IrishCanadian25
Going on 10 years with WrestleZone
In order to stir the pot a little in the music forums, I am going to state my opinion about two bands and ask for reaction. I expect this first "essay" to be a real spark, since I know how "die-hard" Metallica fans can be.
With a great deal of history and similarities, the debate will rage on for ever as to which band came out the best - Metallica or Megadeth. While Metallica has enjoyed more mainstream and financial success, bands like Matchbox 20 and N'Sync prove to us each day that success is not the result of a good band.
Between the two, Megadeth is the superior band. Here are 4 reasons why.
1. So many great Metallica songs were written by Dave Mustaine. Let's look at the list. The Four Horsemen, Jump in the Fire, Phantom Lord, Metal Militia, Ride the Lightning, The Call of Ktulu. Now I do not claim to know each of these songs inside and out, but it's passable to say that Call of Ktulu was one of the greatest instrumentals in metal history. And it was written by Mustaine. Metallica still gets credit for it, but it kinda makes Hetfield and co. look silly when years later they claim:
2. Megadeth wrote more socially conscious music. Both bands were fairly dark, and explored some deep issues such as depression and death, but Megadeth succeeded in tackling some larger social issues, and doing so with the blessing of their fans. Countdown to Extinction looked at endangered species and environmental survival as a issue, the the chilling "A Tout le Monde," written and performed in half-English, half-French, was a chilling suicide note with amazing harmony and pain. "Sweating Bullets" told an angry story of schizophrenia. "Hangar 18" and "Take no Prisoners" look coldly at the military's presence in everday lives and the looming danger of nuclear war, while "Dawn Patrol" and "Ashes in Your Mouth" describe nuclear winter. "Hook in Mouth" goes right after Tipper Gore and the other parents who sought to censor the world of music. And of course, "Symphony of Destruction" about abuse of power and megalomania. Like most metal and hard rock bands, substance abuse appears in a great number of works.
3. The sell-out philosophy. There is a massive difference in the fans of Megadeth and Metallica. Metallica fans cling to the past like boxers past their prime. When the musically talented tandem they so vehemently cheer for decide to branch out and try more alternative music, the result are charges of "selling out" or "going soft." Megadeth fans, in general (this is not a blanket statement in any way) seem to be more progressive, embracing songs such as "Almost Honest" as a way of watching the band evolve and develop.
4. Versatility in styles. Metallica is thrash metal. Pure and simple. They did mix in a little bit of progressive epic influence, probably from bands like Testament, Savatage, etc., but for the most part it was thrash and speed metal. Megadeth was able to be faster and harder than Metallica and still remain quasi-loyal to some of the band's punk roots.
There are 4 reasons why Megadeth is better than Metallica. Let the firestorm begin.
-IC25
With a great deal of history and similarities, the debate will rage on for ever as to which band came out the best - Metallica or Megadeth. While Metallica has enjoyed more mainstream and financial success, bands like Matchbox 20 and N'Sync prove to us each day that success is not the result of a good band.
Between the two, Megadeth is the superior band. Here are 4 reasons why.
1. So many great Metallica songs were written by Dave Mustaine. Let's look at the list. The Four Horsemen, Jump in the Fire, Phantom Lord, Metal Militia, Ride the Lightning, The Call of Ktulu. Now I do not claim to know each of these songs inside and out, but it's passable to say that Call of Ktulu was one of the greatest instrumentals in metal history. And it was written by Mustaine. Metallica still gets credit for it, but it kinda makes Hetfield and co. look silly when years later they claim:
2. Megadeth wrote more socially conscious music. Both bands were fairly dark, and explored some deep issues such as depression and death, but Megadeth succeeded in tackling some larger social issues, and doing so with the blessing of their fans. Countdown to Extinction looked at endangered species and environmental survival as a issue, the the chilling "A Tout le Monde," written and performed in half-English, half-French, was a chilling suicide note with amazing harmony and pain. "Sweating Bullets" told an angry story of schizophrenia. "Hangar 18" and "Take no Prisoners" look coldly at the military's presence in everday lives and the looming danger of nuclear war, while "Dawn Patrol" and "Ashes in Your Mouth" describe nuclear winter. "Hook in Mouth" goes right after Tipper Gore and the other parents who sought to censor the world of music. And of course, "Symphony of Destruction" about abuse of power and megalomania. Like most metal and hard rock bands, substance abuse appears in a great number of works.
3. The sell-out philosophy. There is a massive difference in the fans of Megadeth and Metallica. Metallica fans cling to the past like boxers past their prime. When the musically talented tandem they so vehemently cheer for decide to branch out and try more alternative music, the result are charges of "selling out" or "going soft." Megadeth fans, in general (this is not a blanket statement in any way) seem to be more progressive, embracing songs such as "Almost Honest" as a way of watching the band evolve and develop.
4. Versatility in styles. Metallica is thrash metal. Pure and simple. They did mix in a little bit of progressive epic influence, probably from bands like Testament, Savatage, etc., but for the most part it was thrash and speed metal. Megadeth was able to be faster and harder than Metallica and still remain quasi-loyal to some of the band's punk roots.
There are 4 reasons why Megadeth is better than Metallica. Let the firestorm begin.
-IC25
