80年代中期对于美式Thrash Metal乐迷来说是最美好的黄金年代，那个时候随便找个Thrash Metal乐队，几乎都能拿出非常精彩的作品。而且绝大多数最经典的Thrash专辑都发行于1984-1987年间，METALLICA、SLAYER自不必说了，而METAL CHURCH、ARMORED SAINT、EXODUS、TESTAMENT等二线乐队的首张专辑也都发行这个时期，而这些乐队的首张专辑又无一例外都是各自最粗暴最强劲最具破坏力的作品。我们的DEATH ANGEL也不例外，1987年他们的首张专辑也正是他们最具野心最重最快的一张。从专辑最开始，如实墙般结实的厚重的吉他节奏就铺天盖地压向你的耳朵，他们的节奏介于METALLICA那种整齐而富交响气质的riff和SLAYER那种连贯急促的riff之间，清亮的主音吉他与略显急噪的节奏吉他之间具有鲜明的对比San Francisco's Death Angel was a product of the bustling Bay Area thrash metal scene of the 1980s. Combining serious guitar crunch and speed with a fair amount of technical expertise, they created complex thrash metal filled with time changes and tricky arrangements that, although generally loved by critics, usually failed to translate beyond a very specialized buying public. But Death Angel weren't just a band, they were family. Formed in the early '80s by cousins Mark Osegueda (vocals), Rob Cavestany (lead guitar), Gus Pepa (rhythm guitar), Dennis Pepa (bass) and Andy Galeon (drums), the band was also precocious, having recorded their 1986, Kirk Hammett-produced "Kill as One" demo while still in their teens. In fact, drummer Galeon was only 14 when Death Angel issued their first album, 1987's astoundingly mature The Ultra-Violence via Enigma Records. The following year's sophomore Frolic Through the Park offered a few slight refinements, most notably in the uncharacteristically humorous and accessible single "Bored." Signing with the Geffen Records hit-factory the following year seemed like the next step towards certain stardom, and Death Angel left nothing to chance with their third album, 1990s superlative career highlight Act III. But despite benefiting from more sophisticated songwriting, greatly improved production, and an extensive world tour to support it Act III somehow fell short of both band and label expectations. Fall From Grace, a carelessly assembled live album released by Enigma later that year, proved both ill-timed and morbidly prophetic, when Death Angel were involved in a horrific tour bus crash in Arizona. Galeon was severely injured, enduring a year of rehab during which Osegueda decided to quit music and move to New York. As for the remaining members of Death Angel, following Galeon's recovery they re-named themselves the Organization and released two albums in the early '90s through Metal Blade — Cavestany also handling vocal duties — before breaking up in 1995. Numerous projects followed until 2001 (most notably Cavestany, Osegueda and Galeon's late-'90s group Swarm), when Death Angel reconvened to perform at a San Francisco benefit concert for cancer-stricken Testament singer Chuck Billy. This, in turn, led to sporadic European festival appearances and U.S. club tours that encouraged the classic Death Angel formation to reunite more permanently. Signing with Nuclear Blast and bringing in new rhythm guitarist Ted Aguilar, the band released their long-awaited fourth album, The Art of Dying, in 2004.