The difference, by ear
The German scene is filthier, faster and less interested in melody or production. The two waves developed in parallel and sound obviously different.
Both are shouted and move at much the same pace, around 180 to 260 bpm. To hear the difference, play Metallica next to Kreator. Both grew out of thrash metal, Bay Area thrash first and Teutonic thrash a year after.
In figures
Bay Area thrash
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Thrash metal › Bay Area thrash
In short
The original epicentre: technical riffing, clearer production and a little more melody.
How it sounds
- Technical riffing and elaborate structures with many sectional changes.
- Clearer production than the German variant, with audible bass.
- Barked vocals that turn melodic in places, with singalong choruses.
Key acts
- Metallica
- Exodus
- Testament
- Death Angel
Start here
The pickExodus - Bonded by Blood. Recorded in 1984, released late, and it held up anyway.
Full page →Teutonic thrash
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Thrash metal › Teutonic thrash
In short
The German version: dirtier, faster and much closer to what would become death and black metal.
How it sounds
- Dirtier production with sharper guitars and distorted bass.
- Vocals closer to a snarl than a shout - a direct step toward death metal.
- More constant and more brutal tempos, with fewer melodic passages.
Key acts
- Kreator
- Sodom
- Destruction
- Tankard
Start here
The pickKreator - Pleasure to Kill. The point where thrash becomes death metal without announcing it.
Full page →