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The 10 Greatest Thrash Albums Of 2016

2015 was a good year for thrash....2016 was arguably even better!

7. Flotsam and Jetsam – Flotsam and Jetsam

Source // bravewords.com

Source // bravewords.com

What a return to form this was! Flotsam and Jetsam had no mis-fires, no weak links, just track after track of modern thrash/speed metal mayhem powered by outstanding across-the-board performances and a multitude of stunning ideas.

Not really a comeback – they never really went away – Flotsam and Jetsam was nevertheless an overwhelming and surprising success, rejuvenating the career of a band seemingly lost in the wilderness who’ve finally found their way home!

You need to hear: “Seventh Seal”, a precise power-thrashing that comes with laced with typical ‘Flotz’ melody.

6. Death Angel – The Evil Divide

Source // www.blabbermouth.net

Source // www.blabbermouth.net

Another classic thrash band in full flow, Death Angel’s The Evil Divide proved to be a super-catchy thrash masterclass to rival 2008’s riff-bible Killing Season.

Ever since they kick-started the thrash renaissance we’re still currently enjoying, Death Angel have proved themselves worthy of constant adulation, releasing album after album of quality melodic thrash and, if possible, bettering all of their material post-millennium with The Evil Divides.

And, in truth, if we had to choose one thrash song about a moth in 2016, it’d be Death Angel’s stomping “The Moth” over ‘tallica’s “Moth Into Flame” any day!

You need to hear: “Cause for Alarm”, a vintage Bay Area thrasher that stops and starts as often as a tour bus. Staccato mayhem!

5. Deströyer 666 – Wildfire

Destroyer 666 wildfire

A blackened thrash masterclass from Destroyer 666, Wildfire reeked of the old-school and galloped harder than a thousand horses fleeing a glue factory!

Frankly, Wildfire was akin to stumbling across the early-doors recordings of teutonic terrors Destruction and Sodom fed through Lemmy’s Rickenbacker….a maddening, speed-obsessed, completely unhinged thrash attack that’s clearly in love with the sheer adrenaline of playing this type of heavy fuckin’ metal.

Remember when thrash sounded dangerous? Wildfire rekindled that feeling!

You need to hear: “Die You Fucking Pig”….with a title like that how can you not check this shit out?!

About Chris Jennings (1964 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/

16 Comments on The 10 Greatest Thrash Albums Of 2016

  1. No Hobbs Angel of Death?

  2. No Vektor? Really?

  3. Ever listen to any band formed in the last 20 years?
    How is it possible to overlook Vektor’s “Terminal Redux”?! Hands down one of the, if not *the*, best Thrash releases of 2016.
    It seems to me some people like to pretend nothing new is being done.

    • Chris Jennings // December 4, 2016 at 8:06 pm // Reply

      Yes, just look at our reviews section….all new material from outstanding bands. See above re. Vektor. Not forgotten, just falls into a different sub-genre for us \m/

  4. I have all these albums love em to! Not bad for a 40 yr old metal head! \m/

  5. Nice list. I like new Metal Church, Exumer and Death Angel. Testament and Anthrax also put a solid albums. As for Metallica i am not a fan but few songs are pretty catchy. As for album that i miss in the list is Decision Day from Sodom. To me the best thrash album in 2016.

    • Chris Jennings // December 5, 2016 at 8:45 pm // Reply

      Sodom were included in the honourable mentions at the bottom…just couldn’t squeeze it in! Thanks for the kind words and for reading and commenting \m/

  6. I think Suicidal Angels – Division Of Blood deserves a mention too… Solid trash!

  7. Helstar deserves mention as power/thrash, shit if more power metal albums released gems as dark and vicious as this, I might be more of a fan!! Still, when you mention Megadeth’s new one is no “Rust In Peace,” you’re right, but I hear more ideas that were lifted directly from their best of all time “Peace Sells…” All you have to do is listen to some of those songs and if you know Peace Sells front to back, those similarities are hard to miss… Everything from the title track’s (“Peace Sells”‘ title track that is) crunchy lead riffs on ‘Post American World’ to the speedy, blazing wordplay lifted RIGHT from ‘Black Friday’ incorporated on the cut ‘Fatal Illusion.’ Yes, this record borrows HEAVILY from “Peace Sells,” complete with kick ass punk cover (‘Foreign Policy’ is a FEAR cover), like Megadeth always does… YET, this record still retains some individuality as well… Megadeth: always able to create REAL metal better than Metallica has in the last, oh, 25 or so years???

  8. alfred ferrarini // December 25, 2016 at 4:57 pm // Reply

    first off if you listen real close any band that has been around for 20 or more years,will from time to time have different music,megadeth imo have all of the music from all albums and like to see what they can do in different music.And,sometimes its not DAVE”S fault that some people dont like it,after all how would we like to eat dry toast and water for 35 years ,variety is it.Im sayin its all great .Its like painting would you paint with just one color or use all the color’s you can find.I cant wait to see how much better the next album with dirk will sound too,variety rock on.

  9. Megadeth and Metal Church have not ever been thrash. Listen to Kreator, Razor, Sodom, etc, those are thrash bands.

    • Chris Jennings // January 3, 2017 at 7:39 am // Reply

      Megadeth have never been thrash??? Dave Mustaine invented thrash! I do listen to Kreator, Razor, Sodom etc but 2 of those 3 didn’t release an album in 2016 so their inclusion would be weird, don’t you think?

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