Best Thrash Metal Bands of the 1980s

The Top Ten
1 Metallica Metallica is an American Heavy/Thrash Metal band formed in 1981. The original lineup was James Hetfield (Vocalist and Rhythm guitarist), Dave Mustaine (Lead Guitar), Lars Ulrich (Drums), Ron McGovney (Bassist). The group came into mainstream from their Self-Titled album and the hit single "Enter Sandman".

With their first two albums, Kill 'Em All and Ride The Lightning reaching underground success, their third effort, Master of Puppets has since become one of the most important heavy metal albums ever, as it became the first thrash metal album to be certified platinum. The title track has since become the band's most played song live. ...read more.

What's up with this site? What is wrong with all you Metallica haters. Listen to me now people have been complaining to them ever since they released the official video of one (which kicked as). Metallica had the balls to do whatever they felt like and still be number 1 with the great death magnetic so stop hating

Metallica was the best thrash band of the 80's Megadeth was weak compared to Metallica in the 80's. Stop voting for cheesy Megadeth. Dave mustaine even knows Metallica beat then in the 80's

Well Kill'em All ruled and Ride the Lightning was excellent. However, they started losing steam by Master of Puppies (still decent) and everything from Load on is a real load alright!

In the 80's Hands down Metallica, they have material enough to be called "the best band os metal in the 80's", the nly other band I can think the same way is Maiden. Megadeth should be 3rd, in the 80's Slayer crush them

2 Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. Megadeth was formed in 1983 by guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson, shortly after Mustaine was fired from Metallica. They have released 15 studio albums to date, and have gone through many lineup changes, with Dave Mustaine being the sole constant member.

They released their debut album “Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!” in 1985, but became successful after the release of “Peace Sells...But Who’s Buying?” in 1986. ...read more.

Megadeth is best american thrash, Kreator is the best european thrash, Sacrifice is the best canadian thrash, Sepultura was the best sudamerican thrash, Slayer is the most aggressive american thrash, metallica 1st album was thanks to D Mustaine then go for power metal, there are not thrash!

Metallica was at its best in the 80s so they deserve to be #1. But Megadeth is the best Thrash Metal band of all time.

Megadeth's 80's albums are better the Justice and Master(sorry, it's not really thrash). KiB edges out KeA by a bit. And Peace Sells are RtL are about =. So, for me it's Megadeth.

Ok, most people would have Metallica but please remember this is down to personal preferance

3 Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. They rose to fame with their 1986 album Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the big four of thrash metal bands, the others being Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax. ...read more.

Great live band. No one at the time (mid to late 80s) were better. Period.

4 Exodus Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1979 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of 37 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members.
5 Anthrax Anthrax is an American thrash metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 by guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker.

Ha these guys know how to have fun

Yeah, they are good.

6 Overkill Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many line-up changes, with singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and bassist D.D.

Best thrash band hands down

7 Testament Testament is an American thrash metal band from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1983 under the name Legacy, the band consists of vocalist Chuck Billy, guitarists Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick, bassist Steve DiGiorgio and drummer Gene Hoglan.
8 Metal Church Metal Church is an American heavy metal band. They originally formed in San Francisco, California in 1980 before relocating to Aberdeen, Washington the following year and briefly using the name Shrapnel.

Their sound was way ahead of what anyone else was doing in 1985. David Wayne was my favorite vocalist of the Genre during that era.

Metal Church kicks ass. Every album and every song is at least good and most are excellent. No B side crap.

9 Nuclear Assault Nuclear Assault is an American thrash metal band from New York City, formed after bassist Dan Lilker left Anthrax in 1984. After releasing five full-length albums and touring relentlessly throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Nuclear Assault split up in 1995. They briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2002, and split up for good in 2022.

Just fkn great band tell me someone can drumming better than glen and they have subjects real subjects you can feel them listen to their albums like handle with care and game over specially fight to be free and from the 80 s ranking nuclear assault should be in the top 3

10 Dark Angel Dark Angel is an American thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California formed in 1981. Their over-the-top style (extremely fast, heavy and lengthy songs with lots of tempo changes, lyrics and extended instrumental parts) earned them the nickname "the L.A. Caffeine Machine". Although Dark Angel had ...read more.
The Contenders
11 Onslaught Onslaught are an English thrash metal band from Bristol, England. Initially active from 1983 to 1991, they reformed in 2004. The band initially drew influence from second wave hardcore punk bands such as Discharge and The Exploited, and then adopted a straight forward thrash metal sound.
12 Coroner Coroner is a Swiss thrash metal band from Zürich, formed in the early 80s. They have been called "the Rush of thrash metal" for their increasingly complex style of progressive rock-infused thrash. They garnered relatively little attention outside Europe .

A very underrated technical thrash band that put out some killer stuff. R.I.P. and Punishment for Decadence ruled but they finally peaked on the incredible No More Color. Mental Vortex was a bit of a step back in that the songs were a bit more straight forward and then Grin should be retitled Frown.

Great band that is less known but their sound is unique - they added prog elements to thrash and technical thrash. Their musicianship is stellar. Try: Absorbed, Masked Jackal, Arc Lite, Sudden Fall, Semtex Revolution.

13 Sodom Sodom is a German thrash metal band from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981. They have gone through many line-up changes, leaving bassist vocalist Tom Angelripper as the only constant member.

Great and that put out a thrash/punk/Motorhead-like EP and then peaked with Expurse of Sodomy, Persecution Mania and Agent Orange.

14 Death Angel Death Angel is an American thrash metal band from Daly City, California, initially active from 1982 to 1991 and again since 2001. Death Angel has released seven studio albums, two demo tapes, one box set and two live albums.
15 Kreator Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen. Their style of music is similar to that of their compatriots Destruction, Sodom and Tankard; along with those three bands, Kreator has been referred to as one of the "big four" of Teutonic thrash metal, and they are often credited with helping pioneer death metal and black metal by containing several elements of what was to become those genres.

Endless Pain to you all!

16 Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band founded in 1980 in Venice, California by vocalist Mike Muir, who is the only remaining original member of the band. The band is often credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash".
17 Dead Horse
18 Annihilator Annihilator is a Canadian thrash metal band founded in 1984 by vocalist, guitarist, bassist, songwriter, engineer, producer, mixer and mastering engineer Jeff Waters and former vocalist John Bates.

Only one album in the 80s but it was a masterpiece - Alice In Hell.

19 Sepultura Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte. Their first album, Morbid Visions presented a proto-black metal sound with Wagner Lamounier of Sarcófago. Sepultura's sound varies by the album, from thrash metal, groove metal, and even death metal.
20 Venom Venom are an English extreme metal band formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the new wave of British heavy metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell and Black Metal—are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general.
21 Sacred Reich
22 Flotsam and Jetsam Flotsam and Jetsam is a thrash metal band that formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1981. The band currently consists of vocalist Eric A.
23 D.R.I. D.R.I. is an American crossover thrash band that formed in Houston, Texas in 1982. As of 2015, the band comprises two of its founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Walter "Monsta" Ryan and bassist Harald Oimoen.
24 Xentrix
25 Forbidden Forbidden was a thrash metal band from the San Francisco Bay Area. Formed in 1985 as Forbidden Evil, the group was founded by Russ Anderson and Craig Locicero, who were both ever-present members.
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