Clarification

[waif]

Where exactly is the line between thrash, death/thrash, and death metal?
For example, Dew-Scented. I've heard these guys referred to as all three. Or Swashbuckle; some people refer to them as thrash metal in the vein of Anthrax, but they have some parts that sound like brutal death metal.

Another thing - the original death metal bands like morbid angel and death and whatnot would today be called thrash metal...

please don't turn this into a debate on how stupid genre lines are. I realize this is trivial, it's just been confusing me for a while.

 

[Jreg]

Another thing - the original death metal bands like morbid angel and death and whatnot would today be called thrash metal...

How do you figure?

 

[cookiecutter]

old school death like Morbid Angel sounds a lot different than thrash. I think the boundaries between thrash and death are pretty obvious tbh

 

[rms]

thrash = early testament death thrash = the gathering testament

aye?

 

[The Ozzman]

death/thrash = older Sepultura or Cancer - The Sins of Mankind

 

[LivingCadaver]

listen to Vader or Massacra than listen to Morbid Angel.

but I understand what you mean..

 

[xeperu]

A lot of Death Metal bands developing in the earlier stages were thrash influenced. I mean, you can see characteristics of thrash in Possessed, early Morbid Angel ( first two albums only )Malevolent Creation, and in the swedish scene too. But not enough thrash elements to be established as purely 'Thrash Metal' though, that its definitely not in my opinion. Its still Death Metal.

 

[Zephyrus]

The line between death and thrash was finer back in the 80's, but the modern sounds of both have grown more distinct.

 

[FenriR]

I see it like this:
thrash = heavy, but not brutal sound and 'clean' vocals
death-thrash = heavy sound, partly growled vocals, some brutal riffs but largely still thrash
death = brutal sound, entirely growled vocals

...but I could be entirely wrong.

 

[Mort Divine]

Thrash: Sodom
Death/Thrash: Rigor Mortis
Death: Immolation

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

I've always been a little confused about Dew-Scented. I consider them modern death/thrash though.

 

[AchrisK]

I think there is a somewhat distinct difference in the drumming between thrash and death. Maybe something like the strong beat leading the riff vs maybe the weak beat leading the riff. I am not sure, but thrash definitely inspires headbanging more than death.

 

[waif]

death has more of the blast beats, definitely. But again, dew-scented - blast beats as well as headbanging riffs, etc...

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

Most of the time, thrash is defined by the style of riffing which is pretty fucking fast with a constant driving rhythm.

 

[NinjaGeek]

Just curious are any bands still labeled as just "Heavy Metal" these days, or is that term just exclusively for the old 70s bands back when metal was still a sub-genre of rock.

 

[waif]

Most of the time, thrash is defined by the style of riffing which is pretty fucking fast with a constant driving rhythm.

and then it gets more confusing...what about shadows fall? They use breakdowns and slow riffs at some points...is that metalcore? Death metal?
And tons of death metal is really fast...

Do the vocals make a difference? If the vocals are clean shouts it's thrash metal and if they're deep gurgles it's obviously death metal, but there's gotta be a line somewhere.

 

[NinjaGeek]

Do the vocals make a difference? If the vocals are clean shouts it's thrash metal and if they're deep gurgles it's obviously death metal, but there's gotta be a line somewhere.

I think vocals have some impact but they're pretty minor. So if you made a thrash metal band with a growling vocals it would still be thrash. But in terms of looking at if a band is thrash, deaththrash, or death, growls are definitely a point in the death metal direction. I wouldn't say clean vocals make death metal any thrashier though since clean vocals aren't really a signature of thrash metal, as lots of genres use clean vocals.

 

[waif]

there's a distinctive thrash metal vocal style, though. Not all thrash bands do it, but only thrash bands do it.
Slayer, Kreator, Sodom, etc all do the high screaming vocals. You never find that in death metal.
Although Chuck Schuldiner did do screams...raspier, though

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

and then it gets more confusing...what about shadows fall? They use breakdowns and slow riffs at some points...is that metalcore? Death metal?
And tons of death metal is really fast...

Do the vocals make a difference? If the vocals are clean shouts it's thrash metal and if they're deep gurgles it's obviously death metal, but there's gotta be a line somewhere.

SF are metalcore/half-thrash kind of stuff.

Vocals should never make a difference.

 

[Life Sucks]

Some old school death metal is similar to extreme thrash (Possessed, Asphyx, early Pestilence, Massacra, Mecriless, Thanatos, etc.), but pure death and pure thrash are a bit different. The old school death metal bands that are similar to thrash obviously have a lot of thrash influence, but with time the genres grew further apart. Both death metal and thrash metal generally have fast rhythms, lots of palm muting in the riffs, and an overall aggressive sound. Death metal is generally more extreme. Whereas a lot of thrash has clean vocals, all death metal has harsh vocals.Blastbeats and tremolo picking are other common traits of death metal rarely found in thrash. You could almost say that death metal is like thrash taken up another notch in extremity.