Explainers

In Flames performing live on stage

Stockholm vs Gothenburg: Two Scenes, Two Sounds

Rafael Quintero · Jan 19, 2026

The candidates for the first thrash metal album

What Was the First Thrash Metal Album?

Declan Rourke · Jan 18, 2026

Gorgoroth performing live on stage

What Does True Norwegian Black Metal Actually Mean?

Eirik Solvang · Jan 17, 2026

Megadeth live at Tuska, 2010

The Best Thrash Metal Band: The Argument

Declan Rourke · Jan 15, 2026

Black Sabbath on stage

What Was the First Black Metal Album?

Eirik Solvang · Jan 14, 2026

Albums from thrash metal\u2019s decline

What Killed Thrash Metal?

Declan Rourke · Jan 13, 2026

D.R.I. on stage

What Is Crossover Thrash?

Declan Rourke · Jan 10, 2026

Big four thrash album sleeves

The Big Four of Thrash Explained: Who, Why and Who Got Left Out

Declan Rourke · Jan 6, 2026

Dying Fetus on stage on the From Womb to Waste tour in 2012

Brutal Death Metal Explained

Rafael Quintero · Jan 6, 2026

Kirk Hammett playing live

Who Invented Thrash Metal?

Declan Rourke · Jan 3, 2026

Nuclear war, addiction, institutions and the news: the most journalistic genre heavy music produced

What Thrash Metal Sang About

Declan Rourke · Dec 28, 2025

Twelve decibels of headroom, no grid and no samples: why a 1986 record hits differently

Why Old Thrash Sounds Different

Declan Rourke · Dec 22, 2025

Bathory performing live on stage

First Wave vs Second Wave: What Actually Changed

Eirik Solvang · Dec 16, 2025

Twenty four tracks of two inch tape, a razor blade for editing and no way to fix a performance afterwards

How Thrash Records Were Made in the 1980s

Declan Rourke · Dec 15, 2025

Massacre performing live on stage

Where Did Death Metal Originate?

Rafael Quintero · Dec 10, 2025

Judas Priest, the parent generation, who answered thrash in 1990 with Painkiller

Thrash Metal vs Heavy Metal

Declan Rourke · Dec 8, 2025

Immortal. Black metal shares a grandfather with thrash in Venom, and almost nothing else

Thrash Metal vs Black Metal

Declan Rourke · Dec 2, 2025

Obituary. Death metal took thrash's speed and reversed four of its decisions, starting with the voice

Thrash Metal vs Death Metal

Declan Rourke · Nov 25, 2025