Metallica is definitely much better before 1992, but after that, I think Megadeth released more quality stuff.

Metallica for sure. Never really got into Megadeath.

For me I've been a fan of Metallica since I was a teen, while I never really got into Megadeth. I did see the Big 4 about 10 years, so have seen Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax live on the same day. I've also seen Metallica a half dozen other times. 

This thread needs a poll.

I'm team Megadeth. They're not as consistently good as Metallica were in their good times, but their best songs are way better than Metallica's best songs - and they've not fallen off a cliff like Metallica has.

Same here, I think I could probably find at least 1 track I like on every single Metallica album. Load has Until It Sleeps. Reload has The Unforgiven II. I'm not sure off the top of my head if I ever heard any St. Anger songs, because I'm not recognizing any by name while looking at the track listing right now, but the album gets little radio play so that doesn't necessarily mean I wouldn't like any of them if I heard them. Death Magnetic has The Day That Never Comes and The Unforgiven III. Much like St. Anger, I don't think I have heard any of the songs from Hardwired to Self Destruct, unfortunately the recent rock station in my area got replatformed into a Classic Hits station in 2015, and the other 2 rock stations in my area are both Classic Rock stations that play nothing newer than the 90's, so I unfortunately haven't heard very much rock music released in the last 7 years. 

Edit: Skimmed through St. Anger and Hardwired on youtube just now. Hardwired sounds good to me. Not really a fan of St. Anger though, seems like it was a heavily experimental album for them and it just didn't work, but they went back to their roots with both Death Magnetic and Hardwired, and both are perfectly fine imo. 

ooh now we're talkin..

I got into Metallica in 2003, funny enough their worst album St. Anger was my first album (well in hindsight I actually like it better than Reload, it actually had some sick riffs and I liked some of the raw James vocals, as well as some of the garage sound minus the garbage pail snare). But I got a soft spot for it as I'm a big riff guy and it came out just as I was getting into the band. In a way that was great for me. I figured if I enjoyed this hated album so much, their good stuff must be incredible. I then picked up Black Album and pretty much went backward from there, I was captivated by most of their music.

I actually didn't even get into Megadeth until about a decade later, 2013, but I instantly fell in love with the infectious riffs and face-melting solos of Mustaine, along with some of the Friedman guitar and Nick Menza & Gar drums in particular. I also love their more edgy lyrics that often dealt with darker and quasi-Libertarian themes. Also Mustaine is just a super interesting guy. I've listened to both of his audiobooks to death. 

As a whole which is better? Honestly it's a virtual tie, but depends on the context. Metallica is probably a bit better as a whole, cohesive unit. James' riffing is rad, and I love the early stuff with Mustaine and Cliff. Kill Em All and Master of Puppets remain two of my favorite albums. And love the themes and complexity of And Justice for All. I even like some stuff on Black Album (Don't Tread on Me, Of Wolf and Man, The God That Failed), and Death Magnetic. 

Yet, Megadeth as a whole has more musicality and depth, at least on a more consistent basis. And I'm impressed with how much Mustaine can crank out new music. Fewer overall stellar albums, but more songs I love, and more complex guitar riffing/solos/bass/drumming that I appreciate. Rust in Peace is fantastic, some of Peace Sells and some of Symphony of Destruction. Endgame and Dystopia are great comeback quasi-thrash albums.

Basically, I prefer Mustaine as a musician/guitar player, but as a whole, *band* wise I guess I'd *slightly* favor Metallica. Though I'm not a huge fan of the mediocre, egotistical drummer Lars, and the *waa waaa* guitar player style of Kirk. 

It's complicated I guess lol..

EDIT: OH I would add, however - in the last two decades or so, it's Megadeth no contest. The majority of Tallica's great stuff occurred in the '80s and early '90s. Death Magnetic was ok, but honestly I didn't love much from Hardwired other than the title track, Moth into the Flame, and Man Unkind.

However - Endgame, Dystopia, and even parts of Youthanasia, Cryptic Writings, System has Failed, are great. 

The discussion I remember more was Iron Maiden fans vs Metallica ones. I was old already when Dave parted ways and so it never seemed to me to be a really great deal. Both are good bands technically but neither has a killer singer like Maiden has (different styles, I know, but it makes a great difference to me), so I never bothered too much since I would prefer the great vocalists (Bruce, Halford, Dio) rather than just the great sound of the instruments (which both Mettallica and Deth have; heck, Kiko Loureiro is a monster and I'm a proud Brazilian patrician of his). It's only been about 15 years since I started listening to these bands with more attention. But if I had to choose, probably Megadeth, for the simple fact they never released a Black Album of sorts.

Kill 'Em All through the In Justice era is unmatched in totality, but after that, Metallica fell off. And Megadeth's best days ended (imo) after Extinction (or maybe even Rust in Peace). So if you're talking the whole span of their careers, both are heavily flawed. But if you're talking in their prime, it would have to be Metallica because it was one thrash masterpiece after another. Although Rust in Peace is as good as anything Metallica released between Kill 'Em All and Justice.

But nowadays? The latest Megadeth record destroys modern Metallica. And by a large margin, imo. I don't know how Dave managed to put together such a mean sounding thrash album at his advanced age, and while suffering through cancer, but he did. Metallica, on the other hand, are busying playing with Hanna Montana and Lady Gaga while James is (literally) crying on stage about his insecurities which is just... sigh.

@farlaff what is the definition of a 'Black Album of sorts'?

At the risk of getting chased out of town, I'm gonna say Load is my favorite Metallica album (although it would be AJFA with better bass/production). After Reload there wasn't much that hooked me though, except Unforgiven III which imo is right up there with the best Metallica songs, and The Day That Never Comes is also great.

I do agree on Metallica songs in general being too long.