Introduction The Ecstasy of Gold In 1984 my friend Joe taped his Ride the Lightning LP for me. In 1986 I saw Cliff Burton play live. In 1987 I paid $5.98 for The $5.98 EP . In 1994 I reluctantly cut my Metalli-mullet. Those are my fan credentials. You may go back further with Metallica, or you may have found the band more recently.

Metallica fans like to claim OG status, but it doesn't really matter. What matters is what Metallica has meant to you. I wasn't there from the beginning with Metallica, but they were there from the beginning for me--the beginning of my struggle within. I am now 51 years old, and Metallica has provided the soundtrack of my life since I was 14. But this book is not about me. It's not even about what Metallica has meant to me. This book is about the lyrics of James Hetfield. Some fans focus on the music and don't pay much attention to the words.

I'm not one of them. Fans like me believe Hetfield's lyrics are worthy of the same attention that Bob Dylan's receive. As a folk singer, Dylan was recognized as a serious writer from the beginning of his career. By contrast, as a metal musician, Hetfield has not yet received his due for the profundity of his lyrics. This book aims to remedy that situation. Metal fans know that our favorite music provides plenty of food for thought. Yes, the worst of the genre is mindless noise, made merely for commercial gain, but that is true of nearly any genre. More than 80% of popular recordings concern romance, and most are trite.

Hetfield's lyrics stand in stark contrast, dealing with death, war, addiction, alienation, corruption, freedom, religion, and other weighty topics. In the few songs that focus on love, Hetfield gives us much more than sweet "Cherry Pie." Most popular music is just entertainment, something to dance to, something to party with. Metallica's music is real art, something to experience, something to contemplate. It's bold to claim that this book is about the meaning of Metallica. For one thing, the book focuses on Hetfield's lyrics. Meanwhile, the music may have its own meaning beyond, or in addition to, the words. For another thing, Metallica is a cultural phenomenon that transcends their music.

It means something to be a Metallica fan, to be devoted to the band, to have an opinion on the controversies, to feel a sense of community with other fans. This book does not attempt to do justice to that kind of meaning. Perhaps most importantly, Hetfield's lyrics mean something different to different people. For each of us who have listened closely and thought deeply, the lyrics have distinct personal significance. That kind of individual relevance is priceless, but it doesn't always translate well when talking to other people. So, this is not a book about what Hetfield's lyrics mean "to me." Occasionally, I include a personal reference, but only when it helps to paint the bigger picture of what a particular song is about. Likewise, occasionally I discuss how the music reinforces the lyrics.