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6 Under-Appreciated Classics Of American Thrash Metal (Pt 2.)

6 MORE overlooked classics of U.S thrash metal that thrashed just as hard as The Big 4!

Morbid Saint- Spectrum Of Death (1990)

Morbid Saint – Spectrum Of Death (1989, Vinyl) - Discogs

Sharing a sonic kinship with Rigor Mortis‘ self titled debut, Morbid Saint‘s Spectrum Of Death is another unapologetically brutal and viciously violent attack on the senses; arguably the most brutal 100% thrash record ever recorded!

Clattering drums, rapid riffing and vocals belched from the gullet of a Satan-obsessed psychopath, Morbid Saint were the perfect combination of Dark Angel‘s all-encompassing power, Whiplash‘s speed and grit and the blackened riffing of those teutonic masters; Sodom and Destruction.

Few bands could compete with the intensity found on Spectrum Of Death and if your heart bleeds black for Venom, early Kreator and Darkness Descends era Dark Angel then tracks such as “Assassin” and “Beyond The Gates Of Hell” are ample proof that Morbid Saint should sit proudly alongside these legendary purveyors of pure filth! 


Defiance – Product Of Society (1989)

Defiance - Product of Society - Amazon.com Music

Defiance may have evolved into a progressively minded thrash outfit (check out the expansive and accomplished thrash of 1992’s Beyond Recognition) but Product Of Society and it’s Testament/Forbidden style of powerfully technical thrash deserves to be lauded as an authoritative dose of late 80’s thrash.

While these California crushers could never be accused of originality, their commitment to delivering nothing but traditional Bay-Area neck-wreckers is to be commended. “Insomnia” opens with the obligatory acoustic intro before settling into a satisfyingly mid-paced groove while “Hypothermia” opens with a spine-tingling solo intro before unleashing crunchy rhythms, intricate patterns and a smooth, sleek sound that signalled these boys were capable of keeping up with their peers in Forbidden and Heathen.


Anacrusis – Suffering Hour (1988)

Anacrusis - Suffering Hour - Amazon.com Music

The only album in Anacrusis‘ formidable back catalogue to be classifiable as true thrash, Suffering Hour remains an overlooked moment in thrash history.

Joining the likes of Watchtower, Voivod and Mekong Delta in constructing complex arrangements and schizophrenically unique songs that flow through dozens of exhilarating tempo changes, Anacrusis‘ youthful exuberance and disjointed clamour exhibitied nothing but an alluring charm and a desire to challenge thrash’s boundaries.

Anacrusis‘ debut had it all; intelligence, alarming momentum, hollowed-out groove, fiendish rhythms, atonal experimentation, a forebodingly dark and dense sound and a character all of its own; precious few albums are capable of surprising the listener with each repeat listen but Suffering Hour achieved this and more.

45 minutes to spare? Soak up the whole damn thing!

Other articles in this series

6 Under-Appreciated Classics Of American Thrash Metal (Pt 1.)

About Chris Jennings (1963 Articles)
I love metal. Always have. Always will. As editor of Worship Metal - a site dedicated to being as positive about metal and its myriad of sub-genres as possible - my aim is to 'worship' metal through honest reviews, current news and a wide variety of features; offering the same exposure to underground bands as we do to mainstream/well known acts. Our mantra; the bands are partners and we exist to serve the bands \m/

9 Comments on 6 Under-Appreciated Classics Of American Thrash Metal (Pt 2.)

  1. Exhorder. Slaughter in the vatican. Best thrash album ever. Nobody knows anything of it. It’s sad.

  2. Man,Suffering Hour is the worst Anacrusis album. Anyway,got my like for Rigor Mortis,Morbid Saint and Defiance. Why not “Sanity Obscure” by Believer?

    • Chris Jennings // April 25, 2015 at 1:26 pm // Reply

      But it’s the only Anacrusis Thrash album! Sanity Obscure was included in Part 1…give it a read man, some quality Thrash is included \m/

  3. RIGOR MORTIS thrash…come on. Let’s be serious for a minute.

    • Chris Jennings // April 27, 2015 at 6:25 am // Reply

      Rigor Mortis, that Thrash band from Texas. Yeah, deadly serious. There’s been over 10 bands named Rigor Mortis over the years ranging from Death Metal to Black Metal…are you thinking of a different Rigor Mortis?

  4. Wow!! Who said Anacrusis suffering hour was the worst ablum?? Every Anacrusis album is awesome. It’s about time Anacrusis gets some recognition after all of these years and then that’s the comment you share? Whatever, one of my favorite bands and they kick ass!!

  5. love that you included Morbid Saint in here. Spectrum is one of the greatest brutal thrash albums ever, up there with Maleus Maleficarum, The Awakening, and Epidemic of Violence

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