Black Sabbath VS Metallica

[SouthernTrendkill]

I don't know what your experiences have been... but for me there aren't any bands that get listed as an influence as much as Black Sabbath and Metallica. Probably every metal band I've known, at least out of unsigned groups, has at least one of these two as a main influence. Which strikes me as slightly odd since they are both removed from some of the stylistic essentials of today's metal... but I can see why they'd be influential since they're both such amazing bands.

Anyway... which one is better??

 

[DarkOne]

Better?

What food do you like better: Chocolate or Pizza?

One is dessert, one is a meal. I'm not sure that you can really pick one as "better".

Black Sabbath helped define the overall metal genre. Metallica helped rocket the thrash scene. BS probably had a greater influence on more bands overall, and you can trace numerous genres from their input. Metallica had influence over a number of bands, but I think it was more limited.

I don't think that anyone will argue that BS had the more talented musicians. Certainly there's no vocal comparison anywhere along the way. Dio, Gillian, Tony Martin, even Ozzy. No comparison. Then you have Iommi. Case closed there.

BS did it for much longer. They are not what they were, but haven't lost their way like Metallica.

Which one is better? You'll get lots of differing opinions, but I'd say Sabbath is better.

Would I personally choose to listen to old Metallica over BS? I love both bands, but probably. But I'd still pick Sabbath as "better" using my above definitions.

Steve in Philly

 

[kuier]

Metallica ceased to exist after MoP (with Burton's death). Black Sabbath is still a band in some form or another. Sabbath hands down.

 

[maiden1]

DarkOne, you say what food do you like better "chocolate or pizza" i think it depends on who's making the chocolate or pizzauke:
myself i can rock to Black Sabbath Metallica well i can take or leave um Sabbath FTW


Cheers: Adrian maiden1

 

[DoctorX3]

Hmmm... I like Ride the Lightning better than anything Sabbath ever did, but Sabbath are certainly the superior band. Their persistent dedication to musical innovation spawned a slew of great albums in the first half of the 1970s, and two more in the early '80s. Fuck, if they'd just hung on to Gillen, Singer, and Daisley in the late '80s, they'd probably hold the title as my favorite metal band of all time.

 

[Orfanos]

This comparison does not exist.

Sabbath by far, although I am not their biggest fan (e.g. "Tyr" is my favorite album from them, not the Ozzy era)

 

[IWP]

Metallica's first two albums are better than anything Black Sabbath has done.

 

[Incarnate]

Overall it'd have to be Black Sabbath. Ask me maybe 10 years ago or whatever before Load (of shit) came out and it'd be Metallica.

 

[baldyboy]

metallica for me.i just consider them more relevant to everything....
just my opinion tho!

 

[Death Animal]

WTf How can somebody choose Metallica over GREAT Black Sabbath.

 

[free_@_last]

Correct me if I am wrong but I think Black Sabbath was an influence of Metallica.

Anyway, I saw both bands live and both were excellent. However, when I saw Black Sabbath they were on the Heaven and Hell tour with Dio as their frontman so I didn't know any of the songs that they played. I would've enjoyed their performance a lot more if Ozzy was touring with them, tbh.

 

[poundingmetal74]

You can't compare the two. I like Metallica for certain things, Sabbath for others.

 

[Platinum Maze]

Take Dio out of the equation, and I'd definitely dispute the talented musician angle.....and Iommi while being a great riffmaster, innovator, and songwriter, is not the best guitar player talent-wise. He's A LOT better than I used to think he was, but still...

Bottom line though is I've never been an over the top Sabbath fan, and similar to IWP, no Sabbath album comes close to the first 3 Metallica albums, IMO.

PS - I am not trying to take away any props from Sabbath!

 

[baldyboy]

its certainly one of those tough ones.i mean,both are fantastic for what they did.
i too would argue musicianship-particularly as i think hetfields rythmn playing on those first 4 albums,and live,is unsurpassed

 

[Wyvern]

Metallica's first two albums are better than anything Black Sabbath has done.

Will al due respect that's absolutely nonsense. Both bands have their place in history that's undoubtedly true, but not even Metallica would have came out of the garage if it wasn't for Black Sabbath.

Black Sabbath redimensioned rock as anyone could have foreseen. If you go back to 1970 and think about the time frame (The Beatles were separating, "In Rock" wasn't out yet, Woodstock just happened, Judas Priest debut was 4 years ahead) and realize 'Black Sabbath', 'N.I.B', 'The Wizard' are now out...it would have scared the shit out of me for life, heavy and gloomy like no one before (and maybe after).

And anyone knows that the best metal album of all times is "Heaven And Hell" and the best song ever is 'Heaven And Hell'. Metallica was, is and will be unable to to anything like that even if the gods themselves help them.

and Iommi while being a great riffmaster, innovator, and songwriter, is not the best guitar player talent-wise.

I disagree. Not only he's one of the best guitar players in history, he still is! I just listened to HAH live album and I can't believe the guy still plays songs > 25 years old with the same quality and energy as when they were composed, pure genius! Tony will always be in my top five of rock/guitar players of all-time (which btw now Hammett, nor Hetfield will ever be even selling their souls to the devil ).

 

[Priest of Evil]

Without Sabbath we may well be metalless, scarry thought...

Metallica were once great & respected in the metal community, Sabbath still are which should tip the balance anyhow, in anyones books.

Iommi plays his guitar like the devil himself but I do not think he is the best guitarist in the world but his riffs are more solid and outreaching than the great wall of China

 

[zeppelin]

You've got to compare apples with apples, If I had to choose it would probably be Sabbath but it's two different genres and almost different eras imo. It's like comparing Led Zeppelin with Megadeth if you know what I mean.

 

[carnut]

Metallica made the better album with "Kill 'm All" imo, but regarding their overall discography Sabbath is much, much more consistant. So Sabbath comes out as the better band for me.

 

[Thrust]

I agree Wyvern

Sabbath by so so so much
ozzy era is pretty damn good, but Heaven and Hell and about half of Mob Rules just does it for me.

Metallica were good, but they aren't in the same league as Sabbath and they are generally overrated

 

[maiden1]

you can't compere UK Metal with USA Metal uke: thats in my opinion.


cheers Adrian maiden1