TOP 10: Highest Rated Speed Metal Bands

Okay ... instead of how I did that last Thrash Metal poll (beginning with earliest recordings) ... this one is going to be different.

This one is for Speed Metal - and it's not earliest ... but top rated of all time universally (based on the democratic ratings of RYM and other music consensus websites) ...

So which is your pick! These are top rated as of now (could always change in a day's time, but usually is consistent for months and years):

Some of these bands started out as Speed Metal bands - but morphed into one of two directions: a) Power Metal or b) Thrash Metal - sometimes even evolving into Heavy Metal ... but these bands all released at least one Speed Metal album. Most multiple.

VOTE !

Raven Ill let you guess on which one I picked

I didn't know Venom was speed metal.

I'm unclear on why Megadeth is speed metal but Metallica is thrash.

To me: sped up Maiden = speed metal
twisted and/or chunky riffing = thrash

But frankly the distinction between speed and thrash has never been that important to me.  It's not as distinct as between doom and power or power and thrash or thrash and death.

ThomasEversole wrote:I didn't know Venom was speed metal.

One of the premiere Speed Metal bands! - influential to a great degree on Thrash Metal and also Black Metal, which came later.


Though they weren't Black Metal - some consider them to be the fathers of Black Metal, since they presented part of the bridge to get there (along with other bands like Hellhammer. In fact, some believe that between the two of them (Venom's Speed Metal and Hellhammer's early Thrash Metal) - the pathway to Black Metal had been paved ... and let's not forget early Sodom - also very Blackish in sound, though still Thrash Metal.

Aaron C wrote:Raven Ill let you guess on which one I picked

I'm 100% sure!

Had to go with Megadeth, but it would have been Toxik or Forte had they been on the poll. The folks at RYM really consider Overkill a speed metal band? Not to be rude but I can't say I would ever consider Overkill to be speed metal. (Overkill is in my top 10 favorite bands period. I'd be surprised if there was something I havent heard)

But back to my vote for Megadeth is based on one album only, and that is Rust in Peace.

Yep... the pumpkins.

Machine Fish wrote:Had to go with Megadeth, but it would have been Toxik or Forte had they been on the poll. The folks at RYM really consider Overkill a speed metal band? Not to be rude but I can't say I would ever consider Overkill to be speed metal. (Overkill is in my top 10 favorite bands period. I'd be surprised if there was something I havent heard)

But back to my vote for Megadeth is based on one album only, and that is Rust in Peace.

I know what you mean about Overkill. I'd consider their early stuff to be Speed Metal, but they for sure evolved into a Thrash Metal band within seconds. But depending on the album ... Speed Metal can be found throughout Overkill's catalogue - but only hints here and there. I'd consider them to be a Thrash Metal band - but for the sake of this poll - and the fact their early stuff was Speed Metal - I went ahead and included them.

Helloween and agent steel.....speed metal. And when the Keeper albums came out that started what power metal is today, I believe.

Helstar was their own thing. Classic metal boarding on thrash.


But yeah, back in the day they would just lump the " thrash " bands in with the " speed metal " bands. But things are much more refined and defined as genres though. But you could still tell the difference between the sound of say Show no Mercy, Feel the Fire or Killing is my Business in compared to say...Agent Steel.

sentient 6 wrote:Helloween and agent steel.....speed metal. And when the Keeper albums came out that started what power metal is today, I believe.

I agree. Helloween was at the forefront of the Power Metal scene. True pioneers.