Bay Area thrash metal, or "Bay Area thrash," refers to a steady following of heavy metal bands in the 1980s who formed and gained international status in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.^[1] Along with Tampa, Florida, the scene was widely attributed as a starting point of American thrash metal and death metal.^[2][3] Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Bay Area redirects here. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Tampa redirects here. ... The Music Scene is part of the Demoscene. ... Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music, one of the extreme metal subgenres that is characterised by high speed riffing and aggression. ... This article is about the musical genre. ...

History

Although Metallica had initially formed in Los Angeles, it wasn't until their relocation to the East Bay area in 1983 that Cliff Burton and Kirk Hammett joined as bassist and lead guitarist, sealing the band's first, formative line-up. Metallica is a Grammy Award-winning American heavy metal/thrash metal band formed in 1981[1] and has become one of the most commercially successful musical acts of recent decades. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... A satellite image of the East Bay The East Bay is a subregion of the San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States and is comprised of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. ... Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was a bass guitarist best known for his work with the American heavy metal band Metallica from 1982 until 1986. ... Kirk Lee Hammett (born on November 18, 1962) is the lead guitarist and songwriter in the band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. ...

Burton and Hammett's friendship with other local acts, notably Oakland's Exodus and Testament, and San Francisco's Death Angel - among others - strongly vitalized the scene, leading to intensive touring and tape-trading that would cross borders and seas, and eventually graduate to record signings.^[4][5][6] Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in San Francisco, California by singer/drummer Tom Hunting, guitarists Tim Agnello and Kirk Hammett, and bassist Carlton Melson. ... Testament are an American thrash metal band from California. ... Death Angel is an Filipino-American thrash metal band from Concord, California. ...

El Sobrante's Possessed would bring a turning point to the genre with 1985's Seven Churches, regarded as the first album to cross over from thrash metal to death metal for the largely "growling vocals" and subject matter dealing with horror and the occult.^[7] In addition to the inspiration of black metal, it would predate other albums, such as Los Angeles-based Slayer's Reign in Blood and Death's San Francisco-recorded Scream Bloody Gore, which had also been regarded as influential to thrash and death metal.^[8][9] El Sobrante is a census-designated place located in Contra Costa County, California. ... Possessed is a death metal band that formed in 1983 in El Sobrante, California. ... Seven Churches was Possesseds debut album, released in 1985 through Combat. ... Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music, one of the extreme metal subgenres that is characterised by high speed riffing and aggression. ... This article is about the musical genre. ... Horror is the feeling of revulsion that usually occurs after something frightening is seen, heard, or otherwise experienced. ... For other uses, see Occult (disambiguation). ... This article is about the musical genre. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... For other uses, see Slayer (disambiguation). ... Reign in Blood is the third studio album and major label debut by the American thrash metal band Slayer. ... Death was an influential American death metal band founded in 1983 by guitarist and vocalist Chuck Schuldiner, and dissolved in 2001. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Scream Bloody Gore is the first album released by Death in 1987. ...

Key Musical Characteristics

As different thrash metal scenes began to develop starting around the mid-80's each had their own distinct sound that differentiated the bands from other bands on the scene.

More-so than any of the other thrash metal scenes, Bay Area thrash borrowed from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene. This was obvious in its melodic and powerful vocal style and dual lead guitar systems. Punk rock was also important in the scene's earlier years (though not so much as in the New York or German scenes). The scene's earliest bands like Exodus, Metallica, Detente, Indestroy, and Laaz Rockit perhaps best examplified the early straight up NWOBHM meets punk style of the scene. Albums that very much highlighted this era of Bay Area thrash included Metallica's Kill Em All and Exodus's Bonded By Blood. The New Wave of British Heavy Metal (frequently abbreviated as NWOBHM or N.W.O.B.H.M.) emerged in the late 1970s and reached mainstream attention in the late 1970s, in the United Kingdom, as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in San Francisco, California by singer/drummer Tom Hunting, guitarists Tim Agnello and Kirk Hammett, and bassist Carlton Melson. ... Metallica is a Grammy Award-winning American heavy metal/thrash metal band formed in 1981[1] and has become one of the most commercially successful musical acts of recent decades. ... Lääz Rockit are a thrash/power metal band formed in San Francisco, California in 1982. ... Kill Em All is a seminal heavy metal album by the band Metallica. ... Bonded by Blood is a influential Thrash Metal album by the California band Exodus. ...

Around the mid-80's the sound of the scene changed considerably. Virtuostic musicianship (particuarly lead guitars) had become a defining characteristic of the scene. The second wave of bands coming out of the scene, led by Testament, Death Angel, Forbidden, and Heathen, played a style of thrash considerably different from their predecessors. This new brand of thrash featured longer and more harmonically and rhythmically complex songs, with often neo-classical styled dual lead guitar playing highlighting the album. The songs also borrowed more from NWOBHM vocals and melodies. A progressive rock influence became apparent for the first time in the genre. The punk influence that was once crucial to the genre was now almost completely absent. This sound, highlighted by albums like Testament's The Legacy and Death Angel's The Ultra-Violence, both released in 1987, was the style that many would associate with the classic "Bay Area" sound. This is often attributed to the fact that guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani lived in the Bay Area and often instructed a number of guitarists who would go on to play in some of these bands (some of these guitarists would include Exodus's Rick Hunolt, Testament's Alex Skolnick, and Metallica's Kirk Hammett). Testament are an American thrash metal band from California. ... Death Angel is an Filipino-American thrash metal band from Concord, California. ... Forbidden was a thrash metal band from the San Francisco Bay Area, part of the Bay Area thrash scene, most popular in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. ... Photo of the band Heathen. ... Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture. ... For the Swedish political music movement, see progg. ... The Legacy is the debut album of the band Testament. ... Death Angel is an Filipino-American thrash metal band from Concord, California. ... The Ultra-Violence is the first album by the band Death Angel, released in 1986. ... This article is about the year 1987. ... Joseph Satch Satriani (born July 15, 1956 in Westbury, New York, U.S.) is an American guitarist and former guitar instructor. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Alex Skolnick (born September 29, 1968, grew up in Berkeley, California) is an American jazz and rock guitarist. ... Kirk Lee Hammett (born on November 18, 1962) is the lead guitarist and songwriter in the band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. ...

In the late 80's, many of the bands from the Bay Area thrash scene, including Testament, Exodus, Death Angel and especially Metallica were enjoying considerable commercial success. At this time the Bay Area scene itself began to diversify. For the most part, bands were expanding on the more technical and progressive style of the Second Wave bands. Metallica rode on this style with their highly successful ...And Justice for All album. Bands like Forbidden, Heathen, and Defiance expanded on their own already technical sounds, going as far as to be grouped in the "progressive thrash metal" division of the subgenre with bands like Watchtower, Coroner, and Dark Angel. Blind Illusion emerged in 1988 with their debut The Sane Asylum with an obvious influence in classic progressive rock, further expanding this movement in the Bay Area, as did Sadus with their later period material. Mordred in 1989 with their debut was accused of being the cause of the end of metal in the Bay Area because of the funk influence in their sound. ...And Justice for All is American heavy metal band Metallicas fourth studio album released August 25, 1988, by Elektra Records. ... Defiance was a thrash metal band from Oakland, California. ... Watchtower is a progressive technical thrash band based in Austin, Texas that was mostly active in the 1980s. ... Coroner is a Swiss thrash metal band. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Originally a progressive rock band formed in high school by guitarist Jerry Cantrell, Blind Illusion had morphed in time to a thrash metal band in the 1980s. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... The Sane Asylum was the first and only album to be released by Californian metal band Blind Illusion. ... Sadus is a highly technical thrash metal trio from the United States. ... For other uses, see Mordred (disambiguation). ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, including related musical genres, see Funk (disambiguation). ...

Other bands went in different directions. The band Vio-Lence showed off their signature sound on their 1988 debut Eternal Nightmare, which largely combined the more complex and technical structures and virtuostic musicianship of second wave bands with the punkier aggression of thrash's originators. Texas-formed crossover band D.R.I. relocated to the Bay Area, and another crossover thrash band Attitude Adjustment was formed in the Bay Area. As early as 1985, Possessed had been pioneering death metal in the Bay Area with their decidedly more brutal, demonic style. Chuck Schuldiner even briefly rellocated Death to the Bay Area (acquiring former DRI drummer Eric Brecht in the process). The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Eternal Nightmare is record album by the San Francisco Bay Area thrash band Vio-lence. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Dirty Rotten Imbeciles. ... This article is about the year. ... Possessed is a death metal band that formed in 1983 in El Sobrante, California. ... This article is about the musical genre. ... Charles Michael Chuck Schuldiner (May 13, 1967, Long Island, New York – December 13, 2001) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and genre innovator. ... Death was an influential American death metal band founded in 1983 by guitarist and vocalist Chuck Schuldiner, and dissolved in 2001. ...

Attitude

In the early to mid 80's, thrash metal was the heaviest form of music anyone had ever heard, being more fast, aggressive, and crushing than the NWOBHM, and Hardcore punk bands before them, which often led to aggressive attitudes. Many thrashers displayed a wide hatred towards Glam Metal. (this was why Metallica moved from LA to San Francisco). Exodus' Paul Baloff was a key character in this movement, as he would often yell to the crowd to "Kill the Posers" in the audience. Often there would be "Raiding Parties" after shows, where a group of people would literally prowl the streets looking for posers to pound on. Exodus guitarist Gary Holt recalls him and Baloff pulling knives out on people with Glam Metal shirts such as Ratt or Motley Crue and demanding them to let them cut it up. After they would tie these scraps of shirts around their arms as "Badges of Honor". Centuries: 1st century BC - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 30s - 40s - 50s - 60s - 70s - 80s - 90s - 100s - 110s - 120s - 130s 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 Note: Sometimes 80s is used as shorthand for the 1980s, the 1880s, or other such decades in different centuries. ... Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music, one of the extreme metal subgenres that is characterised by high speed riffing and aggression. ... The New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) emerged in the late 70s, in part a reaction to the contemporary decline of traditional heavy metal bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, all three of which had been submerged by a mixture of personal problems, tiredness and... Hardcore Punk is a subgenre of Punk Rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s. ... Glam metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that arose in the late 1970s - early 1980s in the United States. ... Metallica is a Grammy Award-winning American heavy metal/thrash metal band formed in 1981[1] and has become one of the most commercially successful musical acts of recent decades. ... Look up la, LA, La in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... This article is about the second book in the Torah. ... Paul Baloff (April 25, 1960–February 2, 2002) was an American singer, most notable for his time in thrash metal band Exodus. ... This article is about the second book in the Torah. ... Gary James Holt (born March 9, 1973) is a Scottish defensive midfielder is a former Scottish International player, who received 10 caps and scored 1 goal. ... Glam metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that arose in the late 1970s - early 1980s in the United States. ... Ratt is an American sleaze metal and semi glam metal band that formed in San Diego and enjoyed significant commercial success during the 1980s. ... Mötley Crüe in 2004 Mötley Crüe is an American rock band whose members include Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, and Vince Neil. ...

Decline

By the early 1990s, the scene had mostly died down, with many groups disbanding, going on hiatus, or venturing to musical styles deemed more commercial or accessible at the time. Oakland thrash metal band Vio-lence, for instance, would dissolve, leading guitarist Robb Flynn to form and front Machine Head, who would help popularize the groove metal genre.^[10] This article is about the year. ... Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music, one of the extreme metal subgenres that is characterised by high speed riffing and aggression. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Image:Robb Flynn. ... This article is about the band. ... Groove metal, often associated with neo-thrash/post-thrash and power groove, is a term sometimes used to describe a derivative of thrash metal which took its current form during the early 1990s. ...

Revival

In August of 2001, a small "reunion" of Bay Area thrash metal bands organized Thrash of the Titans, promoted to help Testament vocalist Chuck Billy, who had been diagnosed with cancer, as well as Death's Chuck Schuldiner, who was ailing from a brain tumor. The classic Vio-lence line-up (minus Machine Head's Robb Flynn), Death Angel, Heathen, Forbidden (going under their original name, Forbidden Evil), Anthrax, Sadus, Stormtroopers of Death and Exodus were among the performers. Schuldiner would lose his battle with the cancer 4 months later, and Exodus' singer Paul Baloff died from a stroke the following year.^[11] However, Testament's singer, Chuck Billy survived cancer. This article is about the year. ... Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music, one of the extreme metal subgenres that is characterised by high speed riffing and aggression. ... Thrash of the Titans concert poster Thrash of the Titans was a benefit concert held on August 11, 2001 at the Maritime Hall in San Francisco, CA. The concert was a co-benefit for Testament vocalist Chuck Billy, who was diagnosed with germ cell seminoma (a rare form of cancer... Testament are an American thrash metal band from California. ... Chuck Billy (Born June 23, 1962), U.S. vocalist, best known for his work with the thrash metal band Testament. ... Death was an influential American death metal band founded in 1983 by guitarist and vocalist Chuck Schuldiner, and dissolved in 2001. ... Charles Michael Chuck Schuldiner (May 13, 1967, Long Island, New York – December 13, 2001) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and genre innovator. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... The machine heads on a Squier Stratocaster electric guitar. ... Image:Robb Flynn. ... Death Angel is an Filipino-American thrash metal band from Concord, California. ... Photo of the band Heathen. ... Forbidden was a thrash metal band from the San Francisco Bay Area, part of the Bay Area thrash scene, most popular in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. ... Sadus is a highly technical thrash metal trio from the United States. ... Stormtroopers of Death, more commonly known as S.O.D., formed in New York in 1985. ... Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in San Francisco, California by singer/drummer Tom Hunting, guitarists Tim Agnello and Kirk Hammett, and bassist Carlton Melson. ... Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in San Francisco, California by singer/drummer Tom Hunting, guitarists Tim Agnello and Kirk Hammett, and bassist Carlton Melson. ... Paul Baloff (April 25, 1960–February 2, 2002) was an American singer, most notable for his time in thrash metal band Exodus. ... Testament are an American thrash metal band from California. ... Chuck Billy (Born June 23, 1962), U.S. vocalist, best known for his work with the thrash metal band Testament. ...

On July 9, 2005, a "sequel" concert, Thrash Against Cancer took place, which featured Testament, Lääz Rockit and Hirax, with Death Angel guitarist Ted Aguilar.^[12] is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Testament are an American thrash metal band from California. ... Lääz Rockit are a thrash/power metal band formed in San Francisco, California in 1982. ... Hirax is a thrash metal band from Orange County, California. ... Death Angel is an Filipino-American thrash metal band from Concord, California. ...

Notable Venues

The Fillmore, San Francisco

• Testament, 1995

This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Live at the Fillmore is a live album released by Testament in 1995 The Preacher – 4:20 Alone in the Dark – 4:36 Burnt Offerings – 5:14 A Dirge – 2:03 Eerie Inhabitants – 3:50 The New Order – 4:31 Low – 3:13 Urotsukidoji – 3:47 Into the Pit – 2...

Kabuki Theatre, San Francisco

Metallica, 03/15/1985 ^[13]
Megadeth, 05/31/1985 ^[14] This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...

The Keystone, Berkeley

Megadeth & Slayer, 04/15/1984 ^[15] Berkeley is a city on the east shore of San Francisco Bay in Northern California, in the United States. ...

Ruthie's Inn, Berkeley

In addition to bringing to light many punk rock groups, the club was an early local venue for Metallica, Megadeth, Exodus, Possessed and Death Angel from 1983-1987. Cliff Burton had also been a regular in the audience.^[16] The club was eventually converted into a restaurant, Rountree's, in 2002. On December 31, 2006, the venue's original founder, Wes Robinson, died at age 77. ^{[17] [18]}. Berkeley is a city on the east shore of San Francisco Bay in Northern California, in the United States. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Metallica is a Grammy Award-winning American heavy metal/thrash metal band formed in 1981[1] and has become one of the most commercially successful musical acts of recent decades. ... Megadeth is an American thrash metal band led by founder, frontman, guitarist, and songwriter Dave Mustaine. ... Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in San Francisco, California by singer/drummer Tom Hunting, guitarists Tim Agnello and Kirk Hammett, and bassist Carlton Melson. ... Possessed is a death metal band that formed in 1983 in El Sobrante, California. ... Death Angel is an Filipino-American thrash metal band from Concord, California. ... Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was a bass guitarist best known for his work with the American heavy metal band Metallica from 1982 until 1986. ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Stone, San Francisco

The Stone is attributed for hosting Burton's first concert appearance with Metallica ^[19], and would lead to repeat performances from other thrash acts, such as Megadeth ^{[20] [21]} This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Megadeth is an American thrash metal band led by founder, frontman, guitarist, and songwriter Dave Mustaine. ...

The Warfield, San Francisco

The 1920s vaudeville theatre featured a myriad of thrash metal bands during the 1980s, and was the exclusive location for Slayer's War at the Warfield video in 2003. The Warfield, also known as The Warfield Theatre, is an historic music venue in San Francisco, California. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Slayer circa 2004. ... War at the Warfield is a home video by Slayer which was released in 2003 through American Recordings. ...

Notable bands

• Attitude Adjustment
• Blind Illusion
• Death Angel
• Defiance
• Epidemic
• Exodus
• Forbidden
• Heathen
• Imperium
• Lääz Rockit
• Metallica
• Possessed
• Sadus
• Slayer
• Testament
• Ulysses Siren
• Vio-lence

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Originally a progressive rock band formed in high school by guitarist Jerry Cantrell, Blind Illusion had morphed in time to a thrash metal band in the 1980s. ... Death Angel is an Filipino-American thrash metal band from Concord, California. ... Defiance was a thrash metal band from Oakland, California. ... Epidemic was a San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal band of late 1980s and early 1990s. ... Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in San Francisco, California by singer/drummer Tom Hunting, guitarists Tim Agnello and Kirk Hammett, and bassist Carlton Melson. ... Forbidden was a thrash metal band from the San Francisco Bay Area, part of the Bay Area thrash scene, most popular in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. ... Photo of the band Heathen. ... Lääz Rockit are a thrash/power metal band formed in San Francisco, California in 1982. ... Metallica is a Grammy Award-winning American heavy metal/thrash metal band formed in 1981[1] and has become one of the most commercially successful musical acts of recent decades. ... Possessed is a death metal band that formed in 1983 in El Sobrante, California. ... Sadus is a highly technical thrash metal trio from the United States. ... Slayer circa 2004. ... Testament are an American thrash metal band from California. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

References

1. ^ Bay Area Thrash
2. ^ A To Z Of Thrash Metal | Rockdetector
3. ^ [1]
4. ^ allmusic ((( Testament > Biography )))
5. ^ allmusic ((( Exodus > Biography )))
6. ^ allmusic ((( Death Angel > Biography )))
7. ^ allmusic ((( Seven Churches > Overview )))
8. ^ allmusic ((( Scream Bloody Gore > Overview )))
9. ^ allmusic ((( Reign in Blood > Overview )))
10. ^ EOL Audio - Groove Metal
11. ^ Nuclear Blast America
12. ^ Metal-Rules.com
13. ^ LiveMetallica.com | Download Metallica March 15, 1985, Kabuki Theater, San Francisco, CA MP3 FLAC
14. ^ The Realms of Deth - Megadeth Tour Itinerary - 1985
15. ^ The Realms of Deth - Megadeth Tour Itinerary - 1984
16. ^ Death Angel: The San Francisco, Bay Area thrash metal band's Official Website
17. ^ BLABBERMOUTH.NET - Legendary Ruthie's Inn Promoter WES ROBINSON Dead At 77
18. ^ [2]
19. ^ Tribute to Cliff Burton
20. ^ The Realms of Deth - Megadeth Tour Itinerary - 1984
21. ^ The Realms of Deth - Megadeth Tour Itinerary - 1987

External links