Slayer guitarist Kerry King is making waves again with two blunt-force comments in one week — first, a harsh verdict on today’s metal scene, and then a loaded pick in the ongoing Metallica vs Megadeth debate.
In a fresh interview with Ultimate-Guitar, King said: “The beginning of something is different than the continuation of something,” and added that many modern metal bands simply lack the raw urgency and intensity that defined the genre’s early days. He criticised what he sees as “safe” production, fewer risks and less danger — the attributes that propelled bands like Slayer into metal’s upper echelons.
Two days later, in an interview with Ultimate-Guitar, King was asked to choose between Metallica and Megadeth. He answered bluntly: “I’m gonna be brutally honest. Metallica has a singer. Sorry Dave.” He went on to pick James Hetfield over Dave Mustaine as his preferred frontman. The comments have reignited fan debate around two of thrash’s biggest bands.
King’s dual commentary highlights his role as both an elder statesman of thrash and a provocateur unafraid of stirring the pot. He’s essentially saying that if the genre has changed, it’s no longer tapping the same visceral nerve that bands of his era did — and when asked to pick a team, he’s siding with Metallica because, in his view, the band still carries a stronger connection to those roots.
For readers who’ve followed Slayer’s final tour and King’s ongoing solo work, these remarks could serve as a prelude to what he might do next, whether it’s pushing younger bands to step up or laying down more heavyweight material himself. In any case, the fact that his comments are trending across Reddit’s r/Metal and r/ThrashMetal shows the appetite for straight-talk in metal is still very much alive.
For more on Kings’ past work with Slayer and his solo output, see our Slayer artist page.
