Slayer vs. Metallica
 

First, let us look at individual members of the bands.
Tom Araya vs. James Hetfield-
The vocalists for the bands. Araya for Slayer and Hetfield for Metallica. Some say that Araya lacks range to his ability, but he can still go through an hours-long concert screaming his voice out for Slayer’s songs while I sincerely pray you haven’t had the torture of listening to Hetfield sing, if you can call it that, live. It’s horrible. I heard some of my favorite Metallica songs once done live with him and I was ready to kill him. Even moreso than when I was reading about how much of an ass he is.
Kerry King/Jeff Hammerman vs. James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett-
This is one I can’t decide. King and Hammerman are extremely talented guitarists but Hetfield and Hammett made some of the best riffs ever. I would argue some of King’s and Hammerman’s bigger and more well-known songs like Angel of Death, South of Heaven show their immense aptitude for guitaring that could rival Hetfield/Hammett. But hey/Mustaine/Friedman might take them both.
Dave Lombardo vs. Lars Ulrich-
Now this is just a slaughter. Lombardo is one of the best metal drummers alive. It’s like comparing Neil Peart from Rush to Joey Jordison from Slipknot. Besides, no one likes Lars.
Tom Araya vs. Cliff Burton-
Yeah, this is a clear winner sadly for Metallica. Araya is not the greatest bassist and I don’t think he’s ever attempted to be.
Now, if we were to compare which album by the band is considered most influential and legendary, it be Reign in Blood compared to Master of Puppets which is not entirely fair. Reign in Blood has some fantastic riffs but compared to MoP it just won’t cut it. Let’s try Seasons In The Abyss vs. Master of Puppets. That would be the title track, War Ensemble and Dead Skin Mask vs. the MoP title track, Leper Messiah and let’s say....Battery. I personally thought that all six songs were fabulous but I honestly would much rather listen to Dead Skin Mask than Leper Messiah. It impressed me far more.
Finally, the bands generally. Some people I’ve noticed are fond of saying "old Metallica kicks Slayer’s ass." There is no old Metallica. Old Metallica is not a separate entity from new Metallica. They’re the same band and that band has degenerated into absolute shit. Compare how the bands have progressed with God Hates Us All vs. St. Anger. NO competition whatsoever. People have to face it. The good Metallica died long ago and Slayer has been kicking major amounts of ass for their whole career even when they lost Lombardo for a couple albums. And don’t tell me that "well, at least Metallica evolved." They didn’t evolve. They sold out for what sells while Slayer stays with the sound that brung them to the dance and shows us that even after 20+ years, they are still able to make that sound in a new way to absolutely own your soul.

Let me tell you something. These two bands are def the best, hands down. Im more of a slayer fan but that doesnt stop me from listening to Metellica.

Well, i can and can not agree w you on some parts.

1. Have you ever actually heard Met. live?, like been to a show? I've been twice and I think it's fucking amazing. Theres nothing wrong with James's voice, his classic little kaboots such as his way of saying "yeah" and Jesus let me tell you.

Master of puppets isnt even their best CD. Try the newer things. They sold at the black album. Doesnt mean shit though, they kicked ass all the way up until st. anger.

2. Slayer, i've never listened to, Sory.

SLAYER. metallica started to suck about halfway through the black album, and theyre not that good in concert, at least not as good as slayer. and the new metallica stuff, SUCKS ASS HOLE. it's sooo bad. st anger is horrible, and theyre sellouts now.

though id probably prefer the harder stuff, theyre still cool.

I like some older metallica. On the other hand, talented sux :o.

I don't see how you can even compare the two. It's like comparing the Caribbeans to Iraq because they both have sand. If you ever speak so condescendingly of Metallica again, I'll probably take your face off with a belt sander. I'll let this slide, though, since you recently found out you were gay.

Metallica, you motherfucker. :D

Metallica, because they have quite a few songs but if it was to be on who made more attempts to make music for people I'd say Slayer because Metallica slowed down almost to a dead stop, and Slayer just released another album...So I mean...its be a couple years since the last Metallica CD Release

Vote: Slayer because they keep it coming....sorry Metallica I still listen u :P

Since when does nobody like Lars? I love that guy. In some of their live songs he just goes absolutely nuts on the drums, I can't believe some of the stuff he does, and he just keeps going at it flawlessly.

Metallica's live songs are much, much better than their non-live songs, in my opinion, with only few exceptions. Enter Sandman was horrible live(when I say live, I'm talking S&M disks one and two, some of their "live" videos and stuff are horrible, and I'll agree to that much.)

I mostly disagree with people who say Metallica's newer stuff sucks, because for the most part I think people are just hopping on a really really big bandwagon when they say that. Their newer stuff isn't as good, for the most part, and it is different from their older stuff, but it doesn't suck.

I'll have to disagree with !K_A! personally, as I thought their new stuff sucked ever since they put out 'Load', and 'Bigger Load' was even worse in my eyes. I've tested every album they've put out, because I respected the hell out of them when I listened to their older stuff, but none of the newer stuff holds a candle to their older stuff. They sold out for sure after the Black Album, it reminds me of the classic Samson story in the Bible, they lost all their power after they cut their hair (done between 'Metallica' and 'Load').

I don't have a whole lot of experience with Slayer (mostly listened to the album 'Reign in Blood' so far) but I like their sound. I've heard some newer songs (haven't analyzed em at all) but their sound did evolve without completely changing their style, which is the opposite of Metallica.

While I understand that artists may want to change their sound as they feel 'tapped out' on their original style and such, but if you don't like it, you don't like it. :(