Get Thrashed DVD
Get Thrashed chronicles the evolution of Thrash Metal from its earliest influences until it petered out. There are tons of interviews with guys still plugging away and those that hung it up long ago. The stories they relate are interesting and insightful for the most part. After the initial history lesson and run down of the impact of the “big 4” Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax, the musicians and commentators start to wade through some of the 2nd and 3rd wave bands offering opinions on how they helped to perpetuate the scene. Ian Christie is the default expert andgets a lot of screen time, but I found his insights less interesting than those from the old DJ’s, label owners and the musicians themselves. The old stories are predictably the most entertaining. In addition to those, there is a lot of “those guys were killer” conversation as well as some great live clips and photos from the early days.
The extras on the DVD are nearly as long as the film itself, and continue through a list of bands that all had a place. As with anything like this there are those you want to see more of or at all, and those that didn’t feel as important as they are made to seem (Billy Milano, really?), but it was all in all an above average, appropriate selection. While the bulk of the film is pretty Bay Area Thrash-centric with a healthy dose of New York andGermany thrown in. The extras go regionally around the world and cover some of those bands left out that you were hoping to see in the film.
One thing however that struck me odd was the surprising lack of music in the documentary. You get a couple clips from bootleg videos, and a couple other tracks, but for the most part as they go through this laundry list of great bands you aren’t given a chance to hear them. I grew up on this stuff andwas hearing it in my head as they went, but for someone unfamiliar I would think that would be a real drag. A documentary about music should have some music in it. I understand it was probably a licensing issue, but it’s a shame. When you are talking about the unique vocal approach of a band like Vio-lence or Hirax it would be nice to show people what you mean.
I also found the solicitation of opinions from new era “Thrash” like Municipal Waste and the like about “the old days” to be somewhat annoying as I suspect most of them were oblivious to it at the time because they were too young, but who knows. Maybe I’m just being an ass, it’s a small thing.
Get Thrashed delivers on its goal. It was great to get some additional insight into the personalities and history of a music that was and continues to be an influential and essential part of extreme music. I still listen to this stuff, and I still enjoy it more than so much of what is released today. It is absolutely worth seeing if you are a fan of underground metal. – Scott
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