'Get Thrashed': Upcoming Documentary To Profile '80s Thrash Metal Scene

METALLICA, GODSMACK, DISTURBED, ANTHRAX, SLIPKNOT, KITTIE, and MESHUGGAH are among the featured bands in the upcoming documentary "Get Thrashed", due before the end of the year. The brainchild of director Rick Ernst, a long-time freelance producer for MTV, the film will profile the thrash metal scene of the early Eighties and its impact on the music since, using interviews, live performances and archival footage. "You had METALLICA, MEGADETH and EXODUS in San Francisco, SLAYER in L.A., ANTHRAX in New York," Ernst told Rolling Stone. "These bands took it to the next level in terms of extremes. They played faster, heavier and louder than anybody had before, and they were trying to play faster, louder and heavier than each other."

In addition to spotlighting the early mixed-genre pairings such as ANTHRAX and PUBLIC ENEMY's version of "Bring the Noise", which is widely considered to have helped spawn the rap-metal of recent years, Ernst aims to point out thrash metal's impact on grunge as well.

"People seem to forget that one of ALICE IN CHAINS' first national tours was the Clash of the Titans, opening up for MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX in '91," Ernst said. "That was at the height of the whole thrash scene. I remember going to Madison Square Garden and it was sold out and ALICE IN CHAINS was opening. Everybody was like, 'What the fuck? Why isn't TESTAMENT or SUICIDAL TENDENCIES on there?' The first time I saw SOUNDGARDEN, they were opening for VOIVOD. The thrash bands took out the grunge bands and exposed them to a larger audience."