Alright, with all respect to all, I think we need to backtrack a little. What is the question?
Is it 'your current favorite song', or is it "Best Metal song"?
Also, what does it take for a Metal song to be a great METAL song?
What is Metal to you?
What are the qualities that separate Metal from other music?
What is the best example of all those qualities?
Exactly. If it wasn't for 'One' they would not be the legends they are today. Everyone always says "Master of Puppets" but it lacks the melody of 'One'. I'd say 'Nothing Else Matters" but I don't even know if that classifies as metal. 'Fade to Black' is also high on my list. I hear a lot of kids have commited suicide to that song.
Listen more closely to the middle section of Master of Puppets and tell me it 'lacks melody'. Also, the fact that One helped push them into the mainstream wasn't the thing that made them a better Metal band. (Note that they were selling out arenas before MTV/mainstream radio ever heard of them).
I can only give my own opinion, but if any song from And Justice For All deserves credit as best song, musically, arrangements, power, etc., that would have to be the title track, "...And Justice For All'. It's a masterpiece.
But, I still say 'Puppets'.
