Slayer guitarist Kerry King, who is legendarily blunt in his interviews, has delivered a searing new opinion in the decades-long Metallica vs. Megadeth debate.
In a new interview with Reigning TV, King and his solo band vocalist, Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), were asked which of the two thrash giants they preferred. King did not hesitate.
“I’m gonna be brutally honest. Metallica has a singer. Sorry Dave,” King stated, referring to Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine.
When pressed to choose between the frontmen specifically, King doubled down, telling Osegueda: “James Hetfield. Sorry Dave, I know played in your band, but, I’m going with James.”
King‘s comment, “I know played in your band,” is a direct reference to his own brief but significant history with Mustaine. King famously performed with Megadeth for a handful of their first shows in 1984 before deciding to commit full-time to Slayer.
The jab at Mustaine‘s vocals comes despite King‘s long-held, vocal admiration for his guitar playing. In a 2023 Metal Hammer interview, King praised Mustaine‘s early work, which he witnessed firsthand.
“Still to this day, he’s a f**king great guitar player,” King said at the time. “I was very enamoured with seeing Mustaine play these insane leads and James [Hetfield] playing these insane rhythms and barking out these lyrics.”
King‘s new comments are especially timely. Just last week, Dave Mustaine made headlines by confirming that Megadeth‘s upcoming final album will feature a cover of the Metallica track “Ride the Lightning“—a song Mustaine co-wrote. Mustaine called his version a “tip of a hat” to his former bandmates.
King is currently on a media run in support of his own solo career, built around his band featuring Osegueda. Following the successful 2024 release of his debut album, From Hell I Rise, King recently confirmed that he is already writing lyrics for the follow-up, which he hopes to record “before New Year’s.”
