From the Ashes of Thrash...

[Juggz]

It's a bit of a tangent so I thought best to move it away from the interesting discussion going on in the Best Thrash Album thread...

The albums which came towards the end of the Thrash years, that 88-93 period, when the fast bands slowed down a bit and branched out are, to me, some of the most interesting of their careers. Off the top of my head...

Death Angel - Act III
Slayer - South of Heaven
Anthrax - SOWN
Coroner - Mental Vortex & Grin
Kreator - Renewal
Overkill - The Years of Decay
Acid Reign - Obnoxious
Prong - Prove You Wrong
Voivod - Angel Rat & The Outer Limits
Testament - Low

There are others for whom it worked and others who didn't fare quite so well. Metallica's 90's efforts don't really work for me but I know plenty of people who rank those albums very highly. It was a great period for Metal, I reckon, before it all turned to shit.

[Anton Arcane]

Getting into Metal around 91/ 92, it felt like I had arrived a bit late to the party. Albums like The Ritual, Kin and Set The World On Fire promised much with their opening track's videos on Headbanger's Ball but delivered fuck all. Which was crushing when you're a young lad and a new tape was a big investment.

That being said Low was a career highlight for Testament. And if you had asked me at time, I would have said Chaos A.D. was Sepultura's best album.

[Wiseblood]

Low was released in 94 chief.    Minor quibble aside it's a great album and one that is overlooked far too much.

Suicidal Tendencies are often lumped (incorrectly) with thrash bands when their 90s albums (Lights Camera... and Art Of Rebellion) had really shown how much they could stretch out.

[Juggz]

Recording started in 93 

[Paul keohane]

I think he may have been pointing out that Low is Testaments best album,that it wasnt released at the height of the Thrash scene?.

[Wiseblood]

Doesn't matter what he meant. What he is said is what counts. 

[Ollie]

It's a bit of a tangent so I thought best to move it away from the interesting discussion going on in the Best Thrash Album thread...

The albums which came towards the end of the Thrash years, that 88-93 period, when the fast bands slowed down a bit and branched out are, to me, some of the most interesting of their careers. Off the top of my head...

Coroner - Mental Vortex & Grin

Not only is 'Grin' Coroner's best album - it's one of the best albums of all time. It's a very misunderstood recording

[Ducky]

Testament's "Low" is utter scutter!

[Blackout]

The albums you listed aren't bad by any means but they just do not measure up to they're earlier outputs. Eg I still spin RIB regularly whereas south of heaven would be brought out once a year.

[Pip]

I'd add Suicidal Tendencies - The Art of Rebellion to the list

[Giggles]

Testament's "Low" is utter scutter!

I agree with this. I also never gave it a chance so I might throw it on today and see if I still hate it. This is the one without Skolnik yes?

[Juggz]

Yeah, James Murphy plays lead.

[Don Gately]

Getting into Metal around 91/ 92, it felt like I had arrived a bit late to the party. Albums like The Ritual, Kin and Set The World On Fire promised much with their opening track's videos on Headbanger's Ball but delivered fuck all. Which was crushing when you're a young lad and a new tape was a big investment.

That being said Low was a career highlight for Testament. And if you had asked me at time, I would have said Chaos A.D. was Sepultura's best album.

Yes you certainly missed the height of it - really after Master of Puppets metal exploded but was still an underground /countercultural phenomenon.
Every month seemed to bring an absolute classic from the years 87 til 90 even into 91. It's funny but the Black album and Puppets for me bookend this golden era.
There were still fantastic albums coming out in 92 and 93 and some great gigs too back then but already thrash had morphed, death metal bands seemed to be treading old ground and sounded samey.
Grunge was massive then too and then numetal fucked everything.

[Blitzer666]

Testament's "Low" is utter scutter!

Yep, the ritual was a much better album.
Low would be one of the least rated testament albums

[ldj]

I don't listen to much Testament anymore but when I did Low and The Gathering were probably my most played by them.