes were strictly divided and definitely did not play nice with each other. But looking back on such a landmark year some three decades later, we can now appreciate the influence of Guns N Roses Appetite for Destruction alongside the impact of Deaths debut and the bombast of Candlemass—because not only can those records be seen in a clearer context, they also proudly share some of the same fans. And thats the beauty of time: things marinate and evolve. Ideas change, mentalities change, landscapes change. But when it comes to the heavy-metal revolution that was happening around the world 30 years ago, what was rad stayed rad—and thats what were celebrating with this playlist.Thrash adheres to the same face-ripping formula today as it did back then, and those who are into it are still completely stoked to be caught in a mosh. Monster ballads are now less polarizing to Beavis and Butthead types because most of us decided its not only okay to have guilty pleasures, it actually might be a lot cooler if you did. And yeah, there might still be some purists who will forever ignore the fact that Whitesnakes finest hour came at the same time as Napalm Deaths (and who think the two bands have no business being on the same playlist), but the variety of heavy music and abundance of killer guitar solos that define 1987 are actually pretty impressive to see in one place.It was a year where you could venture deep into the darkness with Sodom and Bathory, glimpse the future of extreme music with Death, scale the highest heights (and notes) on King Diamond and Helloweens most iconic albums, or maybe even get a little emotional with Def Leppards biggest commercial hit. You also got essential records from one of the greatest metal singers of all time (Dio), one of dooms most prolific bands (Candlemass), one of extreme metals sacred godfathers (Celtic Frost), not to mention a few of thrashs big guns (Testament, Anthrax, Death Angel, Overkill). It wasnt all just happening then; much of it was still emerging then, taking shape and branding its scorched mark on heavy and popular music worldwide. Heres a 30-year flashback of all the awesome varieties of metal from 1987.
Thank you for checking out the 10th installment of our Thrash 101 program, produced in conjunction with GimmeRadio, your free 24/7 radio station hosted by heavy-music experts and artists such as The Dillinger Escape Plans Ben Weinman and Death Angels Will Carroll. Listen now for free.What makes the history of thrash so legendary is not just the time and place from whence it sprung, but the fervor behind it all: the aggression, the solos, the speed, the sheer collision of wailing NWOBHM and hardcores piss and vitriol. Its fast, its dark, its got an attitude—and its also got a sense of humor. But no matter what, its always an invigorating listen. And in 2005, when it came back around, thrash proved its also completely timeless.Bands like Municipal Waste and Toxic Holocaust dug the torch out of some filthy dumpster (most likely in an abandoned skate park littered with cigarette butts and shitty graffiti), dusted it off, and fired up a whole new explosion. Notable young thrash bands popped up in a seemingly endless supply and broke through the zeitgeist, bringing with them a love for the sound and the opportunity to take a trip back in time. But it wasnt all about nostalgia. Thrash became a necessary mainstay in a landscape overtaken by metalcore and mainstream active rock disguised as metal. The Big Four were working through their third decade and some of them had veered off in directions far beyond their thrash foundation. To the new school, the excitement and vitality of what once was needed to rise again. And since the mid-2000s, it hasnt stopped. In 2017, we see crossover bands like Power Trip and Iron Reagan raising the flag, guitar shredders like Ramming Speed and Foreseen HKI carrying the tradition, and full-on crushers—like the all-female Nervosa—waging their own assault. Meet the New School of Thrash.
What makes the history of thrash so legendary is not just the time and place from whence it sprung, but the fervor behind it all: the aggression, the solos, the speed, the sheer collision of wailing NWOBHM and hardcores piss and vitriol. Its fast, its dark, its got an attitude—and its also got a sense of humor. But no matter what, its always an invigorating listen. And in 2005, when it came back around, thrash proved its also completely timeless.Bands like Municipal Waste and Toxic Holocaust dug the torch out of some filthy dumpster (most likely in an abandoned skate park littered with cigarette butts and shitty graffiti), dusted it off, and fired up a whole new explosion. Notable young thrash bands popped up in a seemingly endless supply and broke through the zeitgeist, bringing with them a love for the sound and the opportunity to take a trip back in time. But it wasnt all about nostalgia. Thrash became a necessary mainstay in a landscape overtaken by metalcore and mainstream active rock disguised as metal. The Big Four were working through their third decade and some of them had veered off in directions far beyond their thrash foundation. To the new school, the excitement and vitality of what once was needed to rise again. And since the mid-2000s, it hasnt stopped. In 2017, we see crossover bands like Power Trip and Iron Reagan raising the flag, guitar shredders like Ramming Speed and Foreseen HKI carrying the tradition, and full-on crushers—like the all-female Nervosa—waging their own assault. Meet the New School of Thrash.This feature is part of our Thrash 101 online course that was produced in partnership with the good rocking folks at GimmeRadio, a free 24/7 metal radio station hosted by heavy-music experts like Megadeths Dave Mustaine and Lamb of Gods Randy Blythe. Check them out here and sign up for the Thrash 101 course here.
The ’90s have never sounded better than they do right now—especially for modern-day indie rockers. There’s no shortage of bands banging around these days whose sound suggests formative phases spent soaking up vintage ’90s indie rock. Not that the neo-’90s sound is itself a new thing. As soon as the era was far enough away in the rearview mirror to allow for nostalgia to set in (i.e., the second half of the 2000s), there were already some young artists out there onboarding ’90s alt-rock influences. But more recently, there’s been a bumper crop of bands that betray a soft spot for a time when MTV still played music videos and streaming was just something that happened in a restroom. In this context, the literate, lo-fi approach of Pavement has emerged as a particularly strong strand of the ’90s indie tapestry, and it isn’t hard to hear echoes of their sound in the work of more recent arrivals like Kiwi jr. or Teenage Cool Kids. Cherry Glazerr frontwoman Clementine Creevy seems to have a feeling for the kind of big, dirty guitar riffs that made Pacific Northwestern bands the kings of the alt-rock heap once upon a time. The world-weary, wise-guy angularity of Car Seat Headrest can bring to mind the lurching, loose-limbed attack of Railroad Jerk. And laconic, storytelling types like Nap Eyes stand to prove that there’s still a bright future ahead for those who mourn the passing of Silver Jews main man David Berman. But perhaps the best thing about a face-off between the modern indie bands evoking ’90s forebears and the old-school artists themselves is the fact that in this kind of competition, everybody wins.
