Over thrash’s first decade (plus one more year), we saw the rise and fall of one of heavy metal’s most enduring subgenres. Of thrash’s Big 4 — Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax — only one (Slayer) had mostly stayed true to the original style by the mid-’90s.

While many of style’s premiere figures credit Exodus with pioneering what later became branded thrash metal, it’s often the first to the record shelves that gets credit with inventing an entire faction of music.

For that reason, our journey begins in 1983, the year Metallica’s debut album Kill ‘Em All was released on Megaforce Records. The label, who later signed Testament, Anthrax and Overkill, among others, helped prop up the thrash scene on the east coast and this bi-coastal popularity helped give rise to its dominance.

READ MORE: The 40 Best Debut Thrash Albums of All Time

By the late ’80s, thrash was a major label commodity thanks to the success of Metallica’s 1986 album Master of Puppets, released on Elektra. Other executives eager to cash in on this new sound helped contribute to the fallout as many label signings couldn’t meet lofty sales expectations.

Then, the tide turned with grunge and Metallica, yet again, moved the goalposts and released ‘The Black Album’ in 1991, overhauling their style that became the foundation of 21st century hard rock.

Of course, thrash is a story of success. After a challenging remainder of the ’90s, the ’80s originators roared back with outstanding new releases and newcomers (Municipal Waste, Warbringer, etc.) solidified its staying power for new generations.

Subscribe to Loudwire on YouTube.