The Big Four of Thrash Metal
- The American Guitar Academy
- 7 days ago
- 6 min read
You often hear the term ‘supergroup’, where a band is formed of members famous beforehand. Some examples would be Chickenfoot (Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar, Chad Smith and Michael Anthony), Velvet Revolver (Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum, Scott Weiland and Dave Kushner) and Them Crooked Vultures (Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones). However, the ‘Big Four of Thrash Metal’ is a different kind of supergroup, in that it is a collection of bands rather than musicians.
Whilst there are many thrash metal bands, with seemingly endless offshoots in the genre, these four select groups were considered the forerunners in the United States in the 1980s. They toured the world together a few years ago, almost like a miniature festival, to great commercial success. These four groups are Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax.
In this blog post we will give a brief overview of each of them, and also some honorable mentions of bands that wouldn’t be out of place in the Big Four also.
Metallica
I will not lie to you, Metallica are not my favorite band in the world, not even my top choice on this list. However, there is no denying the cultural impact they have made since the early 1980s. They are the ultimate commercial machine in the world of metal, and no-one can argue that - worldwide sell-out arena shows, 16 time platinum certified and possibly one of the only metal bands to ever perform in Antarctica.
Like all of these bands, they have a normal line up of two guitars, one of which is also the lead singer, bass and drums. Having two guitarists allows for more freedom in the sounds that can be produced, such as the inclusion of guitar harmonies and really big distortion tones.
Metallica were responsible for such hits as ‘Master of Puppets’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’ and ‘Enter Sandman’. I think these songs have a place in the world, but perhaps a bit over-commercialised. These are my two favorite Metallica tunes:
Metallica - Sad But True
This song uses a technique commonly referred to as ‘wall of sound’ - there are a multitude of guitar tracks panned left and right, resulting in a punchy, full sound that pairs well with the riff.
Metallica - For Whom the Bell Tolls
I consider this song to be one of the greatest works by the band, and a great representation of what the late Cliff Burton brought to the bass guitar and to the genre as a whole.
The chromaticism, sound effects and sliding all fit together perfectly - a must have on your metal playlist!
Megadeth
I will try to keep this as short as possible, but Megadeth are perhaps my favorite band of all time. The production, the playing across all instruments and the sometimes simple, yet always effective, songwriting is sublime. Dave Mustaine may have started as the lead guitarist in Metallica, a role he occasionally fills in this band, but I think his strengths are in the brutal riffs he creates. Many people have negative things to say about his vocal ability - typically I would agree if you were to compare it to someone like Ronnie James Dio, but it fits the music and the band would not sound the same otherwise.
Megadeth is renowned for having a revolving line-up, the only constant being Mustaine since the band’s inception. My favorite line-up is that of the early 1990s, consisting of Dave Mustaine, Marty Friedman, David Ellefson and Nick Menza - this version of Megadeth spawned what is probably the best guitar solo of all time in ‘Tornado of Souls’ - I highly recommend you check that one out if you haven’t already!
Here are some of my favorites:
Megadeth - She-Wolf
This song is from the ‘Cryptic Writings’ album, labeled by gate-keeping superfans as “too radio-friendly” and “as pop as thrash metal can get”. I for one think that this song is a masterclass in dual guitar harmonies and a brutal right-hand rhythm work out. It is most assuredly no slouch!
Megadeth - Fatal Illusion
This song is from a more recent offering by the band, their 2016 offering ‘Dystopia’. I happen to think the guitar sound on this one is on another level, though the main draw for me is the dissonant opening, followed by a bass riff that builds up to a full-on aural assault.
Kiko Loureiro’s guitar playing on this record is amazing, and imparts his own signature sound which is clearly different from lead guitarists of the past. This makes ‘Dystopia’ not better than any other album, but distinctly changed.
Slayer
Slayer has perhaps the most die-hard fanbase in existence. If a Slayer fan sees another Slayer fan out in the wild, it is inevitable that they will shout “SSSLLLAAAYYYEEERRR!” at each other and it will be heard for miles around!
Slayer have a very aggressive, abrasive sound. It is very full dissonant and heavy, though the lyrics are often steeped in history and politics. They are not a band to listen to if you are a fan of fluid, well thought out solos - Kerry King especially has an approach to soloing that resembles a slice of ham being slapped against the fretboard. That being said, like Dave Mustaine’s vocals, it wouldn’t be the same without it.
Here is my favorite song by Slayer:
Slayer - Angel of Death
Not only does the blood-curdling riff at the start of this song really put you on edge, but the bouncing yet visceral riffs really do remind who the kings of aggression are when it comes to music.
The late Jeff Hanneman wrote this song in the mid-80s, and was inspired to retell the atrocities of a notorious Nazi criminal, like a musical documentary. This faced lots of backlash in the record business, though they stood by their decision. Years after the initial backlash, especially in Germany, this song is a pillar of thrash metal.
Anthrax
Rounding out the big four are Anthrax. This band typically operates as a quintet, making them standout from the other three bands somewhat. They also never quite reached the same commercial success as the others.
Whilst this is not an opinion shared by everyone, I think that Joey Belladonna, the singer for Anthrax currently and during the periods of the band I have listened to, is the most gifted singer out of the four. I think there is a more theatrical feeling to their music, many of their songs also fringe upon punk as well.
Anthrax - Antisocial
This song is one of their punk-esque tunes. THe riffs are simplistic, but played with a raw energy that you’d expect from the most seasoned punk bands.
Anthrax - Indians
This was the first Anthrax song that I had ever heard. I was a fan of Belladonna’s voice instantly, but I liked the variations of riffs equally. One problem a lot of metal bands face is having too many unrelated riffs that meander down a long-winding road to nowhere - I don’t feel that it happens here.
Honorable Mentions
Here are some bands that are not considered part of the big four in the United States, but they could definitely hold their own if they needed to. Whilst the big four as a touring concept may not be a thing any more, these bands could start their own if they wanted.
Forbidden - Twisted into Form
Testament - Practice What You Preach
Exodus - The Fires of Division
Overkill - Scorched
Death Angel - Lost
Final Thoughts
There is so much that can be learned from studying a few great bands or artists from any style. If you don’t like thrash metal, have a listen to the examples I have put forward today and think about why. What is it you don’t like, and would you change it? How would you change it, and would it still work afterwards?
I think it was clear some of the bands discussed here I like more than others, yet I can still see something good despite not being a big fan. The idea of this post, and indeed many of the songs I have linked, is to foster thought and discussion. Go and spread your horizons! Ask your parents, grandparents, hairdresser and your guitar teacher what they listened to growing up - you may discover something new.
