thehistoryofthrashpart6

 

PART VI.
THE FIRST WAVE OF THRASH METAL.
GERMAN THRASH METAL
(1980-1986)

SODOM (1981-1986)

Sodom formed in Gelsenkirchen in 1981, driven largely by bassist/vocalist Tom Angelripper, who saw the band as his way out of the local coal‑mining life. The earliest lineup included Tom, Bloody Monster, Blasphemer, and guitarist Frank "Aggressor" Terstegen, who initially handled vocals before Tom took over. The group solidified when drummer Chris Witchhunter joined and the others departed.

Influenced by Motörhead, Venom, Accept, Tank, AC/DC, and Rainbow, Sodom began forging a crude, chaotic, and extreme sound. In 1982, the trio of Tom, Aggressor, and Witchhunter recorded their first demo, Witching Metal, followed by Victims of Death in 1984. Shortly after, Aggressor left and was replaced by Josef "Grave Violator" Dominik.

Sodom signed with Steamhammer Records in 1984 and released their now‑legendary debut EP In the Sign of Evil, a raw, primitive blast that became foundational to early black and death metal. Grave Violator soon exited, replaced by Michael "Destructor" Wulf.

The EP’s notoriety reached all the way to the U.S., where Metal Blade shared publishing rights for Sodom’s debut album. In 1986, Sodom released Obsessed by Cruelty, a continuation of their blackened thrash style, extreme, chaotic, and often dismissed at the time as a second‑rate Venom clone. After the album’s recording, Wulf left Sodom and briefly joined Kreator.

Sodom - Obsessed By Cruelty (1986)

KREATOR (1982–1986)

Kreator began in Essen in 1982 under the name Tyrant (and later Tormentor), featuring guitarist/vocalist Mille Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, and bassist Rob Fioretti. Their debut album Endless Pain (1985) was recorded in just ten days, capturing a ferocious hybrid of speed and proto‑death metal. Sodom’s guitarist Michael Wulf joined for touring but did not play on the album despite being credited.

For their second album, Pleasure to Kill (1986), Kreator recruited guitarist Jörg "Tritze" Trzebiatowski. Produced by Harris Johns, the record became one of the defining works of extreme thrash, faster, heavier, and more technically ambitious. It cemented Kreator as one of Europe’s most promising rising metal acts.

Before 1986, Kreator had played only a handful of gigs, but the success of Pleasure to Kill launched their first real tour. They closed the year with the Flag of Hate EP, further solidifying their reputation.

Kreator - Pleasure To Kill (1986)

DESTRUCTION (1982–1986)

Destruction formed in Weil am Rhein in 1982 as Knight of Demon, influenced by Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate, Motörhead, and Venom. The original lineup included bassist Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer, vocalist Ulf, drummer Tommy Sandmann, and guitarist Mike Sifringer. After a dispute between Ulf and Mike, Ulf was dismissed and Schmier took over vocals.

Renaming themselves Destruction, the band released the Bestial Invasion of Hell demo in 1984, leading to a deal with Steamhammer Records. Their debut EP Sentence of Death (1984) became an underground success, followed by the full‑length Infernal Overkill in 1985.

That same year, Destruction performed at the World War III Festival in Montreal alongside Nasty Savage, Possessed, Voivod, and Celtic Frost, and later opened for Slayer on their first European tour.

In July 1986, Destruction released Eternal Devastation, showcasing sharper musicianship and more technical songwriting. A tour with Rage and Kreator followed, but drummer Tommy Sandmann soon left. Chris “Witchhunter” Dudek of Sodom filled in for the remainder of the tour.

Destruction - Infernal Overkill (1985)

TANKARD (1982–1986)

Tankard formed in Frankfurt in 1982, created by classmates Andreas "Gerre" Geremia, Frank Thorwarth, and Axel Katzmann, soon joined by Andy Bulgaropoulos and Oliver Werner. After two demos, Heavy Metal Vanguard and Alcoholic Metal. Tankard signed with Noise Records, joining labelmates Kreator and Deathrow.

The band’s humorous obsession with beer and drinking culture began early, though ironically their debut album was the least alcohol‑themed of their career. In July 1986, Tankard released Zombie Attack, produced by Harris Johns, who would become their long‑term studio collaborator.

LIVING DEATH (1981–1986)

Living Death formed in Velbert, Germany, led by brothers Reiner and Dieter Kelch, along with vocalist Thorsten “Toto” Bergmann and guitarist Frank Fricke. As one of Germany’s earliest speed/thrash bands, they released their debut Vengeance of Hell in 1984, a raw, low‑budget mix of Kill ’Em All‑style speed and Accept‑like heaviness.

In 1985, they released the Watch Out! EP and the full‑length Metal Revolution, both major steps forward in songwriting and performance. By 1986, Living Death had switched drummers (from Andreas Oberhoff to Atomic Steif) and labels (from Mausoleum to Aaarrg), releasing the Back to the Weapons EP. Despite constant lineup instability, they established themselves early as one of Germany’s key thrash acts.

Living Death - Metal Revolution (1985)

THE GERMAN THRASH ATTACK

Germany’s early thrash scene was far broader than the “big three or the big four” of Kreator, Destruction, Sodom and Tankard. Several other bands helped shape the country’s extreme metal identity:

ANGEL DUST (Dortmund)

Angel Dust formed in 1984, taking their name from the Venom track and embracing a fast, melodic, and riff‑driven style of German thrash. After honing their sound through early demos, they released their debut Into the Dark Past in 1986, a sharp, energetic album that quickly earned critical praise. Though part of the second wave, Angel Dust established themselves early as one of Germany’s most skilled and musically ambitious thrash acts.

ASSASSIN (Düsseldorf)
Formed in 1984, right in the middle of Germany’s rising thrash explosion. Their early demos, Holy Terror (1985) and The Saga of Nemesis (1986) established them as one of the most promising young bands in the scene, known for a raw, high‑speed, street‑level thrash style.

DARKNESS (Essen)

Darkness formed in Essen in 1984 and became a staple of the Ruhr area’s underground thrash scene. Their early demos showcased a fast, gritty, and straightforward style that fit naturally alongside Kreator and Sodom. By 1986 they had built strong momentum through tape trading and live shows, paving the way for their 1987 debut Death Squad, which would become a cult classic of German thrash.

DEATHROW (Düsseldorf)

Deathrow began under the name Samhain, but changed it after signing to Noise Records, a deal secured thanks to Mille Petrozza’s recommendation. Their debut album Riders of Doom (1986), originally titled Satan’s Gift, delivered a dark, technical, and distinctly German take on thrash. The record became a cult favorite and positioned Deathrow as one of the most promising young bands in the mid‑eighties Teutonic scene.

EXUMER (Wiesbaden)

Exumer burst onto the German scene in 1985 with a sharp, aggressive thrash style influenced by Slayer and early Bay Area speed metal. Their debut Possessed by Fire (1986) became an instant underground classic thanks to its razor‑tight riffing and fierce vocal delivery. Though short‑lived in their first era, Exumer’s early work placed them among the strongest second‑wave German thrash bands and earned them a loyal cult following worldwide.

Exumer - Possessed by Fire (1986)

HOLY MOSES (Aachen)

Holy Moses began in 1980 and spent their early years cycling through demos and unstable lineups while shaping their raw, aggressive sound. By the mid‑eighties they had become a fixture in Germany’s underground, known for their harsh female vocals and proto‑death‑tinged thrash. In 1986 they finally secured a deal with Aaarrg Records and released their debut album Queen of Siam, marking their official arrival as one of Germany’s earliest extreme metal acts.

IRON ANGEL (Hamburg)

Iron Angel formed in Hamburg in 1980 and quickly became one of the earliest and most influential speed‑thrash bands in Germany. In the first half of the decade they built a strong underground following through relentless gigging, raw demo tapes, and a fast, aggressive style that pushed beyond traditional heavy metal. Their debut album, Hellish Crossfire (1985), became an instant cult classic, a frantic, high‑speed assault that helped define the early Teutonic sound.

They followed it with Winds of War (1986), a more polished but still intense record that showed the band tightening their songwriting while keeping their trademark ferocity. Despite their momentum, internal instability and industry challenges prevented them from breaking through on the same scale as the Ruhr‑area giants. Still, by 1986 Iron Angel had secured their place as one of the foundational forces of early German speed and thrash metal, influencing countless bands that emerged in the late ’80s.

Iron Angel - Hellish Crossfire (1985)

MINOTAUR (Halstenbek)

Minotaur formed in Halstenbek in 1983 and became part of Germany’s rising second wave of thrash. Their early demos established a raw, straightforward Teutonic sound rooted in speed and aggression rather than experimentation. By the mid‑eighties they had built a solid underground following, leading to the release of their debut album Power of Darkness in 1988. A rough, energetic record that captured the band’s no‑frills approach. Though never widely known, Minotaur earned lasting cult status for their uncompromising early work.

MOTTEK (Hannover)
Mottek formed in Hannover in the early eighties, delivering a raw crossover of thrash and hardcore punk. Their debut Riot (1985) captured the band’s chaotic, politically charged energy and placed them among Germany’s earliest underground speed/thrash acts. Though never widely known, Mottek were influential within the German DIY and tape‑trading circles.

NECRONOMICON (Lörrach)
Necronomicon formed in 1983 and quickly embraced a harsh, Venom‑influenced thrash style. Their self‑titled debut Necronomicon (1986) showcased relentless speed, rasping vocals, and a raw production that became their trademark. They were one of the more extreme German bands of the era, helping push the scene toward darker, more aggressive territory.

PARADOX (Würzburg)

Paradox formed in 1986 and immediately stood out for their fast, melodic, and technically sharp approach to thrash. Although their debut album Product of Imagination arrived in 1987, the band’s foundations were laid during the 1986 demo period, where they developed the tight, high‑precision style that set them apart from Germany’s rawer acts. Paradox quickly earned a reputation as one of the most musically skilled bands of the second wave.

POISON (Ulm)

Poison emerged in 1982 and carved out a place as one of Germany’s earliest and most extreme underground metal acts. Their demos, especially Sons of Evil (1984) and Bestial Death (1985) pushed thrash toward proto‑death and black metal territory with chaotic riffing and harsh, unhinged vocals. Though they never released a full‑length in this era, Poison’s early recordings became highly influential in the extreme metal tape‑trading circuit.

PROTECTOR (Wolfsburg)

Protector formed in Wolfsburg in 1986 and immediately embraced a darker, heavier thrash style bordering on death metal. Their debut EP Misanthropy (1987) was written and prepared during this early period, showcasing a brutal, down‑tuned sound that set them apart from their peers. Protector quickly gained a reputation for intensity and helped pave the way for Germany’s emerging death‑thrash hybrid.

RISK (Witten)
Risk originally went under the name Faithful Breath, a band that had existed since the 1970s. After shifting toward a faster, more aggressive style, they changed their name to RISK in 1986 and fully embraced the emerging German thrash/speed metal sound.


S.D.I. (Osnabrück)
S.D.I. emerged in 1984, blending speed metal, thrash, and punk energy into a frantic, high‑velocity sound. Their self‑titled debut Satan’s Defloration Incorporated (1986) became an underground favorite thanks to its reckless speed and tongue‑in‑cheek attitude. S.D.I. stood out for their mix of humor and aggression, carving out a unique niche in the German scene.

VIOLENT FORCE (Velbert)

Violent Force formed in 1984 and quickly became known for their fast, chaotic, and punk‑infused thrash attack. Their debut Malevolent Assault of Tomorrow (1986) delivered a raw, high‑speed barrage that captured the intensity of Germany’s underground scene. Despite limited output, the album became a cult favorite, cementing Violent Force as one of the most ferocious and uncompromising bands of the mid‑eighties Teutonic wave.

WARRANT (Düsseldorf)
Warrant formed in Düsseldorf in 1983 and quickly became part of Germany’s rising underground thrash scene. Their debut album The Enforcer (1985) delivered a raw, fast, Venom‑tinged style that fit perfectly alongside early Sodom and Destruction. Though short‑lived, Warrant’s early work earned cult status for its primitive intensity and uncompromising attitude.

VENDETTA (Schweinfurt)

Vendetta formed in 1984 and quickly stood out for their tight, melodic, and technically skilled approach to thrash. Their early demos showed a cleaner, more precise style than many of their rawer German peers. By 1986 they had established themselves as one of the more musically refined acts in the second wave, paving the way for their acclaimed debut Go and Live… Stay and Die the following year.

FAST AND HEAVY SONGS FROM THE ERA: 1983-1986
(Spotify-Playlist)

Continue reading? Check out: 

>>> PART VII >>>