For countless ages, the debate as to who is a better metal band between Metallica and Megadeth has raged among fans and critics. Being a massive fan of both bands and a loudmouthed asshole who refuses to keep my opinions to myself, I have decided to put this damn debate to rest once and for all.

Metallica lost me at the Black album. Face it Metallica fans, they quit giving a fuck about you a long time ago. We're talking about a band that got famous solely through tape swapping (the pre-internet version of file sharing) due to a lack of interest from MTV and the spineless program directors at most radio stations, then turned around and sued Napster and their fans for engaging in the activity that got them where they were. Without tape swapping (free, bootleg) Metallica would have just been that band that opened for Ozzy in 86 and nothing more.

Megadeth on the other hand (primarily former Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine) has at least attempted to stay true to the spirit of metal through their tortured existence. It has been hit and miss along the way, no doubt. However a comparison of the most recent efforts by both bands detail a stark difference in what each band considers to be 'metal'.

Wow, they sure look metal, don't they? The last effort by this group of businessmen - that is indeed what they are, no longer a band - was the much hyped "St. Anger". I'm sorry, but this album was as massive a failure as an album can be and sell more than 2 copies. Lame shit writing, uber-simple riffs, and the worst drum sound since "Inagaddadavida" combine to show that Metallica is totally out of touch with not only their fans, but music in general. The songs were crap and stolen from their own previous work, and the mixing was horrible. You would think a band that spends 8 years in the studio and 400 billion dollars on an album woud at least TRY to make it good.

This group of badasses led by the incorrigable Dave Mustaine has had a few weak albums ("Youthansia"), but always seem to find a way to return to form even though the only constant member of the band is Mustaine himself. Hell, if Tony Iommi could call himself and three guys Black Sabbath, Mustaine can certainly do it. Not only have they recently released the best metal album in years with "United Abominations", they did it after Dave had to relearn how to play after injuring the nerves in his arm falling asleep with his arm over a chair. The man's career was over! Yet he persisted to the undying thanks of a great many fans of real metal of which he has always been a founding father.

Indeed Metallica has achieved a far greater amount of commercial success, but this is not the measuring stick of a metal band. Megadeth's last album sounds very much like "Rust In Peace", a return to form that began on "The System Has Failed". Already hardcore Megadeth fans are arguing over which album is better, a sign of which band is really knocking it out of the park. What are Metallica fans gonna debate? Whether James will grow his hair back or not, or which "Load" was better? Give me a break. Metallica's last album shouldn't even be listened to by ANYONE, let alone compared to their masterpieces "Master Of Puppets" or "...And Justice For All".

The true litmus test in the debate between Metallica and Megadeth lies in the music each band is working on now, and whether they remain an influence in the world of metal. True, Metallica's impact can not be denied, but neither can Megadeth's. However, Metallica quit being Metallica a long, long time ago and Megadeth is still writing shit up and coming metalheads can relate to and try to duplicate. The playing is extraordinary, whereas Metallica decided to quit even playing solos in their songs as if that were some departure from what other bands were doing. Since when did Metallica start caring about what other bands were doing?

Face the facts, even Rick Rubin may not be able to save Metallica. They continue to become less and less influential and more and more of a joke. Megadeth keeps working back to who they used to be, and completely kicking ass. The crux of the debate lies in the fact there is no Metallica any more, yet Megadeth keeps getting better. It also doesn't hurt Megadeth that Dave wrote the vast majority of Metallica's early songs, which James and co. continued playing even after firing Mr. Mustaine. "The Four Horsemen" was "The Mechanix", and was for all intents and purposes stolen by Hetfield.

Unless you're a brainwashed Metallibot, Megadeth wins.