10 Awesome Thrash Metal Bands With One Terrible Album

Remember when Slayer were the edgiest, hardest thrash metal band in the world?

In 1998, it appears the Huntington Park crew forgot that themselves, turning out something more in line with the nu metal craze at the time. Overcome by the popularity of groups like Korn and System of a Down, Slayer lost their mettle in a bid for relevance.

The title promises a more vicious sound than what ultimately comes out here. Lyrically, they haven't lost any of their trademark venom, spewing topics like murder, war and madness with reckless abandon. The speed of the beats is still there too but the tenacity of the group's riffs and composition is simply present the way it is in their strongest thrash efforts.

Musically, there's a lot to admire in regards to production value but, stripped of everything that made them thrash kings, Slayer's fangs are missing. More bizarre still is their struggle to completely commit to nu metal. It's like listening to a band try to suppress every natural urge they have and only somewhat succeed, leading to watered down listens for fans of either metal subgenre.

Despite 'Stain of Mind' having its fans upon release as a single, the LP overall is a creative low point for the meanest of The Big Four. While the group, Jeff Hanneman in particular for leading the composing, deserve props for experimenting with their sound, this is one gamble that didn't pay off.