Metallica and Megadeth...two names that are legendary in the world of metal.  Both have had some of the greatest metal albums ever made and both have had very successful careers.  These two acts are still together and can still pack 'em in.  Dave Mustaine was originally one of the founding members of Metallica but (depending on whose side you believe) was unexpectedly fired.  This departure from Metallica gave rise to quite arguably Metallica's greatest competitor...Megadeth.  Two giants of metal who have pounded out dozens of incredible heavy hitting audio masterpieces.  However only ONE can be crowned the top act.  Who to pick?  How to decide?

The evidence:

METALLICA - From their first album "Kill 'Em All" Metallica proved a force to be reckoned with.  Songs like The Four Horsemen (which Mustaine co-wrote before departing)/Seek & Destroy and No Remorse fueled this album into a debut of greatness. 

What followed was three of the best metal albums ever made:  1984's Ride the Lightning brought the excellent For Whom the Bell Tolls/Fade to Black and the Call of Ktulu.  Hetfield's angry growls seasoned with Hammet's intense solos, Lars' amazing drumming and Burton's intensifying bass were near flawless and lifted these tracks and the album in to pure metal gold.  The next two albums proved only to get better and better.  Master of Puppets and Justice For All are easily the two best Metallica albums of their career and two of the best all-time metal albums by any group.  Tracks like Master of Puppets/The Thing That Should Not Be/Welcome Home (Sanitarium) from M.O.P. and Harvester of Sorrow/One (which caused Axl Rose to turn down the award for hard rock song of the year in favor of the perfect track by Metallica) and Blackened not only elevated Metallica's name in the metal world but solidified them as the undisputed kings.  Very impressive especially after losing a key member of the quartet (Cliff Burton) and still coming out with an album as strong as Justice was.

Ironically the next album which was simply self titled (often referred to as "The Black Album") would bring Metallica its greatest success yet but would also be the end (at least so far) of the bands greatness.  "Metallica" was much more polished, more condensed and became "radio friendly".  Although some great songs came from this album (Nothing Else Matters/The Unforgiven/Wherever I May Roam/Of Wolf and Man) none touched the greatness of the albums that had followed.  From "Metallica" the albums got less and less in quality.  Load was a disappointment with only glimpses of any former greatness, Reload was really no more than a second disc of Load and the albums that followed aren't even worth mentioning.  St Anger thus far has been the lowest point of their career and only the new album will determine if it remains to be.

MEGADETH - After parting ways with Metallica Dave Mustaine put together Megadeth and the debut album (Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!) soon followed.  The title track/Last Rites/Loved to Deth/Mechanix/ and The Skull Beneath the Skin were prime examples of the flavor of this album...nasty "speed metal" with teeth!  The album was a solid debut but had poor production as a result of Mustaine's heart being more into partying than financing his debut.  The following album "broke" Megadeth into the metal world.  1986's Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? became Megadeth's first hit and the title track introduced Megadeth to the MTV generation.  The title track along with The Conjuring/Good Mourning Black Friday and Wake Up Dead (also a MTV fave) drew interest to this band that was getting tighter and tighter, in part thanks to Mustaine's excellent writing, capable growls of his own and increasing guitar skills.  The next album proved to be more of the same with the exceptional Hook In Mouth/In My Darkest Hour (featured on the film The Decline of the Western Civilization: The Metal Years) and the cover of the Sex Pistol's Anarchy In The U.K.  The follow up would be Megadeth's finest album to date, the perfect Rust In Peace.  Songs like Holy Wars (The Punishment Due)/Hangar 18/Lucretia/Take No Prisoners and Tornado of Souls launched Megadeth into metal royalty, easily rivaling Metallica for top spot at this point. 

Then Megadeth seemingly took the same path as Metallica and "toned it down a bit" but ended up becoming more successful in the process.  1992's Countdown to Extinction displayed a very polished yet more "radio friendly" version of Megadeth.  However the tracks were extremely strong in the vein of Metallica's "Black Album".   The title track/Foreclosure of a Dream/Captive Honour and Sweating Bullets stood out as metal brilliance with tight instruments and superb lyrics.  Whereas the follow up to Metallica's self titled album brought a huge decline in their quality Megadeth's follow up to Countdown only got better (briefly) with Youthanasia.  Youthanasia did everything Countdown did only better.  The next two albums Cryptic Writings and Risk brought about a low point for the band.  The material sharply declined and was on par with the currently poor Metallica albums.  BUT whereas Metallica has (so far) never rebounded from their decline Megadeth has!  The next three albums following Risk have all been solid.  The World Needs A Hero/The System Has Failed and United Abominations has once again seen Megadeth releasing quality albums that are strong on playing and writing.

Both Metallica and Megadeth have new albums coming out.  Megadeth has recovered from their slump that was Cryptic Writings and Risk with three solid albums.  Since "The Black Album" Metallica has continued on a downward spiral.  For that reason I have to give my vote to Megadeth.