FYI before I start this ranking chart I just have to say I don't like Bonded By Blood. I like Exodus just not that album, If they debuted with "Fabulous Disaster" I would have definitely put them on the list, but that was in 1989 and their 3rd album.
1.Vio-lence:
Eternal Nightmare
When Municipal Waste claimed that this album is the archetype for modern thrash metal, they weren't kidding! The moment you put this album on it punches you in the stomach and after repeatedly kicks you in the balls after! That's if you can get over the vocals. overall this album is a masterpiece, overall the mix is good the lyrics are good, guitar work is great. Just listen to it dammit!
2.Slayer:
Show No Mercy
With slayers discography being so rich in the 80s everyone including me forgets this beauty. This album mixes NWOBHM with pure thrash which makes for a very interesting album! the mix is great and overall it's sorta what you expect from Slayer in the thrashy songs like "Black Magic" and "Evil Has No Boundaries" and probably the most interesting song from Slayer in this LP would be "Tormentor" which fun fact they have only played this song live once. On their first fucking show! common Slayer, you're doing a farewell tour, this song deserves some love! overall: it's a Slayer album, of course, you should listen to it!
3.Testament:
The Legacy
Personally an underrated album in thrash. What makes this LP special ( at least to me) would be the vocals and the melodic lead guitar from Alex. First of all the vocals from Chuck have an incredible range from borderline death metal growls to high pitched shrieks. the lyrical content is also varied enough to keep me interested in even the weakest songs (apocalyptic city). overall give this one a listen!
4.Megadeth:
Killing is My Business... and Business is Good!
This album is one of the earliest examples of speed metal, and rightly so. This album has so many great ideas on it. My main gripe with this LP is that the original mix fucking sucks! the only way to get around this is the newly remastered version which to my ears sounds phenomenally better than the original mix. if the mix was better on the original this LP would be much higher on the list.
5.Metallica:
Kill'em All
Kill'em all for me personally is a downgrade from what they did on the, "No Life Til Leather" demo( my favorite is the "Dave'em All!" bootleg). On Kill'em all, everything seems very sterile to my ears. if they have just kept Dave on lead for just that one album and James kept the vocal style on the earlier demos; Kill'em all would be much higher on the list.
6.Death Angel:
The Ultra-Violence
With debut, I find that there is filler in this album, but it makes up for this in songs like "Thrashers" and "The Ultra-Violence" being smash hits in my opinion. overall opinion; too much filler.
7.Anthrax:
Fistful of Metal
I think people think of this album more of a one-off by Anthrax instead of a beginning for them. This album has been as I've seen very divisive in the community some say it's amazing and others... well not so much. I fall mostly in the not so much camp, While I love songs like Deathrider and Metal Thrashing Mad others such as the track I'm 18 song almost like generic punk, mixed in with later Kiss that young Scott Ian obsessed over. overall this album comes off as not having a true direction in it and falls flat for me.
