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Who is the best out of the big 4 ???


Radio ollerhead

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  • 1 month later...

None, there’s a multitude of vastly superior thrash bands out there.

 

Ok actually answering the question now. Metallica are out since I can’t bear to hear any songs which aren’t FFWF, Battery, or Orion. Megadeth have RIP which is still my favourite album from any of the big four, otherwise though there’s not much going for them. Anthrax? Disease and AtL add decent enough and I haven’t overplayed them to the point where I cringe hearing any songs from those records. That just leaves Slayer, for me the obvious pic there early albums were clearly very influential, and even though I don’t rate RiB or SitA highly both albums do have some great songs. Also Black Magic is fun as hell to play.

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If one was to just take "the big 4" it's a pretty lonely pedestal to be on now days. No more Slayer, although lets face it Kerry's new band is not going to sound that much different to Slayer. Metallica don't need to put out records and therefore don't. Anthrax can't put out records. Megadeth is the only one actually doing something that's new so even if the new album isn't 100% killer thrash, they are still the only ones out of the Big 4 that are actually doing anything mildly interesting.

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Several bands I have checked out via this Thrash conversation of late are firmly Speed Metal in my mind, even the ones that are entirely described as Thrash by everyone online. If it is Thrash it should be at least punky or low fi or not too technical, if there are solos it they should be primitive. Thrash has to be crusty or it is Speed Metal. Overkill is definitely 100% a speed metal band, someone put them down as thrash metal, that is bullshit. 

Did Whitenoise post his Thrash Metal list yet? I didn't see it, things are impossible to find on this forum. Such a list with release dates by GG should be posted here 

 

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Hard disagree on that point. I could see a case being made for Overkill to be labelled groove  metal but certainly not speed metal. If your rule out all bands have technical elements to 4 playing the poll of thrash bands becomes a puddle. Just my two cents, i’m going to keep: overkill, artillery, Corrido etc thrash since I hear enough of it in their sound.

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20 hours ago, Sardonicist said:

Several bands I have checked out via this Thrash conversation of late are firmly Speed Metal in my mind, even the ones that are entirely described as Thrash by everyone online. If it is Thrash it should be at least punky or low fi or not too technical, if there are solos it they should be primitive. Thrash has to be crusty or it is Speed Metal. Overkill is definitely 100% a speed metal band, someone put them down as thrash metal, that is bullshit. 

Did Whitenoise post his Thrash Metal list yet? I didn't see it, things are impossible to find on this forum. Such a list with release dates by GG should be posted here.

 

You want my thrash list? Overkill is the only thrash band I have on my thrash list. The rest is all black/thrash, death/thrash and blackened speed metal. Some are a bit crustier than others. This is all stuff released in the last 22 years since the turn of the century so I have 22 albums. In no real particular order after #1 which is set in stone. 

 

1. Hellish Crossfire - Slavery of the Burning Pentagram Germany 2006, I don't even need to think about it, this is still by far my favorite thrash record of the last 20 years. Yet to be dethroned.

2. Baphomet's Blood - In Satan We Trust 2016 yeah this one's much more speed metal than thrash but it's just so fucking good I couldn't leave it off. Basically they're like the Italian Motörhead but thrashier.
 
3.Overkill - Killbox 13  2003, NY. I could have easily gone with Bloodletting 2000, I love both of these albums. No secret this is my favorite straight thrash band. Hear people say Overkill went 'groove thrash' starting with '93's I Hear Black but I thought thrash was supposed to have some groove to it anyway? To me they came back closer to a more traditional thrash style in the early 2000's after the weirdness that was Necroshine in '99. Luxi says they're speed metal but that's only because he's has his head up his ass for so long his ears are full of shit now. 

4. Deströyer 666 - Defiance 2009 Melbourne's finest. This album gets mixed reviews but I fucking love Aussie black/thrash/death kings D666 and for my money this is their best album by a wide margin.

5. Hades Archer - For the Diabolical Ages 2011 Chile, this was one of my first real "goat metal" albumns when my tastes first really broke away from the more mainstream death and black metal bands and I disappeared down the filthy evil rabbit hole that I have yet to emerge from.

6. Alastor - Crushing Christendom 2000 Portugal, Pretty far to the more crusty evil lo-fi end of the black/thrash spectrum so it's right up my alley. They have put out a lot of great records but I think this is their best.

7. Nocturnal Witch - Summoning Hell 2014 Germans really love their black/thrash. Don't know why people are stuck on dinosaurs like Kreator and Destruction, they have a ton more black/thrash bands like this that are just as good or better.

8. Sathanas - Crowned Infernal 2007 A criminally overlooked American black/thrash band from the outskirts of western PA near Pittsburgh that have been around for 34 years. M-A currently has them listed as blackened death but they don't know shit. This is a great record of really well done catchy black/thrash. 

9. Ruins - Satanic Bitchpenetration 2008 Germany. Another one-man evil lo-fi blackened affair but that's my bread and butter.

10. Flame - Into the Age of Fire 2005 Finland, this was another one of my earliest forays into evil lo-fi goat metal territory that has been a favorite of mine for a long time.

11. Urn - Soul Destroyers 2008 Finland, One of the catchier records on my list, I played this one a ton for a year or two afetr I got it. Was fun to revisit.

12. Praise the Flame - Manifest Rebellion  2015 Chilean death/thrash the first last and only full length from this little known but excellent Chilean band that I wish would put some more stuff out.

13. Craven Idol - Forked Tongues 2021 A lot of people don't seem to like this UK band very much for some unknown reason it seems which blows my mind because I think they're fucking great. Definitely get some heavy latter day D666 vibes from them which to me is a good thing. This was one of the best albums of last year for me.

14. Desaster - Arts of Destruction 2012 Germany, Desaster was one of my first black/thrash discoveries. They have a solid catalog of albums stretching back into the late 90's. Hellfire Dominion is easily my favorite but that was 1998 so I had to pick my favorite from their later stuff which wasn't easy. Can't really do a proper 2000's thrash list without Desaster.

15. Hellripper - Coagulating Darkness 2017 Scotland, Just a millennial kid up in Scotland who loved metal and wanted to make some of his own. So he did and it's awesome. Vocals are a bit harsh so maybe it'll keep some of the mainstreamers away but it's very catchy shit.

16. Dead to this World - First Strike for Spiritual Renewance, Norway 2007, Don't listen to this black thrash monster nearly often enough. Their only full length, they haven't released anything since 2011. M-A lists them as active so I'd say they're past due.

17. Sacrilegia - The Triclavian Advent 2019, speedy vicious Irish black/thrash, was very bummed about missing these guys at MDF this past May.

18. Ragehammer - The Hammer Doctrine 2016 These Poles stretch the boundaries of black/thrash in their own vicious brutal way. A must own for all goats.

19. Lucifuge - Infernal Power 2021 more German black/thrash, listened to this one a ton last year. Consiudered taking it off the list to make room for Antichrist but then I listened to it again and said no I really have to keep this one.

20. Black Jackyl - Forever War 2021 vicious black/thrash from San Antonio Texas, good stuff it checks all my goat boxes. 

21. Enforced - Kill Grid 2021 custy black/thrash from Virginia. Another very recent discovery from just last week I think,  I really like this one.

22. Antichrist - Sinful Birth 2017 Sweden, just picked this up recently after Surge posted it. Last week I guess it was. I've had their first album for awhile and thought it was just ok but this one is way better earning the last spot on my list. Not that I'd rank it last out of these by any means, it'd be in the top 10, this is killer black/thrash.

 

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For me, the Big Four of Thrash Metal is :

Megadeth, Slayer, Dark Angel, Forbidden.

I'm not necessarily talking about big bands that have all sold millions of albums (Forbidden for example).

Megadeth and Slayer are obviously essential bands that have brought so much to the style.

Dark Angel has released 5 albums that are indispensable to me (to different degrees of course) and Ron Rinehart is for me one of the best Thrash singers. And then, Gene Hoglan...

As for Forbidden, if only for the pleasure brought by Forbidden Evil and Twisted into Form and Russ Anderson's so particular singing...

I voluntarily didn't mention Exodus or Metallica. Please excuse me, it was not to offend anyone.

Metallica and me, the story stopped when the Black Album was released. And as for Exodus, I much prefer the first albums to the more recent ones that I didn't want to include it in the list.

Edit : oh sorry, I don't understand the subject of the topic !

what is the best band out of Big Four ?

From usual known Big Four, I say : Megadeth.

From MY Big Four, I say : Dark Angel.

1 hour ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

22. Antichrist - Sinful Birth 2017 Sweden, just picked this up recently after Surge posted it. Last week I guess it was. I've had their first album for awhile and thought it was just ok but this one is way better earning the last spot on my list. Not that I'd rank it last out of these by any means, it'd be in the top 10, this is killer black/thrash.

 

Yeah ! A great band and a f***ing great album !

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  • 2 weeks later...

I read an article today where David Ellefson weighed into on the Big 4 and who he thought it could be expanded to. I love the way that such a stupid idea made up by some journo has become such a hotly debated topic. He also made the comment in the same week that made what he claims is a huge revelation by saying Megadeth were a slow tempo band originally until Dave Snr decided he wanted to out thrash Metallica. For the record he reckons Exodus definitely and Overkill probably should be added.

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22 minutes ago, KillaKukumba said:

I read an article today where David Ellefson weighed into on the Big 4 and who he thought it could be expanded to. I love the way that such a stupid idea made up by some journo has become such a hotly debated topic. He also made the comment in the same week that made what he claims is a huge revelation by saying Megadeth were a slow tempo band originally until Dave Snr decided he wanted to out thrash Metallica. For the record he reckons Exodus definitely and Overkill probably should be added.

I think Overkill, Exodus & Testament could replace every band in the big 4 except Slayer and I'd be happy. Except when I remember I couldn't give two shits. Actually we should put 4 black metal bands in the big 4 of thrash, that'd really give the punters a conniption. 

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18 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

I think Overkill, Exodus & Testament could replace every band in the big 4 except Slayer and I'd be happy. Except when I remember I couldn't give two shits. Actually we should put 4 black metal bands in the big 4 of thrash, that'd really give the punters a conniption. 

overkill, exodus, testament & d.r.i. now that should be the big 4 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Man, that's a difficult question, because Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth do have different styles in a way. I probably have to go with Metallica, because I grew up on them. Metallica was the first band that got me into metal, so I probably have to stick with that. But Slayer is definitely up there too.   🤘

Here's how I'd personally rank them: Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and then Anthrax

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  • 4 weeks later...

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