THE BIG FOUR SONG CHALLENGE SERIES - Matchup 178

Anthrax "Suzerain" (2016) VS Megadeth "Conquer Or Die!" (2016) VS Metallica "ManUNkind" (2016) VS Slayer "Cast The First Stone" (2015)

"Suzerain" is your pentennial reminder that Charlie Bennante don't fuck around.  Definitely the most fiery song on "For All Kings", and probably the closest to the old Anthrax as we're going to get ever again.  Bang your head in reflection.

"Conquer Or Die!" is more old school, though whether that works for or against it is up to you.  It's the three minute instrumental interlude.  This one is...fine.  Honestly, it's better than fine when compared to the song I have to review next, so I shan't complain too loudly.  But it is a song you wouldn't exactly miss if it fell off the face of the planet either.

"ManUNkind" was the point where I stopped giving "Hardwired...To Self-Destruct" the benefit of the doubt and started dreading the fact that I had 35 more minutes to go.  This is boring.  It's not lame, but even on its own, it sounds like a song by a lesser band they were trying to cover on "Garage INC" to make it sound cool to a wider public.  Even if that were true, I'm not so sure they succeeded.  I stopped typing like a minute ago, and there's still almost three minutes left in this song, and I have nothing left to say about it.  (Keep in mind: I did not want them to try and make a "Death Magnetic" part II; it probably wouldn't have worked.  But I know they can write better songs than this.  Hell, there's far catchier faire on this album.  I just think they could've left this one (and a few more) on the cutting room floor.)

"Cast The First Stone" has a solid groove, which I appreciate.  It reminds me of trebuchet warfare somehow, like when the chorus hits is when the giant boulder is in mid flight and everything else is the loading and aiming of the weapon surrounded by scrum.  At least it made me feel something.

"Suzerain": 4
"Cast The First Stone": 3
"Conquer Or Die!": 2
"ManUNkind": 1

UPDATE TOTALS:

Megadeth: 23
Metallica: 22
Anthrax: 21
Slayer: 15

ALL TIME TOTALS:

Anthrax: 459
Metallica: 446
Slayer: 443
Megadeth: 408

Megadeth has overtaken Metallica in the Update race, and Anthrax is fast on their heels.  Meanwhile, Slayer is looking to retake second place All Time.  Check back tomorrow to see where this leads...

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