10 Essential Thrash Metal Bands You Need To Listen To

Who knew getting fired unceremoniously by Metallica could lead to headbanging glory?

Dave Mustaine's near superhuman penchant for surviving mountainous helpings of drugs and alcohol did him few favours in his earlier years. Fed up with the red-haired wild man's reckless, often aggressive antics, James Hetfield and co. sent him packing, little realising they'd just planted the seed for one of their greatest contemporaries.

Megadeth, born out of Mustaine's vengeful hatred for his ousting, burst onto the scene with murderous, if oddly charming in their corniness, lyrics and intricate, innovative guitar work. Mustaine, now front and centre with a surly growl through which to throw their lyrics, reached some of the highest technical highs thrash metal has ever seen on the guitar front.

Grand scale epics like 1990's 'Rust in Peace', an imaginative and furious release focused on everything from politics to Frank Castle, rewrote the book on what a thrash composition could be. While certain ventures into more conventional hard rock were poorly received, the group, for the most part, have carried the heavy metal torch with pride and gusto.

Firmly sticking it to critics who dismissed thrash metal as just plain noise, Megadeth remain one of the greatest and most audacious groups in the genre's mosh pit-laden history.