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Should Metallica be part of the big 4?


Mr. MetalMan

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Metallica are one of the most famous metal bands. They are the most successful metal band. But they aren't the best. After the album "And Justice for all", came "The Black Album". The black album was good, but fans weren't happy with it. Metallica sold out completely with their power ballads and sloppy, lazy musicianship so, even though they had a few good albums, they are not dedicated enough to music to be respected as much as they are. Do you think Metallica are worthy of being in the big four because of their albums pre-Load?

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The big four has nothing to do with the quality of their music they are simply the four best selling and most marketable thrash bands in the US and possibly worldwide. As such yes they do deserve to be part of the big four. Personally I feel the thrash bands which followed the big four are vastly superior but that is another discussion for another thread.

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The big four has nothing to do with the quality of their music they are simply the four best selling and most marketable thrash bands in the US and possibly worldwide. As such yes they do deserve to be part of the big four.
In that case, Metallica is the biggest of the big 4!! Love Megadeth, never liked Anthrax, don't mind Slayer though
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Experimentation does not automatically result in a band radically altering their sound. Metallica changed purely to achieve commercial success and make no secret of that fact. Just my opinion but I think a band evolving should make them better. Death were a prime example of that. Started life as a relatively uncomplicated death metal band. From there they became progressively more complex and technical. Ultimately the band wound up playing technical death metal and doing it very well (we'll just ignore Symbolic oh boy what a lowlight).

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Although they have become a shadow of their former selves Metallica's contribution to thrash metal with the run of 4 great albums from the debut through to "And Justice.." is of massive importance. Although everybody bangs on about "Master Of Puppets" (and it is good) they never topped "And Justice.." for me - even minus any bass in the mix! I heard the black album and recognised some decent riffs but not much else - I knew it was only going to go downhill from there so I haven't bothered since. Listen to the raw fury of "Kill em all" and the maturity they were already showing by "Ride The Lightning" (both musically and in that brilliant album artwork) before they ever got technical. Their pre black album works are enough to earn them a permanent place in the big 4 (which is just a massive commercial spin anyway).

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@ Macabre, I completely agree about Metallica. Couldn't have said it better.

Death were a prime example of that. Started life as a relatively uncomplicated death metal band. From there they became progressively more complex and technical. Ultimately the band wound up playing technical death metal and doing it very well (we'll just ignore Symbolic oh boy what a lowlight).
I agree with your main point about Death, but I don't get the Symbolic hate, that album kicks ass. There's nothing bad about it. I prefer it to a lot of their other stuff, even Human.
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Oh well, different strokes. I tried for years to like them, but it wasn't till I heard Individual Thought Patterns in college that I really started getting into them. Symbolic was the one I got into after that. For that matter, I don't get the Leprosy worship either. Spiritual Healing is where they hit their stride, for my money.

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Re: Should Metallica be part of the big 4?

Oh well' date=' different strokes. I tried for years to like them, but it wasn't till I heard Individual Thought Patterns in college that I really started getting into them. Symbolic was the one I got into after that. For that matter, I don't get the Leprosy worship either. Spiritual Healing is where they hit their stride, for my money.[/quote'] It took me quite a while to get into Leprosy. I always favored Scream Bloody Gore and Spiritual Healing, it wasn't until this year that it's moved up in my book. I used to feel that they weren't as consistent as everyone makes them out to be, but the last time listening through their whole discography, everything just clicked with me better than ever. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2
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It's weird the first time I got into Death I hated their work pre-Human/ITP. This time I appreciate their whole discography but I just feel Symbolic has more of the weaker tracks Death are prone to recording with fewer standout tracks. Maybe after a few more listens the album will click. After all I hated Maiden's Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son the first few times I listened to it but now it's a favourite of mine.

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