Editing Thrash metal (section)

====Decline (1991–1999)====
The era of 1991–1992 marked the beginning of the end of thrash metal's commercial peak, due to the rising popularity of the [[alternative metal]] and [[grunge]] movements (the latter spearheaded by [[Washington (state)|Washington]]-based bands [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]], [[Soundgarden]], [[Alice in Chains]] and [[Pearl Jam]]).<ref>{{cite book|last1=McIver|first1=Joel|title=The Bloody Reign of Slayer|date=2009|publisher=Omnibus Press}}</ref> In response to this climate change, many thrash metal bands that had emerged from the previous decade had called it quits or went on hiatus during the 1990s, while half of the "Big Four" and other veteran bands began changing to more accessible, radio-friendly styles.<ref>{{cite web|title=Speed/Thrash Metal|website=[[AllMusic]]|url=http://www.allmusic.com/style/speed-thrash-metal-ma0000002874|access-date=30 January 2014|archive-date=2 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602220548/http://www.allmusic.com/style/speed-thrash-metal-ma0000002874|url-status=live}}</ref> Metallica was a notable example of this shift, particularly with their mid-to-late 1990s albums ''[[Load (album)|Load]]'', and ''[[Reload (Metallica album)|ReLoad]]'', which displayed minor [[blues]] and [[southern rock]] influences, and were seen as a major departure from the band's earlier sound.{{sfn|Sharpe-Young|2007a|p=256}} Megadeth took a more accessible heavy metal route starting with their 1992 album ''[[Countdown to Extinction]]''.{{sfn|Sharpe-Young|2007a|p=241}} Testament, Exodus and Flotsam and Jetsam all took a melodic/progressive approach with the albums ''[[The Ritual (Testament album)|The Ritual]]'',<ref>{{cite web|first=Anthony|last=Syme|title=Interview with Chuck Billy|publisher=MetalUpdate.com|url=http://metalupdate.com/interviewbilly.html|access-date=1 September 2014|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305015249/http://www.metalupdate.com/interviewbilly.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Force of Habit]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=6545|title=Review: Exodus: Force of Habit (remaster)|website=seaoftranquility.org|access-date=31 March 2022|archive-date=1 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401022612/https://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=6545|url-status=live}}</ref> and ''[[Cuatro (Flotsam and Jetsam album)|Cuatro]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flotstildeath.com/discography/cuatro-studio-album/|title=Cuatro (Studio Album) - Flotsam and Jetsam|website=flotstildeath.com|access-date=31 March 2022|archive-date=17 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117160402/https://www.flotstildeath.com/discography/doomsday-for-the-deceiver/|url-status=live}}</ref> respectively. One of the pioneers of crossover thrash, [[Corrosion of Conformity]], began changing their sound into a slower and [[Black Sabbath]]-influenced heavy metal direction with their post-1980s output, adapting influences and textures of [[sludge metal|sludge]], [[doom metal]], blues, and southern rock on several of their albums, including ''[[Blind (Corrosion of Conformity album)|Blind]]'' (1991), ''[[Deliverance (Corrosion of Conformity album)|Deliverance]]'' (1994) and ''[[Wiseblood (Corrosion of Conformity album)|Wiseblood]]'' (1996).<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/reed-mullin-corrosion-of-conformity-obituary-944459/|title=Reed Mullin, Corrosion of Conformity Drummer, Dead at 53|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=28 January 2020|access-date=6 June 2021}}</ref>

In the wake of the success of [[groove metal]], instigated by Pantera (who went on to become one of the most successful heavy metal bands of the 1990s), several thrash metal established bands started to expand their sound by adding elements and influences from the groove metal genre.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.vh1.com/news/h0tfpf/90s-post-thrash-groove-metal-scene | title=Rediscovering The '90s Post-Thrash Groove Metal Scene | publisher=[[VH1|VH1.com]] | date=12 August 2015 | access-date=27 April 2021 | archive-date=31 July 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731031546/http://www.vh1.com/news/45371/90s-post-thrash-groove-metal-scene/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/every-prong-album-ranked-from-worst-to-best-by-tommy-victor/ | title=Every Prong Album Ranked From Worst To Best By Tommy Victor | publisher=[[Kerrang!]] | date=9 August 2020 | access-date=27 April 2021 | archive-date=8 October 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008232645/https://www.kerrang.com/features/every-prong-album-ranked-from-worst-to-best-by-tommy-victor/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/top_7_iconic_groove_metal_albums_that_helped_metal_survive-109511 | title=Top 7 Iconic Groove Metal Albums That Helped Metal Survive | publisher=[[Ultimate Guitar|Ultimate-Guitar.com]] | date=9 August 2020 | access-date=27 April 2021 | archive-date=27 April 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427193922/https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/top_7_iconic_groove_metal_albums_that_helped_metal_survive-109511 | url-status=live }}</ref> Anthrax, who had recently replaced [[Joey Belladonna]] with [[John Bush (musician)|John Bush]] as their singer, began stepping away from their previously established thrash metal formula to a more accessible alternative/groove metal approach for the remainder of their 1990s output, starting with and including ''[[Sound of White Noise]]'' (1993).<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2011-09-14/music/anthrax-and-joey-belladonna-keep-it-in-the-family | title=Anthrax and Joey Belladonna Keep It In the Family | newspaper=[[The Village Voice]] | date=14 September 2011 | access-date=27 April 2021 | author=Weingarten, Christopher R.| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201124735/http://www.villagevoice.com/2011-09-14/music/anthrax-and-joey-belladonna-keep-it-in-the-family | archive-date=1 December 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/anthrax-sound-of-white-noise/ | title=How Anthrax's 'Sound of White Noise' Kicked Off the John Bush Era | publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock | date=25 May 2018 | access-date=27 April 2021 | author=Kielty, Martin | archive-date=27 April 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427193921/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/anthrax-sound-of-white-noise/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YIwHlb1zNyoC&q=%22Sound+Of+White+Noise%22+%22+metal%22&pg=PA79 | title=Anthrax - Sound of White Noise review | last=Wiederhorn |first=Jon |magazine=SPIN | date=July 1993 | volume=9 | issue=4 | page=79 |access-date=27 April 2021 | archive-date=19 September 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230919144822/https://books.google.com/books?id=YIwHlb1zNyoC&q=%22Sound+Of+White+Noise%22+%22+metal%22&pg=PA79 | url-status=live }}</ref> Sacred Reich, Overkill, Coroner, Prong, Testament, and Forbidden followed this trend with their respective albums ''[[Independent (Sacred Reich album)|Independent]]'',<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/independent-reissue/ | title=CD Reviews - Independent (Reissue) Sacred Reich | publisher=Blabbermouth.net | access-date=27 April 2021 | author=Bergman, Keith | archive-date=27 April 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427193921/https://www.blabbermouth.net/cdreviews/independent-reissue/ | url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[I Hear Black]]'',<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.worshipmetal.com/features/i-hear-black-is-it-overkills-most-underrated-album/ | title=I Hear Black: Is It Overkill's Most Underrated Album? | publisher=Worship Music | date=9 March 2016 | access-date=27 April 2021 | author=Jennings, Chris | archive-date=5 June 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605005837/http://www.worshipmetal.com/features/i-hear-black-is-it-overkills-most-underrated-album/ | url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Grin (Coroner album)|Grin]]'',<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/53987/Coroner-Grin/ | title=Coroner - Grin (album review 2) | publisher=Sputnikmusic | date=18 December 2012 | access-date=27 April 2021 | author=Wolfers, Jeremy | archive-date=19 September 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230919144747/https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/53987/Coroner-Grin/ | url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Cleansing (album)|Cleansing]]'',<ref>{{cite web|first=Jason|last=Roche|title=The Top 20 New York Hardcore and Metal Albums of All Time|date=8 July 2013|publisher=[[The Village Voice]]|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2013/07/08/the-top-20-new-york-hardcore-and-metal-albums-of-all-time/|access-date=10 December 2021|archive-date=10 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210174140/https://www.villagevoice.com/2013/07/08/the-top-20-new-york-hardcore-and-metal-albums-of-all-time/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Low (Testament album)|Low]]'',<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/8659/Testament-Low/ | title=Testament - Low (album review) | publisher=Sputnikmusic | date=14 September 2017 | access-date=27 April 2021 | author=Geadom | archive-date=19 September 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230919144747/https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/53987/Coroner-Grin/ | url-status=live }}</ref> and ''[[Distortion (Forbidden album)|Distortion]]''.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://metalnerdblog.com/2011/10/07/forbidden-distortion-review/ | title=Forbidden – Distortion Review | publisher=Metal-Nerd Blog | date=7 October 2011 | access-date=27 April 2021 | archive-date=27 October 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027130232/https://metalnerdblog.com/2011/10/07/forbidden-distortion-review/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Sepultura's 1993 album ''[[Chaos A.D.]]'' also marked the beginning of their transition away from death/thrash metal to groove metal which had influenced then-up-and-coming bands like [[Korn]], who reciprocally became the inspiration behind the [[nu metal]] style of the band's next album ''[[Roots (Sepultura album)|Roots]]'' (1996).<ref>[https://loudwire.com/iggor-cavalera-korn-did-influence-sepultura-on-roots-album-but-so-did-others/ "Iggor Cavalera: Korn did influence Sepultura on Roots album but so did others"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418221041/https://loudwire.com/iggor-cavalera-korn-did-influence-sepultura-on-roots-album-but-so-did-others/ |date=18 April 2021 }}. ''Loudwire'', 2016</ref> ''Roots'' would influence a generation of bands from [[Linkin Park]] to [[Slipknot (band)|Slipknot]], which during the 1990s meant the replacement of death, thrash, and speed, by nu metal and metalcore as popular epicenters of the hardest metal scene.<ref>[https://www.wearethepit.com/2020/09/why-sepulturas-chaos-a-d-is-more-relevant-now-than-ever/ "Why Sepultura's 'Chaos A.D.' Is More Relevant Now Than Ever"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418221042/https://www.wearethepit.com/2020/09/why-sepulturas-chaos-a-d-is-more-relevant-now-than-ever/ |date=18 April 2021 }}, ''We Are The Pit'', 2 September 2020</ref>

Staying away from this new commercial mainstream of groove metal, metalcore, and especially nu metal, the [[Black metal#Second wave|second wave of black metal]] emerged as an opposed underground music scene, initially in [[Norway]]. This crop of new bands differenced themselves from the "first wave" by totally distilling black metal from the combined origins with thrash metal, but they preserved from all these sub-genres the emphasis on atmosphere over rhythm.<ref>[https://www.kerrang.com/the-news/10-of-the-most-important-cultural-shifts-in-metal/ "10 of the Most Important Cultural Shifts in Metal"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418221040/https://www.kerrang.com/the-news/10-of-the-most-important-cultural-shifts-in-metal/ |date=18 April 2021 }}, ''Kerrang'', 2 February 2020</ref>

As further [[extreme metal]] genres came to prominence in the 1990s ([[industrial metal]], death metal, and [[black metal]] each finding their own fanbase), the heavy metal "family tree" soon found itself blending aesthetics and styles.<ref>Dunn, Sam (2005). [http://imdb.com/title/tt0478209/ ''Metal: A Headbanger's Journey''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229154022/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478209/ |date=29 December 2017 }}. IMDB.</ref> For example, bands with all the musical traits of thrash metal began using [[death growls]], a vocal style borrowed from death metal, while black metal bands often utilized the airy feel of [[synthesizers]], popularized in industrial metal. Today the placing of bands within distinct sub-genres remains a source of contention for heavy metal fans, however, little debate resides over the fact that thrash metal is the sole proprietor of its respective spin-offs.