In an interview with Metal Hammer Españaguitarist Exodus, Gary Holtspoke about his relationship with Metallica. According to him, his band currently "crushes" the group led by James Hetfield.
The musician responded that each group “made its own musical decisions” and that Metallica “was the biggest” name in the thrash metal scene in the 1980s. Holt also named Master of Puppets as the “best metal album ever made.”
“Everyone makes their own musical decisions. Metallica was the best of all of us. I mean, I don’t think so anymore. I think Exodus crushes them, but that’s just my humble opinion. But Master Of Puppets, for me, is the best metal album ever made. I love it. I’m envious, that album is so good. It makes me envious. Some people prefer Ride The Lightning. I think Master Of Puppets is a masterpiece,” he commented [transcription via Metal Injection].
In the conversation, Holt also commented on Metallica's commercial explosion between the late 80s and early 90s and the effect this had on the scene. Gary stated that Exodus "made its own sound" and "tries its best" not to be like that band.
“I think the thrash bands that came after us — because, obviously, the first two in the Bay Area were Metallica and us — were really trying to imitate what they were doing. That’s why most of them started doing ballads and kind of following the model, while we kind of made our own sound. And, for better or worse, we made our own decisions. We tried our best not to be like them,” he concluded.
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