10 Best Thrash Metal Bands Outside Of The Big 4
7. Voivod
Back to Canada now and another member of that country's Big Four, or "Quatre Grands" for anyone in French-Canada.
Voivode (with an "E") is a Slavic term meaning a military commander or governor. People without an interest in military history will know them as one of the most technically proficient thrash bands of all time.
Pioneering the Franken-genre of "progressive thrash", Voivod have been praised for constantly adapting their style, starting out in speed metal and ending up as something totally new over a four decade-long career.
The only constant member of the band over all that time has been drummer Michel Langevin, but there two others who deserve a mention.
The first is Denis "Piggy" D'Amour, the band's original guitarist. D'Amour is a criminally underrated player; a constant innovator who loved to experiment and helped contribute to Voivod's varied sound. He sadly passed away in 2005 at the age of just 45.
The second is Jason "Jasonic" Newstead, who would eventually find his own place within the Big Four. After the death of their original bass player, Cliff Burton, Metallica recruited Newstead to play for them, beginning a run of 15 years with the thrash gods.