Controversial opinions on metal

[H.P. Lovecraft]

Anthrax don't deserve to be in the big four of thrash metal.

It should've been Overkill.

While I love Anthrax, Overkill is absolutely a superior band.

 

[H.P. Lovecraft]

You see, this is why the Big Four is limiting to me. It should be 10 or 12, like the Jedi Council. Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Exodus, Testament, Overkill, Sodom, Kreator, Tankard, Destruction. The pioneers.

 

[no country for old wainds]

only 10 or 12? you're showing admirable restraint today.

i think a big ten would be slayer, metallica, megadeth, sodom, kreator, destruction, dark angel, exodus, overkill and sepultura.

 

[Baroque]

All good options if we're going with a big 10 of 80's thrash but in all seriousness Vektor is better than half of those bands

 

[Vegard Pompey]

only 10 or 12? you're showing admirable restraint today.

i think a big ten would be slayer, metallica, megadeth, sodom, kreator, destruction, dark angel, exodus, overkill and sepultura.

No Voivod?

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

Coroner definitely belong there.

And as much as i like Tankard, not so sure about them being included in the "big 10" .

 

[no country for old wainds]

agreed on tankard. i considered coroner, would've probably mentioned them if i'd made it 12. voivod are a bit too much of a niche/weirdo band; i was going for bands who're widely beloved/iconic across the mainstream and underground (and yeah, preferably '80s). it's not a list of personal favourites or anything.

 

[RadicalThrasher]

i was going for bands who're widely beloved/iconic across the mainstream and underground (and yeah, preferably '80s)

Using that criteria, plus having a string of good albums ( 3 to 5?) I would say Nuclear Assault is a contender. Or at least worthy of an honorable mention.

 

[H.P. Lovecraft]

but in all seriousness Vektor is better than half of those bands

Not in an eon.

 

[H.P. Lovecraft]

So, maybe, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Exodus, Testament, Overkill, Sodom, Kreator, Destruction, Voivod, Sepultura, Coroner.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

only 10 or 12? you're showing admirable restraint today.

i think a big ten would be slayer, metallica, megadeth, sodom, kreator, destruction, dark angel, exodus, overkill and sepultura.

Yeah something like that. I'd say Testament would rank above Dark Angel and roughly on-par with Overkill even if the in-crowd doesn't like them. Frankly even Anthrax would even though I mostly dislike them.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

agreed on tankard. i considered coroner, would've probably mentioned them if i'd made it 12. voivod are a bit too much of a niche/weirdo band; i was going for bands who're widely beloved/iconic across the mainstream and underground (and yeah, preferably '80s). it's not a list of personal favourites or anything.

Are Dark Angel that iconic though? Not sure if it's the best metric of popularity but their most popular album has less than 2000 ratings on RYM, and they're nowhere near as prolific as most of the bands mentioned. Voivod on the other hand have been releasing albums consistently for 3½ decades, plus they have a very distinct sound that seems to have a reach of influence way disproportionate with their popularity, being cited as an influence by loads of artists in completely disparate genres.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

The objectively-correct power ranking:

Metallica
Slayer
Megadeth
Exodus
Celtic Frost*
Destruction
Sodom
Kreator
Voivod
Sepultura
Overkill
Anthrax
Testament
Dark Angel
Possessed
Watchtower
Coroner
Nuclear Assault**
DRI**
Suicidal Tendencies**
Artillery
Razor
Flotsam & Jetsam
Sacrifice
Holy Moses
Death Angel
Annihilator
Mekong Delta
Bulldozer
Living Death
Tankard
Sacred Reich
Messiah
Hirax
Whiplash
Deathrow
Heathen
Hallow's Eve
Onslaught

*If they count
**Somewhere around there, I can't be bothered to differentiate the three

 

[H.P. Lovecraft]

Destruction should not be that high, and Overkill curbstomps Sepultura.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Destruction is the Exodus to Kreator's Anthrax. There's a funny interview from 1984 where Angelripper says that the big 3 is Sodom, Destruction, and Iron Angel, and that Kreator (then Tormentor) were just an Exciter clone. Kreator wins on sales and longevity, but I'm placing extra value on 80s output. I'd argue that Release From Agony was one of the first true tech-thrash albums as well, ahead of what Coroner was doing at least. Their riffs can also be heard all over the first-wave black metal scene, not so much for Kreator or Sodom.

I definitely prefer Overkill to Sepultura, but Bestial Devastation/Morbid Visions were much further ahead of the curve and helped establish the entire South American sound.

 

[no country for old wainds]

Are Dark Angel that iconic though? Not sure if it's the best metric of popularity but their most popular album has less than 2000 ratings on RYM, and they're nowhere near as prolific as most of the bands mentioned. Voivod on the other hand have been releasing albums consistently for 3½ decades, plus they have a very distinct sound that seems to have a reach of influence way disproportionate with their popularity, being cited as an influence by loads of artists in completely disparate genres.

DARKNESS DESCENDS is a bigger deal in thrash circles than any single voivod album as far as i'm aware, a lot of people consider it the quintessential thrash album. but i take your point.

destruction should definitely be that high, fag0t. objectively they should probably be bottom of the three german bands though tbh, if we're purely talking canonical status. it's pretty trendy to consider them the weakest of the three.

hbb's rankings are fine anyways, although i'd have cut it off about halfway up lol

 

[H.P. Lovecraft]

Sodom was first-wave black metal, what are you talking about? Obsessed By Cruelty is an early black metal classic. They did far more for it than Destruction.

 

[H.P. Lovecraft]

And Kreator is not that weak.

 

[Sirjack]

Death Angel should be up around Coroner

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Sodom was first-wave black metal, what are you talking about? Obsessed By Cruelty is an early black metal classic. They did far more for it than Destruction.

They had the sound, but not the riffs. I can accept putting Sodom over Destruction, though not Kreator over Destruction.

Kreator is very weak. Pleasure to Kill is the only necessary Kreator album. Endless Pain is as mediocre as it gets, and most of the stuff post-PtK isn't even worth discussing.

Death Angel should be up around Coroner

If it wasn't for their famed youth they wouldn't have anything going for them other than being semi-early on the alt-thrash scene with Act III.