Like a bawling baby found on the steps of some godforsaken orphanage, it’s impossible to pinpoint the exact date of thrash metal’s birth. But the indisputable fact is that by 1983, this feral movement was starting to make its presence known on the underground metal scene.
That year, Metallica relocated from their native LA to San Francisco’s Bay Area and released debut album Kill ’Em All in July. Fellow Bay Area demons Exodus – who actually predated Metallica, and whose guitarist, Kirk Hammett, the latter had recently poached – were causing chaos in the clubs. Down the Pacific coast in LA, Dave Mustaine, the man whom Kirk replaced in Metallica, was getting Megadeth off the ground and plotting his revenge on his ex-bandmates, while Satanic stormtroopers Slayer released their debut album, Show No Mercy, at the end of the year. Over in New York, the nascent Anthrax got in on the action, releasing their debut single, Soldiers Of Metal.
