Greatest Thrash Metal Album of Every Year Since 1983

Thrash has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years from the beginning to the fall to its resurrection. This subgenre was invented in the early 1980’s when musicians combined their love for fast and abrasive hardcore punk with the leather of heavy metal. On the east coast of America, there were bands like Anthrax and Overkill, and the Bay Area scene, with Metallica, Exodus, Testament, and elsewhere in California, bands like Slayer and Megadeth were popping up. Outside of America, bands like Kreator, Sodom, Destruction, and Tankard ramped up the intensity, because they played much faster than the Americans. And of course, in Brazil, Sepultura did thrash perfectly, sometimes, better than the Americans. And without further ado, here are the greatest thrash metal albums of every year since 1983, the year the genre was established.

1983

Metallica - Kill ‘Em All

And with that, thrash was born. From the blazing fast “Hit the Lights”, to Cliff Burton’s masterful bass solo in “(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth”, and the Dave Mustaine-penned “The Four Horseman”, the album showcases the energy Metallica never really had ever again after this. Truly one of thrash’s greatest efforts, sporting young James Hetfield screeches.

1984

Metallica - Ride the Lightning

This album shows Metallica becoming more fluid with different song structures. "Fade to Black" is a ballad, which was unheard of at this time for a genre like this. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is a mid-paced stomp, and they also play around with more technical song structures on "The Call of Ktulu" and "Creeping Death".

1985

Exodus - Bonded by Blood

1985 was a great year for thrash. Slayer had Hell Awaits, Destruction had Infernal Overkill, Anthrax with Spreading the Disease, Megadeth's Killing is My Business... and Business is Good!, and a bunch of other bands were making their mark like Kreator, Overkill, and S.O.D. Exodus's only album with Paul Baloff on vocals is probably the best out of that mosh pit, melding exceptionally fast riffing from Gary Holt on bangers like "Strike of the Beast", "Piranha", and the title track.

1986

Metallica - Master of Puppets

The magnum opus of thrash came here in 1986, with our Bay Area thrash masters, Metallica. Sure, Reign in Blood came out this year, but how can you pass up a legendary album like this? On this record, they had a stronger sense of pacing and dynamics, with never-ending guitar hooks, and Hetfield's iconic voice.

1987

Testament - The Legacy

It's very, very difficult to choose between this and Anthrax's legendary Among the Living, but eventually one can come to the conclusion that this just edges out. It's Chuck Billy's gritty vocals mixed with his heavenly cleans that really makes this record shine.

1988

Metallica - ...And Justice for All

AHH! Choosing between this and South of Heaven gave me a headache! Yes, this does mean I've given four years to Metallica, but come on! The album flaunts amazing technicality with masterful solos. "Blackened" is probably Metallica's best opening track and the title track opens with one of the greatest guitar riffs of all time.

1989

Sepultura - Beneath the Remains

Made and recorded entirely in Brazil, our favorite South American band, gave us an amazing major label debut. After wallowing in the shadows for two albums, Roadrunner picked up the death-thrashers, which gave them better production quality, allowing for Max and the gang to showcase their extraordinary talent.

1990

Slayer - Seasons in the Abyss

Unpopular opinion: Seasons in the Abyss is better than Rust in Peace. I'm sorry, but it's true. On this album, Slayer expands their dynamics and their technicality, leaving us with ten flawless tracks. This is probably my second favorite thrash album next to Master of Puppets.

1991

Sepultura - Arise

Arising from Brazil and infected with the Floridian death metal scene, Sepultura crossed the line between thrash and death with this near-flawless fourth album. From its production quality to the brutal vocal delivery from Max Cavalera, the album also shows some groove elements, foreshadowing their stylistic change in 1993 on Chaos A.D. I think that it also has one of the most underrated metal songs of all time in "Desperate Cry".

1992

Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction

No, leaving Megadeth off this list for so long was not a mistake. They were just less good than the other albums on this list... until now. This album is much more bare bones than Rust in Peace, with front man Dave Mustaine attempting to become more mainstream. This album worked perfectly, though, with its catchy hooks, memorable choruses, and earworm melodies, shown on songs like "Symphony of Destruction" and "Sweating Bullets".

1993

Anacrusis - Screams and Whispers

Anacrusis's form of thrash is different than most others, incorporating experimental and progressive elements and effects into their music. Ken Nardy's vocal performance is exceptionally good, which mixes lulling cleans and the snarl of a creature. The bass work is phenomenal, and the songwriting is top notch, as should be for a band like this. And the music is groovy like on "Sense of Will" and "Too Many Prophets".

1994

Megadeth - Youthanasia

Sure, Testament had Low this year, but I think Youthanasia is just more refined and less musically confused. Megadeth, at this point, seemed to be really desperate for mainstream attention and so they lowered the thrash elements further. And the material was still really good, albeit softer than before. The music was very catchy and melodic like on "Addicted to Chaos" and they had an amazing ballad with "A Tout Le Monde".

1995

Tankard - The Tankard

Beer. And lots of it. That's what the Teutonic thrash band Tankard runs on. In a time where a pure thrash record was scarce, Tankard came through with The Tankard in 1995. Need some party music? Just drop the needle on this album.

1996

Nevermore - The Politics of Ecstasy

After Sanctuary was pressured by their label to change their style from thrash to grunge, the band just broke up. Fresh out of Sanctuary, Warrel Dane and Jim Sheppard created a progressive thrash band, Nevermore. Their second album, The Politics of Ecstasy, showcased vocal melodies and impressive songwriting, including stunning examples of prog metal with "Passenger" and "The Tiananmen Man". That album cover does not do this album justice.

1997

Strapping Young Lad - City

If you haven't noticed already, we're beginning to dig at the bottom of the barrel here. That doesn't mean this album is bad, it just means we've lost the all-star bands from the 80's. Hailing from Canada, Strapping Young Lad was an experimental band combining thrash, death, and a lot of industrial. The material here is stunning, definitely my favorite album out of these late 90's albums, with absolutely amazing vocals from Devil Townsend and absurdly precise drumming from ex-Death drummer, Gene Hoglan. It takes a while to get into, but listen to it over and over again, and you begin to pick up on it.

1998

Witchery - Restless & Dead

Combining black metal and thrash, Sweden's Witchery released their debut album in 1998. They utilize shrieks instead of clean vocals, separating this from the rest of the pack. Musically, the album follows a punkier approach to thrash than normal.

1999

Testament - The Gathering

After gathering (that's a joke) together some thrash legends like Steve Digiorgio and Dave Lombardo, Testament returned with a new lineup. One of the more aggressive thrash albums to grace the genre, it has some standout tracks such as "D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate", "Down for Life", and "Legions of the Dead".

2000

Nevermore - Dead Heart in a Dead World

Nevermore's greatest effort came in 2000, with Dead Heart in a Dead World. Once again displaying sheer technicality, the band gains a cleaner sound with better production quality. There are some clear standout tracks, such as "Narcosynthesis", "We Disintegrate", "Inside Four Walls", "The River Dragon Has Come", and a beautiful cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence". Obviously one of the most underrated metal albums of the 21st century.

2001

Kreator - Violent Revolution

And what a revolution! Kreator pounced back out of their experimental era with Violent Revolution, an ode to classic thrash, opening up more bands to do the same this decade. Sure, Destruction also had an amazing thrash album with The Antichrist but songs like "Reconquering the Throne", "Servant in Heaven - King in Hell", and the title track just can't be beat.

2002

Shadows Fall - The Art of Balance

Although Kreator and Destruction started a thrash revolution in the previous year, 2002 was very slim of thrash, at least good thrash. Shadows Fall was always one of the more thrashier bands in the metalcore scene, and I guess they qualify here. The music is catchy and melodic, partly because Shadows Fall was originally a melodic death metal band.

2003

Overkill - Killbox 13

And after 2002, there was the meat of the revolution, including albums from thrash veterans, like this one, Killbox 13 from Overkill. They kept some of the groove elements from their 90's output but combined it with the speed of 80's thrash, creating a perfect blend of metal mayhem. Instant classics like "The Sound of Dying", "Devil By the Tail", and "The One" really make this one shine!

2004

Exodus - Tempo of the Damned

With the revolution in full swing, Exodus made waves with Tempo of the Damned. Reviving the energy of their 80's albums, they showed that thrash can still make a mark on mainstream metal today. I have to mention "Blacklist" for being one of the 21st century's greatest metal songs.

2005

Kreator - Enemy of God

Listening to this album makes you wonder how Kreator can go from caveman thrash on 1985's Endless Pain to this technical masterpiece, twenty years later. Insanely precise riffing and drumming make for a very extraordinary release.

2006

Slayer - Christ Illusion

What a comeback! Slayer fell into experimentation, like so many others did in the 90's. But they finally came out of that period with this record. The album is awe-inspiring, showing that a veteran thrash band can make a mark on mainstream metal in the 2000's, winning a Grammy Award for the song "Eyes of the Insane".

2007

Evile - Enter the Grave

The critically acclaimed album by Municipal Waste, The Art of Partying, did come out in 2007. But I felt as if that was just too immature compared to Evile's impressive debut album, Enter the Grave. Pure thrash metal, with no frills, are included here. Songs like "Thrasher", "First Blood", and the title track rival those of the good old 80's bands.

2008

Testament - The Formation of Damnation

And after seeing that the market for thrash was back, thrash lords Testament were back. And back they were, with a killer record in The Formation of Damnation. Solid songs like "The Evil Has Landed" and the title track makes replay value pretty much infinite for this one.

2009

Vektor - Black Future

Vektor is pretty much the spiritual successor to progressive thrash legends Voivod. They have a similar message with science fiction. They play the same subgenre. And most of their albums are critically acclaimed. Similarities aside, Vektor has some amazing lead guitar work, and some feral shrieking to go along with it.

2010

Overkill - Ironbound

And Overkill was at it again! This, in my opinion, is the definition of a late-career classic. Overkill completely abandoned the groove from the 90's, happily surprising their fanbase with songs like the title track and "The Green and Black". The album is absolutely perfect, possibly the best thrash album of the 2010's.

2011

Vektor - Outer Isolation

Yes. I know Anthrax made their comeback this year, but how can you pass up Vektor? Vektor's second album was pretty much equal to the first album, but even better. Vektor's impressive technical prowess, deft songwriting, and clever lyricism definitely trump anything else that came out in 2011.

2012

Testament - Dark Roots of Earth

Dark Roots of Earth is probably Testament's best modern album. It successfully mixes thrash, groove, and death with a tinge of melody. They even use blast beats on some songs like "Native Blood" and "True American Hate". In my opinion, one of the greatest metal albums of the 2010's.

2013

Power Trip - Manifest Decimation

This is Power Trip before they got famous. In my opinion, they should have been famous since their first demo. With this album, they began to head the neo-thrash movement. Utilizing raw production, killer riffs, and amazing vocals by the late Riley Gale.

2014

Exodus - Blood In, Blood Out

Somehow, in 2014, Exodus managed to put out a record that rivaled 1985's Bonded by Blood and 2004's Tempo of the Damned. With Zetro back in (after Rob Dukes) for a third time, they discarded the lengthier compositions from the late 2000's, going back to basics with this album. It even features Kirk Hammett on "Collateral Damage", who was a member of Exodus before he joined Metallica back in the early days of thrash.

2015

Deathhammer - Evil Power

Deathhammer tries to harken back to the good old days where thrash was completely unpolished and unhinged. The leads are played sloppily intentionally using an animalistic approach. This album proves you don't need a time machine to experience the 80's.

2016

Megadeth - Dystopia

Does this mean there's no Anthrax on this list? I'm sorry! It's difficult to choose an Anthrax album over something better. In this case, it's Megadeth's true comeback album, Dystopia. I say "true" because the album before was 2013's Super Collider which was, to say the least, absolutely terrible. And the albums before that felt half-baked. This? No way. This is an action-packed album rivaling albums like So Far... So Good... So What! and Rust in Peace sporting major hits like "The Threat is Real", "Lying in State", my personal favorite, and the Grammy-winning title track.

2017

Power Trip - Nightmare Logic

Power Trip delivered on the hype with their second and (maybe) last album! Harkening back to the caveman thrash days, the album is just made for the pit. There's no doubt that 2018 should go to Power Trip with this one. Sadly, the vocalist, Riley Gale, died in 2020 of fentanyl overdose, which leaves many questioning the band's future.

2018

Warrel Dane - Shadow Work

It seems like no one was inspired by Power Trip and decided to release a thrash album in 2018. Warrel Dane's second album, Shadow Work has enough thrash, and it will have to do. Sadly, it was released posthumously, after he died of a heart attack in Brazil in 2017 while working on this album's vocal tracks. This actually stung me more than Riley Gale's death in 2020 because Warrel Dane is one of my favorite 80's metal singers and his work with both Sanctuary and Nevermore are legendary. This album encapsulates everything he went through in those last months of his life. Songs like "Madame Satan" and "Disconnection System" are some of the best progressive thrash songs I've ever heard.

2019

Death Angel - Humanicide

Thrash veterans Death Angel put out a pretty insane old-school thrash album in 2019, perfect for the mosh pit. The standout on this one is definitely the killer vocals put on by Mark Osegueda paired with the never-ending riffs from Rob Cavestany.

2020

Testament - Titans of Creation

After their 2008 comeback, it was known that Testament would still be a main player in the modern thrash scene. Titans of Creation only furthers that point. From more complex songs like "City of Angels" to old-school thrash moshers like "Children of the Next Level", Titans of Creation has something for all metalheads, whether getting into thrash or an old-fashioned fan.

2021

Exodus - Persona Non Grata

What was Exodus doing, making us wait seven years for a new album? Persona Non Grata is obviously one of the greatest efforts of the 20's, showcasing pure speed prowess on songs like "The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improve)" and technical capabilities on "The Years of Death and Dying".

2022

Megadeth - The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!

Same goes for Megadeth. An album worth the wait, The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead! is a true work of art. Longtime bassist Dave Ellefson was replaced with Steve DiGiorgio, known for his work with Death and Testament. The guitar is the standout here with Dave Mustaine at the helm. Mixing speed and adrenaline on songs like "We'll Be Back", moody tones like on "Dogs of Chernobyl", and cinematic sci-fi elements like on "Mission to Mars" makes for an album that rivals not only 2016's Dystopia but also classics like Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? and Rust in Peace.