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25 Of The Most Under-Appreciated Albums In US Thrash History!

Forget The Big 4.....this is what you should be listening to!

Hirax – Raging Violence (1985)

Source // churchofzer.com

Source // churchofzer.com

An anorexic production job does little to dent the ferocious nature of Hirax‘s powerful debut released during thrash metal’s infancy. A blistering crossover thrash/speed metal exercise in full-throttle riffing, Hirax may have been a little rough around the edges but their often undervalued contribution to the scene is actually undeniable.

With one of the most distinctive voices in thrash – as an ambassador for the genre as well as a vocalist – frontman Katon W. De Pena is a thrash icon. His melodic John Cyriis (Agent Steel) meets Eric A.K. (Flotsam And Jetsam) wail was the perfect foil for his bandmate’s hardcore punk infused bouts of maddening metal!

14 tracks in just over 30 minutes signals just how fast these guys actually played and precious few could match them for speed in ’85! Trading finesse for brute force, the likes of “Bombs Of Death” – an all time thrash classic – still managed to drip-feed a little melody into the mix, enabling Hirax’s barely in control barbarity to warrant repeat listening.

It’s raw, it’s passionate, it is thrash circa 1985 and Raging Violence still relishes using your head as a punching bag over 30 years later!

About Chris Jennings (1987 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/

25 Comments on 25 Of The Most Under-Appreciated Albums In US Thrash History!

  1. Peter Tsiolis // January 28, 2018 at 9:11 pm // Reply

    Worship Metal – thanks for the inclusion oh Aftermath

  2. Whiplash ‘Power and Pain’

  3. Johnny Blackout // February 2, 2018 at 9:27 pm // Reply

    Vendetta – Brain Damage.
    Every song has great thrash beats and machine gun speedy riffs. Two guitarist and both sing.

  4. Toxik’s ‘World circus’. Great list by the way, many discoveries to check out (same remark for the german list).

  5. OMG !! GREAT LIST …but you guys have seemed to forget…Blind Illusion’s The Sane Asylum…Hands down (in my humble opinion!!) the most UNDERATED album EVER !! in any GENRE even !! If you havent heard it go online & LISTEN …a THRASH MASTERCLASS from the warped mind of MARK BIEDERMANN Les Calypool & Larry Lalonde !!

    • Chris Jennings // February 8, 2018 at 8:36 pm // Reply

      Thank you kindly…..look out for Blind Illusion in a follow-up feature….there’s loads more under-appreciated US albums we want to shout about! \m/

  6. Sacrilege bc’s “Party With God” this is one of the all time underrated Thrash LP’s crossover that quite possibly started the blackned thrash movement.

  7. Mike Mellinger // February 21, 2018 at 3:47 am // Reply

    Great list! Honored to have Intrinsic on there.

  8. Scott Wesley // April 23, 2018 at 3:16 am // Reply

    Forbidden.DBC,Sabbat,Cyclone,Violence and Cyclone Temple to name a few more! 🙂

  9. Scott Wesley // April 26, 2018 at 2:05 am // Reply

    Uncle Slam,Pissing Razors and Wrath. Or is Pissing Razors from Mexico?

    • Chris Jennings // April 26, 2018 at 7:13 am // Reply

      Pissing Razors are from Texas I think, but always considered them to be groove metal. Sub-genres causing problems as always!! haha

      Great shout when it comes to Uncle Slam and particularly Wrath….a follow-up feature is in the works and these could both be included 🙂 \m/

  10. demolition hammer – epidemic of violence is one of the most brutal and relentless thrash albums of all time, it deserves a spot there imo

  11. Hey very interesting blog!

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