We all have seen countless topics about the 'Big Four' of 80s thrash, but these were three bands that never quite made it to the top. In fact, some say that if Testament had released a few more good albums, they would have made the big four a 'big five'. Which is your favorite?

I never was huge fan of Exodus but Overkill and Testament in 80ties was awsome, but I like only 80ties albums

Agent Steel
Forbidden
Vio-lence
Heathen

From there three Overkill is certainly my favourite, album such as "Feel the Fire" and "Taking Over" are responsible for getting me into thrash. Next three albums were varying in quality, staying between good and great. Even their 90's period was pretty good, compared to rest... But since the new millenia they've going seriously downhill.

Exodus is good also, "Bounded by Blood" is a good piece of thrash. "Fabulous Disaster" is also pretty good.

Testament was probably best at their "Legacy" days, with rest downhill from there.

And of course so many bands not mentioned...

//Testament because of the most consistency, just about every album except low has been awesome. Dont really like Exodus' new vocalist and only liked Bonded By Blood. Never was a real big Overkill fan to begin with//

I think Testament were the best Thrash band of the '80's along with Sepultura. Period. I don't really like the big 4

So unquestionably I'll vote for them!

exodus for sure, I like their sound better than the other ones.
But I prefer Nuclear Assault

i'll go with Exodus in this poll. i love "Bonded by Blood" and "Fabulous Disaster"

Written by BitterCOld on 16.05.2008 at 07:00

i'll go with Exodus in this poll. i love "Bonded by Blood" and "Fabulous Disaster"

Only song from band what I like and like werry much are 'Toxic Watltz'

Easily Exodus, since their first three albums are classics and Tempo Of The Damned is great too and Exhibition A is good. Overkill are quite crap IMO excpet for Taking Over and well, Testament is the most overrated thrash band ever. Only 1.5 great albums (The Legacy and half of The New Order) and the rest of their discography is mediocre at best.

This is a hard one but I voted for Exodus... I like all of the 3 albuns from the 80s(especially Bonded By Blood and Fabulous Disaster). In Testament I've only liked The Legacy.

overkill 4 sure .. they kept the pure thrash metal alive . until now
bands like exodus, Testament started to get influnceld by the new wave of metal .

Exodus should be in the "bigs" group (I think they totally deserve a room there, instead of Anthrax), their 80's work is totally awesome, and all of them masterpieces. For me Testament has only one masterpiece "The Legacy" the following two albums are good too. And I think Overkill is like a "4 tier" 80's thrash band, I'd rather preferr Sepultura,Kreator,Sadus,Sodom in that place. Or is this just for US bands?

Written by [user id=32012] on 17.05.2008 at 22:00

Exodus should be in the "bigs" group (I think they totally deserve a room there, instead of Anthrax), their 80's work is totally awesome, and all of them masterpieces. For me Testament has only one masterpiece "The Legacy" the following two albums are good too. And I think Overkill is like a "4 tier" 80's thrash band, I'd rather preferr Sepultura,Kreator,Sadus,Sodom in that place. Or is this just for US bands?

I like Exodus, but Anthrax was MUCH bigger, and MUCH more influential.

I realize the trend of the new metal fans is to attempt to re-write history so it matches their vision of they wish it was, rather than how it really was.

You. Are. Wrong.

I couldn't give a flying fuck at a rolling donut which band you prefer. Just because you like Exodus better than Anthrax does not mean they were bigger back in the glory days.

I prefer Exodus to Megadeth. Easily. But I'm not stupid/arrogant/ego-centric/delusional enough to spout every thread where it's remotely applicable that "I totally think that Exodus deserver a room there, instead of Megadave."

Both Exodus and Anthrax were big in the Thrash Metal scene.

Anthrax was also big OUTSIDE of that.

Written by BitterCOld on 17.05.2008 at 23:06

Written by [user id=32012] on 17.05.2008 at 22:00

Exodus should be in the "bigs" group (I think they totally deserve a room there, instead of Anthrax), their 80's work is totally awesome, and all of them masterpieces. For me Testament has only one masterpiece "The Legacy" the following two albums are good too. And I think Overkill is like a "4 tier" 80's thrash band, I'd rather preferr Sepultura,Kreator,Sadus,Sodom in that place. Or is this just for US bands?

I like Exodus, but Anthrax was MUCH bigger, and MUCH more influential.

I realize the trend of the new metal fans is to attempt to re-write history so it matches their vision of they wish it was, rather than how it really was.

You. Are. Wrong.

I couldn't give a flying fuck at a rolling donut which band you prefer. Just because you like Exodus better than Anthrax does not mean they were bigger back in the glory days.

I prefer Exodus to Megadeth. Easily. But I'm not stupid/arrogant/ego-centric/delusional enough to spout every thread where it's remotely applicable that "I totally think that Exodus deserver a room there, instead of Megadave."

Both Exodus and Anthrax were big in the Thrash Metal scene.

Anthrax was also big OUTSIDE of that.

Exactly out of the big foiur in terms of how big they were it was:

1. Metallica
who were miles ahead of the rest

the numbers 2 and 3 were pretty close, especially dpeneding on what country you were in.
2. Anthrax
3. Slayer

4. Megadeth
who were actually by far the least popular of the big four.

and after those four it woould be a topss up between Testament, and Exodus, and only after those two you would get Sepultura and Kreator, and Destruction, and then a a long time to go till you would get to Sodom in terms of how big they were.

Although I locved bands such as Holy Terror, Sacred Reich, Flotsam & Jetsam, Artillery, Exhorder etc. they were non-existent more or less in terms of fan numbers compared to the thrash bands I just mentioned. Hell these bands played for 300 at most in the Netherlands and other ocuntries.

Written by BitterCOld on 17.05.2008 at 23:06

Written by [user id=32012] on 17.05.2008 at 22:00

Exodus should be in the "bigs" group (I think they totally deserve a room there, instead of Anthrax), their 80's work is totally awesome, and all of them masterpieces. For me Testament has only one masterpiece "The Legacy" the following two albums are good too. And I think Overkill is like a "4 tier" 80's thrash band, I'd rather preferr Sepultura,Kreator,Sadus,Sodom in that place. Or is this just for US bands?

I like Exodus, but Anthrax was MUCH bigger, and MUCH more influential.

I realize the trend of the new metal fans is to attempt to re-write history so it matches their vision of they wish it was, rather than how it really was.

You. Are. Wrong.

I couldn't give a flying fuck at a rolling donut which band you prefer. Just because you like Exodus better than Anthrax does not mean they were bigger back in the glory days.

I prefer Exodus to Megadeth. Easily. But I'm not stupid/arrogant/ego-centric/delusional enough to spout every thread where it's remotely applicable that "I totally think that Exodus deserver a room there, instead of Megadave."

Both Exodus and Anthrax were big in the Thrash Metal scene.

Anthrax was also big OUTSIDE of that.

Shit, do I really pissed you off ?

So may be you can teach me about what makes this bands to form the big four?explain me (I am not challenging you, I wanna know).

Written by [user id=32012] on 17.05.2008 at 23:42

Written by BitterCOld on 17.05.2008 at 23:06

Written by [user id=32012] on 17.05.2008 at 22:00

Exodus should be in the "bigs" group (I think they totally deserve a room there, instead of Anthrax), their 80's work is totally awesome, and all of them masterpieces. For me Testament has only one masterpiece "The Legacy" the following two albums are good too. And I think Overkill is like a "4 tier" 80's thrash band, I'd rather preferr Sepultura,Kreator,Sadus,Sodom in that place. Or is this just for US bands?

I like Exodus, but Anthrax was MUCH bigger, and MUCH more influential.

I realize the trend of the new metal fans is to attempt to re-write history so it matches their vision of they wish it was, rather than how it really was.

You. Are. Wrong.

I couldn't give a flying fuck at a rolling donut which band you prefer. Just because you like Exodus better than Anthrax does not mean they were bigger back in the glory days.

I prefer Exodus to Megadeth. Easily. But I'm not stupid/arrogant/ego-centric/delusional enough to spout every thread where it's remotely applicable that "I totally think that Exodus deserver a room there, instead of Megadave."

Both Exodus and Anthrax were big in the Thrash Metal scene.

Anthrax was also big OUTSIDE of that.

Shit, do I really pissed you off ?

So may be you can teach me about what makes this bands to form the big four?explain me (I am not challenging you, I wanna know).

I will answer here if you don't mind.

What made Metalllica, Anthrax, Slayer, & Megadeth the big four of thrash was just how big they were in the 80s till about 1991 (when Thrash came to a screeching hold with the humongous Clash Of The Titans tour)
These four were by far the biggest four thrash bands around in that day and age. More sales, more tickets sold etc. than any other thrash band around at the time.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 17.05.2008 at 23:46

Written by [user id=32012] on 17.05.2008 at 23:42

Written by BitterCOld on 17.05.2008 at 23:06

Written by [user id=32012] on 17.05.2008 at 22:00

Exodus should be in the "bigs" group (I think they totally deserve a room there, instead of Anthrax), their 80's work is totally awesome, and all of them masterpieces. For me Testament has only one masterpiece "The Legacy" the following two albums are good too. And I think Overkill is like a "4 tier" 80's thrash band, I'd rather preferr Sepultura,Kreator,Sadus,Sodom in that place. Or is this just for US bands?

I like Exodus, but Anthrax was MUCH bigger, and MUCH more influential.

I realize the trend of the new metal fans is to attempt to re-write history so it matches their vision of they wish it was, rather than how it really was.

You. Are. Wrong.

I couldn't give a flying fuck at a rolling donut which band you prefer. Just because you like Exodus better than Anthrax does not mean they were bigger back in the glory days.

I prefer Exodus to Megadeth. Easily. But I'm not stupid/arrogant/ego-centric/delusional enough to spout every thread where it's remotely applicable that "I totally think that Exodus deserver a room there, instead of Megadave."

Both Exodus and Anthrax were big in the Thrash Metal scene.

Anthrax was also big OUTSIDE of that.

Shit, do I really pissed you off ?

So may be you can teach me about what makes this bands to form the big four?explain me (I am not challenging you, I wanna know).

I will answer here if you don't mind.

What made Metalllica, Anthrax, Slayer, & Megadeth the big four of thrash was just how big they were in the 80s till about 1991 (when Thrash came to a screeching hold with the humongous Clash Of The Titans tour)
These four were by far the biggest four thrash bands around in that day and age. More sales, more tickets sold etc. than any other thrash band around at the time.

Thanks Marcel, now I get it.

Due to this thread, I have listened to Exodus' three albums, "Bonded by Blood," "Tempo of the Damned," and "Atrocity Exhibition...", but still find Testament better. I discovered them earlier, and I really don't understand why Marcel thinks they have only 1,5 good albums. I think they have been pretty consistent throughout the years although the music has changed since The Ritual, which is probably their worst album. But maybe it's just a matter of tastes. I haven't listened to Overkill yet, so man... I can't really vote... But I guess I would go with Testament anyways making it a 5-vote tie.

I probably should have included some non-american bands.

Written by Hangar XVIII on 21.05.2008 at 15:05

I probably should have included some non-american bands.

Maybe, but maybe not since the big four are all American bands. Maybe you could create a new thread like "Non-American Thrash Metal bands." I think all they are "second tier" or "third tier"

Written by K✞ulu on 21.05.2008 at 16:25

Written by Hangar XVIII on 21.05.2008 at 15:05

I probably should have included some non-american bands.

Maybe, but maybe not since the big four are all American bands. Maybe you could create a new thread like "Non-American Thrash Metal bands." I think all they are "second tier" or "third tier"

Good idea.

Written by Hangar XVIII on 21.05.2008 at 15:05

I probably should have included some non-american bands.

US Metal rules

Overkill, I havn't heard a single album by them Ive disliked.

I don,t like exodus quite much. The choice would be between Testament and Overkill. I am much fan of Overkill style, however my vote goes for Testament, because of their initial innovation, creativity and re-innovation beyond the years. They released a masterpiece -Low- when nobody suspected and they have done so another two times with The Formation of Damnation 2007 and The Gathering 1999

I forgot to say that I can,t stand any Overkill album after the 4th.

Hell Yeah Testament is damn good... And they made great albums !

''Legacy'' and ''The New Order'' were damn crazy even better than alot of Metallica's albums.

What?! No love for German Thrash Metal?

Written by VPeter on 24.10.2008 at 22:46

What?! No love for German Thrash Metal?

I know, out of the "lesser" thrash bands, Sodom is definitely my favorite. Kreator kicks ass too. I'd pick either of those bands over Testament/overkill any day (maybe not over Exodus).

But I think the original poster was talking strictly American Thrash bands, since he was originally talking about bands outside of the "big four."

I'll vote for Testament, most certainly. They were great in the 80's. Maybe not the best thrash band, but definitely the best out of these 3.