Dave Mustaine Names New Alternative Big Four Thrash Bands

Mustaine Proposes a New Guard for Thrash Metal

During a conversation with the Czech Republic's Óčko, Dave Mustaine was asked to field a "younger generation" of the "Big Four." While he noted that his selections would not necessarily represent a young generation, he proposed a lineup consisting of Testament, Exodus, Overkill, and potentially Trivium. Mustaine expressed some hesitation regarding the inclusion of Trivium, noting they do not strictly fit the Thrash Metal genre.

"Well, it wouldn't be a young generation, but I do believe that there are ways to do a new 'Big Four'. I think that Testament, I think Overkill, I think Exodus and maybe Trivium; I don't know. Trivium's not really a thrash metal band, so I'd have to think about that. But I think those other three guys would be really great."

— Dave Mustaine

Mustaine elaborated on his choices by highlighting the geographical and technical importance of the bands. He described Overkill as a vital component of the East Coast scene and spoke of his deep personal history with Exodus guitarist Gary Holt, whom he has known longer than anyone else in the music industry. Regarding Testament, Mustaine praised the technical proficiency of guitarists Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick.

"Overkill is really important on the East Coast metal scene. Exodus, of course, I love Exodus. And I've been friends with Gary [Holt] longest of all people that I've been friends with in the music industry. And Testament, Eric [Peterson] and Alex [Skolnick], those guys are really great guitar players. And I love when we get a chance to play with the band."

— Dave Mustaine

Historical Influence on the Original Big Four

The original "Big Four" consists of Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax. These bands first performed together on June 16, 2010, at the Sonisphere festival in Warsaw, Poland, and held their final collective performance on September 14, 2011, at Yankee Stadium. Mustaine has previously stated that he had a significant influence on all three of the other bands in the group.

"Well, I've been very invested in the metal community. Kerry [King] and I played together and I showed him how to play Megadeth songs, which was before [Slayer] started having all their pivotal records. Kerry and I had a really great time together. And I wrote music in Metallica and I wrote music in Megadeth. So, I've been very influential with the guitar with these three bands."

— Dave Mustaine

He further noted that Anthrax saw a shift in their sound after meeting him and the members of Metallica in New York, stating their second record was "very different" from their debut.

Perspectives from the Proposed Bands

The exclusion of bands like Exodus and Testament from the original "Big Four" has been a long-standing topic of discussion within the metal community. Gary Holt of Exodus suggested in 2010 that the grouping should have been a "Big Five" to include his band, citing their early presence in the Bay Area scene alongside Metallica.

"Well, I think it should be the 'Big Five' with Exodus, because we were there at the start of thrash metal with Metallica in the real early '80s... Really, the 'Big Four' is solely based on sales and the ones who sold the most."

— Gary Holt

Alex Skolnick of Testament has expressed a different view, attributing the classification to seniority. He noted that by the time Testament (then known as Legacy) released their debut, the "Big Four" already had several albums established. Chuck Billy, Testament's vocalist, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the rise of grunge in the early 1990s halted the momentum of the "next generation" of thrash bands.

"I never give it much thought, because, to me, it's not just the 'Big Four' — it's the first four... They were there [and] they were so much further along by the time we even got started. So I think it makes more sense to look at, okay, the next wave after the so-called 'Big Four' bands."

— Alex Skolnick

Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth of Overkill also characterized the "Big Four" as an "accounting issue," noting that record sales and the ability to fill arenas determined the hierarchy.

Megadeth's Current Activity and Future

Megadeth is currently on tour in support of their self-titled album, which the band has identified as their final studio record. The North American leg of the tour includes a performance in Hershey, Pa., on September 15, followed by an appearance at the Louder Than Life festival on September 17. The tour will continue through San Antonio on September 29 before heading to South Korea on October 3 and concluding with dates in Australia and New Zealand in November.