Top 10 Best Songs From Thrash Metal's Big 4

When you stack the Big 4 against each other, you get four very different answers to the question of what thrash metal should sound like. Metallica brings the massive riffs and dramatic songwriting, Megadeth fires off technical guitar work at ridiculous speed, Slayer goes straight for the throat, and Anthrax throws hardcore energy and a little New York attitude into the pit. You can argue for hours about which band owns the genre, but once the debate shifts to individual songs, things get even uglier.

Here, you're judging decades of breakneck riffing, snarling vocals, double-kick assaults, and solos that have probably sent more aspiring guitarists back to the practice room than they care to admit.

1. Holy Wars... The Punishment Due - Megadeth

   Best thrash metal song EVER. I mean, it's a masterpiece!

   Daddy Walrus, this song makes me moist.

2. Master of Puppets - Metallica

   

   Of course it's MASTER.

3. Raining Blood - Slayer

   

   Heaviest metal song ever.

4. Angel of Death - Slayer

   

   This is not only the best thrash metal song released by the Big Four. This is, according to me, the best thrash metal song ever released. The definition of thrash metal should be changed to Angel of Death. It kind of hurts me to see that Raining Blood is above this song. Don't get me wrong, Raining Blood is an amazing song, and so is the whole album Reign in Blood, but Angel of Death just feels more thrash.

5. Tornado of Souls - Megadeth

   

   But now I'm the eye of the tornado.

6. Ride the Lightning - Metallica

   

   I'm surprised to see this in front of MOP. I'm really glad people like the other stuff more than just the most popular.

   Good. I think this is better than MoP by a little bit.

   I love this song!

7. Creeping Death - Metallica

   

8. Fade to Black - Metallica

   

   What?! Best song ever!

9. Hangar 18 - Megadeth

10. Caught in a Mosh - Anthrax

    

    Underrated.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    The Scorpion - Megadeth

    
12. ?

    Skin o' My Teeth - Megadeth

    
The Contenders

13. Indians - Anthrax

    

14. Seek & Destroy - Metallica

    

15. One - Metallica

    

    Best metal song ever. The rest of the album is boring, but this one is a real masterpiece.

16. Peace Sells - Megadeth

    

17. Madhouse - Anthrax

    

    Should be top 5.

18. For Whom the Bell Tolls - Metallica

    

19. Battery - Metallica

    

    This song is speed itself.

20. Seasons in the Abyss - Slayer

    Slayer's the best band in the Big 4, and this is the best Slayer song.

21. I Am the Law - Anthrax

    

22. Welcome Home (Sanitarium) - Metallica

    

    How did this song not make top 10 or top 5 even. May be about insanity, no need to be insane and have it this low in the list.

    How did this song not make top 10 or top 5 even.

23. Wherever I May Roam - Metallica

    

24. In My Darkest Hour - Megadeth

    

25. At Dawn They Sleep - Slayer

    

26. A Skeleton in the Closet - Anthrax

    

27. St. Anger - Metallica