15 Of The Greatest Old-School Melodic Thrash Albums in Existence!

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Metal Church – Blessing In Disguise (1989) [USA]

With vocalist Mike Howe (formerly of Heretic) bravely stepping into original Metal Church singer David Wayne’s considerable shoes, expectations for Metal Church’s 3rd album were tentative at best.

Fans needn’t have worried though, Metal Church were still well worth worshipping!

“Fake Healer”, “Rest In Pieces (April 15, 1952)”, “Anthem To The Estranged” (one of the finest thrash metal ballads ever conceived), “Badlands” and “The Spell Can’t Be Broken” were all incredible. Intelligent, powerful, heavy and home to a monumental vocal performance from Mike Howe, whose perfect balance of melodic muscle significantly contributed to setting Metal Church apart from their peers, Blessing In Disguise is the album that solidified their reputation for consistently delivering the goods.

It may have been 1989 but Metal Church still had time to squeeze in one of the most vital 80’s melodic American heavy metal / thrash albums of the decade!

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Onslaught – In Search Of Sanity (1989) [UK]

Onslaught‘s In Search Of Sanity may be a UK thrash anomaly – in that it’s unrecognisable in comparison to the material that preceded it – but despite the fact that the satanic slayer-isms of 1986’s brutal The Force had been jettisoned entirely, In Search Of Sanity still stands proud as a cult item well deserving of high praise for its performances and ambition!

While In Search Of Sanity was more Metal Church than Slayer – and cleaner than a Nun’s saintly undercarriage in the process – its go-for-broke mentality should have been applauded; thrash was huge in ’89 and Onslaught shouldn’t apologise for wanting their own large slice of the thrash pie. The introduction of Grim Reaper’s Steve Grimmett on vocals may have upset the purists (and let’s be honest here,Onslaught aren’t really Onslaught without a gravelly-throated ‘screamer’ behind the mic) but the man lent a polished sheen to proceedings which few thrash bands (UK or otherwise) could match!

Quite possibly the finest commercial thrash album ever produced by a UK band, Onslaught were aiming for worldwide recognition when they released this melodic thrash masterclass at the tail end of the 80’s and ut should have led to greater things! 

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Paradox – Heresy (1989) [Germany]

Now here’s a band with more talent in one finger than most band’s hold in their entire body parts combined and Heresy was the album to bring Paradox to the attention of thrashers on a global scale!

A fully paid up concept album, Heresy re-told the tale of the Albigensian Crusade of the 13th century and in the process redefined the limits of thrash, ironically marching forth on their own crusade to combine elegance with destruction.

Approaching thrash with far less malice than the likes of Sodom, Kreator etc, Paradox instead embraced a power metal aesthetic, aligning themselves more with the likes of Metal Church, Anthrax (minus any silliness) and Onslaught circa In Search Of Sanity than with their Germanic brethren. It paid off too, helping Paradox to stand out from the pack and offering an accessibility that their teutonic peers simply didn’t offer at this point in time.

Featuring soaring twin harmonies, mind-frazzling solos and a rhythm section that could rival the tightest thrash acts around, Paradox were anything but their namesake; delivering instead a concise and melodic attack on the senses that was unrelenting in its clinical efficiency.

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Pariah – Blaze of Obscurity (1989) [UK]

A classic sounding thrash band before the term could even be applied, there was something inviting about Pariah’s thrashed up New Wave Of British Heavy Metal based output; of which Blaze Of Obscuritywas their finest hour.

Formed from the ashes of NWOBHM heroes Satan, Pariah would go on to donate Graeme English and Steve Ramsey to Skyclad but first came this magnificent slice of melodic thrash magnificence. The perfect companion piece to Onslaught’s equally ambitious In Search Of Sanity, Pariah’s astonishing array of complex riffs and expansive song writing should have found them beloved the world over.

As it transpired, Pariah were treated in a manner befitting their name and split after just two short years.

However, Blaze Of Obscurity is so ridiculously accomplished that it deserves nothing less than total reappraisal and should be considered a benchmark for 80’s speed metal and thrash metal guitar work.

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Powermad – Absolute Power (1989) [USA]

With a sound that marries well with that of Metal Church, Flotsam & Jetsam and Forbidden – particularly in Joel Dubay’s powerful vocals – Powermad‘s debut full length remains a strangely alluring hybrid of thrash, speed metal, power metal and core traditional metal values that sucks you in with humungous hooks, unforgettable melodies and a clear, concise sound that’s impressively executed.

“Slaughterhouse” may be a title that conjures images of a typical horror-show bloodbath but – just like the majority of Absolute Power – there’s a refreshing ‘light’ touch and upbeat, bouncy feel to this storming opener that defied the standard unbridled aggression of the day.

That’s not to say that these guys didn’t know how to thrash!

The high tempo and satisfyingly crunchy staccato palm-muted riff-fest of “Test The Steel (Powermad)” stands as testament to their thrash credentials. However, ample moments of speed metal frenzy are ably balanced with the kind of controlled yet expansive dynamism that Queensrÿche excelled at in the late 80’s.