Best Christian Thrash Band?

It's just progressive "metal".  Meaning traditional metal.  Probably influenced a bit by 70s Sabbath with some of the down tunings and such.  But more this than THRASH.

It pretty much never makes you want to bang your head as if up from the dead and that's the best indicator whether it is thrash or not.

Temple of Blood wrote:It's music that cares more about showing off how great they can play than rocking/thrashing.  Which is why I think their primary genre of their last several albums is prog and not thrash.

I don't think Tourniquet's last several albums show too much of that. Most of the technicality comes from the drumming. The guitar riffs are relatively simple and easy to play, even though sometimes the riffs are dozens of notes long, but that's the "classical" influence.

If you listen to Chart of the Elements from Antiseptic Bloodbath, it begins with a simple bluesy groove riff and changes into thrash with a "neo-classical" but again relatively simple riff. That riff could technically be from any metal subgenre but the aggressive drumming brings it into the context of thrash. The "showing off" part comes. Then there's a heavy and slow breakdown part, and only after that about in the middle of the song it gets into the "showing off" territory, but even then the guitars do a relatively simple thing, with the drums doing a very cool and impressive polyrhythm if you really listen to it.

The playing in itself isn't showing that much off apart from the drumming in the middle part of the song, but the composition does all kinds of surprises, from mixing a long "classical" guitar riff with fast thrash drumming to several times completely changing the direction and the mood of the song.

I think a lot of Tourniquet's progressiveness comes from song structure instead of impressing with playing skills.

Sometimes progressiveness does come from song structure.  

It's still a bigger factor than the THRASH factor.

I mean, is there more prog than thrash?  IIRC, definitely.

My point is if you listed the genres in order of prominence on the last 4 or so Tourniquet album, thrash would not be #1.

Temple of Blood wrote:

mothy wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:A lot of my favorite Christian thrash is stuff that rarely gets discussed on here:  

Wraithkiller, Reckoned Dead, Immortal, Holy Sceptre, Have Mercy, Weeping Prophet, Embryo Chrysalis, Catscan, Join the Dead, Chained, Heavens Force, Viking, Aeturnus, Wickeds End, Avenger of Blood - first demo, Valor, Reborn, Demolish, Jesus Freaks, Minier, Deathless, etc.  

For me those bands would go above most bands on this poll.

You might be the only person other then myself that liked Aeturnus.

That's a shame.  I don't know why.

I really don't know why more bands in that list above don't get more love, like Heavens Force.

From Blackest Darkness is a good album the music is great but I understand that some didnt like the vocal delivery.

They don't get more love because they're obscure and didn't put out much music. I like a lot of those bands but it was hard to get ahold of them.

Temple of Blood wrote:It's just progressive "metal".  Meaning traditional metal.  Probably influenced a bit by 70s Sabbath with some of the down tunings and such.  But more this than THRASH.

It pretty much never makes you want to bang your head as if up from the dead and that's the best indicator whether it is thrash or not.

I guess that depends on the listener. I want to bang my head when listening to Skid Row's Slave to the Grind, and while that's the "thrashiest" song by Skid Row that's certainly not a thrash song.

In Antiseptic Bloodbath I think 5 out of 10 songs can clearly be considered as (progressive) thrash, even though all of those songs have non-thrash parts in them (Chart of the Elements, Antiseptic Bloodbath, Flowering Cadaver, Lost Language of the Andamans, Fed by Ravens Eaten by Vultures).

And for the rest quite a lot of it should be considered thrash if The Black Album is considered as thrash too.


In the albums from Microscopic View onwards I think Gazing at Medusa has the least amount of clear thrash in it, but even that has many parts that go quite clearly to the thrash territory.

Pethead wrote:Mosh-Pit Justice remains a perennially underrated thrash band.

Except by me.

And me.

I asked ChatGPT what thrash metal is. Here's what it says:
"Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that emerged in the early 1980s, primarily in the United States. It is characterized by its fast tempo, aggressive guitar riffs, and rapid drumming. Thrash metal often features shouted or screamed vocals, complex song structures, and socially or politically charged lyrics.

Key characteristics of thrash metal include:

Aggressive Guitar Riffs: Thrash metal is known for its fast and aggressive guitar riffs, often played with heavy distortion. The riffs are typically palm-muted and played at high speeds, giving the music a sense of intensity and energy.

Fast Tempo: Thrash metal songs are typically played at a fast tempo, with drummers utilizing rapid double bass drumming and intense blast beats. This fast-paced rhythm creates a sense of urgency and excitement in the music.

Shouted or Screamed Vocals: Thrash metal vocalists often employ aggressive vocal styles, ranging from shouted to screamed vocals. The vocals are usually delivered with a raw and aggressive intensity, adding to the overall aggression of the music.

Complex Song Structures: Thrash metal songs often feature complex song structures, with frequent tempo changes, intricate guitar solos, and dynamic shifts in intensity. This complexity adds depth and interest to the music, keeping listeners engaged throughout the song.

Socially or Politically Charged Lyrics: Many thrash metal bands incorporate socially or politically charged lyrics into their music, addressing topics such as war, corruption, social injustice, and personal struggles. These lyrics often reflect the anger and frustration felt by the band members and their fans.

Some notable thrash metal bands include Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Testament, Exodus, and Kreator. These bands helped define the thrash metal sound and style, and their influence can be heard in countless other metal bands that followed in their footsteps. Thrash metal remains a popular and influential subgenre within the heavy metal community, with new bands continuing to emerge and push the boundaries of the genre."

Ammocas wrote:

Pethead wrote:Mosh-Pit Justice remains a perennially underrated thrash band.

Except by me.

And me.

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