10 Obscure Old-School Thrash Albums You Need To Hear! (Part 8)

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The classics are all well and good but there’s a shit ton of obscure thrash out there that demands to be heard! To that end, we’ve selected YET ANOTHER 10 obscure old-school thrash albums you NEED to hear.

This is Part 8…..there’s plenty more to already read in this series and, believe it or not, more to come!

Acridity – For Freedom I Cry (1991) [USA]

Lost among a sea of forgotten thrash albums floats Acridity‘s For Freedom I Cry, an album that hardly breaks new thrashin’ ground but also deserved to reach a wider audience than the niche circles it ultimately swam in.

Sharing a kinship with the likes of the UK’s Slammer and Re-Animator, Acridity took a dry, clinical approach to their craft and while accusations of sterility – particularly in the often lacklustre vocal performance of vocalist Darin Carrol – certainly didn’t help matters, when Acridity did settle into a satisfying groove, such as on the the Atrophy-esque “The Verdict”, there’s no doubting the bands ability to deliver a satisfying tune or two.

A lack of success / exposure ultimately led to Acridity calling it quits soon after For Freedom I Cry‘s release but this is certainly an album recommended to those who like to delve deep into the American thrash archives.

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Acrophet- Faded Glory (1989) [USA]

Acrophet‘s second album, Faded Glory, arrived in 1989 and was a marked improvement on their rough and ready debut, Corrupt Minds (which, if you’re feeling adventurous, is still worth checking out).

Mixing a relatively melodic take on thrash with Dave Baumann’s almost hardcore bark marked Acrophet out as thrashers of note – regardless of how short-lived their career inevitably was. Here were 11 tracks of speedy bangers which showcased a rapidly maturing band (both lyrically and musically); a band unafraid to conjure the same magic as Sacred Reich circa Ignorance via D.R.I‘s Thrash Zone with “Independence At It’s Finest” proving to be the finest showcase for Acrophet‘s distinctive mix of thrash styles.

Far better than their obscure status would have you believe, Acrophet‘s light may have faded after this release….but the glory was still their’s!

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Anihilated – Created In Hate (1988) [UK]

One of the most furiously feral thrash albums to ever emerge from the shores of the UK, Anihilated‘s raucous full length debut, Created In Hate, stands proud as one of the most bullish UK releases of the late 80’s.

Home to the iconic “Chase The Dragon” – a ferocious UK thrash classic if ever there was one – Anihilated were very much an aggressive and antagonistic beast in 1988 and with their punk roots still very much informing their sound, it’s no surprise that when Anihilated weren’t playing fast….they were playing faster! 

Which is just how we like it.

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Energetic Krusher – Path To Oblivion (1989) [UK]

Aside from full on flirting with early-doors death metal, Energetic Krusher‘s only release is an overlooked thrash monster that showcased a brutal sound at odds with the ‘chirpier’ nature of many of their contemporaries.

Adept at a good gallop – accompanied by a gargling growl – Energetic Krusher’s heavy, heavy thrash assault maintained an impessively oppressive atmosphere throughout, propelled by some of the most fearsome vocals in late 80’s thrash. Sharing a kinship with such underground greats as Cerebral Fix, Napalm Death and the almighty Demolition Hammer, what the band lacked in subtlety and song differentiation was counteracted by the repeated deathly blows struck by each pummelling track.

The total opposite of fellow UK thrashers Acid Reign and Lawnmower Deth – who instilled a distinctly British sense of humour into proceedings – Energetic Krusher had more in common with the death metal bands emanating from Florida than perhaps they even realised.

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Sacrifice – Crest Of Black (1987) [Japan]

Heavily influenced by Venom and Celtic Frost, this charred debut from Sacrifice is a primitive, gargling, thrashing time capsule of orthodox 80’s thrash.

Devoid of technicality, lacking in finesse and completely focused on bludgeoning you senseless, these guys sound like they recorded their first rehearsal and then unleashed it on the world.

Which isn’t a complaint!

When you come from a country who revels in avant-garde weirdness (go seek out Doom and Gargoyle for some bat-shit crazy thrash) it’s refreshing to hear a Japanese band simply let rip and honour the pioneering work of the aforementioned Venom and Celtic Frost….alongside the blackened thrash of early Sodom and Destruction, of course.

Sacrifice surely were riding a crest of black…..and, in the Far East at least, there were none blacker!