Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has offered his take on a reimagined “Big Four” for thrash metal, naming Testament, Trivium, Overkill and Exodus as potential leaders of the era.
At 65, Mustaine’s own band once constituted one quarter of the original thrash quartet—the so‑called Big Four of the 1980s, alongside Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax—but he envisions a fresh, younger generation guiding the scene now.
During an appearance on the Czech music television channel Ocko, he commented: “Well, it wouldn’t be a young generation, but I do believe that there are ways to do a new ‘Big Four’.”
“I think that Testament, I think Overkill, I think Exodus, and maybe Trivium; I don’t know.”
“Trivium’s not really a thrash metal band, so I’d have to think about that. But I think those other three guys would be really great.”
Mustaine has spoken warmly about sharing the stage with Testament and believes Overkill plays a crucial role on the East Coast metal circuit.
He elaborated: “Overkill is really important on the East Coast metal scene. Exodus, of course, I love Exodus. And I’ve been friends with Gary [Holt, Exodus guitarist] longest of all people that I’ve been friends with in the music industry.”
“And Testament. Eric [Peterson, Testament guitarist], Alex [Skolnick, Testament guitarist], those guys are really great guitar players. And I love when we get a chance to play with the band.”
Yet there are still questions about how long Mustaine and Megadeth will remain active in thrash, as a farewell tour is planned for next year.
Mustaine recently acknowledged that the group’s final set of performances will aim to be a “true celebration of metal” rather than a sorrowful goodbye.
In a statement, he explained: “This isn’t about saying goodbye. It’s about celebrating everything we’ve built together over the last four decades. Every city has its own story, every crowd has given us unforgettable memories, and we want to come back to celebrate that with the fans who made it all possible.”
“When we started talking about this tour, we wanted it to be a true celebration of metal. Black Label Society and Testament are bands we have tremendous respect for, and having them join us makes these shows even more special.”
“This line-up represents decades of heavy music, and it’s going to be an incredible night for the fans.”
