t's the question Metal-heads have asked since the mid 80's. Who is better? Slayer or Metallica? The answer, without question of course is Slayer.

Think about it. I'm not sure where Metallica went wrong, but they did. Maybe "One" was the beginning of the end. For me, the end came in an old blue van with my friend Mike cruising down Valley View blvd. in Buena Park sometime in July of 1991. The DJ on the radio announced the "World Premiere" of the new Metallica song called "Enter Sandman". We were so excited. We had seen the mighty Metallica on the "And Justice for All" tour in Long Beach, Ca. and they were stellar. To this day, fond memories come rushing back. They were at times phenomenal, and at times not. They screwed up "Breadfan" and had to restart it, showing that they were humans and not the musical pro's I had elevated them to be. I loved them all the more for it. They're just regular dudes.

So "Enter Sandman" comes on the radio and we listen. Excitement turned to dismay. When the song was over, we sat in silence, then gave each other a silent look with furrowed brows, perplexed at why our heroes would put out such a shitty song. Could it be that Metallica was doing everything they promised not to over the years? Over the months as our ears heard more songs from the Black Album, we knew that Metallica's greatest statements were now behind them and that we were done with them. To this day, I have never owned it and still hate it. It must have been the Black album because they were in mourning over what once was. I know I was.

I have a theory that every band makes that one great record that they know at the time is incredible. All the planets align just right and they know they will never make another record that will be better than that record for the rest of their career. For Metallica, that record is of course, Master of Puppets. I think MOP's is the best metal record ever in the history of the world only AFTER Slayer's Reign in Blood. I've never really called Metallica "sellouts". I hate that word. Some bands totally sellout. Others evolve. Metallica evolved right out of favor with a lot of people over the years. The Black album went on to be their biggest selling record ever. They strayed from whatever formula they had, and you can't say it was Cliff's death, because they came back with And Justice for All after Cliff was killed and it kicked ass.

Slayer on the other hand, NEVER fucking strayed from the formula. Whatever they have that makes them Slayer, it has never been diluted. Before Reign in Blood, they were just another speed metal band. After Reign in Blood, they were the kings of their genre. They blew Metallica right out the door with that shit. Slayer was and still is the kings of the Devil metal bands. Sure, some records were a little slower than others, but they have managed to "evolve" without totally losing what makes them sound the way they do. That's why I respect the Hell out of them. They have won Grammy's without even trying or caring. They are the band Metallica wishes they had been more like. While Metallica tries to claw their way back to the top of the scrap metal pile, Slayer is content where they have always been, towering above the rest, still turning out incredibly blistering Metal that others can only wish to emulate. Long live SLAYER!!!!!!!

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