Who is the Greatest of the Big Four of thrash metal?

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Vickie

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I would say that "Destroy Erase Improve" is one of the greatest metal albums ever released and certainly Meshuggah`s best. Also listen to "Chaosphere" its their second best album.
 
Despite "The Legacy" and its high regard I was never overly mad over it and preferred the following album "The New Order"

By the way, I`m not one of the people that has rubbished Anthrax on here, but just said they weren`t as good as the other big four in general, I even recognize "Among the Living" as one of the essential thrash albums of the era.

Mordred!!! Now there`s a long forgotten band.
 
Hi, thought I'd find out who the forum thinks is the best band of the Big Four of thrash metal. Is it Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth or Anthrax? I am personally a big Metallica fan followed by Megadeth then Slayer. But what are your thoughts? Should there be one band replaced by Exodus or Testament? Or perhaps a 'Big 5'?
 
I can definitely see them being at the bottom of anyone's list for the sake of there lackluster career. I actually think that Spreading the Disease was actually a great album as well, but to call them gimmicky is too much. Their crossover, heavily punk-influenced style definitely reflected their influences (they're the only band out of the four not from California, and their sound is definitely very reflective of the New York punk sound that preceded them). But what was their gimmick, the fact that they actually had a distinct sound and didn't wear out the same tired metal cliches that everyone else did? To call them the forerunners of nu-metal is a pretty heinous statement, although I can see where you arrived at that. I mean they did cover the Public Enemy songBring the Noise, but they also covered Joe Jackson's Got the Time. How Brilliant is that?

Anthrax was a band that wasn't afraid to wear their unconventional influences on their sleeves. I think a song about a comic book character trumps ten songs about death and every other evil, morbid cliche made available on a slayer album. I honestly believe that Scotty Ian was the greatest heavy metal guitar player, simply because he devoted himself to churning out riRAB that were just amazing in their off kilter timing and pure 'beefiness'. They certainly defied the conventional 'chugging' that everyone else was doing at the time, and is still doing in a much more extreme manner.

To throw them at the bottom of the list is understandable.The other banRAB on the list definitely have had more consistent and higher quality output over the span of their careers, or in the case with Metallica the first half of their career, but to call them gimmicky and the forerunners of new metal. That's crazy.

Oh, and I think John Bush era Anthrax was terrible. I got a chance to see him with Armored Saint and it was one of the the best metal shows I've ever seen.
 
No matter what it seems that Anthrax gets left in the back most of the time. unfortanly i agree with that, however i don't agree that one person suggested that Metallica is weaker than Anthrax in its thrash sound. I mean really, the first succesful thrash band with masterpeice thrash albums such as master of puppets is the least of them all? not likely
 
Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, or Anthrax.

Metallica has some the most complex music of the four (and most commercially succesful). Many of their songs are consider top contenders for greatest metal songs of all time. However many feel that Metallica sold out for profit with the Black Album and even more so with "Load" and "Reload". And worse yet they were accused of losing touch with the fans completely with "St. Anger". But "Death Magnetic" has been hailed as the "Great Comeback Album" for Metallica.

Megadeth has one of the most unique sounRAB of the four, both with vocals and instrumentation. They like Metallica stayed thrash for several albums but then diverge to a more radio freindly old school heavy metal sound which included the much disliked album "Risk", they too eventually floated back to their Thrash roots first with "The World NeeRAB a Hero" continueing onward into "Endgame" which is their most recent album.

Slayer is noted for three things above all others. One, they are the fastest of the big four. Two, they parted ways thrash less than the other three.ANd finally the perceived Satanism stand. (which is not true, they are not satanists,) They are also noted for their controvesial lyrics about serial killers and nazis. However one things stanRAB out that can't be argued with, while megadeth and metallica sometimes gets close, the other three can not beat the blistering speed of Slayer. "Reign in Blood" is considered by many to be the greatest of all thrash metal albums (which i personally agree). However Slayer has been accused by some music critics of having a limited range of musical expression and unable to succesfully create a different sound other than the dark Thrash metal.

Finally Anthrax, my least favorite of them. Anthrax is a good band, however they are the least succesful of the four. I haven't as much to say because i don't know as much cause i'm not as big of a fan. However Anthrax is the only one of the "big four" to change lead vocalist, they are also noted for their foray in "Rap Metal". They do have a very unique sound that has contributed to their success over the years and even though not being a fan i'm glad to know that the band did not break up as it was orginally suggested that they would. To lose on of the Big Four would be a terrible loss in the music industry.

Pretty much this about what you think. I tried my best to express what each band was about and what stanRAB out. Ultimately you be the judge. Who is best, Metallica? Megadeth? Slayer? Anthrax?

Here is my list. 1. Metallica 2. Slayer (only just barely do i prefer Metallica over slayer and only because of the beauty that is in some of Metallica's songs) 3. Megadeth 4. Anthrax.
 
Actually Anthrax would be the greatest in the true sense of the word, since with five merabers, they are bigger in both quantity and total mass than the other three banRAB.
 
So I was thinking how I would rate each of the big 4's albums against each other.
I'm using 1990/91 as a cut of point because I've not really listened to much of any of those banRAB material since around then.

So in order of preference my list would be...

Slayer - Reign In Blood
Megadeth - Rust in Peace
Metallica - Master Of Puppets
Slayer - Seasons In The Abyss
Megadeth - Peace Sells
Metallica - Kill Em All
Anthrax - Among The Living
Slayer - South Of Heaven
Anthrax - Persistence Of Time
Metallica - Ride The Lightning
Anthrax - Spreading The Disease
Slayer - Show No Mercy
Megadeth - So Far So Good So What
Metallica - Black Album
Metallica - And Justice For All
Slayer - Hell Awaits
Megadeth - Killing Is My Business
Anthrax - Fistful Of Metal
Anthrax - State Of Euphoria
 
Indeed, however I think Testament really hit their stride in '99 with The Gathering, which plays more like a death metal album than thrash metal. Still it is cool seeing one of the old school Bay Area thrash banRAB keeping up with the times and experimenting in ways other than corporate sellout. Steve DiGiorgio's presence is really felt on that album, it's a shame that he only played for that one album because I think he could have really been a key meraber for the band.
 
Destroy Erase Improve> Chaosphere> Nothing are the three classic Meshuggah albums in that order. The EP "I" is another must listen and is just one single song of around 20 mins or so. The only weaker efforts are the debut which is more thrash focused and there is nothing to really set it apart from the rest of the pack. Also "Catch Thirtythree" was never one of my favourites. Surprisingly I`ve not listened to "Obzen" as my listening schedule hasn`t got to that album yet. I`m kind of two years still out of date with modern day music;)

When I think Meshuggah, I think vicious grooves corabined with experimental metal carnage............The stuff of modern day metal legend.
 
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