Time for more of the other old Bay Area bands to get some time to shine with a new release! Been listening to the singles that trickled out over the past year, and some are meh and some are good but don't merit more than a few spins. So I think I'll just link a personal highlight for me. Starts off slow n heavy before kicking it up in tempo. Other highlights are a couple of the singles - the opener and Divided by Zero.

They still play thrash metal thankfully, but like with all other contemporaries, heavy amounts of groove have been incorporated within. At least the album isn't so predictable as others.

Immediately you'll notice the original singer is not here; he's retired from the industry, replaced by Norman Skinner. Vocal delivery is definitely different, more abrasive on the aggressive parts, softer during the quieter bits. There was one point though, I was thinking to myself, that he can match the cadence of older material nearly perfectly in Divided by Zero. Can't speak for the rest of the band, they preform as expected, though I really enjoyed some guitarwork during the middle of Psyclops.

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I feel like I stumbled onto another thrash classic of old. From the late 80's, from Bavaria, Germany, we have this speed/thrash metal band. Has hints of power metal, and progressive elements.

Sounds exactly like a mix between Denmark's Artillery and Flotsam & Jetsam. Blazing speedy guitars, tons of galloping riffs, face-melting solos, definitely got the energy of a classic great.

Linking my standout for this album, and will periodically sprinkle my picks from their discography in the coming weeks.

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From Hackettstown, NJ we have this amateur thrash band. Debut LP released in 2023.

Got a lot going on towards the melodic side of things, got some pure heavy metal riffs sprinkled throughout the album, and got a.. terrible and inconsistent voice. The instrumentation is phenomenal, but I'd rather have Space Chaser's new vocalist over this one here lol.

Linking a standout for me, this edgy piece that varies in songwriting through its 6 minute playtime, and finishes with a bit of black metal.

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Very energetic power/thrash band from Atlanta, also dips pretty heavily into melodic death metal. Bringing to you their debut in 2019.

Throughout the album the voice performed is the usual operatic highs known in power metal, but also features growling in no small amount. The song I linked is the best of the album, the first single they released, after their demos.

The music is similar enough to Children of Bodom, maybe even Wintersun; Metal Archives lists DragonForce and Iced Earth (🤮) as similar artists, so who can really say.

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A curiosity from my youth, this was the album in which I discovered Metal Church, right in the middle of their career, having gone through many lineup changes and sound variations, but still did their own thing, no gimmicks or anything like that. Of course later I went on to enjoy their first three albums and immensely enjoyed Hanging in the Balance (despite the album art lol). Ronny Munroe as vocalist here does a decent job I feel, but I do miss Mike Rowe, RIP.

This particular song creeps its way back into my head from time to time with it's atmospheric march in triplets, plodding along menacingly. Just have to spin it to get them ear worms out, even though I skip the majority of this album. Mirror of Lies - the song after this one on the record - is pretty decent too, for at least picking up the pace with a great solo.

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These latest releases in the technical death/thrash style have really been spoiling me; this year has been fantastic for fans of Atheist, early Sadus, Death, etc.

The debut from this band from Miami plays a very bass guitar-focused technical death/thrash, and is definitely for fans of the above. Just look at the band logo lol, they definitely wear their inspirations on their sleeves.

This seems like a cut above a lot of others though, as this music sounds good, not just aimlessly noodling around. The production is of the era of this band's inspirations as well, which is fuckin mint as hell.

Once again I'm linking the title track, but seriously give the whole thing a listen - it's only 30ish mins long. Other highlights are Machinery of War and Formed Through Control.

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New single from old Bay Area guard. Kinda different sound with the guitar, but the same explosive melodic solos shine through. Similarly, David White's vocal delivery - slightly different at first listen, but still the same. Decently solid.

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Now this is a class act. Fantastic shock rock in thrash metal form. One of the best of classic Gwar, so good they revisited the material in their latest EP. Upon re-spinning this awesome album, I have to note the bass guitar really stands out, love that sound.

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There's a line where a joke can go, and maybe a little grey area after, before it becomes too much, and "cringe." This band from Kentucky definitely pushes the line. But still, I hadn't hear it before, and they're pretty bald-faced for even attempting it, and that's admirable lmao.

First track off their arguably best record is linked, ironically recommended for fans of MW lol. Surprisingly on Metal Archives, so I guess it's too serious to be considered a joke? 🤔

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Discovered these guys just on the album art alone xD. 80% hardcore punk, 20% crossover thrash, 110% humorous puns and samples from shit like The Simpsons and Detroit Rock City. These crusty punks from Melbourne lay on the cheesiest hardcore at blistering speed.

Gonna recommend the whole album as each song is like a min and a half each lol. Perfect for drinking and moshing and fuckin munchin on some pie. 🍕

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New Power Trip! Didn't think I'd see the day so soon, however it isn't quite the same. For those of us who are fans of Fugitive and vocalist Seth Gilmore could see this coming eventually.

Great couple of modern thrash songs from this single, first one being the speedy mosher, second one being the groovy stomper, but building up a respectable pace. Guitarist Blake Ibanez is back with his fantastic guitar compositions and sound. Drummer Chris Ulsh holding everything together like glue in the recording, serving the sound perfectly.

RIP Riley Gale, he will be missed. But Power Trip's future is in good hands.

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Given an album art like this, you'd expect some old school death metal, or a sort of doom-inspired sludge metal. How about thrash metal with hints of speed metal and hardcore punk?

From Germany, what we have here is a combination of Holy Moses, Lååz Rockit, and Exodus. This album is Zerre's fourth studio album, having crossed over into thrash metal on their previous album. The two albums prior to their split up and reforming were of the hardcore punk variety.

Huge sound, blistering guitars, and energetically pissed off. Definitely recommend for fans of chunky contemporary crossover thrash, like Power Trip or Fugitive.

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Québécois masters of technical progressive death/thrash metal released their second album about a week ago as of this post and it's damn close to their debut. Not that that is a bad thing - this band knows how to keep shit interesting. In thrash metal, there's only so much one can do to explore deeper into the style, only so many riffs to go around, only so many influences to pull from. But these dude keep it fresh.

I'm gonna link the title track for this as it was the first one to grasp me immediately at first listen, which is saying something for music as intensely dense as this. The rest of the album is fucking amazing as well, especially the closer with its early solos, and Alloyed with its pretty sweet technical breakdown at the end.

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Sweden's death/thrash with hints of the Gothenburg sound, album came from the middle of their career. Sound has hardly ever changed over the years and is just oozing with the "fuck you" mentality. Picked this song cuz it's fuckin spooky season. 🎃 🧟‍♂️

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Polish kings of death/thrash with a long and storied history had released their 745th album in 2011, and I'm linking a rerecorded song from one of their earliest works, updated with production of the time, plus the tempo is sped up substantially. Hadn't posted in a while and figure I'd return to an old favorite of mine.

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Decided to check up on that Firewind post I made the other day and clicked on the similar artists tab in Metal Archives, first band that popped up was this one. Guitarist Gus G. played in the first handful of Mystic Prophecy's albums and is a permanent fixture in Firewind.

Band plays mostly power metal, of the European variety, however they employ thrash metal guitar and agression when the power metal cheese calms down a bit. I'm gonna link the song that sticks with me the most from MP's first album, love the bits between the two solos in the last third of the track.

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Power metal band from Greece, who usually release an instrumental track, at least one per album. And you guys know me and my love for these things.

For the most part, there's a thrashing intro before moving into a slower pace with a long and fading guitar solo. Kinda wish it was longer and they finished it out by bringing it home full circle, but alas it has its place in the album.

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If this doesn't scream mid 80's, idk what to say. Heavy/speed/power metal and hard rock band from LA, featuring exceptional shredder Paul Gilbert. Classic af.

And another addition to my instrumental playlist in track number 8- Y.R.O.

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Polish heavy/thrash metal from the late 80's and still going strong to this day. Everything is in Polish, the album/title track translates to The Last Warrior.

Seems they uploaded their 2001 re-release to streaming services. This release rearranges track placements and includes a bonus track, inserted at number 4. This album has one of my favorite instrumentals as well. Honestly, it's taken me too long to make a post about this release.

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First Anthrax album in 10 years! Pretty damn good contemporary Anthrax, too - the boys are back. Groovier and plodding along unstoppably, some highlights from me are It's For The Kids, Everybody's Got A Plan, The Edge of Perfection (with some awesome drumming and even post-metal guitars), and of course, the album's title track, which I'll be linking. I try not to do whole album recommendations, but title tracks let me get away with the ambiguity lol.

Also the EP before this, Meet The Characters, is pretty wholly unnecessary to enjoy this album; it's just spoken word expounding upon this concept album.

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