Battle Of The Big Four

[PunksNo1Fan]

We all know "The Big Four" - Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth & Anthrax. All four bands are as epic as each other. Live, they rock a crowd like crazy. A DVD was recently released highlighting all four performances, including a big number including everyone from the bands.

BUT, if you had to pick on of the bands, which one would it be and why?

Trying to be un-biased, but Metallica are probably who I believe are the greatest. Their songs are just altogether awesome. They've produced some of the most well known songs in the past 20 Years (MOP, Enter Sandman, Battery etc) as well as some amazing albums (YES I LIKED ST ANGER)
They've been through some crap times, but they still come out on top after everything they've been through.

Who's your big 1 from the big 4?

 

[Captain Jive]

I agree its Metallica. I was never a huge fan of the others, but I can remember being 5 or 6 and listening to And Justice for All, running around the house with a fly swatter, pretending it was a guitar. Now, 20+ years later, I still listen to them almost daily. Cliff Burton was my inspiration to start playing bass, and James Hetfield is probably the best rhythm guitarist in history.

Slayer, to me, is just redundant. Every Kerry King solo I can think of consists of primarily using 60000 squeals in a row. Megadeth and Anthrax are badass bands, but nowhere near the level of Metallica.

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

Megadeth are my favourites of the 4, probably with Metallica second, Anthrax third and Slayer last.

There's only 4 Slayer albums i actually like and those are 'South of Heaven', 'Reign In Blood', 'Seasons In The Abyss' and 'God Hates Us All'.

There's actually 3 or 4 Anthrax tunes that are in my top songs of all time like 'I Am The Law', 'Anti-Social', 'Metal Thrashing Mad', 'Caught In A Mosh' etc

Metallica are amazing yes, but there's a couple of albums that are hit and miss to me i.e. Load and Reload, and St. Anger, plus the albums are beginning to lose their shine in my eyes.

Whereas Megadeth are seemingly getting better and better as time goes on and i can literally only think of one Megadeth album that wasn't solid all the way through, and that was 'The System Has Failed', everything else i thought was amazing.

I however, am not going to automatically buy festival tickets just for this, Big 4 or not. I saw both Slayer and Anthrax play last year, and i've seen Metallica more times than i can remember, so really i'd be paying to see Megadeth again, who i only saw about a year ago anyway.

 

[HellBoundPower]

Obviously, by my signature and whatnot, I would say Metallica. I love all 4 bands, but Metallica is my bread and butter. While they have released a couple albums that are hit and miss (I'm looking at YOU St. Anger), they're albums from the 80s are untouchable, and completely make up for it. Master of Puppets is one of the best trash albums of all time, and as much as I love Reign in Blood, Peace Sells, Spread the Disease, and other albums released by the big four the 80s, I think Master of Puppets was miles ahead of them when it comes to song writing, production, and really set Metallica apart.

My second favorite would have to be Megadeth. Dave Mustaine is an awesome musician, even if he's been a dick most of his life. Megadeth's continuing rotation changes haven't left the band as stable as it could be, but Dave still writes some amazing music. Slayer would have to be my third because of how heavy they are, and how cool their message is. They really push the limits with what most people are willing to except in music. Anthrax is an awesome band, but in my opinion not up to par with the others.

Thrash metal is my favorite music, and these four paved the way. All four are awesome bands, that really pushed the envelope in the 80s, and paved the way for a lot of the current bands playing today. I love them all, but I would have to put Metallica ahead of the curve.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Metallica for me...and it isnt even close.

I cannot stand Slayer, and I do not like most of Anthrax's material either (only really their later non-thrashy stuff like "Safe Home" and "Taking The Music Back" appeal to me). Megadeth are good, I am a fan but they cannot compare to Metallica.

The sheer number of great Metallica tracks proves to me that they are the correct pick in this poll. Apart from St Anger and Death Magnetic I love every single one of their albums, and I have always liked the fact that they can move from thrash songs like "Battery" to slow tracks such as "Nothing Else Matters" or "Fade To Black" as well as producing other classics like "Seek & Destroy" and "I Disappear".

James Hetfield has one of the best voices in music, and while Dave Mustaine of Megadeth is indeed a beast on guitar, and I like the music he produces, his voice cannot compare to Hetfields, and has stopped me from falling in love with Megadeth as I have done with Metallica.

So Hetfield and his merry men for me.

 

[Nikkolas]

How fortuitous I decide to start postinga nd this topic is around. Heh.

Slayer is one of my favorite bands of all time. (note: favorite =/= best. I just prefer them to all otehr bands for a variety of reasons, some of which have nothing to do with their technical ability) Of theri albums, "Seasons in the Abyss" is my favorite.It blended Slayer's amazing fast-paced angry tone with more darkly melodic songs. South of Heaven could have been a favorite of mine if Araya's vocals weren't so awful on it. I wonder what happened there... Thank God for the Still Reigning DVD with its live version of South of Heaven wehre Tom's voice is right.

After them comes Megadeth. I adore Dave Mustaine for his guitar skill and his lyrics. He writes a lot of songs that "speak to me" if you'll pardon the corny old phrase. I don't really bother with politics anymore but I was a real big Liberal growing up so his stuff is great for that. Even getting passed that, there's songs like A Tout le Monde which is one of my favorit emetal songs ever.

P.S. I think The System Has Failed is really underrated and is the best of Megadeth's newest 3 albums. But that's just me.

I like Metallica and Antrhax and I'll listen to them. They're just nto faves of mine.