TRIPLE THRASH TREAT 1

(...this interview is in English...)

Merciless (Swe)

After conducting some interviews and had ditto conversations with people in both the punk, rock and metal scene in the last 10 years, it has been noticed that those I have talked to have shown an extra joy and passion when the topic of conversation has come into thrash metal. Therefore it was not very difficult to decide to implement a series of articles on thrash metal. And here you have the first article in The Triple Thrash Treat Series.

Anthrax

We asked the three vocalists the same 5 questions and here is what they had to say about thrash metal.

What is your favorite thrash metal riff?

Impossible task to give you just one answer on these questions...Sorry. Ok, I will answer you from the top of my head... let's start with the mid-section on "Angel of Death", the whole intro of "Hell Awaits", the verse on "Tormentor" by Kreator, the main riff on "Gung Ho" and "Whiplash" are good definitions of a trademark thrash metal riffs... The opening and verse of the titletrack on "Ride The Lightning"... The March of the SOD....have to be here.... Phew! Damn this was difficult!!!!

What was your first gig with a thrash metal band?

Ah, a question with ONE answer!!! It was Slayer, World Sacrifice Tour at Rockefeller, Oslo 1988. Candlemass was support. A totally brainblasting performance by both bands.

Who has, in your opinion, the best thrash metal screams?

Tom Araya, Mille Petrozza, Ole Jørgen Moe, Marcel "Schmier" John Connelly, and Mark Osegueda, but only on "The Ultra Violence"

And who is the best thrash metal riffer?

Jeff Hanneman, Gary Holt, Mille Petrozza, Arild Torp and Carl-Michael Eide.

Finally, what is your favorite thrash metal album?

Show No Mercy, Hell Awaits, Reign in Blood, The Legacy, Bonded By Blood, Downtown Hades, Game Over, Ride The Lightning, Kill 'em All, Spreading The Disease, The Ultra Violence, Pleasure To Kill, Extreme Aggression, Agent Orange, Infernal Overkill, The Force.

What is your favorite thrash metal riff?

Favorite thrash riff must be the opening of INNER SELF by SEPULTURA from their album BENEATH THE REMAINS which ultimately defined a new meaning of thrash for me back in those days. Another riff that has stayed with me through the years is from D.R.I.s SUIT AND TIE GUY, which is a great tune by the way... MARCH OF THE S.O.D.... there's the kickassest riff

What was your first gig with a thrash metal band?

First gig with a thrash band was ANTHRAX as opening act for IRON MAIDEN in 1990, on my 15th birthday actually ANTHRAX had just released PERSISTENCE OF TIME and IRON MAIDEN was on their BRING ME YOUR DAUGHTER TO THE SLAUGHTER tour... I was 15 and a looong way from home ...

Who has, in your opinion, the best thrash metal screams?

Screams must be in tune with the music, so there are a lot of really good screams, but TOM ARAYA is legendary from his old days, so is JOEY BELADONNA. MIKE MUIR is just intense and insane while MILLE PETROZZA has intense anger in his voice but this does not constitute a scream I suppose, so going with the popular and well known I must put my vote to TOM ARAYA of SLAYER...

And who is the best thrash metal riffer?

Riffing has never been the same after BENEATH THE REMAINS from SEPULTURA... MAX CAVALERA kicks ass, but ANNIHILATOR has JEFF WATERS, and I will hold him as the best riffer by far ...

Finally, what is your favorite thrash metal album?

My favourite thrash metal album must be either BENEATH THE REMAINS, SOUTH OF HEAVEN or EXTREME AGGRESSION... I think I must go with KREATOR on this one...

What is your favorite thrash metal riff?

That is VERY hard to single one out ,but the opening riffs to Destruction's "Bestial Invasion" and Sodom's "Sodomy and Lust" both send chills down my spine to this day!

What was your first gig with a thrash metal band?

It was Merciless from Sweden in 1989 at Verftet in Bergen. I was 16 years old and was blown away!

Who has, in your opinion, the best thrash metal screams?

Tom Araya in "The Antichrist" and "Angel Of Death". That is pretty perfect stuff! Also the ending scream in Sodom's "Conqueror" i totally adore + Angelripper's scream/gurgle in the bass break amidst "Sepulchural Voice".

And who is the best thrash metal riffer?

Lust Kilman from The Batallion and Frank Blackfire from Sodom.

That is easy. Slayer's "Reign In Blood". Not a boring second, perfect production and GREAT GREAT songwriting and super brutal lyrics. No one has ever surpassed it to this day.

Thrash metal facts:

"Thrash vocals are usually very aggressive and sometimes angry sounding, but unlike death or black metal, they are still understandable."

Slayer

"Another "Big Four" thrash band formed in Southern California in 1981, when guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King met while auditioning for the same band and subsequently decided to form a band of their own. Hanneman and King recruited vocalist/bassist Tom Araya, a former respiratory therapist, and drummer Dave Lombardo, a pizza delivery driver, and Slayer was formed."

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