Deathrash

Thrash / Death Metal wasn't an intentional musical admixture, so to speak like Gothic Metal or Doom / Death. The genre evolved along with Death Metal and it was played by bands who tried to sound closer to Slayer or even more aggressive, in the first place.

Deathrash GIF

Sepultura is for sure the first example, in that respect. 

Their first demo, "Bestial Devastation" EP and "Morbid Visions" album are mostly on the Black / Death Metal side and starting with "Schizophrenia" up to "Arise" album, their music surely is too brutal to be called Thrash and not yet Death Metal as it came to be at the end of the '80s. 

As many of you know with "Chaos A.D." they changed to groove metal...and other whatever influences.

Possessed match in this category as well, even they are credited as Death Metal inventors, their thrashy energetic riffage is more than obvious to everybody. That would be another example of a-little-bit-more-aggressive-than Slayer music.

 

In 1987 Necrophagia released their debut "Season of the Dead" which surely represent an undeniable milestone in the Death Metal history, as well along with "Scream Bloody Gore", but their music wasn't 100% within this genre as they still have a foot in the Thrash Metal "grave" throughout their entire catalog.

It seems that musically speaking Thrash / Death it's like Death Metal devoid of doomy-sabbath-ish or Celtic Frost infuenced way of writing music , but filled with the insane dynamics that Thrash has to offer to the audience.

Floridian bands Malevolent Creation and Massacre are worth to be mention in here, even that the last one moved to a more groovy type of approach on their recent works, the classical "From Beyond" must be a perfect example for sure.

The more technical oriented Sadus, the original Steve DiGiorgio's band is here to be mention hailing, again from the floridian brigade and, of course, genre-wise hanging between Thrash and Death Metal.

Legendary Paul Speckman's band Abomination,  originally formed in Chicago, Illinois, with the same line-up Master had on their first released LP must be one of the most important player in this game, chronologically and conceptually speaking.

Abomination has two releases "Abomination" and "Tragedy Strikes" plus two EP's "The Final War" and "Live in Germany".

The same goes for the French scene from the '90s consisting of Massacra, Loudblast, No Return and Agressor. 

These bands manage to consolidate the genre in an original manner and their discographies are a strong recommendation to get into, especially the first three Massacra albums that are absolutely fantastic!

The German band Protector, as well, fits the same category and their music remains absolutely brilliant to this day. From "Golem" onward, every release added more and more brutality and maturity at the delivery section towards Death Metal, even that the thrashy guitar structure remained essential in their music, up to this day. 

Albums recommended? All of them!

The Netherland's Pestilence first three issues complete the ranks in this fashion up to the conceptual "Testimony of the Ancients" album. 

Starting with their fourth "Spheres" album, the music shifted to a more technical death metal with jazz inspired rhythm sections, possibly influenced by the musical direction can be heard on Death's "Individual Thought Patterns" LP.

Swiss band Messiah would be great to listed to. Their conceptual album "Rotten Perish" from 1992 being their greatest achivement, so far.

Another great work to dig must be "Scolls of the Megilloth" of the australian band Mortification.

Their entire discography fit in the same Thrash / Death style, as well.

The Columbian band Masacre are, also a strong example to pin-point, here, as an undisputed veteran exponent for this sub-genre.

The three brothers from Krisiun, somehow followed the same path co-nationals from Sepultura opened and despite the velocity, blastbeats and the brutality of their overall music display, the energetic Thrash riffs are everywhere to be found in their musical structure.

With a perfect crossover between Thrash/Hardcore/Death Metal and a discography spanning for only three albums, the great and brutal Thrash Metal "Tortued Existence" the even more aggressive and their best achivement "Epidemic of Violence" and the more groove oriented "Time Bomb"  New Yorkers from Demolition Hammer gained a well deserved respect from the metal community worldwide and the legendary status every band dream of.

In terms of absolute great, great music is the now the almost forgotten brazilian band Incubus and their "Beyond the Unknown" first release. They have a unique sound and their riff work flow in a close to perfection fashion on that one. A totally unforgettable jam. 

Later on they moved to U.S.A. in Louisiana and changed their band name into Opprobrium continuing to release music in the same fashion.

Crown of Thorns who later rebranded themselves as The Crown coming from the endless swedish metal contingent with an explosive admixture of Thrash/Death and Death'n'Roll, extremely dynamic and memorable enough to tear down any doubt about originality, as well. 

A not-to-be-missed act for sure!

The german combo Dew-Scented and the swedish Deathchain complete the circle for this musical endeavor and they are not to be overlooked in a hypothetical history of the Thrash / Death Metal, as a whole.