10 Best Thrash Metal Bands Outside Of The Big 4

2. Exodus

A band named after the second book of the Bible has landed at second place on this list! Must be divine intervention.

Another Bay Area staple from the '80s, Exodus were right there with Metallica as the scene started to grow. In fact, there was some crossover between the two, as Exodus was the band Kirk Hammett played in before he replaced Dave Mustaine.

In another universe, maybe Exodus went on to make the Black Album and guest star on The Simpsons.

Even without Hammett, these California thrashers went on to achieve great things. Their debut album, Bonded by Blood, could have made a huge splash had its release not been delayed, but it is still widely considered one of the most important thrash albums ever made.

The group were so popular that their 2004 album Tempo of the Dammed briefly led to a small resurgence in thrash music. In 2004! Who saw that one coming?

Although its existence has been plagued by infighting and disputes with record labels, Exodus still stand as one of the very finest to have ever thrashed. Just imagine what they could have done had their path been a little smoother.

Contributor
Contributor

Jacob Simmons has a great many passions, including rock music, giving acclaimed films three-and-a-half stars, watching random clips from The Simpsons on YouTube at 3am, and writing about himself in the third person.