Original Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo has confirmed that the band paid close attention to the musical directions of other Big Four thrash metal groups during their formative years. In a recent interview, Lombardo stated: “Absolutely. We would listen to it. We would listen and absorb, hear what they did. ‘Okay, now let’s go ahead and move on. And we’re Slayer.’ There wasn’t any plagiarism or any kind of — anything like that.”
Lombardo emphasized that Slayer’s competitive drive was rooted in a desire for musical excellence rather than rivalry. “What I think — well, at least what my mindset was to be the fastest, the heaviest and the most brutal band on earth,” he explained. He further noted that by the time the Big Four were established, there was no need for destructive competition. “At the time that we were doing it, we were all so established in our own worlds that there was no need for any competition or any childish behavior that could spring up in the early days.”
The drummer highlighted the strong bonds between the bands. He described them as a unified metal community. “And even back then, even in the early days, we didn’t have any kind of this feeling towards each other. We were just all metalheads, and we were a big family, like you see us all now. There was camaraderie. We all had the same vision and same drive to get to that one place, and that’s on stage. That was it.”
Lombardo’s comments reveal the collaborative spirit that defined the Big Four era of thrash metal. Ultimate Metal reported that Lombardo confirmed he and his bandmates actively listened to and absorbed influences from Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax throughout the 1980s. This mutual appreciation fostered a creative exchange that elevated the entire thrash metal genre rather than diminishing it through petty competition.
The camaraderie among the bands extended beyond mere respect for each other’s work. The Metal List documented that the Big Four thrash metal bands maintained familial bonds and a shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of heavy music. This collaborative mindset allowed each band to develop its own distinctive sound while drawing inspiration from their peers’ innovations.
While Slayer monitored the output of their contemporaries, Lombardo made clear that the band’s primary focus remained singular and unwavering. Loudwire noted that Lombardo previously stated Slayer’s competitive spirit was directed toward achieving unparalleled brutality and speed rather than outpacing their peers in a negative sense. “We were brutal man, we were on top of our game… We really showed everyone else how it should be done,” Lombardo reflected on Slayer’s legacy.
As the co-founding drummer on landmark albums like Reign in Blood (1986), Lombardo was instrumental in establishing Slayer’s signature sound. He remains recognized as one of thrash metal’s greatest drummers. His drumming prowess and the band’s relentless approach to composition set a standard that influenced not only the Big Four but the entire thrash metal genre. The band’s dedication to being “the fastest, the heaviest and the most brutal” became a defining characteristic that resonated with metal fans worldwide and continues to influence musicians today.
