It's a battle of two stellar albums in this 2013 March Metal Madness Moshpit Region Round 1 matchup. The hard rocking, in-your-face aggression of Slipknot's self-titled debut squares off against Exodus' thrashy introduction to the metal world, 'Bonded by Blood.'

Slipknot arrived on the scene in 1999, unified by their masks and red jumpsuits, bolstered by their followers known as the maggots, and sporting a fresh infusion of aggression that had been missing in a somewhat stagnant metal scene. Though the band did release 'Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat' on a smaller scale in 1997, their self-titled release put them on the map with tracks like the frenzied 'Wait and Bleed,' 'Spit It Out' and 'Surfacing' connecting with fans.

Exodus, meanwhile, arrived at a creatively fertile time for metal. 'Bonded by Blood' was recorded around the same time as, but released a year after Metallica's 'Kill 'Em All,' and is widely hailed as one of the key discs that spurred the thrash metal movement of the '80s. With frontman Paul Baloff and guitarist Gary Holt leading the way, Exodus delivered such pummeling cuts as 'A Lesson in Violence,' 'And Then There Were None' and 'Metal Command.'

You've got two great metal albums to choose from. Will it be Slipknot's superb self-titled effort or the thrash mastery of Exodus' 'Bonded by Blood'? Your vote will ultimately decide which disc advances in the fight to determine the best metal album of all-time. Cast your vote in the poll below.

(This poll will end on Monday, March 18 at 11:59 PM EST. Fans are able to vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure your favorite album wins!)

Mosh Pit Region
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