Top Ten Most Underrated Thrash Metal Bands

Thrash bands that are amazing, but don't get the credit they deserve.
The Top Ten
1 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.

This band is incredibly underrated. Their debut album is the best debut album from any thrash band, including the big 4. Act 3 is a master piece. Frolic through the park, Dream calls for blood and Relentless Retribution are also awesome albums. Need much more recognition than they have.

It's so sad that these guys get so little recognition. Mark osegueda always delivers fantastic and angry vocals, the instruments are all played super aggressively in a way you can't resist head banging to, and they have one of the best if not the best, debut albums of any thrash metal band ever.

If you like Eastern thrash metal bands like Anthrax or Overkill - you'll love Death Angel. Listen to Act 3 or The Dream Calls For Blood and you'll be hooked

One of the first thrash bands ever! They are a great contender for top 10 thrash bands of all time!

2 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 never achieved a mainstream breakthrough in their initial career, their 1986 album Darkness Descends is widely regarded as a landmark in the thrash metal genre.

The fastest thrash band of the 80s.

Black Prophecies is one of the best thrash songs I've ever heard.

Gene Hoglan's original band, Dark Angel. had a short stint in the 80s and 90s and was reformed in 2013. Very very good

Most aggressive thrash metal ever!

Better than Death Angel

3 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.

Thanks to internet and sites like The Top Tens Annihilator are getting more attention because people can share info faster and one can hear song samples to be convinced.

But they were underrated in the 90s, and still are, as compared to other thrash bands.

On the other hand, there are bands even more underrated than Annihilator.

Annihilator gets a lot of recognition among metalheads, at least compared to bands like Onslaught and Overdose. They shouldn't be in the top 10

Really melodic hrash no one ever talks about them have very unique and technical riffs listen to never neverland

4 Living Sacrifice Living Sacrifice is an American Christian metal band formed in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1989. Over the years, their music has evolved to encompass various styles, including thrash metal, death metal, and metalcore. They are considered pioneers in the Christian metal genre, known for their unflinching lyrics and complex compositions. Living Sacrifice has been influential not only in religious circles but also in the broader metal community.

First album was very similar to early Slayer. The band was still forming their own identity with the next two albums, which were darker and more death metal than thrash. However beginning with the 4th album, "Reborn," they really became a powerhouse of sonic brutality. They've been impressive ever since and show no signs of letting up.

Gets downplayed because they're Christians.

5 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.

These guys should be #2. They are amazing. First 2 albums, beautiful and even though I'm not that big a fan of In Search of Sanity, still a great album. Still rocking with awesome albums like sound of violence and VI.

Onslaught also coined the term "Death Metal". They have literally nothing to do with death metal, but its interesting how they helped name a major subgenre

Another early thrash metal band! Their album "The Force" Blew me away!

6 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 .

Listen to Arc-Lite. It sounds like Beethoven metal! Extremely technical thrash metal band from Sweden. Each album is an evolution of the last. It's a shame they stopped making new albums since the 90s.

They are from Switzerland and not Sweden but I agree with the rest written by somebody before me.

Listen to GRIN. the entire album. it's an amazing set of wonderful songs, all tracks are played with a mastery skill and absolutely great too.

7 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.

Great band. And it's actually underrated. On the best thrash bands list, it's like, #36.

Formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1981. Jason Newsted's first band.

8 Havok Havok is an American thrash metal band from Denver, Colorado. Formed in 2004, their members currently consist of David Sanchez, Nick Schendzielos, Pete Webber, and Reece Scruggs.

In my opinion the best New Wave Thrash band. Most so called "thrashers" would have no idea who Havok was if you told them about Havok.

Very good modern thrash metal along with warbringer

Way better than 5-8 why is this 10?

9 Intruder "Intruder" is an American thrash metal band from Nashville, Tennessee. Formerly known as "Transgresser", the group began as a four-piece cover band.

A Higher Form of Killing is a fantastic album. Only released 4 albums, but they are most definitely worth a listen

10 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.

Venom is a very well known band, however, it seems like people are too scared to listen to Venom. Venom is actually a thrash band that influenced Slayer and coined the term "Black Metal". Doesn't seem underrated, but they are almost never credited as a thrash band, which they are.

Absolutely most influential of all the thrash metal bands in existence. Call them black metal,speed or just plain sloppy their influence cannot be denied!

One of the most influential bands out there. Mantas, Abaddon, and Cronos did a great thing with their music.

When Venom are called thrash, the writer must be completely wasted!?

The Contenders
11 Vio-Lence Vio-lence was an American thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. They released demo tapes, one EP and 3 LPs between 1985 and 1993. Their most stable line-up was Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn on guitars, Deen Dell on bass, Perry Strickland on drums and Sean Killian on vocals.

Eternal Nightmare is one of the most chaotic, if not, the most chaotic thrash albums ever to exist. Destructive vocals, demented lyrics, face melting riffs, frantic drumming... Come on, why weren't they on this list before

12 Sylosis
13 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".

Canadian thrash band from 1984 on! If only they could've kept their original lineup.

14 Bonded by Blood Bonded by Blood is an American thrash metal band, named after Exodus' debut album Bonded by Blood. Like its labelmates Evile, Gama Bomb, and Municipal Waste, Bonded by Blood is part of the thrash metal revival movement.

Named after the Exodus album. They have a similar sound to Exodus, and gives you the Exodus vibe.

15 Dead Brain Cells (D.B.C.) Dead Brain Cells are a Canadian thrash metal band from the late 1980s. Called DBC for short, the band started in 1985 in Montreal as a small project named Final Chapter by guitar players Eddie Shahini and Gerry Ouellette, who put an ad in a magazine looking for a drummer.

Regular 80s thrash and thrash with lots of progressive elements/technical thrash.
Songs: Negative Reinforcement, The Genesis Explosion, Terrorist Mind.

16 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.

Persecution Mania and Tapping the Vein is the best thrash metal albums!

Listen to Agent Orange and you'll see

You shoot em down

Since 1982 where were these guys when Metallica/Slayer/Megadeth Overrated.The Best Thrash Band.Maybe Because Of The Band Name.Sadly Never Got The Publicity Media They Deserve.

17 Darkness

This band thrashed through the 80s with crazy albums like Death Squad. They don't even have a wikipedia page!

18 Municipal Waste Municipal Waste is a crossover thrash band from Richmond, Virginia. They performed at the UK's Download Festival on June 15, 2008. They also joined At the Gates on their "Suicidal Final Tour" along with Darkest Hour, Toxic Holocaust and Repulsion.

Wish they knew how good they are

Great New Wave band as well!

19 Lääz Rockit Lääz Rockit is a thrash metal band formed in San Francisco, California in 1982. Although one of the lesser-known groups of the Bay Area thrash metal scene, each album in their career has received high critical marks. One of their signature elements were Ibanez guitars adorned with elaborate airbrushed scenes of warfare.

"Lääz Rockit is a thrash metal band formed in San Francisco, California in 1982. Although one of the lesser-known groups of the Bay Area thrash metal scene, each album in their history has received high critical marks. " (that was copy-paste from Wiki)

My personal impression: surprisingly amazing singer, great speed, great solos.
Try: In the Name of the Father and Gun, Fire In The Hole, Curiosity Kills, Leatherface, Holiday in Cambodia.

For great vox, try an awesome speed metal song: Most Dangerous Game.

Underrated. Great band.

20 Slaughter Slaughter is an American rock band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada by lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Mark Slaughter and bassist Dana Strum.
21 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.

As far as talent goes they are looking the overrated "Big Four" in the rear view mirror.
Chuck Billy - From songs like Rise Up and The Formation Of Damnation to ballads like The Legacy and Return To Serenity the most versatile and talented vocalist.
Eric Peterson - Great guitarist, compliments their music really good
But this where they give other bands a run for money

GENE HOGLAN - best of the best drummers in metal
ALEX SKOLNICK - One of the best shredders of all time really
Still in doubt listen to
The Legacy
The Formation Of Damnation
Rise Up
Souls Of Black
Dark Roots Of The Earth
True American Hate
Practice What You Preach

TESTAMENT = Heaviest Thrash Metal Band

It is not the heaviest thrash band (Dark Angel and Kreator are much heavier) and they are not underrated. If anything, slightly overrated.

22 Evile Evile are an English thrash metal band from Huddersfield, formed in 2004. The band's debut album, Enter the Grave, was produced by Flemming Rasmussen at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark and was released worldwide in 2007 by Earache Records to critical acclaim by fans and critics alike.

My favorite band...easily the best of the new wave thrash bands, all of their albums are similar and different from each other in a lot of good ways. Just listen to Skull and tell me this band isn't criminally underrated.

23 Artillery Artillery is a Danish thrash metal band. They participated in the early development of the genre, and their highly energetic, riff-centric and often fast-paced music is similar in style to that of Voivod, Coroner, Megadeth and Sabbat from the same era.

The best thrash metal from across the pond in Europe. Beats every German thrash band in my opinion, yet gets very little recognition.

By Inheritance is the greatest thrash album of all time.

They are one of the most criminally underrated bands, not in just thrash scene, in metal overall. they are so awesome and great. they where there in 80's rocking, and now they are kicking ass again! awesome band

24 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.

One of the best thrash bands ever!

25 Angel Dust Angel Dust are a German heavy metal band. Initially active from 1984 to 1990 as speed and thrash metal band, they dropped their thrash roots in favor of a power/progressive metal sound upon reforming in 1998.
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