Slayer for me they're just so heavy.

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

when does he do that? I gotta see that.

Never seen him do it, but its just the kind of thing I can imagine him doing.

It doesn't matter who's the best of the 'big 4' is because as soon as we got to the 90s they were all superseded by Voivod.

Metallica are still my favourite of the big four. Their first four albums are, for me, better than anything any of the bands have put out with a little room made for Reign in Blood and Rust in Peace.

However i think Megadeth are the best of them now. They have made some mediocre records themselves but have managed to turn it around with a great comeback over the last few years.

Where I would place Slayer and Anthrax could change on any given day. I don't really prefer one to the other. For every album either band has ever released (there may be a few i'm missing, to be fair) bar one, there isn't much to seperate the two in my opinion. But Reign in Blood gives Slayer the edge i think.

Over all I would say Metallica > Megadeth > Slayer > Anthrax.

But in the present day I would say Megadeth > Metallica > Slayer > Anthrax.

Megadeth > Slayer >>>>>>>>> Metallica > Anthrax

Added a poll to the thread. Hope you don't mind, sixshooter :)

Interesting. I see the two as very, very different. Anthrax is not nearly as dark as Slayer for one thing, actually not dark at all IMO. And there's such a difference in style, definitely an east coast versus west coast aesthetic thing, with Anthrax having been influenced more by Hardcore and Hip-Hop. Hell there's even an ethnic difference between the two that I think informs the music to a certain extent.

I would agree with that. I meant that there wasn't much to seperate them more in my opinion of them rather than similarity musicallly.