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Metallica was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles when vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield responded to an advertisement posted by drummer Lars Ulrich in a local newspaper. Metallica's current line-up comprises founding members Hetfield and Ulrich, longtime lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo. Guitarist Dave Mustaine (who went on to form rivals Megadeth) and bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton Jason Newsted are former members of the band. Metallica earned a growing fan base in the underground music community and won critical acclaim with its first four albums; their third album Master of Puppets (1986) was described as one of the most influential and heaviest of thrash metal albums. The band expanded its musical direction and achieved substantial commercial success with its eponymous fifth album Metallica (1991), which resulted in an album that appealed to a more mainstream audience. The album was also their first to debut at number one on the Billboard 200, a success that they also achieved on their following five studio albums. The release of St. Anger (2003) alienated fans with the exclusion of guitar solos and the "steel-sounding snare drum, and a film titled Some Kind of Monster documented the recording of St. Anger and the tensions within the band during that time. The band returned to its original musical style with the release of Death Magnetic (2008), and in 2009, Metallica was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After touring for most of the next eight years, the band followed up with the double album Hardwired... to Self-Destruct (2016), which demonstrated examples from some of the different musical styles that the band has dabbled in throughout its career. The band has won eight Grammy Awards and six of its albums have consecutively debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Metallica formed the independent record label Blackened Recordings and took full ownership of its albums and videos. The band is currently touring to promote Hardwired... to Self-Destruct, which was released on November 18, 2016.
Photo by: RANDI LYNN BEACH
Metallica was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles when vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield responded to an advertisement posted by drummer Lars Ulrich in a local newspaper. Metallica's current line-up comprises founding members Hetfield and Ulrich, longtime lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo. Guitarist Dave Mustaine (who went on to form rivals Megadeth) and bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton Jason Newsted are former members of the band. Metallica earned a growing fan base in the underground music community and won critical acclaim with its first four albums; their third album Master of Puppets (1986) was described as one of the most influential and heaviest of thrash metal albums. The band expanded its musical direction and achieved substantial commercial success with its eponymous fifth album Metallica (1991), which resulted in an album that appealed to a more mainstream audience. The album was also their first to debut at number one on the Billboard 200, a success that they also achieved on their following five studio albums. The release of St. Anger (2003) alienated fans with the exclusion of guitar solos and the "steel-sounding snare drum, and a film titled Some Kind of Monster documented the recording of St. Anger and the tensions within the band during that time. The band returned to its original musical style with the release of Death Magnetic (2008), and in 2009, Metallica was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After touring for most of the next eight years, the band followed up with the double album Hardwired... to Self-Destruct (2016), which demonstrated examples from some of the different musical styles that the band has dabbled in throughout its career. The band has won eight Grammy Awards and six of its albums have consecutively debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Metallica formed the independent record label Blackened Recordings and took full ownership of its albums and videos. The band is currently touring to promote Hardwired... to Self-Destruct, which was released on November 18, 2016.

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