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The Big 4's Detractors

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As a hardcore metalhead such as myself, I have heard this statement a many an occasion: "God, the Big Four of thrash metal are so overrated, I mean there are just way better bands then them."  It's almost like a rite of passage if your to be a hardcore, true fan of metal in select circles.  And to be honest, it annoys the Lemmy piss out of me.  Now that isn't to say one cannot have this opinion, obviously everyone has the right to any opinion that they want (unless they say St. Anger is the best album, then we crucify them), but I see it so many times and it really seems like people are saying it just because these bands are too popular and that's about it.

Image result for the big 4 of thrash metalImage result for the big 4 of thrash metalImage result for the big 4 of thrash metalI will admit that it does slightly irritate me when some people talk about these bands constantly and have this attitude of disregarding the other plethora of bands that are in the genre and multiple subgenres of metal, but that isn't the bands fault that they have the fan base that they do.  Because I will be honest, once you take away the status and popularity that these bands have been afforded, they are very fucking kick ass.  Metallica in their prime, killer, as even the biggest haters will at least slightly agree with.  Slayer, punishing, fierce, satanic, and the biggest influence on death and black metal out of the four.  Megadeth, one of the most technically impressive, politically biting bands of the genre, and the band that has crafted some of the best metal albums of all time, regardless of what sub genre.  And Anthrax...ok I will be real with y'all I've tried to get into Anthrax and I'm just not seeing something.

The point that I'm trying to convey is that some of us in the metal community have become way too blinded by the success that the bands have achieved.  It's admittedly a problem I see all across music communities, but I see it very prominently in metal; the classic "oh they've gone popular that means they suck and are overhyped."  This is a mindset that I really just have no patience for the more I dive into music as a whole; I understand not being into a band because they are overplayed or overexposed, trust me with even some of my favorite bands I have that same reaction, but let's not use that as a reason to throw a band and their influence under the bus.  As I've stated, if you don't like the band, you don't like the band, but have it be for a reason that isn't a reaction to how popular they have gotten or how annoying sometimes the fans are.

In my view, that is bordering on intellectual dishonesty and is almost childish in behavior.  Take away the millions that the bands have accumulated, the stadiums, everything, and focus on the music.  If the music stirs you even a little, don't think of it as you "succumbing to the normies" but that you acknowledge that these popular bands are popular for a pretty damn good reason.  Now I like some other thrash bands more than at least Slayer and Metallica (because Megadeth would be in the top five for myself) but I will at the very least acknowledge that they are great bands who deserve the praise they have received.  Again, different opinions are all fine, but don't just mindlessly hate on an act just because you want to be part of the cool crowd, because saying Metallica is overrated isn't that hot of a take anymore, just saying.
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