I thought about making this poll a long time ago, but I hesitated because I can't make up my mind. The debuts from Megadeth and Metallica are really good, but I'm especially fond of the first albums of Anthrax and Slayer. Fistful of Metal is one my favorite albums from them because it's extemely fast, catchy, and energetic, with great songs such as Deathrider and Metal Thrashing Mad. The riffs and solos are great, the drumming is fast, the vocals are insane, and the bass lines are awesome. However, Slayer's Shown No Mercy is also an amazing album... maybe my second favorite from them. All the songs are very catchy and inspired, with amazing riffs and solos. The drumming is a little bland, but the guitar work makes up for any downfalls. uuuuuhhhh... I think I'll vote for Slayer.

Voted Metallica's, it isn't my favorite but is a very good album, one of the best in thrash metal. I think that Mustaine did a great job while being in Metallica.

Hmmm I realy dunno because I like Metallica and Megasdeath albums, itrs thrash and same time ist speed and clasical albums, veen Anthrax and Slayer are speed metal, but for me closer, lil closer are ''Kill em all'' so my vote goes for it

For me it was between Kill 'Em All and Show No Mercy. I like all four of the albums a hell of a lot but I put Killing Is My Business out of being my favorite because it lacks most in production quality and I knew it wasn't Anthrax because although it's a fucking amazing album with songs like Deathrider but it just wasn't at the same level as the others. In the end I voted for Slayer because of all the killer riffs in it. Kill 'Em All is still an amazing album with lots of great solos, riffs, and packed full of intensity but Slayer is just that much more intense it almost never slows down.

You all should know who i'm voting for (look at my username). Yeah, it's good ol' Slayer. I'm not big into Anthrax or Metallica and I do like the Megadeth debut a lot, but Show No Mercy takes the cake for me. Every song slays (hence the name Slayer). It probably doesn't help that I'm a sucker for early Slayer releases. The production is kinda sloppy, but meh, what can you do? The solos and riffage are the main factors as to why I'm voting for Slayer. On this album the solos and riffage are stellar. Also, this release influenced the death and black metal scenes (not quite as much as Hell Awaits, but it still influenced them nonetheless).

Nice thread btw. Would have been nice to include more bands, but I guess it is the Big Four so...

I haven't heard Anthrax's debut, but my vote was always going for Show No Mercy, anyway. Kill 'Em All and KIMB... are very good, with classic tunes a-plenty (Seek and Destroy, Mechanix), but Slayer just pips them in terms of rawness and aggression. The solos on SNM are probably the best solos Slayer have ever done (due to the fact that there are fewer wild, forgettable rakes/whammy bar effects and more melodic solos). The Antichrist and Black Magic are classic thrash numbers, and the NWOBHM influence works wonders. A pity they don't play more of this album live anymore.

I'm Putting My Vote For Killing Is My Business. To Start off with I don't really like Slayer, I got burned on them one summer. Metalica's album was Brilliant, no Doubt, Jump in the Fire and Four Horsemen were Fantastic songs, But to me it just doesn't touch Anthrax Or Megadeth. Once More, I Love Anthrax but, Megadeth takes the cake. Besides, even Scott Ian of Anthrax said that KIMB Is his favorite one of the Big Four.

I'm a Metallica fan and so I think no more explenation is needed

Same here, of all those bands I am by far most fond of Metallica. Kill 'Em All is thus not my fave album by them but it is my #1 out of these 4. I'm not the biggest Megadeth fan so Killing Is My Business falls out immediately, and I am somehow a semi-fan of both Slayer and Anthrax so I like both their debuts equally. And Metallica... well they just have me in their sleeve

while i like megadeth and slayer a lot more than metallica, their first album has this fantastic energy and it's a whole lot more fun. there really is no bad/boring song on it.

Quite an interesting poll. All bands had really great debut albums in my opinion. Killing Is My Business was really great, but the production was quite horrible. Kill 'Em All was a good album, but the drumming wasn't really top-notch. Good album, but just not my favourite. Which leaves Anthrax and Slayer. My vote will go to Slayer's Show No Mercy. I know this album didn't have the greatest production itself, but I don't know, it's just the NWOBHM influence on it that really draws my attention to it. Tom Araya's vocals are brilliant here, King's and Hanneman's guitar work is great and of course, Dave Lombardo, simple yet effective drumming here. Fistful Of Metal is a great, fun album. It's got some really catchy songs on there and it's just an all out fast album... solid, powerful, but still Slayer has the slight edge over them.

Metallica's kill 'em all for me one of the best thrash albums of all time just beacuse its fast and have so many awesome riffs and the solos are so damn cool

i love Motorbreath,Wiplash, and Metal Militia

Written by Dreamwar_86 on 03.01.2007 at 17:53

Metallica's kill 'em all for me one of the best thrash albums of all time just beacuse its fast and have so many awesome riffs and the solos are so damn cool

i love Motorbreath,Wiplash, and Metal Militia

Not only riffs but James vocals are diferent ist more ''childish '' voice how in other Metallica realises

wow, this made it to the second page already, come on, I know more of you want to cast your votes!!

I'd have to go with Megadeth on this one, because they're easily my favourite band out of the 'Big 4'. That album set the tone for what was to come. Nothing wrong with any of the other albums, just this one is more to my taste.

Show No Mercy stands out more for me, all are really good releases for all of the Big 4 but Slayer's is my favourite.

Toms's vocals are great hitting those hight notes, Jeff's and Kerry's riffing is very catchy and soloing is excellent. The production isnt all the clear but for me this is a plus for the album, making it more raw and dirtier. Dave's drumming isnt all great and a little bland, but it does a good job backing up the guitars prefectably.

I had doubts between Anthrax and Metallica but I voted Metallica. But these were not the best thrash metal debutes for me, Vio-lence, Forbidden and Agent Steel had better debutes than these bands....

I voted for Fistful Of Metal because to me it is the best album nay of this bands made, and not just like debute, it is real master piece, DEATHRIDER!

Wow, all of those albums kick serious ass and practicly defined thrash, but i think i'm going to have to go with Slayer on this one. "The Big Four of Thrash" are all good skill wise because when you compare them they all have their ups and downs: Slayer has the crazyest lyrics, Megadeth has good guitarests, Metallica good vocals and Anthrax is just easyer to listen to for me (don't spaz at me if you don't agree, it's just my personnal opinian). I guess lyrics matter most for me (which is also why i would've voted for Megadeth of we were allowed to vote twice).

Written by Hellish Star on 15.01.2007 at 19:04

I had doubts between Anthrax and Metallica but I voted Metallica. But these were not the best thrash metal debutes for me, Vio-lence, Forbidden and Agent Steel had better debutes than these bands....

Well that's cool but we're talking about the big four here

Metallica - Kill'em All got my vote. A very good album and a great debut. If only Megadeth's debut album had better production, it would've been great. As for Anthrax, their first album is pretty good but it does not beat Metallica's. And as far as Slayer is concerned, I do not like their debut album. In fact the only Slayer albums I listen and enjoy once in a while are Reign in Blood, South of Heaven and Seasons in the Abyss.

Why isn't Testament in the list? Their debut album was really good.

Written by Guest on 25.02.2007 at 18:46

Why isn't Testament in the list? Their debut album was really good.

Because this poll is about the so-called Big Four Of Thrash - Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer.

I was between Slayer and Metallica but decided to vote for Metallica.
All these albums are classics but Kill 'Em All is the best. I love the guitars, Burton's bass and James' childish vocals.

Very nice poll, btw.

I voted for Metallica's Kill 'Em All, way better than "Show No Mercy" and "Killing Is My Business" (I don't have "Fistful of Metal"). Seek & Destroy, The Four Horsemen, Motorbreath, Whiplash... I don't know what to say; it is solid, headbangable and deep at the same time. I adore "Kill 'Em All".

I haven't heard all of Anthrax's debut. I chose Megadeth's. I like the raw production and miss Mustaine's scratchy vocals. The riffs were prettty catchy as well (such as on the self-titled track) so they stay in my head for seemingly hours. Metallica's would be second though. I love that raw thrash feel which disappeared on the second release. Slayer's is a good release and my favourite Slayer song 'The Antichrist' is on that album. Sadly this album usually gets overshadowed by Reign In Blood.

I have listened to the ones by megadeth andd Metallica, and I don't like both of those much ; I guess Slayer's would be better, but since I haven't listened to that, I won't vote until I've listened to it.

KILL 'EM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kill 'Em All of course. I've liked it for a lot longer than the others and its easily my favorite Metallica album..

I was between Metallica and Anthrax. don't like Slayer debut album, it's quite ordinary and...how to say...plain. Kill'Em All is anthological album, has drawn directions to those generations and my favorite 'tallica album. They really suck lately, but i love this thrash phase so much...Anthrax - Fistful of metal is also one of the best albums of the genre...

Kill'em All from the list.

Kill 'Em All easily I think. I like all of Metallica's early albums a lot even though I like the Slayer and Megadeath albums mentioned a bit as well. The others just dont have what early Metallica had I guess.