Sodom's landmark Persecution Mania stands at the very crossroads of thrash and death metal. A virtual tour de force of blinding speed and blunt force, it is also arguably the best album of Sodom's checkered career. Recorded shortly after the arrival of guitarist extraordinaire Frank Blackfire, Persecution Mania took the group's fast-as-can-be, subtlety-free, roast-every-bridge approach to a whole new level of intensity and power…

1986 rehearsal from Canadian Death/Thrash legends, SLAUGHTER with Evil Chuck Schuldiner on vocals/guitar. Contains liner notes by Dave Hewson along with band pics and concert flyers. This is an official SLAUGHTER release! Co-release with NunSlaughter Records…

Deluxe five CD + triple vinyl LP pressing of the Metal band's 1986 album, released to coincide with the 25th Anniversary of its release. This edition of the multi-platinum selling landmark album includes not only the two CD expanded edition but also a bonus CD containing previously unreleased and rare mixes of the album's tracks as well as an expanded 20-page book, plus 8"x10" photos and reproductions of vintage Meg a triple vinyl LP pressing as well as an expanded 20-page book, 8"x10" photos and reproductions of vintage Megadeth memorabilia.

You know what lays ahead whenever you embark on listening to a new Kreator studio album, and 2009's Hordes of Chaos is certainly no different. And that isn't meant as a knock on the band – heck, Kreator should be commended for sticking to their guns and continuing on in the same "thrash-happy" style since pretty much their inception (without bowing down to musical trends)…

Most anyone still doubting Coroner's merits as anything but "the band formed by Celtic Frost's old roadies" was likely silenced by their very impressive second album, 1988's Punishment for Decadence. Though not nearly as adventurous as their previous employers early on, the members of Coroner had the clear advantage of being incredibly gifted musicians from day one; and aesthetically, they evidently already aspired to become the thrash metal power trio equivalent of Rush by splitting songwriting duties between guitarist Tommy T. Baron and bassist/singer Ron Royce, while drummer Marquis Marky handled the lyric-writing…

The proper follow-up to Among the Living was somewhat disappointing in its inconsistency. While there are some good moments – "Be All, End All" is one of the band's most melodic moments, and several other tracks catch fire – the best thing here is a cover of Trust's "Antisocial," and it doesn't bode well when covers outshine original material…

"Never underestimate the heart of a champion" may as well have been the unspoken moral behind Kreator's astounding return to form via 2001's Violent Revolution, following over a decade of "wilderness study" in non-thrash terrain. As well as revitalizing the band's career the album clearly helped main man Mille Petrozza make peace with his past, and set the stage for his band's wisely retro-minded direction going forward into the new millennium. Cue 2005's Enemy of God: not only Kreator's next shot at revitalizing old-school thrash metal for modern generations, but a necessary building block to sustaining their unexpected renaissance…

1987's R.I.P. album represented a pretty inconspicuous start for Swiss trio Coroner – one whose modest ambitions they would quickly outdistance on their way to morphing into one of thrash metal's all-time most adventurous bands…

Some bands go through numerous lineup changes yet somehow manage to be consistent, but all too often, bands that are revolving doors are anything but consistent; you never know if they are going to come out with a great album, a mediocre album, or a weak album. That has certainly been the case with Destruction; the German outfit has had more than its share of lineup changes over the years – and their albums have ranged from excellent to totally forgettable. Released in 2005 – 23 years after the band's formation – Inventor of Evil won't go down in history as one of Destruction's essential discs but is still a good, solid addition to their catalog…

"Never underestimate the heart of a champion" may as well have been the unspoken moral behind Kreator's astounding return to form via 2001's Violent Revolution, following over a decade of "wilderness study" in non-thrash terrain. As well as revitalizing the band's career the album clearly helped main man Mille Petrozza make peace with his past, and set the stage for his band's wisely retro-minded direction going forward into the new millennium…

Obsessed by Cruelty is the debut studio album by German thrash metal band Sodom, released in 1986. Two different versions of this album exist, the European and the American, which were released by Steamhammer and Metal Blade Records, respectively…

Arguably Megadeth's strongest effort and a classic of early thrash, Peace Sells combines a punkish political awareness with a dark, threatening, typically heavy metal world-view, preoccupied with evil, the occult, and the like…

Anthrax's first album with vocalist Joey Belladonna is a huge leap forward, featuring strongly rhythmic, pounding riffs and vocals that alternate between hardcore-type shouting and surprising amounts of melody…

A mishmash of assorted material taken from German uber-thrashers Kreator's middle period (some would say golden era), 1996's Scenarios of Violence makes for an entertaining, but historically confusing listening experience…