Metal Stars Pick Their Favorite 'Big Four' Band

July 8, 2011

Arguably the four most influential thrash metal bands of all time are set to share the stage at the Sonisphere festival in Knebworth, United Kingdom today (Friday, July 8). The Sonisphere web site asked a bunch of the artists performing over the weekend which of METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH or ANTHRAX means the most to them musically and why.

IN FLAMES bassist Peter Iwers: "Oh, that's a hard question. If I have to pick one oh, that's a toughie. I really like them all. I like the early ANTHRAX, all of MEGADETH, the early SLAYER, the early METALLICA. I like it all. Just to name one I would pick ANTHRAX, but only because you made me choose. I saw ANTHRAX opening up for IRON MAIDEN around the 'Persistance Of Time' record and it was amazing, the energy and the moshing. And they still have it, even though they're way older than I am, and they still have the energy and they still rock on stage."

ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott: "I grew listening to all four of these bands and I enjoyed all their early albums a lot and they helped shape me into the musician I am today. However, SLAYER is the band that has consistently been playing extreme metal and have kept the spirit of thrash alive! Enter to the realm of Satan!"

FOZZY frontman Chris Jericho: "METALLICA are my favorite band of all time, but I'm really excited to see ANTHRAX, too. They've always been one of my favorites, but haven't really done as much as they could have in the last 10 years. I think these shows are really lighting a fire under their collective asses and they've been playing some great concerts. They're the hometown heroes for me, apart from METALLICA, who are just above and beyond everybody else you'll ever see in your life. I never would have guessed when I was 14 years old in the basement playing 'Seek And Destroy' that some day I would be playing the same festival as METALLICA."

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY/SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera: "Mine's probably SLAYER. SLAYER's just violent, man. The old shit. We grew up with that man. I love those fucking records. It's brutal."

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