10 Essential Thrash Metal Bands You Need To Listen To
8. Forced Entry
The thrash legend that never was, Forced Entry ignited the west coast thrash scene with a stellar debut before immediately falling into perpetual obscurity.
'Uncertain Future', a title that proved sadly befitting of the group's fate, came out in 1989 to rave reviews but only cult-status success. Unlike the often punky, big noise, low quality stereotype much of thrash accumulated at the time, Forced Entry boasted a technical, prog metal-friendly sound and structure to proceedings.
Tracks like 'Anaconda' find the group at their sinister and atmospheric best, piecing together a horror movie worthy tale within the confines of an ear-splitting set of riffs and speed-oriented drums. The underrated prowess of this often forgotten gem of a group is further hammered home with their 1991 sophomore effort, 'As Above, So Below'.
The '90s proved to be a dark decade for thrash as everything from death and black metal to grunge and nu metal stamped it out of the mainstream and back into the underground. 'As Above, So Below' shows there were groups out there still taking the subgenre in curious and creative directions. A progressive tour de force of vivacious, punky thrill rides plus a very odd foray into power ballad territory with 'Never a Know, But the No' show just how versatile Forced Entry could be.
While they never got near any brass rings, Forced Entry are a fun diamond in the rough for metalheads to discover.