"Second Big 4" of thrash

eviltimeban · 04-01-2011 12:47PM #1

Apologies if this has been endlessly debated before.

So we all know Metallica / Megadeth / Slayer / Anthrax are the "Big 4" of thrash, but has there ever been definitive confirmation on who the next 4 were, to make a "Big 8" list overall?

If I had to guess I'd say it would be Sepultura, Testament, and then... I'm not sure. Kreator? Celtic Frost? Nuclear Assault?

What's your opinion?

That_Guy · 04-01-2011 12:53PM

Personally I'd take Slayer out and put Testament in there but that's just me.

Nea · 04-01-2011 12:57PM

I would agree with Testament and Sepultura, I would put in Sacred Reich and Suicidal Tendencies also.

Was never a big fan but many would put Exodus in too

Max Power1 · 04-01-2011 12:57PM

Second Big 4?

Kreator, Testament & Exodus anyway, not sure after that. Sepultura probably going by popularity, even though they are a band I never really "got".

Angron · 04-01-2011 12:57PM

That_Guy wrote: »

Personally I'd take Slayer out and put Testament in there but that's just me.

I'd take out Metallica and replace them with Sepultura myself.

Max Power1 · 04-01-2011 12:58PM

Also, Celtic Frost? Are they not more of a "doom" band than thrash?

Motley Crue · 04-01-2011 01:11PM

For me, Anthrax doesn't even deserve to be in the main Big Four, let alone be called a Thrash band....in any case...my pick for a "B Team" would be

Sepultura
None of this **** over Max vs. Derrick, Sepultura now are a great band, but I would prefer the original line up that performed in Holland in 1996 - you have to admire how stoned the fans looked during this performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3514lddu6m0

Exodus
A few years ago Slayer took time out from their tour to go and see Exodus performing in the Voodoo Lounge - that's how relevant Slayer think Exodus are - and personally I have to agree

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN78B1wigCE

Testament
Seen them open for Judas Priest in 2009 and have been a fan ever since.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09rHDabBQfA

Machine Head
I have a feeling I'll get in trouble for calling these guys Thrash but they've been around in some form or another since 1994 (Demmel and Flynn have been working together even longer then that) and their debut album was without doubt the driving force behind my decision to listen to more of Thrash Metal. I just wish Rob would stop with the bull**** inbetween songs.

And to see them five times and counting. And no, this particular track I've chosen isn't the heaviest, but it's still brilliant music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh1DQR7H2KE

sentient_6 · 04-01-2011 02:20PM

2nd big four? Exodus, Testament, Kreator & IMO Overkill. Who i'm surprised haven't been mentioned yet!

The problem with some of the '2nd tier' bands is some have had dodgy points and/or huge gaps between albums. Exodus had the terrible Impact is Imminent & Force of Habit then nothing for years. Heathen had a great album in Victims of Deception but then nothing for years. Forbidden had Twisted into Form then a couple of dodgy albums in the mid 90's that changed the sound a bit then a huge gap. Overkill, Kreator & Testament are the only consistant ones out there.

bledmillennium · 04-01-2011 02:34PM

Yes! Overkill!

ELIMINATE ELIMINATE!!!!!

Also, from the new breed of thrash metallers, I see great potential from Warbringer and Tankard making even greater waves in the future.

eviltimeban · 04-01-2011 02:34PM

Hmmm. I don't know much Exodus. Kreator I always figured would be on the list.

What about Flotsam & Jetsam? Destruction? Sodom?

Hmmm. It looks like the list will probably be:

Sepultura
Testament
Exodus
Kreator

Max Power1 · 04-01-2011 02:37PM

eviltimeban wrote: »

Hmmm. It looks like the list will probably be:

Sepultura
Testament
Exodus
Kreator

Yup, +1 to that IMO.

eviltimeban · 04-01-2011 02:39PM

Max Power1 wrote: »

Yup, +1 to that IMO.

Hardly household names though. The "Big 4" have very strong name recognition, even amongst non-metal fans. I mean, everyone's heard of Metallica! :-)

sentient_6 · 04-01-2011 02:40PM

bledmillennium wrote: »

Yes! Overkill!

ELIMINATE ELIMINATE!!!!!

Also, from the new breed of thrash metallers, I see great potential from Warbringer and Tankard making even greater waves in the future.

I'm really liking Lazarus A.D. as well. Id say check them out if you haven't already.

eviltimeban wrote: »

Hardly household names though. The "Big 4" have very strong name recognition, even amongst non-metal fans. I mean, everyone's heard of Metallica! :-)

Ya but thrash in general isn't really a household genre. & are metallica really thrash anymore?! But i digress......

Oh i think Death Angel deserve a honourable mention by the way.

Max Power1 · 04-01-2011 02:46PM

eviltimeban wrote: »

Hardly household names though. The "Big 4" have very strong name recognition, even amongst non-metal fans. I mean, everyone's heard of Metallica! :-)

The "metallica" everyone has heard of are not thrash!

And the list is the next most well known thrash bands outside the big 4.

Wheres your suggestion, if you disagree then?

AaronEnnis · 04-01-2011 02:48PM

bledmillennium wrote: »

Yes! Overkill!

ELIMINATE ELIMINATE!!!!!

Also, from the new breed of thrash metallers, I see great potential from Warbringer and Tankard making even greater waves in the future.

Eh...Tankard arent exactly a new breed, they've been around since 'Zombie Attack' in 1986, and before that even.

All that 'thrash revival' did was unleash a whole load of clone bands who went out and bought hi-tops in their local Footlocker or whatever. The only good band to come out of them was Vektor, who sound like a mix between Destruction, Coroner, and Voivod.

eviltimeban · 04-01-2011 02:51PM

Max Power1 wrote: »

The "metallica" everyone has heard of are not thrash!

And the list is the next most well known thrash bands outside the big 4.

Wheres your suggestion, if you disagree then?

Well that was my suggestion (T/K/E/S), based on what people are saying here, and what my own thoughts are. I was just making an observation that the "2nd 4" are very different in terms of recognition / commerciality etc, than the Big 4. There's probably no real basis for a next four, maybe its more like a Big 5 or Big 6 (for which I would add Testament and Sepultura to the original Big 4).

I haven't really listened to thrash metal much since about 1989 - recently I've been delving back in to the old classics. I also got Testament's most recent album and its really good. Nice to hear the old "classic" sound is still there.

sentient_6 · 04-01-2011 03:02PM

See even out of the Big 4 one is only really really BIG. Every other band thats sticking to the thrash sound are still playing clubs like the ambassabor when they come to ireland, & playing similar i imagine elsewhere. There all pretty much underground par metallica, who arent thrash anymore.

eviltimeban · 04-01-2011 03:05PM

sentient_6 wrote: »

See even out of the Big 4 one is only really really BIG. Every other band thats sticking to the thrash sound are still playing clubs like the ambassabor when they come to ireland, & playing similar i imagine elsewhere. There all pretty much underground par metallica, who arent thrash anymore.

Well I guess now that's true, but maybe it refers to "big then" rather than "big now". I mean, Megadeth had a run of hit albums in the 90s, Anthrax kind of fell off the radar, and Slayer were always too extreme to go overground. But at the time, the late 80s, these were the main big bands.

eviltimeban · 04-01-2011 03:20PM

sentient_6 wrote: »

See even out of the Big 4 one is only really really BIG. Every other band thats sticking to the thrash sound are still playing clubs like the ambassabor when they come to ireland, & playing similar i imagine elsewhere. There all pretty much underground par metallica, who arent thrash anymore.

Well I guess now that's true, but maybe it refers to "big then" rather than "big now". I mean, Megadeth had a run of hit albums in the 90s, Anthrax kind of fell off the radar, and Slayer were always too extreme to go overground. But at the time, the late 80s, these were the main big bands.

Motley Crue · 04-01-2011 04:54PM

sentient_6 wrote: »

See even out of the Big 4 one is only really really BIG. Every other band thats sticking to the thrash sound are still playing clubs like the ambassabor when they come to ireland, & playing similar i imagine elsewhere.

Anthrax aside, Megadeth performed in the old Point Depo in the early 90's twice, and I think that they could fill a venue that size with the right promotion. I remember when they performed in the Ambassador in 2005 the place was wall to wall packed, by all accounts they also got a good crowd in Cork last Summer, even if it didn't sell out.

And Slayer wouldn't want to play the 02 Arena, I mean I've seen them headline stadium\arena gigs before (like the CIA in Wales) but I would imagine, given the choice, Slayer prefer the intimacy or a "less is more" approach to their attendance. Their two night's in the Ambassador a few years ago could have easily been one in a bigger venue.

sentient_6 wrote: »

There all pretty much underground par metallica, who arent thrash anymore.

I would not class Slayer or Megadeth as underground

lord lucan · 04-01-2011 04:55PM

Motley Crue wrote: »

For me, Anthrax doesn't even deserve to be in the main Big Four, let alone be called a Thrash band....in any case...my pick for a "B Team" would be

Wash your mouth out with soap and water!!:eek:

Motley Crue · 04-01-2011 07:04PM

lord lucan wrote: »

Wash your mouth out with soap and water!!:eek:

Why is it that people keep disagreeing with everything I write on here:D

OK, look, I struggle to believe Anthrax are a Thrash band...a lot of their material since their "Thrash period" proves this was nothing more then experimentation and that their Thrash days were nothing more then a phase of the band.

I mean, no other Thrash band has ever released....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBA-xi8WuCU

Even if some of their material is well worth applauding

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlLn0UicWrM

dasdog · 04-01-2011 08:45PM

Anthrax were more melodical than the others but they were one of the definers of thrash and were probably the first to have moshpits/stage diving which they brought accross from CBGB'S (NY) punk/hardcore audiences. If anything with Public Enemy, Anthrax were experimenting with something new which never really worked for me but the whole scene was dying already at that point. Personally I thought Megadeth stopped being thrash around Rust In Peace (I hated No More Mr Nice Guy....hated it and I loved that band) and Metallica after AJFA.

I suppose like a lot of things it depends on taste. Suicidal/Nuclear Assault/Testament/Sepultura were probably my favourite of the "second tier". Although they started off playing more hardcore (a bit like Suicidal) an honorable mention to D.R.I. who were probably never as popular as the likes of Kreator.

That_Guy · 05-01-2011 12:20PM

Vio-lence are actually quite good too. Would stick them in there too although I'm really not the biggest fan of thrash as such.

Nailz · 05-01-2011 12:57PM

Apart from the two dudes on the first page there's a tremendous lack of Overkill on this thread. Same goes for Municipal Waste.

For me it would have to be Overkill, Testament, Sepultura and Nuclear Assault. Leaving out one of my old favourite, Suicidal Tendencies, on the basis I like their Hardcore stuff equally, and they're more of a Crossover band. Kreator & Exodus always deserve a shout.

Mike Litoris · 09-01-2011 12:50AM

From what I remember in the mid to late 80's Testement, Suicidal, Exodus and Nuclear Assault seemed to be the most popular after the big 4.

I alway classed Sepultra as death metal and attached to that whole wave in 89-91.

Max Power1 · 09-01-2011 08:35AM

Mike Litoris wrote: »

From what I remember in the mid to late 80's Testement, Suicidal, Exodus and Nuclear Assault seemed to be the most popular after the big 4.

I alway classed Sepultra as death metal and attached to that whole wave in 89-91.

lol.

Its spelt Sepultura, for a start.

They were one of the main bands from the south american thrash scene. They are not death metal, in the same way that Slayer or Pantera are also not death metal.

finhex · 09-01-2011 10:43AM

Coroner needs to be mentioned here. Not so popular but definitely one of the best. And Finnish band called Stone.

Seth Brundle · 09-01-2011 11:55AM

Vio-Lence (a band I love) were never a big band and arrived too late to justify being anywhere near the top 10.

I would go with the following:
* Kreator
* Testament
* Exodus
* Suicidal Tendencies

Other bands close behind would probably be Nuclear Assault, Death Angel, Forbidden, Possessed, Sepultura and Annihilator.

Jake The Fat Ma · 09-01-2011 01:20PM

Razor and Exciter are two amazing bands from Canada

AaronEnnis · 09-01-2011 01:37PM

Jake The Fat Ma wrote: »

Razor and Exciter are two amazing bands from Canada

Spot on. Heavy Metal Maniac is just deadly. And as regards Razor...just dont get 'Decibels'. Terrible album, ha ha... everything else ranges from excellent (Evil Invaders) to good (Open Hostility).

Have you heard Sacrifice, also from Canada?

"Second Big 4" of thrash

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