PART XXX:
THE MODERN DAY.
THE NEW WAVE OF THRASH METAL.
(2016-2026)
ANGELUS APATRIDA (2016-2026)
Angelus Apatrida solidified their place as one of Europe’s top thrash bands with their self‑titled Angelus Apatrida (2021), a sharp, modern, politically charged record that hit harder than anything they’d done before. Their lineup remained stable, allowing them to evolve naturally into a tighter, more aggressive unit. They became a major touring force across Europe, representing the polished, technically disciplined side of the new wave.
CONDITION CRITICAL (2016-2026)
Condition Critical carried the torch for the harsher, late‑80s‑inspired side of the revival. Their album Extermination Plan (2016) delivered a violent, Slayer‑leaning attack that resonated with fans of the rawer, more underground wing of modern thrash. Lineup changes were common, especially in the rhythm section but the band maintained a consistent sound built on speed, aggression, and razor‑sharp riffing. In 2025 they released their first studio album in nine years in Degeneration Chamber (2025). While not as widely known as some peers, they remained a respected name among diehards who favored the more extreme edge of the genre.
CRISIX (2016-2026)
Crisix became one of Europe’s most reliable modern thrash bands in this era, pushing their hyper‑energetic, fun‑but‑precise style through Against the Odds (2018), Full HD (2022) and Still Rising... Never Rest (2023). Their lineup stayed remarkably stable, which helped them refine a sound built on tight riffing, athletic rhythm work, and a charismatic vocal presence. By the mid‑2020s, Crisix had grown from a cult Spanish act into a major festival draw, representing the upbeat, high‑speed wing of the new wave.
ENFORCED (2016-2026)
Enforced exploded out of Richmond with At The Walls (2019), Kill Grid (2021) and War Remains (2023), delivering one of the most violent blends of thrash and hardcore in the 2020's. Their lineup stayed relatively stable, allowing them to refine a sound built on crushing riffs, barked vocals, and a no‑nonsense approach that made them one of the decade’s standout new‑generation crossover bands.
EVILE (2016-2026)
Evile roared back with Hell Unleashed (2021), their first album in eight years and their first without longtime vocalist/guitarist Matt Drake. His brother, lead guitarist Ol Drake, returned and took over vocals, giving the band a harsher, more aggressive tone. Bassist Joel Graham remained the anchor through the transition. The album marked a major rebirth and a decisive shift in their sound.
EXMORTUS (2016-2026)
Exmortus operated on the fringes of thrash but remained a major force in the last ten years thanks to their virtuosic, neoclassical twist on the genre. The Sound of Steel (2018) and Necrophony (2023) showcased their signature blend of shred‑heavy guitar work, death‑thrash aggression, and classical‑inspired melodies. Lineup changes were frequent, especially on drums but Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez kept the band’s identity razor‑focused. Their 2020s output cemented them as one of the most technically impressive bands orbiting the modern thrash scene.
F.K.Ü. (2016-2026)
F.K.Ü. or Freddy Krüger's Ünderwear spent the last ten years era doubling down on their horror‑obsessed, high‑speed crossover thrash identity. 1981 (2017) marked a major highlight, a record packed with razor‑tight riffing, gang‑shout choruses, and their trademark slasher‑film worship. The band kept a stable core lineup through this period, with Larry Lethal’s vocals and the long‑running guitar duo driving their sound forward. Their follow‑up, The Horror and the Metal (2024), sharpened their formula even further, leaning into faster tempos, cleaner production, and a more muscular rhythm section. While many thrash bands of the era shifted styles or cycled through major lineup upheavals, F.K.Ü. stayed remarkably consistent, becoming one of the most reliable and instantly recognizable acts in the Scandinavian thrash scene.
GAMA BOMB (2016-2026)
Gama Bomb kept their momentum with Speed Between the Lines (2018), Sea Savage (2020) and Bats (2023). Their lineup remained remarkably stable, with Philly Byrne’s vocals and Domo Dixon’s guitar work defining their identity. The band doubled down on speed, melody, and humor, becoming one of the most consistent and prolific thrash acts of the era.
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HAVOK (2016-2026)
Havok defined the decade with Conformicide (2017) and V (2020). Bassist Nick Schendzielos left after Conformicide, and drummer Pete Webber’s intermittent absences created a rotating‑door rhythm section. Despite the turbulence, David Sanchez pushed the band toward sharper political themes and increasingly technical riffing. Havok became one of the most respected modern thrash bands of the era.
HELLRIPPER (2016-2026)
Scottish Hellripper, essentially James McBain’s one‑man assault, became a major force in blackened speed/thrash with Coagulation Darkness (2017), The Affair of the Poisons (2020) and Warlocks Grim, Withered Hags (2023) & Coronach (2026). No lineup drama, no rotating cast, just McBain writing, recording, and performing everything himself like a modern day Quorthon of Bathory. His output during this period pushed the boundaries of black metal infused thrash with a feral, melodic edge that earned him a cult following worldwide.
FUELED BY FIRE (2016-2026)
After years of silence, Fueled by Fire returned with Past…Present…No Future (2023), a darker and more mature record than their early work. Lineup changes over the decade included shifts in the guitar and drum positions, but core members Rick Rangel and Carlos Gutierrez kept the band’s identity intact. Their comeback was one of the most celebrated in the underground thrash scene.
LICH KING (2016-2026)
Lich King’s The Omniclasm (2017) became a defining release of the late‑2010s thrash wave. The band experienced multiple lineup changes, especially on drums and guitar but Tom Martin’s songwriting and conceptual humor kept the band’s personality consistent. Their DIY ethos and relentless speed made them a cult favorite throughout the decade.
MUNICIPAL WASTE (2016-2026)
Municipal Waste stayed hyper‑active, dropping Slime and Punishment (2017) and Electrified Brain (2022). Guitarist Nick Poulos joined in 2016, solidifying a refreshed twin‑guitar attack that made their 2020's material tighter and more aggressive. The band weathered minor lineup shifts but remained one of the most stable and consistent forces in modern thrash, touring relentlessly and becoming a festival mainstay.
Municipal Waste - Slime and Punishment (2017)
NERVOSA (2016-2026)
All female Brazilian band Nervosa transformed more than almost any thrash band in this era. After Downfall of Mankind (2018), the lineup split, leaving Prika Amaral to rebuild the band from scratch. The result was Perpetual Chaos (2021), Jailbreak (2023) and Slave Machine (2026), all three defined by new blood, new energy, and a shift toward a more aggressive, death‑tinged thrash sound.
POWER TRIP (2016-2026)
Power Trip were the defining crossover‑thrash force of the late 2010s. Nightmare Logic (2017) became a landmark album, a rare modern thrash record that crossed into the broader metal and hardcore worlds. Their momentum was cut short by the death of vocalist Riley Gale in 2020, a loss that shook the entire scene. Even so, their influence only intensified afterward, with countless bands adopting their blend of groove, aggression, and hardcore‑infused precision. No serious history of this era can ignore them.
SPECIES (2016-2026)
Over the last ten years, Polish thrash band Species have sharpened themselves into one of the country’s most disciplined underground forces. Their sound, precise, progressive, and relentlessly riff‑driven stood apart from the retro revivalists, pushing toward a more technical, dissonant edge while keeping thrash’s core aggression intact. In 2022 they album debuted with To Find Deliverance and in 2025 they released Changelings. By 2026, Species had become a benchmark for modern Polish thrash metal.
SUICIDAL ANGELS (2016-2026)
Suicidal Angels delivered three major albums: Division of Blood (2016), Years of Aggression (2019) and Profane Prayer (2024). Guitarist changes continued to shape their sound, with Gus Drax’s tenure bringing technical precision before his eventual departure. Nick Melissourgos remained the band’s driving force, steering them toward a heavier, more brutal thrash direction that dominated European festivals.
TOXIC HOLOCAUST (2016-2026)
Toxic Holocaust remained a staple of the blackened‑thrash underground with Primal Future: 2019, a record that leaned into Joel Grind’s love for raw, old‑school speed metal and dystopian aesthetics. As always, Toxic Holocaust functioned primarily as Grind’s one‑man project, with live lineups shifting around him. The album’s stripped‑down, analog‑leaning production stood out in a decade dominated by cleaner, more modern thrash, keeping Toxic Holocaust firmly rooted in the gritty, DIY spirit that made them influential in the first place.
VIOLATOR (2016-2026)
Violator has been somewhat inactive in recent years. Not that they disbanded but when their new album Unholy Retribution came out in 2025 it was their first full-length album in 12 years. Unholy Retribution reaffirmed their status as South America’s most explosive thrash band. Their lineup has remained stable since 2006, with Pedro “Poney” Arcanjo leading the charge. Their reputation resonated strongly during the decade, influencing a wave of Latin American thrash acts.
VOID (2016-2026)
Void formed in Lafayette in 2019 and quickly became one of the Midwest’s most vicious young thrash bands. In no time they've become one of the most interesting upcoming American thrash metal acts. The lineup shifted in the first few years, especially on drums but the core guitar section stayed consistent enough to shape a fast, abrasive sound rooted in pure aggression, add to that the cool 80's polish. Void released Horros of Reality (2023) and Forbidden Morals (2025). Void is a band defined by velocity, tight riffing, and a no‑frills approach that made their material hit harder than many longer‑running revival acts.
WARBRINGER (2016-2026)
Warbringer pushed through the last ten years with ruthless consistency. Woe to the Vanquished (2017), Weapons of Tomorrow (2020) and Wrath and Ruin (2025) showcased the Cruz–Kevill core tightening the band into one of the most disciplined forces in modern thrash. Guitarists rotated in and out, but the band’s identity only sharpened: faster, darker, and more technically precise with every release.
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