Who would you pick as 5th "Big Four" band? (Big Five)

[maddnotez]

Obviously everyone recognizes that it should absolutely be Testament.

I would also remove Anthrax and add Exodus. I personally could never get into Anthrax, before my time I guess and they weren't heavy enough or thrashy enough for me to get into them later. Have also seen them live and wasn't into it.

SOD on the other hand was badass to me.

I like Pantera better than the 4 but I don't think they should be in the 4.

Exodus was great but Testament is much better all around. Think about it for a minute, Eric beats out Humholt for rhythm guitar, Alex shreds Gary Holt, Gene is amazing on drums, Chuck can bring it. Testament is better music and they have better albums than Exodus.

I could name 10 bands I would rather hear than Anthrax, and so could you!

Kreator
Overkill
Supultura
Testament
Exodus
Vio-lence
Merciful Fate
Savatage
Death
Death Angel

Definitely. Testament is one of my all time favorites. I do however prefer chuck's older vocal styles. Skolnik is definitely my favorite lead guitarist.

 

[Bishop5150]

Testament for me.

 

[romanianreaper]

I could name 10 bands I would rather hear than Anthrax, and so could you!

Kreator
Overkill
Supultura
Testament
Exodus
Vio-lence
Merciful Fate
Savatage
Death
Death Angel

I'm a huge Anthrax fan, so have to disagree but on the subject of thrash you are right. LOL!

I tell you what I had never listened to Kreator before. The other day I tried listening to them but couldn't get past the Satanic stuff. LOL. I tried but kept picturing my Mom shaking her head.

Sepultura is a great band man. I remember when I had "Bloody Roots" years ago and couldn't believe how heavy the combo of tribal and metal tones were.

All of those bands kick ass. It is hard with the Big 4 and thrash because they dipped their toes in thrash but did so much other stuff. I can't picture Death Angel doing "Outlaw Torn" or "Until It Sleeps"....thank God...LOL

 

[Rock Bodom]

This thread has me rethinking...if I make a list at a certain point in time, it changes over the years. If I make an "all-time" list, that's different too.

My Big 4/5 around '86/'87: Classic (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax), Exodus is my 5th. Anthrax had their big 2 albums at this point so I'm keeping them in.

My Big 4/5 around '90: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Testament (replaces Anthrax), I'm thinking Exodus gets the 5th again.

My Big 4/5 around '92/'93: Megadeth, Slayer, Testament, and I'm going bold. I'm replacing Metallica with Pantera to round out the 4. I don't know the Exodus albums from this time, so personally I'm going with Overkill as a 5th.

All-time consistency: Testament, Overkill. I think from the original Big 4 probably Slayer. Struggling with the 4th or 5th.Maybe Exodus, Kreator?

All-time impact: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Pantera. Personally the 5th would be Testament.

 

[ElectricVoodoo]

Culture club or for a close second place,
Kajagoogoo.

 

[VoodooChild24]

Exodus or Death Angel for me.

 

[Speeddemon]

I'm a huge Anthrax fan, so have to disagree but on the subject of thrash you are right. LOL!

I tell you what I had never listened to Kreator before. The other day I tried listening to them but couldn't get past the Satanic stuff. LOL. I tried but kept picturing my Mom shaking her head.

May I suggest starting then with their album 'Extreme Aggression'? Much more complex, better production, less 'wobbliness' in their playing. Pretty much their MOP/Reign in Blood-album, so to speak. Some of the old stuff, while great, sounds like it's too fast for their own good. Jurgen Reil ain't no Gene Hoglan.
After that, Coma of Souls, and Pleasure to Kill are must-listen-material. Pleasure to Kill really is their 'Hell Awaits', whereas their first album Endless Pain is more akin to 'Show No Mercy'. Good songs, but more of a blue-print for greatness-to-be-had in the future.

Make sure to skip Renewal and even Cause for Conflict wasn't their best stuff. Fast forward to 2012, "Phantom Antichrist" is a superb album, with awesome production. Same year as Testament's Dark Roots of Earth-album, fwiw.

Sodom, one of the other German 'Big Teutonic 4' (=Kreator, Sodom, Destruction, Tankard) also made a similar evolution, where their late 80's peak was 'Agent Orange'.
Funny to see how so many great bands of that era peaked at their 3rd album (or 4th in Kreator's, Sepultura and Megadeth's case).
Oh, except Exodus... Just...BOOOOM, the 1st.

 

[romanianreaper]

I'm a huge Anthrax fan, so have to disagree but on the subject of thrash you are right. LOL!

I tell you what I had never listened to Kreator before. The other day I tried listening to them but couldn't get past the Satanic stuff. LOL. I tried but kept picturing my Mom shaking her head.

May I suggest starting then with their album 'Extreme Aggression'? Much more complex, better production, less 'wobbliness' in their playing. Pretty much their MOP/Reign in Blood-album, so to speak. Some of the old stuff, while great, sounds like it's too fast for their own good. Jurgen Reil ain't no Gene Hoglan.
After that, Coma of Souls, and Pleasure to Kill are must-listen-material. Pleasure to Kill really is their 'Hell Awaits', whereas their first album Endless Pain is more akin to 'Show No Mercy'. Good songs, but more of a blue-print for greatness-to-be-had in the future.

Make sure to skip Renewal and even Cause for Conflict wasn't their best stuff. Fast forward to 2012, "Phantom Antichrist" is a superb album, with awesome production. Same year as Testament's Dark Roots of Earth-album, fwiw.

Sodom, one of the other German 'Big Teutonic 4' (=Kreator, Sodom, Destruction, Tankard) also made a similar evolution, where their late 80's peak was 'Agent Orange'.
Funny to see how so many great bands of that era peaked at their 3rd album (or 4th in Kreator's, Sepultura and Megadeth's case).
Oh, except Exodus... Just...BOOOOM, the 1st.

 

[romanianreaper]

This thread has me rethinking...if I make a list at a certain point in time, it changes over the years. If I make an "all-time" list, that's different too.

My Big 4/5 around '86/'87: Classic (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax), Exodus is my 5th. Anthrax had their big 2 albums at this point so I'm keeping them in.

My Big 4/5 around '90: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Testament (replaces Anthrax), I'm thinking Exodus gets the 5th again.

My Big 4/5 around '92/'93: Megadeth, Slayer, Testament, and I'm going bold. I'm replacing Metallica with Pantera to round out the 4. I don't know the Exodus albums from this time, so personally I'm going with Overkill as a 5th.

All-time consistency: Testament, Overkill. I think from the original Big 4 probably Slayer. Struggling with the 4th or 5th.Maybe Exodus, Kreator?

All-time impact: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Pantera. Personally the 5th would be Testament.

Oh yeah, that is a great way at looking at it! Yeah, for consistency gotta keep Slayer in there. Even their "hits" period with videos was heavy as hell. The "Big 4" doesn't have to mean a band that started thrash and kept being thrash into their 60s. It means those originators were able to stay together long term in some form. I mean even hair metal bands from the era after them and even grunge bands are not still together other than a few. You have Crue and Poison and Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam. It is pretty amazing to see these bands still packing arenas.

 

[romanianreaper]

This thread has me rethinking...if I make a list at a certain point in time, it changes over the years. If I make an "all-time" list, that's different too.

My Big 4/5 around '86/'87: Classic (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax), Exodus is my 5th. Anthrax had their big 2 albums at this point so I'm keeping them in.

My Big 4/5 around '90: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Testament (replaces Anthrax), I'm thinking Exodus gets the 5th again.

My Big 4/5 around '92/'93: Megadeth, Slayer, Testament, and I'm going bold. I'm replacing Metallica with Pantera to round out the 4. I don't know the Exodus albums from this time, so personally I'm going with Overkill as a 5th.

All-time consistency: Testament, Overkill. I think from the original Big 4 probably Slayer. Struggling with the 4th or 5th.Maybe Exodus, Kreator?

All-time impact: Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Pantera. Personally the 5th would be Testament.

Oh yeah, that is a great way at looking at it! Yeah, for consistency gotta keep Slayer in there. Even their "hits" period with videos was heavy as hell. The "Big 4" doesn't have to mean a band that started thrash and kept being thrash into their 60s. It means those originators were able to stay together long term in some form. I mean even hair metal bands from the era after them and even grunge bands are not still together other than a few. You have Crue and Poison and Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam. It is pretty amazing to see these bands still packing arenas.

 

[riffermadness]

Ok, we are not demoting Anthrax or I'll burn this forum to the ground.....LOL

I love Anthrax!! "Metal Thrashing Mad", "Be All, End All", etc., etc.

I don't know a lot about Kreator, other than hearing a song or two. I need to delve into that. If it was a newer band, I'd go with Power Trip. Man those guys have some great riffs.

Damn..I like this a lot ! I saw the big 4 in Dallas and it was great..we partied our asses off ! But to the original question..Exodus..Testament and maybe others but I am a big Exodus fan.

 

[petee]

Prong or Slayer should have played twice.

 

[thegame]

Who had the best thrash debut album? My vote goes to.....

Testament - The Legacy. Fully realized songs, brutal, catchy, all killer no filler. Chuck Billy screams and frankly, sings, like he never did again. Every song jam packed with riffs and not just for the sake of it. 10/10 in my book.

Runner ups - Death Angel - The Ultra Violence, Metallica - Kill'em All, Slayer - Show No Mercy, Forbidden - Forbidden Evil. Maybe Possesed - Seven Churches as well.

Flame suit on - Exodus - Bonded By Blood is vastly overrated IMO. Yes I heard it in '85 & even at the time I thought it paled in comparison to Kill'em All and Show No Mercy. They got so much better soon after...