For me this compilation vinyl was a wonderfully dark introduction to some of the greatest and certainly more grim bands from the metal scene. After early doses of Dio, Sabbath, Maiden, I was keen, after an injection of unholy Slayer, to hear a record that was even more extreme and the early 'Speed Kill' series provided just that.
Yes, the usual big thrash acts are on here, we get Slayer's 'Evil Has No Boundaries' live, Metallica's 'Fight Fire With Fire' and 'Rattlehead' from Megadeth but to a young metaller, hearing the iron-clad strains of Voivod's 'War And Pain', and the bestial grimacing of Bulldozer's 'Insurrection...' was quite a ride. This is when thrash was thrash, a diverse genre from crunchy Bay Area chanting to more power-metal influenced magic, alongside a far darker cavern, and it was here that the immortal sounds of Celtic Frost, Venom, Possessed and the likes were bestowed upon my tainted mind. 'Speed Kills' was a great journey which enabled me to explore the racks and pick up other fine bands such as Destruction and Hallows Eve, so if you're a fresh-faced metalhead looking to step back in time, the least you could do is pick a few compilations up, by starting with the first three 'Speed...' records.
7/10
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