BAY AREA THRASH

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:34 pm

Well, i'm far from being called a thrash metal or a technothrash expert and while i am familiar with many old bands that were influenced quite a lot from KREATOR, i can't easily think of anyone who played at the same time so technically using those complex songstructures like INQUISITION did. Are there any examples of bands that played that way?

Helm · Post by **Helm** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:43 pm

By 1990?! Technothrash was peaking at that time. There's more complex riffery and structure in say, a Life Cycle-era Sieges Even song from 1988 than on both songs on the Inquisition EP.

Even Destruction by that point were doing their own sweep-picked take on the technothrash idiom. It was actually somewhat 'trendy' to play what Inquisition were playing in 1990 I'd say.

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:50 pm

Yes, but there are not many KREATOR-influenced technothrash bands or at least bands that played more progressive than others. I was not refering to the complexity and technicality alone, but to the fact that INQUISITION's style had KREATOR as their main influence. From what i've heard so far it is usually WATCHTOWER or METALLICA that technothrash/progressive thrash bands had as their main influence, not KREATOR "Terrible Certainty" era.

Helm · Post by **Helm** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:00 pm

Oh yeah I see what you mean now. Besides Kreator themselves (who would be moving towards more technical types of thrash at the same time period) there's not many bands that were in this field that employed raspy vocals and the level of savagery that Kreator patented, with the notable exception of Living Death I guess. I'm sure there's a few more but they don't come to mind. I guess Cracked Brain era Destruction count also (though kinda lightweight by then, the vocals are still not a bright tenor, let's say, heh). Even the other German bands that were inching towards or were full-blown technothrash (Flaming Anger, Deathrow, Mekong Delta et al) were seemingly working from the Bay Area blueprint and adding the Watchtower flourish.

In that way yes I would agree - especially on the Forever Under demo, which is pretty tortured, vocal wise - that the band is not a full-blown clone of Kreator. In any case I didn't mean to suggest that they're not worth attention, the songs are pretty good. Perhaps it's more than I don't especially like Kreator and as such had too acute a reaction to that aspect of early Inquisiton.

Also since we're discussing them, I know it's a bit of a faux pas to talk about their later, firmly black metal period here, but if you haven't give one of the later records (whichever, they're all equally good in my opinion) with the silly titles a listen. There's something going on there that is really potent and interesting I think, and I say this without being huge into the black metal scene or anything.

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:10 pm

I have only listened to one of their black metal albums and i was so disappointed by the change of style that after a certain point i couldn't pay any attention to it. I don't remember it being anything special though. Any other opinions from black metal aficionados? Maybe i should give them one more chance.

The Erlking · Post by **The Erlking** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:09 pm

I think I would be more interested in technothrash scene if there were more Kreator-influenced stuff. Gotta check out Inquisition

The Sentinel · Post by **The Sentinel** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:34 pm

That early Inquisition is really great; some sinister sounding dead on thrash. They became a retarded black metal band afterwards which I can also enjoy at times.

ION BRITTON · Post by **ION BRITTON** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:00 pm

The Erlking wrote:I think I would be more interested in technothrash scene if there were more Kreator-influenced stuff.

Me too. I don't have a problem with the frequent WATCHTOWER references of the technothrash bands, but sure as hell can't say the same thing about the METALLICA ones..

The Knell · Post by **The Knell** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:22 pm

The Sentinel wrote:Inquisition became a retarded black metal band afterwards which I can also enjoy at times.

Really retarded, the pictures are ridiculous. I hate the vocals, however I think the debut LP is not bad.
But I rather play their MLP and demo

Thrasher · Post by **Thrasher** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:05 pm

I didn't noticed anything about Holy Terror, but thats one of my favourite bands from bayarea.
Holy Terror - Mind wars and holy Terror - Terror and submission are masterpieces.

Wrath - Nothing to fear is also a great album that haven't been mentioned. But those who don't like strange voices can skip this one.

The Erlking · Post by **The Erlking** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:57 pm

Holy Terror's great but they (fortunately) don't sound like your typical Bay Area Thrash act. Both albums are great indeed.

big mouth · Post by **big mouth** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:54 am

Now I would like to have someone what HOLY TERROR has to do with Bay Area Thrash....

Witchkiller · Post by **Witchkiller** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 11:21 am

Testament are godz, that's for sure. First two lps kill....

Forbiden are great on the first two as well

Possessed rule with 7 churches

Never liked Violence. Don't like the vocals.

Exodus rip with Bonded By Blood, Fab. Disaste and Tempo Of The Damned (best lp since B.B.B. )

Death Angel are cool on all 3 lps................

Noisenik · Post by **Noisenik** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 11:26 am

Witchkiller wrote:Death Angel are cool on all 3 lps................

You surely mean on their first three albums ....

Witchkiller · Post by **Witchkiller** » Sun Apr 26, 2009 11:30 am

There's no Death Angel after their 3 lps