Heavy duty momentum

Enter Night: Metallica

As outlined by Mick Wall in his new biography, the band — Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and a succession of bassists — have enjoyed a career that has had its fair share of Spinal Tap-like moments as well as its successes. Among the band names they toyed with, for instance, were Thunderf**k and Nixon, and their first album was originally to be called Metal Up The Ass. When distributors baulked at handling such a title, Metallica called it Kill ‘Em All instead.

Founded in Los Angeles in 1981 by Ulrich, a Danish kid whose parents were well-to-do bohemians, and Hetfield, a taciturn working-class hardcase, Metallica rode to success on the coattails of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, headed by Iron Maiden. Metallica were one of four thrash metal bands that rose to prominence in the 1980s, the others being Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. When one considers how hard those others can be on the ear, one may better appreciate how Metallica soared above them, both in their musicianship and commercial success.