Best Thrash Metal Bands of the '80s, '90s, '00s

All of the bands below have careers that span these decades.
The Top Ten
1 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 and Metallica... Definitelly two best thrash metal bands in history.
But my vote goes to megadeth. I think they are more fitting to thrash metal
Genre. Metallica has its great song : "One" is my favourite in all metal genre, "Unforgiven", "Fade To Black", "Ride The Lightning", "Seek And Destroy", "Phantom Lord", "Sad But True", "Enter Sandman" and finally "Master Of Puppets" are also great...
But Megadeth has much more of great songs. They're first 6 albums are awesome... "Th1rt3en" also is great in my opinion.
My decision is an effect of listen to "Rattlehead", "Killing Is My Business... And My Business Is Good", "Mechanix", "Wake Up Dead", "Conjouring", "Peace Sells", "My Last Words", "In My Darkest Hour",
"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due", "Hangar 18", "Five Magics", "Poison Was The Cure", "Lucretia", "Tornado Of Souls", "Rust In Peace... Polaris"
, "Symphony Of Destruction", "Skin Of My Teeth", "Train Of Consequences", "A Tout Le Monde", "Elisian ...more

Both bands lost their way in the mid 90's (Load, re-load from Metallica and Megadeths Youthanasia is simply cringe worthy! ) but are epic 80s metal bands. Metallica has 3 albums that would make my top ten list (Ride, Puppets, Justice) but I just love Megadeths attitude and anger that come out in their songs. Rust in Peace (1990) is better than anything Metallica have done, and Peace Sells definitely rivals them too. While they haven't put out any albums of this magnitude again all albums since have masterpiece tracks and they just shade Metallica as the best. And for all those people who say that they wish Dave hadn't left Metallica and all that garbage, there's no way that would have worked. Lars and Mustaine have massive ego's that was always destined to create fireworks.

Stoked to see Exodus as 4th, Bonded by Blood is the best thrash metal debut album released

Both Megadeth & Metallica still kick ass but Dave Mustain of Megadeth did not take a 10 year holiday from making thrash metal like the guys from Metallica did. Because of this, Megadeth is No. 1 in my book. Metallica is a close No. 2.

everytime I hear their music.. , it rocks the hell out of me.. and of course, because of dave mustaine's ability to rock their listeners. keep rocking megadeth

2 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.

Slayer are the defonition of thrash. They're dark, fast, brutal & just make every band explode. Tom, Kerry, Jeff & Dave are the Kings of thrash. My opinion

Best band of ALL TIME! Slayer has been my favorite band sing I can remember and I own every album from them. Love their music more than any other band out there.

Slayer has the most amazing guitar solos and they are truly the heaviest band of all time since their lyrics are pure evil and brutal while the vocals are incredible and the drumming is fst and loud =DDD

Definitely. The best metal band on here where is pantera? Seen slayer live best mosh pit out of all the bands there

3 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.

Metallica= GODS OF METAL! Megadeth is good to, but this should definitely be number 1! I love Megadeth and Metallica, but come on, Metallica is defintely better! They've got a lot of really good songs!

WTH? 'tallica should't be in 9th. At least 3rd. Slayer in 2nd. Megadeth 1st! But Metallica is one of the BIG 4!

Metallica sold out long ago. They always were posers. Although James poodle hairdoo from the Eighties is still funny!

Metallica was the greatest thrash metal band In the 80s hands down. Every metal band knew that

4 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.

Overkill at #7 is way too low on this list. They are simply amazing - they didn't sell out to mainstream so that's why they don't get enough recognition. Blitz and D.D. have kept this band going strong with all the guitarist and drummer changes thru the years. Pick any Overkill album from any decade and you'll be banging your head!

Overkill is definitely the greatest thrash band of all.

5 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.

The H-Team line-up of Holt & Hunolt, they are the "riff masters" of thrash. Holt & Altus / Hunolt & Altus, all the combos equal a full-on blitzkrieg of thrash brutality in it's finest form. No matter what Exodus album it is... It's 100% pure, aggressive, violent, hostile, ass-kicking thrash! For those of you who don't know, that's what thrash is supposed to be.

Bonded by Blood is easily one of my favourite thrash metal albums.

You do know than Pantera are not thrash, right?

Exodus: Guaranteed Overnight Destruction!

6 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 ...read more.

They were playing death-thrash before Sepultura and Slayer, much love, but you aren't brutal. Kreator proves it.

Kreator is so underrated. In my opinion, they are better than slayer

Heaviest thrash metal. They make Slayer look like Metallica.

They are like slayer. But heavier.

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.

Who can argue that these guys were some of the hardest thrashers of all time?!

Testament, Overkill, Kreator = Big 3 of thrash (consistent and not completely sold out in 90s due to crap like Nirvana and Pantera that spoiled the all good old metal that started Judas Priest back in 1976). Luckily (or perhaps just because of that grunge and *-core crap) (D) death metal and prog thrash was bearing the flag above the sea of 90s mediocrity. I am happy that since The Gathering (1999) good metal music is back (sorry Dimebag, R.I.P.). Chuck R.I.P. He left our world damn too early :(

Should be number 2, slayer 3

8 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.

Annilihator the band to get me in to thrash metal they should be on every list along with Judas Priest

I think they deserve to be on a list for a change.

They are underrated and amazing.

9 Anthrax Anthrax is an American thrash metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 by guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker.

I love anthrax, they're so underrated. Spreading the Disease, Among the Living, State of Euphoria and Persistence of Time are thrash classics. Worship Music is one of the best metal albums released in the past decade. Fistful of Metal, The Attack of the Killer B's (excluding Bring the Noise), Sound of the White Noise and We've come for You all are awesome albums as well and often overlooked. Except for 2 albums (Stomp 442 and Volume 8), everything they've done so far in their career has been epic. Incredibly underrated band.

Ridiculously underrated. Anthrax can rival some of the best thrash metal bands and their discography is pretty consistently amazing. If only their new album wasn't trash, but hey, every old thrash band is putting out trash nowadays anyway.

Most underrated of the big 4. But I think it is because of their more raw sound. It makes it a bit less easy-listening for the normal metal fan than Slayer, Metallica or Megadeth.

My personal favourite of the big 4.

10 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.

I've always thought of them as more of a groove metal band. Either way they are amazing.

Sepultura as a thrash metal band ended in 1996.

The Contenders
11 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.

Yeah, sure they're older then Megadeth. Megadeth was formed by Mustaine after he wrote Metallica's first album. And Sodom started as a venom copy-cat.

Sodom is very hard. Sodom is older than megadeth and really harder and better. I hope the best for the band sodom

SDOM are kings of trash metal

12 Pantera Pantera was an American heavy metal band formed in 1981 by guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul. The band started out as a glam metal act in the 1980s with little success. After discarding their original lead vocalist and enlisting Phil Anselmo, the band signed a major record deal with Warner Music Group via Atco Records. Around this time, Pantera underwent a major change in their musical... read more

They should be number one for sure they blow Metallica away in the 90's best metal.

Does Pantera count because their "real debut" was in 1990? And their last album was '00?

Groove metal, not thrash metal. Idiots.

13 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.

The Ultra Violence is a classic. It's even more impressive when you consider the ages of the band members when it was recorded

Act 3 was simply one of the best thrash albums of all time.

Act 3 is better than the Ultra Violence, if not next to it.

They are the best thrash band today in my opinion

14 Sacred Reich

The American way was a great album, except for the last song 31 flavors. Ignorance and surf Nicaragua were awesome too

15 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.

Yes! This one better get a few votes.

16 Austrian Death Machine

I know this band does not succeed to the calibur of Megadeth or Metallica, I still love this band due to the ability to perform a satire along with some great music. It is also a side project from one of the greatest metal bands, 'As I Lay Dying'. This band takes away the seriousness of the typical thrash genre and offers something new and bold. Definitely has my respect, and vote

17 Gwar Gwar, often styled as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, United States, in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc.

Although people don't take Gwar seriously because they have a sense of humor, their sense of humor makes them very influencial in style.

18 Destruction Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "The Big Four" of the German thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator, Sodom and Tankard.
19 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.

Unique sound...

20 Heathen Heathen is an American thrash metal band originating from the San Francisco Bay Area , founded in 1984 by guitarist Lee Altus and drummer Carl Sacco.

Some of the most technical and interesting thrash metal ever heard. Best thrash band for solos if that's your thing.

21 Razor Razor is a Canadian thrash metal band formed in 1984 at Guelph, Ontario. The group shot music videos for songs such as "Evil Invaders", "Shotgun Justice", "American Luck", and "Sucker for Punishment".
22 Sacrifice
23 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.
24 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.

Hardcore Punk

25 Evil Invaders
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