Thrash Through the Ages

[Spiner202]

Another one of my favourite thrash albums! You are right that the first three songs are the best, but the last song is the most hilarious. There are no definitely no weak songs though. I think it's about time to give this another listen. CARNIVORE! I'M A MEAT EATER!

[El Gordo]

Anthrax - Armed and Dangerous - February, 1985

This is a funny little EP. But it's obviously a message from Anthrax saying, "Don't worry, we're still here and our new singer can wail just as well as, if not better than our old one!" It starts off well enough with the title track, which has always been one of my favourite 'Thrax tunes... and it's also immediately obvious that Joey can fucking wail! The other new original, "Raise Hell" is alright, and wouldn't sound out of place on Fistful of Metal, but Anthrax is already demonstrating a penchant for inserting stupid cover songs on their albums. Why do I need to hear Joey Belladonna do his best Johnny Rotten impression? I don't. Stop it.

As far as I'm concerned, the main reason to own this EP is for the two re-recordings of the Fistful of Metal tracks. The instrumentation is largely the same, but this is Joey going "Neil? Neil who, motherfuckers?" So what if this weirdo likes Journey? Dude can melt your fucking face! Still though, not the greatest album. It's just a nice introduction for a new singer... with a ridiculous album cover.

Standouts: Armed and Dangerous, Metal Thrashing Mad, Panic

Score: 6/10

[adamclark52]

Originally Posted by El Gordo

Carnivore - Carnivore - January, 1985

Like a lot of people, I was first introduced to the weird world of Peter Steele through Type O Negative, and while the doomy, gothic sounds of that band are lightyears away from the post-apocalyptic speed-thrash of Carnivore, the same wit and humour still applies. The first three songs here are total fucking winners, with pounding double bass, downright maniacal vocals and some pretty hilarious lyrics -- a trend that would continue throughout the album.

There are some tunes that aren't great, like "Armageddon" and "Legion of Doom", and the fact that the vocals are just so out front and powerful kind of wears on you as the album goes on, but this is a solid album. It's also a pretty unique album, especially considering this is a thrash (crossover?) album fron NYC in 1985. How about that wacky chorus in "God is Dead"? It's too bad Lord Petrus had to leave us so soon, even if he wasn't making new Carnivore music (although he WAS playing shows with a new Carnivore lineup).

Standouts: Carnivore, Male Supremacy, God is Dead

Score: 7.5/10

I've always felt the songs were better on this album but the sound was too clean. And on the follow-up the songs weren't as good but the production was perfect. I like both, but if you took the songs from the first album and mixed them with the production of the second it would be really good.

[JRA]

Originally Posted by El Gordo

Carnivore - Carnivore - January, 1985

Like a lot of people, I was first introduced to the weird world of Peter Steele through Type O Negative, and while the doomy, gothic sounds of that band are lightyears away from the post-apocalyptic speed-thrash of Carnivore, the same wit and humour still applies. The first three songs here are total fucking winners, with pounding double bass, downright maniacal vocals and some pretty hilarious lyrics -- a trend that would continue throughout the album.

There are some tunes that aren't great, like "Armageddon" and "Legion of Doom", and the fact that the vocals are just so out front and powerful kind of wears on you as the album goes on, but this is a solid album. It's also a pretty unique album, especially considering this is a thrash (crossover?) album fron NYC in 1985. How about that wacky chorus in "God is Dead"? It's too bad Lord Petrus had to leave us so soon, even if he wasn't making new Carnivore music (although he WAS playing shows with a new Carnivore lineup).

Standouts: Carnivore, Male Supremacy, God is Dead

Score: 7.5/10

I really, really, really wish this was available on Amazon.

[adamclark52]

Originally Posted by JRA

I really, really, really wish this was available on Amazon.

?!?!?

Really. I got it off amazon.ca only three years ago.

[JRA]

Originally Posted by adamclark52

?!?!?

Really. I got it off amazon.ca only three years ago.

exactly.

[BloodoftheKings]

Originally Posted by JRA

I really, really, really wish this was available on Amazon.

There seems to be plenty of copies available on Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/sell/list?master_id=106029&ev=mb

[El Gordo]

Whiplash - Power and Pain - March, 1985

When I first heard Whiplash, I was a little surprised to find out they were from New Jersey and not Germany. The riffing is aggressive as fuck and the vocals are totally shredded, much like Sodom or Kreator. Whiplash are more speed than thrash, but their aggressiveness makes for a bit of a thrashy experience. Songs like "Red Bomb" and "War Monger" really blur the line, but for the most part this is really solid, aggressive speed metal but worthy of a mention in the thrash conversation.

Standouts: Power Thrashing Death, Spit On Your Grave, Red Bomb

Score: 7/10

[IrritatedTrout]

Awesome cover art.

[El Gordo]

Blessed Death - Kill Or Be Killed - April, 1985

Well here we have it, folks; the first of the pretenders. Blessed Death were a band hailing from that famous little place called Old Bridge, New Jersey and how the hell they got a record out before Overkill, I'll never know, because this is some pretty pedestrian sounding shit. These guys play fast and the vocalist can fucking belt it out like crazy, but Blessed Death manage to sound generic before the genre had even fully formed! It's obvious these guys can play, but the songwriting just isn't there, as nothing memorable presents itself at all.

Standouts: Seriously, nothing. Pig Slaughter is kind of OK.

Score: 1/10 (I give it a point because the vocalist screams like his nuts are being crushed)