'The Best Metal Album Ever Made,' According to Gary Holt

Thrash legend Gary Holt thinks his band Exodus "crushes" Metallica these days, but still holds one of their classic albums in high regard, dubbing it "the best metal album ever made."

Gary Holt on Metallica Vs. Exodus

The friendly rivalry between Exodus and Metallica extends back to, essentially, the dawn of thrash. While both sides are friendly and have mutual respect, Holt remains candid in his assessment of the subgenre's history and current state.

"I think the thrash bands that came after [us] — 'cause, obviously, the first two in the [San Francisco] Bay Area were us and Metallica — were really chasing what Metallica did," Holt told Metal Hammer Spain in a recent interview. "That's why most of 'em started doing ballads and they started following the blueprint a little, whereas Exodus kind of did our own thing. And for better or for worse, we made our own decisions," the guitarist went on, "We tried our hardest not to be like Metallica."

READ MORE: Gary Holt Takes the Temu Guitar Challenge

"Everybody makes their own musical decisions. Metallica were the best of all of us," Holt said, clarifying that he's talking about a specific era. "I mean, I don't think so anymore — I think Exodus crushes them, but that's my own humble opinion," he stated.

"Exodus carries the world's biggest chip on our shoulders," Holt told Loudwire Night radio host Chuck Armstrong earlier this year. "It works to our advantage," he said, "We're never satisfied. The world's against us and everybody looks down on us. We'll write the fastest thrash song ever compared to our peers — and if it's two percent not as fast as the one before, [people say that] Exodus slowed down. We're still faster than everybody else. We feel we don't get the credit and we've had years of self-inflicted damage and dysfunction, but it keeps us motivated to prove ourselves."

Gary Holt Calls Master Of Puppets the Best Metal Album

None of that shades or taints Holt's view of Metallica, however. Because one Metallica album is still above the rest in Holt's mind.

"But Master Of Puppets, to me, is the best metal album ever made. I fucking love it. I'm jealous, that album is so good. It makes me jealous," the Exodus leader confessed. He acknowledged that some fans, including his own bandmate Lee Altus, prefer Metallica's second album, Ride the Lightning, to their iconic 1986 release.

"I think Master Of Puppets is a masterpiece," he enthused, eager to single out a 1970s Judas Priest album as another absolute all-timer. "That album and Stained Class [by] Judas Priest are, to me, the two best metal albums of all time," Holt asserted, reiterating that it's "no choice" that Master of Puppets is still No. 1.

Below, see Exodus and Metallica in our list of The Best Thrash Album of Each Year Since 1983.