I think thrash is pretty far from dead. It created black and death metal, metalcore and melodeath, so it lives on through those, and if you don't believe me, go ask the bands who created those genres. Not only that, but Slayer, Kreator, Destruction, all those bands are huge fucking draws to this day, even larger in other countries, those are some of the most popular metal bands in the world, and can actually live off their music! I won't even get into the Swedish melodeath/thrash scene, which is all influenced by thrash or actually playing thrash and outsells just about any other genre of metal...fuck, I'm not saying I like them, but thrash-influenced 'metalcore' bands like Shadows Fall and Unearth have been on the fucking Billboard charts, some of them quite high up! How many death metal bands can claim that?

Also, the whole 'thrash' is easy to play? I can name dozens of records that beg to differ, but I'm hoping Shlep was just kidding. What 'talented', non-'lazy' band is he in?

Exodus, Slayer, and Overkill are only a few of the more popular US thrash bands, they didn't create the genre and they are not the most musically talented. Overkill hasn't been good in a very long time. Many other bands predated them and many used far different riff structures, vocals, subject material, etc.