QUESTION OF THE WEEK, COURTESY OF POSTER REAL PAUL STANLEY: THE ORIGINAL “BIG 4” OF THRASH IS MEGADETH, ANTHRAX, SLAYER AND METALLICA. IF THE “BIG 4” WERE CHOSEN TODAY, WOULD IT STILL BE THESE BANDS OR WOULD THEY BE REPLACED BY A BAND LIKE TESTAMENT, OVERKILL OR ANOTHER THRASH BAND?

15 Responses

  1. Ugh I had a typo in the question. It was supposed to be thrash not trash. I’m sorry! Thank you for posting my question, Dana. I’ll submit my 4 later.

  3. 1. Slayer
    2. Megadeth
    3. Exodus
    4. Overkill

    Honorable mentions include Testament, Death Angel, Heathen, and Forbidden.

    I dropped Meh-tallica from my list when the 80’s ended and Anthrax was never on my list.

  4. Anthrax didn’t fit with the other 3. They try so hard, but they JUST fall short of being awesome. Nobody stands out. But to replace them with Overkill or Testament, nah. The Big 4 I’d like to see would be Slayer with Dave, Metallica with Jason, Megadeth with Marty, and Exodus. There is nothing goofy about these bands. Anthrax are goofy. Which is great if you’re Spinal Tap or another genre, or Weird Al. Sorry, I’ll take Chemical Warfare and Disposable Heroes over I’m The Man or judge dread or whatever that is.

    1. I like your way of thinking \m/. Metallica w/ Jason & Lombardo w/ Slayer. My favourite lineups. I saw Jason w/ the boys 7 times between ’88-’00. Saw Dave w/the Slayer 3 times, he was the best behind the kit.

    2. Mehtallica with Jason and not Cliff? Jason did one thrash album with them and you can’t even hear his bass lol I like Jason, but Cliff outshines him by a mile IMO.

    4. Wrecked Neck, I concur with you…but to each their own. IMO, the best heavy metal thrash band never even recorded an album together……Dave Mustaine, Cliff Burton, James Hetfield, and Lars Ulrich. Would this lineup have survived, or would have egos got in the way???????

    5. Mr. R and R, i agree with your comments about Anthrax. I really like their first album alot, and i saw the tour for the album, but after that, nah…..IMO, John Bush brought them musical credibility, but I never could get into the music during the Bush era. Vocals were awesome, though. I have never considered Anthrax a heavy metal thrash band…or a serious band, for that matter, after the first album.

    6. Very true @ Wreckedneck. I was speaking of the guys that were still alive and that I’d personally witnessed. Metallica with Cliff and Dave would be mind blowing.

    7. @rattlehead I agree that could have been a great thrash band, but glad it never happened. Metallica released four great albums without Dave (even though Dave’s touch was all over them), and because of the way they booted him, he created one of the best thrash bands ever. One of those bands are still a great thrash band, the other not so much. Megadeth are so much better in every way over Metallica and it’s not even close. Only thing Metallica did better was sell more albums unfortunately.

      @dana I love that bass solo too! It was the reason I got into Metallica. Then I discovered the rest of the album was good too lol

  5. I understand Metallica is arguably the biggest band in the world right now and definitely #1 of the original big 4. But are they still a thrash band is the question? I’m going to say no based on their catalog since 1988.

    As far as Slayer, they will always be part of the original Big 4! They stayed tried and true to their ways from beginning to end.

    Megadeth will always be a part of the original big 4. But with their retirement imminent, it’s time to pass the torch.

    Finally we have Anthrax. One of the original 4 and still churning out great music with no end in sight.

    With that said, I give to you the current “Big 4” of metal thrash bands in no particular order:

    Anthrax
    Testament
    Overkill
    Lamb of God

    Honorable Mention (Newer up and coming)
    Enforced

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