LAST WEEK, Patreon supporters got a super long chapter about the era around World Painted Blood, the final album with musical mastermind Jeff Hanneman.

THIS WEEK'S TOPIC is the Big Four American Thrash Metal Bands. You’re getting  two chapters about the boys... ALL the boys. The rivals. The allies. The frenemies. All of the above. United and strong. Mostly.

Press play and hear the new & improved versions of chapters 43 and 44 from the MONSTORIOUSLY EMBIGGENED unofficial band biography, "Slayer 66 2/3: A Metal Band Biography... or, How F*kin' Slayer Kicked F*kin' @ss," by your pal and host, D.X. Ferris.

Can you truly compare the careers of Metalica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax? Yes, you can. And we do. Get ready for metrics, advanced SLAYERMETRICS — it's a thing — superlatives, statistics, facts, hallmarks, career highs, questionable lows, and other dubious distinctions. It all ends with the Big Four Bands on the same stage, at the same time, playing the same song… sorta.

And, yes, we get into whether the term "Big Four" is appropriate.

DEEZ NOTEZ:

...are from the endnotes in the book. The ebook features these sources as live links. It's better than TV... if anything can be better than TV, that is.

VIDEO: “Paul Bostaph Slayer with Phil Demmel.” Video of band performing “Hell Awaits” with very temporary fill-in guitarist Phil Demmel, in late 2018. The video is one steady shot from behind Holt’s drum kit. No vocals are audible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B34krQvPv_Q

VIDEO: “Metallica 11/09/86 Anaheim CA @ Jezebels Full Concert.” Video of Metallica’s first show with Jason Newsted. Video quality is bad; the performance is breathtaking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKd13jVxPrY&t=3278s

VIDEO: Soundwave TV. “Slayer Interview: Soundwave TV 2011.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJRXU1gUqsY

READIN': “Readers’ Poll: The Top 10 Metal Bands of All Time.” Rolling Stone, 2 November 2011. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/readers-poll-the-top-10-metal-bands-of-all-time-13744/

READIN': Singer, Quentin Thane. “The 38 Greatest Heavy Metal Bands.” Forbes. 28 September 2024. Online: https://www.forbes.com/sites/entertainment/article/metal-bands/

READIN': “Top 50 Metal Bands of All Time.” Loudwire staff. 20 July 2016: https://loudwire.com/top-metal-bands-of-all-time/

VIDEO: “Slayer at Sonisphere in Poland.” Posted 18 June 2010, by user NMETV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-xieeESxTI

VIDEO: “James Hetfield with Slayer.” Jeff patiently tolerates Jaymz. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z50PVHIM00E

VIDEO: The Big Four — barely — jam together, playing "Am I Evil?" at Sofia, Bulgaria. The gave Dave Lombardo a drum. A drum. Barely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__j5Z_WcVgE

NOT UNRELATED:

Co-ed UK blackened thrash crüe Chupacabra, the 2023 Fortified With Ashes EP. Featuring Talkin' Slayer Riffmaster General SAVAGE Nige Savage⁠⁠.

⁠⁠⁠The new & improved & updated & embiggened book Ferris reads from every week, "Slayer 66 2 /3: A Metal Band Biography..., or, How Fkin' Slayer Kicked F*kin' @ss"⁠⁠⁠ — all four versions.

If you want to buy an autographed copy of the new 4th edition of the book, reach out: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ .

Free listeners miss every other episode.

Patreon supporters get an episode every week, plus more bonus Slaytanic content. Packages start at less than $1 an episode. Premiums include stickers, a shout-out on the show, and a free version of the audbiobook when it's finished.

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/SlayerBook⁠⁠⁠⁠ .

If you want to drop some ducats in the virtual tip jar... or you'd rather make a one-time payment for a VIP all-access pass, you can do it at ⁠⁠⁠⁠ko-fi.com/slayerbook⁠⁠⁠⁠ .

GRATITUDE.