which amp?

i was wondering if anyone could give some feedback as to which mesa amp head is should considering getting. i am trying to decide between a mark 4, stilleto, or a rectifier. or would anyone suggest a krank or a marshall? i need a very versatile amp because i play anything from heavy metal (lamb of god, shadows fall, metallica) to bluesy and classic rock (guns n roses, jimi hendrix, eric clapton). also, what does a recording output on an amp do? does it allow you to directly plug your amp into your recording hardware? if so, do all amps have this function?