Sure, America has their own Big Four Of Thrash, but what about Germany? German thrash band Warfield is here to talk about exactly that just ahead of their new record With The Old Breed, due out April 4. Grab that here and get thrashed by some German classics below!
Matthias Clemens – Kreator
A key moment in my early exposure to thrash metal, and a much-needed refuge for my 15-year-old self, struggling with anger and frustration. Kreator gave me a powerful way to channel those intense emotions and offered a brief but impactful escape from the pressures of everyday life. Their influence is still present in the kind of riffs that resonate with me the most, shaping my musical preferences to this day.
Johannes Clemens – Sodom
One German band that had a big influence on me is Sodom. I like the band’s raw, original and honest sound and I can also identify with the musicians, even with the many changes over the years. They all seem like normal people to me, which makes the band very approachable. The main influence on me as a singer and bassist is definitely Tom Angelripper. His wicked voice and his rhythmic placement of the words contribute enormously to the energy of the songs – which is also my job as a singer.
Dominik Marx – Destruction
As teenagers, we covered some songs by Destruction during our rehearsals, so they definitely deserve credit as well. Also the newer material had an impact because we grew up with these records. You could also include bands like Division Speed and other newer bands, but the old German thrash veterans had a much bigger influence on us because playing along to their songs helped us find and develop our own musical style.
Johannes Clemens – Tankard
You know, it might sound like a cliché, but I actually have to complete the Big Teutonic Four and definitely mention Tankard. The band didn’t necessarily influence us that much in terms of sound – although we love their songs (!!!) – but in many other ways.
Those guys are from Frankfurt, which is not far from us, and they brought us a lot of joy and laughter with their funny way, especially when I think back to our first parties as teenagers. Also they provided us with several inside jokes that have lasted to this day, haha! By the way: The album The Tankard is criminally underrated – good times!
Source: metalinjection.net
