From humble beginnings, as they emerged pimple-popped and sweaty out of a global New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene infiltrating California in the early 80s, through to almost complete world domination, sell-out tours and Billboard chart success, Metallica's story is like few others. With an insatiable hunger and hell-for-leather attitude, they helped to forge a new direction for metal music across the world, combining progressive anger with, at times, sweeping ballads. In the space of just a few albums, they went from thrashing wannabes (Kill 'Em All) to real heavy rock contenders (…And Justice for All), before unleashing a new blend of chart-topping heavy metal on the masses (Black Album). Through a succinct and detailed song-by-song analysis, this book charts every twist and turn, heartbreak and line-up change peppered throughout their more than 40-year career. As well as studio albums, an all-encompassing round-up of live, cover, collaboration and compilation albums solidities this comprehensive study. If they aren't on the road, it seems they're in the recording studio, with an incessant hunt for the next loudest, ground-breaking sound spurring them on. They rode a wave, then started a tsunami, so prepare to be blown away. Metallica give you 'heavy baby!'.