Sorry, this is my first post, yes long winded, but I grew up in the 80s thrash scene and I love talking about this shit....
Hey dude, far be it for me to critique something that is your opinion and while Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction are brilliant albums neither one can really be considered thrash. I guess Rust in Peace lends toward more of a thrash vibe, but barely. Of Megadeth's entire arsenal I submit ONLY Peace Sells...But Who's Buying has any claim as one of the greatest 10 thrash albums. I really am not a huge fan of your list, it's pretty good but I do have to give you props for "The Ritual", which is a severely under-rated Testament record.
Also, what else makes a "great thrash" album? While I love Among the Living, the production on that record sucked and the song "Imitation of Life" is one of the worst thrash songs ever. That song showed that Anthrax has a governor on how fast they can play, as that song sounds beyond their capabilities in speed. Slayer can play that fast with ease. Personally, I don't like many of Anthrax's albums' production until later on...Spreading the Disease is another great work.
I know it's cliche' but Reign In Blood has to be #1. Every single song was a balls to the wall thrasher, musical execution before its time, Hanneman was becoming a star, Araya's screams reached new heights, Lombardo's drumming that would set the thrash template for years and arguably the greatest thrash metal song ever written, Angel of Death. This goes #1. I grew up in the scene and what a time. Ok, I'll try my list!!!
1-Reign in Blood (Slayer)-The opus of all time. Comment above
2-Bonded by Blood (Exodus)-Like Kill Em All, a completely original and innovative record, but unlike Kill a much deeper/chunkier sound, it sounded more "metal" than Kill Em All, which sounded more "punk". Fantastic, memorable riffs, sinister though sometimes cliche' lyrics, but with sheer audacity. The guitar riff on the title track to this day still gives me a woody.
3-Kill Em All (Metallica)- Simply because of the timing does this album take this spot. Fast, intense, innovative, for better or worse it started the entire thrash explosion. Songs like Whiplash, Hit the Lights, Metal Militia, No Remorse and the Four Horsemen rule. Unlike many thrash fans I don't really like Seek and Destroy or Jump in the Fire. I think those songs are MEH.
4-Peace Sells...But Who's Buying (Megadeth)-Musically it's hard to find anything as technically complex as this one from the 1980s. But Dave also is able to deliver blistering thrash with completely memorable songs. This album, while still retaining the political edge, is 'Deth's darker records and never lets up on the listener. This album pushed the genre to write more intricate music, was a call to all thrash musicians to pick up your game.
5-The Legacy (Testament)-Awesome production, this was the best album of the "next wave" of thrash, bands that started to make a name for themselves in 86. 87 and 88, a time where talented young musicians were trying their hand at the speedy stuff. Though the riffs were not as technical as say Megadeth they were absolutely memorable and creative. This album also featured some of thrash metal's greatest lead guitar work EVER as the what 18 year old Alex Skolnick showed his brilliance. No lead guitar player in thrash at this time could hold a candle to this kid. The songs were all baslls to the wall, memorable thrashers.
6-Master of Puppets (Metallica)-As far as "heavy metal" albums this is my #1, but as far as "thrash" I rank it down because there are really only 3 thrash songs on this record. Those 3 songs Battery, Disposable Heroes and Damage, Inc., are about as good as it got, but for a "thrash list", I think you need more than 2 or 3 thrash songs. I am not bashing the boys, just stating why I rank this album a bit lower on this list. This album is an epic in every sense of the word and has ZERO weak moments on it. I also don't hold any ill will toward Metallica slowing it down (as they had done on the previous album). This album broke down the doors for REAL metal!!!
7-Agent Orange (Sodom)-While Kreator is my favorite German thrash band and Destruction's song Bestial Invasion is my favorite German thrash song (and 2nd favorite overall thrash song to Angel of Death), this album is my favorite German thrash album. Sodom, the band who could barely play in the early days, was sloppy and awful starting to mature and develop their real potential. Adding Frank Blackfire for Persecution Mania was a smart move, he brought a musicality to Sodom's brand of thrash and this album was the pinnacle of their success to me.
8-Hell Awaits (Slayer)-Only thing keeping this one lower is suspect production. But boy what a step up from Show No Mercy. Songs were heavier, faster, more intense as Slayer were developing as writers and players. The great thing about this album is it was one that would be sure to piss of your parents if they caught you listening to it....one of my favorite songs is the song about having sex with a dead person, sick, twisted, demented shit, but god love Slayer for it.
9-Ignorance (Sacred Reich)-Few, if any albums, during the 80s blister like this one, only records by Slayer, Dark Angel and Sepultura outgun this record for pure energy. I loved the hardcore infused lyrics with the Slayer meets Sabbath bombast. Songs were hyper-fast, but instantly memorable with outstanding lyrics. Sacred Reich also had a weird talent to write thrash that was "catchy" (which would be more illuminated on Surf Nicaragua). Fantastic, original thrash band. The song Death Squad features one of the nastiest riffs ever and does anything spark intensity as much as the buzzing guitar intro to the title track? A legendary record
10-No More Color (Coroner)-Getting the #10 record was not easy and any number of my honorable mentions could have slid in here, but I had to side with this one simply because of the technical progression shown on this record. Coroner was never know as over the top hyperspeed, but played plenty fast enough for those of us who needed the speed. One of thrash metals finest bass players propelled an album that seemed to go from primal death metal to progressive rock all in the same song. It was the most breath taking album of the late 1980s as thrash had slowly started to run out of ideas. It was records like this one that kept the flag burning for a few more years and I think helped set the trend for "technical death metal", where bands like Death and Carcass would take extreme metal in the 1990s. NOT that this album influenced death metal per se, but it was interesting such a technical masterpiece preceded a technical movement within the underground scene.
I purposely left out "death metal" bands, though works by Possessed (Seven Churches was the Kill Em All of Death Metal), Death and Obituary would certainly be considered epic. I also left our "2000s thrash" although albums by Evile, Kreator's Gothenberg tinged 21st century albums, Vector, Havoc, Onslaught's comeback record, Municipal Waste, and others really shine well...I also left our a lot of crossover thrash like DRI, COC and Suicidal though none of their records would make the top 10 anyway, though good music.
Honorable mentions-The Ultra Violence (Death Angel), Beneath the Remains (Sepultura), Darkness Desceneds (Dark Angel), Terror Squad and By Inheritance (Artillery), any of the first 3 Anthrax records, Pleasure to Kill and Extreme Aggression (Kreator), Killing Technology (Voivod), Infernal Overkill (Destruction), Venom (Black Metal), Persecution Mania (Sodom), Survive (Nuclear Assault), Punishment for Decadance (Coroner), The New Order (Testament), and I am sure there are some other brilliant works I have forgotten.
Negative comment? While I enjoyed Flotsam & Jetsam and they were some of the best players in the scene I think they are sightly over-rated. Poor production marred many of their records and Erik AK was a vocalist that left a lot to be desired. Ditto Vio-Lence. Vio-Lence was another band full of superior musicians and their first couple records blazed ass, but man the vocals just kill it for me. Killing Is My Business by Megadeth. Musically it's very good, you can tell they can play, but what a totally un-listenable record, probably because of the crap production, but none of the songs standout to me. Early Sodom and Kreator. I LOVE these bands, but In the Sign of Evil (Sodom) and Endless Pain (Kreator) are just so remedial. It's fast, sounds evil, but nothing memorable here, and Sodom was one of the sloppiest bands in the early days. I LOVE these records for "effect" in that both bands would become GODS, but anyone saying either of these two records are great records and anything other than just nostalgic relics from thrash's early days is missing the boat.
I could do just like the other stormer did and ask you.. where's The Ultra-Violence (Death Angel) or where's Morbid Tales (Celtic Frost) or where's Interstellar Experience (Assassin) where's Spectrum Of Death (Morbid Saint).. but ya know that would be pointless lolllll
