Is it only me that I would like to see Testament along with Big4?

[alias7]

Anyway, back on topic: even though I thought Testament's new album was lame, I have to say they've been one of the most consistent thrash acts that have put out more than a few albums. They definitely deserve more recognition than they get.

What do you mean by lame? Its certainly not hard core metal sound(not as hard as gathering or formation of damnation, yet fuller of the last one) but I personally really enjoyed it and except for Megadeth, I dont think that anyone else in big4 has come up with something better in thrash and musical terms in the previous decade. Except if being as hard as possible is the main thing.

 

[Dawn of the Shred]

You got to have Metallica in the big 4. Take anthrax out add testament.

 

[Pablo Zuta]

Testament
Exodus
Kreator
Destruction

That will be my big 4

"dark roots of earth" is a kick ass album .

 

[spawnofthesith]

Exodus and Testmanet are definitely both superior to any of the big 4 bands

 

[Andromalia]

but i would argue that hammetts solos are some of the best & most memorable of that time.

...when he can play them. Honest he's one of the worst "big act" solist I know. His early solos are very nice but I've never seen him play a full concert without botching half of them, and I've see my share of metallica concerts. He seems pretty heavy handed on the noise gate, which hides his traling fingers but is a problem with some long notes. (ie, the end of the Harvester of sorrow solo which I haven't seen him play properrly once.)

In the studio I love them, though.

Back to Thrash, the german bands didn't get due credit imho. Kreator first among them.

 

[benduncan]

...when he can play them. Honest he's one of the worst "big act" solist I know. His early solos are very nice but I've never seen him play a full concert without botching half of them, and I've see my share of metallica concerts. He seems pretty heavy handed on the noise gate, which hides his traling fingers but is a problem with some long notes. (ie, the end of the Harvester of sorrow solo which I haven't seen him play properrly once.)

In the studio I love them, though.

Back to Thrash, the german bands didn't get due credit imho. Kreator first among them.

dont forget his vibrato

and i can say that because mine is absolutely perfect.

 

[SenorDingDong]

My opinion is backed by thirty years of massive albums sales. And if you don't think Anthrax deserve to be there, you must be too young to remember when they broke out on the scene!

Testament is a great band, but they came so much later than the rest of the Big 4. Of course they sounded more thrash at the time because the other guys were developing their sounds in different directions. Heck, even Testament became a death metal band for a while before they returned to their thrash roots. So its not like they were doing thrash the whole time anyhow.

Again, the two I mentioned have massive album sales as well, as do many artists I think are terrible. You can't tell someone that the reason they don't like a band is because they weren't there and they don't understand what the band did--that's tantamount to you telling me I cannot dislike The Beach Boys because I wasn't born during their generation, or that I can't think Sepultura sucks because they were forerunners. A forerunner is not necessarily a great band, they were just a band with a great idea. Sometimes the idea does not translate very well. And as someone who owns all of Anthrax's albums, I can honestly say: I do not believe that Anthrax is one of the best thrash bands, period. This is my opinion, and the reason I don't think they are "Big 4" material. Of course, again, as I said before, the Big 4 as a whole may have been influential, but they are all vastly overrated--which is, of course, as a thrash fan, my opinion. Does this mean I don't understand thrash? No. It means I have different tastes.

What do you mean by lame? Its certainly not hard core metal sound(not as hard as gathering or formation of damnation, yet fuller of the last one) but I personally really enjoyed it and except for Megadeth, I dont think that anyone else in big4 has come up with something better in thrash and musical terms in the previous decade. Except if being as hard as possible is the main thing.

I thought the writing and the lyrics were unbearably cheesy. A band not being "hardcore" by no means affects my tastes. My favorite bands are the furthest thing from "hardcore."

 

[ArtDecade]

Again, the two I mentioned have massive album sales as well, as do many artists I think are terrible. You can't tell someone that the reason they don't like a band is because they weren't there and they don't understand what the band did--that's tantamount to you telling me I cannot dislike The Beach Boys because I wasn't born during their generation, or that I can't think Sepultura sucks because they were forerunners. A forerunner is not necessarily a great band, they were just a band with a great idea. Sometimes the idea does not translate very well. And as someone who owns all of Anthrax's albums, I can honestly say: I do not believe that Anthrax is one of the best thrash bands, period. This is my opinion, and the reason I don't think they are "Big 4" material. Of course, again, as I said before, the Big 4 as a whole may have been influential, but they are all vastly overrated--which is, of course, as a thrash fan, my opinion. Does this mean I don't understand thrash? No. It means I have different tastes.

This isn't a taste issue. Anthrax is not my favorite band either. That said - Anthrax is supremely influential. There is no Testament without Anthrax. I don't care for Black Sabbath, but there is no Metal without Sabbath. That's the point. You can like whatever you want, but there is a reason that these four bands rose to the top of the genre and broke through to the mainstream consciousness. There is a reason they sold millions of albums. Its because they became the lightning rod for everyone in Metal circa the early 80s. A million more guitar riffs were played because of Scott Ian bringing kids to thrash metal than Testament or Sepultura ever will. That's because a crap ton more people know Anthrax, not because they are better. Anthrax is a gateway drug to thrash.

You can like whoever you want - but you weren't there to see how important these bands were to metal. That is why they are influential. Not better than everyone else, but certainly the most important. Music isn't a competition to see who can riff faster or shred to the end. Its about communicating. The Big 4 communicated metal better than anyone else. Thats a fact.

 

[SenorDingDong]

This isn't a taste issue. Anthrax is not my favorite band either. That said - Anthrax is supremely influential. There is no Testament without Anthrax. I don't care for Black Sabbath, but there is no Metal without Sabbath. That's the point. You can like whatever you want, but there is a reason that these four bands rose to the top of the genre and broke through to the mainstream consciousness. There is a reason they sold millions of albums. Its because they became the lightning rod for everyone in Metal circa the early 80s. A million more guitar riffs were played because of Scott Ian bringing kids to thrash metal than Testament or Sepultura ever will. That's because a crap ton more people know Anthrax, not because they are better. Anthrax is a gateway drug to thrash.

You can like whoever you want - but you weren't there to see how important these bands were to metal. That is why they are influential. Not better than everyone else, but certainly the most important. Music isn't a competition to see who can riff faster or shred to the end. Its about communicating. The Big 4 communicated metal better than anyone else. Thats a fact.

Again, you're reading in to my post in a way that makes it seem I am denying Anthrax's influence; this was a thread about whether or not Testament should be in the Big 4, and whether or not they are better than some of the bands in the Big 4, not about who had the most impact. You do not need to be born in the area in which a band makes a splash to see the ripple. I am stating, again, that I believe Testament is a better band than any of the Big 4, and that they deserve to be on the tour, as do other, better thrash bands, because they are better. If you still want to argue with my taste, feel free--at the end of the day, I still can't stand most of Anthrax's catalog, regardless of how influential they may have been. Likewise, seeing as there is no thrash without punk, and no punk without garage rock, and so on and so on, you can argue that hating any one particular band in some way means you aren't cultured and weren't born at the right time. Still will not change my opinion. Big 4 to me should be the four best thrash bands, and I don't believe Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth and Metallica are them. This is the point of the thread. The "you weren't there so you don't know" argument with the advent of metal history is about as effective as saying "you never tasted shit, there's no way you could think it would taste bad." You don't need to be in a place or time to see an impact.

 

[ArtDecade]

Thats not the point of the thread. Look at the title. Its about adding Testament to the Top 4. They clearly are not in the Big 4 in terms album sales or awareness. Are they better? I think so. Are they more influential? Not in a million years.

So... you can go and have your Top 4 Greatest Thrash Band Tour at the local bars and clubs, while the rest of the planet goes to see the Big Four at arenas. That's the difference. Testament is respected, but they aren't in the same plane of existence as the Big 4.

 

[AirJordanStaal]

how about every band that has been mentioned here and they all play at the same time, with lou reid of course. like at the RHOF. call it "The big 11 plus negative 1"

I lol'd but shhh because lou reed might be listening. I heard if you say his name 3 times in the recording studio mirror he shows up and ruins the track you're working on with old man noises.

 

[fps]

If you don't understand what Anthrax's Fistful Of Metal and Spreading The Disease meant to thrash metal, than you don't know what thrash even is....

On top of that, Spreading The Disease went 5x platinum in the US, easily outselling all of the Slayer, Sepultura, and Exodus albums combined. They were one of the biggest reasons that thrash metal even became part of the metal consciousness. Madhouse brought it out into the mainstream. Among The Living went Diamond for goodness sake! And this was all before Testament even released their first album.

On the Big Four DVD I have Anthrax are definitely the tightest band. The problem is their music has dated poorly. Testament and Exodus are still going strong making memorable music.

 

[alias7]

Again, you're reading in to my post in a way that makes it seem I am denying Anthrax's influence; this was a thread about whether or not Testament should be in the Big 4, and whether or not they are better than some of the bands in the Big 4, not about who had the most impact. You do not need to be born in the area in which a band makes a splash to see the ripple. I am stating, again, that I believe Testament is a better band than any of the Big 4, and that they deserve to be on the tour, as do other, better thrash bands, because they are better. If you still want to argue with my taste, feel free--at the end of the day, I still can't stand most of Anthrax's catalog, regardless of how influential they may have been. Likewise, seeing as there is no thrash without punk, and no punk without garage rock, and so on and so on, you can argue that hating any one particular band in some way means you aren't cultured and weren't born at the right time. Still will not change my opinion. Big 4 to me should be the four best thrash bands, and I don't believe Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth and Metallica are them. This is the point of the thread. The "you weren't there so you don't know" argument with the advent of metal history is about as effective as saying "you never tasted shit, there's no way you could think it would taste bad." You don't need to be in a place or time to see an impact.

Actually, this is exactly what I wanted to say with this thread. I know people that went to see Big4 and really believed and were absolutely convinced that these were the best metal bands.I believe that it was a money thing, if nothing else. I dont think that these bands are objectively what the term Big4 should ment.

 

[tedtan]

Actually, this is exactly what I wanted to say with this thread. I know people that went to see Big4 and really believed and were absolutely convinced that these were the best metal bands.I believe that it was a money thing, if nothing else. I dont think that these bands are objectively what the term Big4 should ment.

I get what you are saying, man. If we were to talk about a modern Big 4, none of those bands would make the list based on what they are doing today. And truth be told, they haven't done much, if anything, worth listening to in the last 20 years.

But the term Big 4 has been used to describe those bands since the mid 80's when Master of Puppets/Reign in Blood/Among the Living/Peace Sells had just been released. At that time, the term Big 4 made sense. It's just stuck with them ever since.

 

[alias7]

I get what you are saying, man. If we were to talk about a modern Big 4, none of those bands would make the list based on what they are doing today. And truth be told, they haven't done much, if anything, worth listening to in the last 20 years.

But the term Big 4 has been used to describe those bands since the mid 80's when Master of Puppets/Reign in Blood/Among the Living/Peace Sells had just been released. At that time, the term Big 4 made sense. It's just stuck with them ever since.

Fair enough

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

For those interested...

It's no big 4, but it's got 3 great bands and some crappy band with a poxy name on tour together.

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

a bit off topic, but ppl argue about "the big 4" on many topics. for instance in the import tuner cars scene, they are the:

toyota supra
mazda rx7
acura nsx
nissan skyline

i have the rx7 & supra...hoping to get an nsx someday, but id have to stay off sso cause of all the gas lately

 

[MassNecrophagia]

Wait, Anthrax is in the Big 4?

 

[Felvin]

While Testament are not part of the 'Big Four', to me they're the 'Bigger One'.

Looking forward to see them next year in Hamburg.