Kerry King criticized Metallica for straying from their thrash roots and taking a more “poppy” direction in their music.

In a recent conversation with Nikki Blakk, Kerry King reflected on the evolution of the Big Four thrash metal bands, discussing how the sounds of Slayer and Metallica have changed over the years, with Metallica becoming less thrash-oriented.

When asked if Slayer was “special” in the early thrash metal scene, King replied, “No, because Metallica was more of a thrash band back then. Everybody was, really. Megadeth was thrashier. And obviously, Metallica went on a much more poppy trail than we did. They came back around.”

Despite Metallica’s shift in style, King mentioned he still enjoys their newer material, highlighting a specific song from their 2016 album Hardwired… to Self-Destruct. “They’ve had a couple of pretty killer records—the last couple,” he said. “And I get confused which one’s called what, but the one with ‘Spit Out the Bone.’ I love ‘Spit Out the Bone,’ killer f***ing song.”

Discussing thrash metal, King emphasized that Slayer remained the most thrash among the Big Four but added, “That didn’t make us better or anything. We’re just different.”

Slayer’s last studio album, Repentless, was released in 2015, four years before they decided to disband. Following the split, Kerry King began working on solo material.