Which Bands are “The Big Four of Death Metal”???

Cannibal Corpse drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz recently gave Billboard.com [via The PRP] some juicy quotes regarding their upcoming 25th anniversary as a band. Specifics were sparse or non-existent, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were working on some kind of ambitious DVD or box set as they’ve historically been great with that kind of thing (see: 2008’s Denise Korycki-dircted Centuries of Torment set). But here’s where an innocent hypothetical question posed by Billboard meets rampant speculation by cray-cray IMNs: what would happen if there were a Big Four of Death Metal Tour? Paul’s answer:

I think that would be pretty cool. I don’t know if it would ever happen. On paper, of course, it would be great for us, Morbid Angel, Deicide and Suffocation, something like that. That would be a brutal, brutal tour, a big celebration of bands that have been there since kind of the beginning — and are still going. It would be cool to do something like that.

Obviously this is all just talk, as the question was posed as a “what if” and Paul answer honestly. But… what if? You never know. Maybe this very interview — and the comments war that’s about to erupt below — could serve as the seed for something great.

So, MetalSucks readers: who are YOUR big four of death metal??? Some of you will probably be fine with Paul’s chosen four while I can’t imagine arguments won’t be made for the inclusion of Autopsy, Obituary, Mortician, Malignancy, Immolation and a zillion others. I’ll leave the discussion as to whether inactive bands / bands with dead members can be included in the list or not up to you. GO!

-VN