Teutonic thrash metal
Encyclopedia
Teutonic thrash metal is a regional scene of thrash metal
music that originated during the 1980s in Germany. Along with Bay Area thrash metal
, East Coast thrash metal, and Brazilian thrash metal
, it was one of the major scenes of thrash metal in the 1980s.
, from Lörrach
, and the female-fronted Holy Moses
, from Aachen
. After hearing Venom
, both bands soon changed their sound within a matter of weeks to their new and permanent sound.
Other bands soon followed. In 1982, the Gelsenkirchen
-based band Sodom
released their first demo, Witching Metal. In their early days Sodom were highly influenced by the NWOBHM, to the point they credit being a trio to bands like Motörhead, Tank
, Raven
and Venom
who also featured power trio
line-ups. Their style featured raspy vocals, palm mute
d guitar riffs, and frantic double bass drumming. Only with the release of their second LP Persecution Mania
and with guitarist Frank Blackfire's input to move away from their original sounds and themes they became a thrash metal band for good. Essen's Kreator
formed and released its debut album Endless Pain
in 1985. Destruction would release their full-length debut Infernal Overkill
a year later. Also around this time, the German based SPV records created its Steamhammer imprint label, a label designed to primarily sign metal bands. Noise Records
was founded soon afterwards. These two labels would help spread the Teutonic thrash metal scene globally.
Teutonic thrash metal would not only come from Germany, but also from Austria
and Switzerland
. The biggest band to come outside of Germany that were part of the scene was Coroner
, a highly technical and progressive
thrash metal band that was noted for having dark lyrics and accomplished guitar work on the part of Tommy "Baron" Vetterli.
By the 1990s, Teutonic thrash metal was considered old fashioned for the most part and was not listened to by a broad audience anymore. While alternative rock
had made the music look too mild; death metal
and black metal
had made the music too extreme for most, and power metal bands such as Helloween
, Gamma Ray
, and Blind Guardian
(bands that had been influenced by the thrash metal bands in terms of sound) soon became the mainstays of the German metal scene. Many bands soon split up or changed their sound, resulting in further backlash against the scene. Kreator went in to make their music more melodic with gothic
and industrial
influences, while Sodom would attempt a death/thrash style for one album and then move into a more hardcore punk
influenced sound. Destruction would instead face a period of instability which saw them split with frontman Schmier
, releasing a thrash album without him (Cracked Brain
), then attempting to go radio-friendly and less "thrashy" with the poorly received The Least Successful Human Cannonball
. Meanwhile Schmier would start Headhunter achieving some success with a slew of three power-thrash albums similar in sound to some of the offerings of Rage
.
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
music that originated during the 1980s in Germany. Along with Bay Area thrash metal
Bay Area thrash metal
Bay Area thrash metal, or "Bay Area thrash", referred to a steady following of heavy metal bands in the 1980s who formed and gained international status in the San Francisco Bay Area, California...
, East Coast thrash metal, and Brazilian thrash metal
Brazilian thrash metal
Brazilian thrash metal is a regional scene of thrash metal music that originated during the 1980s in Brazil. Along with Bay Area thrash metal, and Teutonic thrash metal, it was one of the major scenes of thrash metal in the 1980s...
, it was one of the major scenes of thrash metal in the 1980s.
History
Two bands influential to early Teutonic thrash metal were DestructionDestruction (band)
Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "three kings" of the Teutonic thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator and Sodom...
, from Lörrach
Lörrach
Lörrach is a city in southwest Germany, in the valley of the Wiese, close to the French and the Swiss border. It is the capital of the district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg. The biggest industry is the chocolate factory Milka...
, and the female-fronted Holy Moses
Holy Moses
Holy Moses is a German thrash metal band. They are well noted for being fronted by Sabina Classen and for being one of the very first German thrash metal bands.-Formative years: 1980-1985:...
, from Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
. After hearing Venom
Venom (band)
Venom are an English heavy metal band that formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell and Black Metal —are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general...
, both bands soon changed their sound within a matter of weeks to their new and permanent sound.
Other bands soon followed. In 1982, the Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000....
-based band Sodom
Sodom (band)
Sodom is a German Thrash metal trio from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981.Along with the bands Kreator and Destruction, Sodom is considered one of the "big three" of Teutonic thrash metal...
released their first demo, Witching Metal. In their early days Sodom were highly influenced by the NWOBHM, to the point they credit being a trio to bands like Motörhead, Tank
Tank (band)
Tank is a British heavy metal band, formed in 1980 by Algy Ward, a former member of The Damned. The band is known as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement...
, Raven
Raven (band)
Raven are an English heavy metal band associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. They had a hit with the single "On and On", and refer to their music as "athletic rock".-Formation:...
and Venom
Venom (band)
Venom are an English heavy metal band that formed in 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne. Coming to prominence towards the end of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Venom's first two albums—Welcome to Hell and Black Metal —are considered a major influence on thrash metal and extreme metal in general...
who also featured power trio
Power trio
A power trio is a rock and roll band format where the traditional power trio has a lineup of guitar, bass and drums, leaving out the rhythm guitar or keyboard that are used in other rock music to fill out the sound with chords...
line-ups. Their style featured raspy vocals, palm mute
Palm mute
The palm mute is a playing technique for guitar and bass guitar executed by placing the side of the picking hand below the little finger across all of the strings very close to the bridge and then plucking the strings with the fingers while the damping is in effect. This produces a muted sound...
d guitar riffs, and frantic double bass drumming. Only with the release of their second LP Persecution Mania
Persecution Mania
Persecution Mania is the second album by Sodom. The album marked a drastic change of sound from proto-black metal to thrash metal. As well as defining Sodom's sound, it exemplified the thrash metal genre at a time when it arguably peaked in popularity...
and with guitarist Frank Blackfire's input to move away from their original sounds and themes they became a thrash metal band for good. Essen's Kreator
Kreator
Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany, formed in 1978, but formalized in 1982 under the name Tormentor. They originally performed a speed metal style with Venom influences. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal...
formed and released its debut album Endless Pain
Endless Pain
Tracks 11-14, marked with an asterisk, are bonus tracks on the 2000 reissue CD from the End of the World demo, which was released when the band was still known as Tormentor...
in 1985. Destruction would release their full-length debut Infernal Overkill
Infernal Overkill
Infernal Overkill is the first full-length album by Destruction. It was released in 1985.-Track listing:*All Songs Written By Destruction...
a year later. Also around this time, the German based SPV records created its Steamhammer imprint label, a label designed to primarily sign metal bands. Noise Records
Noise Records
Noise Records was a German record label founded by German music industry personality Karl-Ulrich Walterbach in 1983 as an expansion of his company Modern Music Records. Noise Records specialized in thrash and melodic speed metal. It was sold to the Sanctuary Records Group in 2001 and ceased any...
was founded soon afterwards. These two labels would help spread the Teutonic thrash metal scene globally.
Teutonic thrash metal would not only come from Germany, but also from Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The biggest band to come outside of Germany that were part of the scene was Coroner
Coroner (band)
Coroner is a Swiss thrash metal/progressive metal band from Zurich. They garnered relatively little attention outside of Europe. Formed in 1983, the band broke up in 1996, but decided to reform 14 years later. The band will perform at multiple live venues and festivals around the world in 2011,...
, a highly technical and progressive
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
thrash metal band that was noted for having dark lyrics and accomplished guitar work on the part of Tommy "Baron" Vetterli.
By the 1990s, Teutonic thrash metal was considered old fashioned for the most part and was not listened to by a broad audience anymore. While alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
had made the music look too mild; death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
and black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
had made the music too extreme for most, and power metal bands such as Helloween
Helloween
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in the mid 1980s by members of Iron Fist and Powerfool. The band was a pioneering force in the European Power Metal movement and their second and third studio albums, Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt...
, Gamma Ray
Gamma Ray (band)
Gamma Ray is a power metal band from Hamburg, northern Germany, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from the German power metal Helloween. Hansen is the current lead vocalist, guitarist as well as the chief songwriter of Gamma Ray. The band is known as one of the most prominent...
, and Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian
Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
(bands that had been influenced by the thrash metal bands in terms of sound) soon became the mainstays of the German metal scene. Many bands soon split up or changed their sound, resulting in further backlash against the scene. Kreator went in to make their music more melodic with gothic
Gothic metal
Gothic metal or goth metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines the aggression of doom metal with the dark melancholy of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy metal music...
and industrial
Industrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
influences, while Sodom would attempt a death/thrash style for one album and then move into a more hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
influenced sound. Destruction would instead face a period of instability which saw them split with frontman Schmier
Marcel Schirmer
Marcel Schirmer, born on December 22, 1966, is a German heavy metal musician. Commonly known as Schmier, he is the founding bassist and vocalist of the thrash metal band Destruction. He left Destruction in 1989 to form Headhunter and reunited with them in 1999. Schmier owned a pizzeria named...
, releasing a thrash album without him (Cracked Brain
Cracked Brain
Cracked Brain is the fourth full-length studio album by Destruction. It is the only album of their official discography not to feature Schmier on vocals...
), then attempting to go radio-friendly and less "thrashy" with the poorly received The Least Successful Human Cannonball
The Least Successful Human Cannonball
The Least Successful Human Cannonball is the fifth full-length album by Destruction. It was the final album made with Thomas Rosenmerkel on vocals, thus ending the "Neo-Destruction" period...
. Meanwhile Schmier would start Headhunter achieving some success with a slew of three power-thrash albums similar in sound to some of the offerings of Rage
Rage (band)
Rage are a German heavy metal band, formed in 1984. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene to emerge in the early to mid 1980s, along with bands such as Helloween, Running Wild and Blind Guardian.-Background:...
.
List of notable Teutonic thrash metal bands
- DesasterDesasterDesaster is a black/thrash metal band formed in Koblenz, Germany in 1988. Their lyrical themes involve war, hate and satanism.-History:Desaster formed in 1988, inspirated by bands like Black Sabbath, Venom, Destruction , Celtic Frost, Bathory, Slayer and Sarcófago. They played their first live...
- DestructionDestruction (band)Destruction is a German thrash metal band. They are considered one of the "three kings" of the Teutonic thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator and Sodom...
- Dew-ScentedDew-ScentedDew-Scented is a German thrash metal, death metal band. They have released eight studio albums and are currently signed to Metal Blade Records and Prosthetic Records . Their name is inspired by the writings of Edgar Allan Poe...
- ExumerExumerExumer is a German thrash metal band formed in 1985.They disbanded after two demos and two albums and reunited again in 2001.- History :...
- Holy MosesHoly MosesHoly Moses is a German thrash metal band. They are well noted for being fronted by Sabina Classen and for being one of the very first German thrash metal bands.-Formative years: 1980-1985:...
- Iron AngelIron AngelIron Angel was a speed metal band from Hamburg, Germany that was active during the mid 1980s and the early 2000s. They started out in 1980 as a school band called "Metal Gods" being renamed Iron Angel few years later later inspired by a novel about a spirit hunter. Their first Demo was released in...
- KreatorKreatorKreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany, formed in 1978, but formalized in 1982 under the name Tormentor. They originally performed a speed metal style with Venom influences. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal...
- Living DeathLiving DeathLiving Death was a German heavy metal band from Velbert, whose career spanned from the early 1980s until the early 1990s.-Biography:Living Death was formed in 1980 in Velbert, Germany by Reiner and Dieter Kelch, and Frank Fricke, starting out as a simple heavy metal band...
- Mekong DeltaMekong Delta (band)Mekong Delta is a German progressive/thrash metal band, formed in 1985.-History:The band was founded by a group of German metal musicians with the goal to 'musically outshine' all then-current, independent releases. The line-up and the history of the group was to be "the best kept secret in the...
- Sacred ChaoLiving DeathLiving Death was a German heavy metal band from Velbert, whose career spanned from the early 1980s until the early 1990s.-Biography:Living Death was formed in 1980 in Velbert, Germany by Reiner and Dieter Kelch, and Frank Fricke, starting out as a simple heavy metal band...
- SodomSodom (band)Sodom is a German Thrash metal trio from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981.Along with the bands Kreator and Destruction, Sodom is considered one of the "big three" of Teutonic thrash metal...
- TankardTankard (band)Tankard is a thrash metal band from Frankfurt am Main, Germany, founded in 1982. After losing their guitarist because of their image as a bunch of drunks, they moved on to issue their first record in 1986. From that point on, the band has continuously made songs and records in the same style they...