History Music / METALLICA

The one, the only. Formed in the early '80s when aspiring Danish tennis player/drummer Lars Ulrich placed an ad in a UsefulNotes/LosAngeles newspaper, which, in one of those moments of synchronicity, was answered by singer/guitarist James Hetfield. With lead guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist Ron [=McGovney=] (soon to be replaced by virtuoso Cliff Burton), Metallica was one of the pioneering bands of ThrashMetal, and is considered one of the "Big Four" of thrash, along with Music/{{Anthrax}}, Music/{{Slayer}}, and Music/{{Megadeth}} (the last formed after guitarist Mustaine was kicked out of the band and replaced by Kirk Hammett, late of [[Music/ExodusBand Exodus]]).

* BadassBeard / BadassMoustache: Hetfield has gone for this look to one degree or another since the ''Justice'' days. As his hair has thinned out on top, his beards have gradually gotten bigger.

* ProBonoBarter: Basically how James and Lars got Cliff to quit Trauma (his old band) and come to them. He was unwiling to move to L.A. and made their relocating to San Francisco his only condition for joining.

** Ray Burton, Cliff Burton's father. He appeared in various media related to the band up until his death in January 2020 at the age of 94, and appeared remarkably cheery despite his often depressing life (he outlived his two sons and his wife).

* TheSandman: "Enter Sandman" is a song about to deal with the concept of a child's nightmares and as the name says, plays with the mythical figure of Sandman. The videoclip goes further with a young boy being chased in nightmares by various dangers and in one scene where he's praying, an old man appears being Sandman himself as TheMan behind the nightmares (ported by R. G. Armstrong).

* TheSandman: "Enter Sandman" is a song about to deal with the concept of a child's nightmares and as the name says, plays with the mythical figure of Sandman. The videoclip goes further with a young boy being chased in nightmares by various dangers and in one scene where he's praying, an old man appears being Sandman himself as TheMan behind the nightmares (ported by R. G. Armstrong).

* {{Flanderization}}: James' [[MemeticMutation memetic]] "Something-AHHH" VerbalTic became ''much'' more pronounced after the "Black Album".

* EveryEpisodeEnding: When you hear the first notes of "Enter Sandman", start heading for the doors.

* LockedOutOfTheLoop: James, during the late 1990's. During the band's post-Black Album hiatus, Lars and Kirk had developed interests (art, drugs) that he wanted no part of. During the ''Load'' period, they had been the primary forces behind the band's "new image." He had more in common with Jason Newsted, but the hazing that the band had given Jason effectively scorched that bridge to a crisp. As a result, being isolated from the rest of the band, he developed the "Doctor No" personality that led to Jason's departure and almost led to the band's breakup.

* TextlessAlbumCover: ''St. Anger''[='s=] cover is solely an artwork by Pushead mainly consisting of a clenched fist with no other information.

* AffectionateParody: The laughing at the end of the song "Master Of Puppets" was meant to parody Iron Maiden.

* ArcWords: 17 years apart, but they're there: "Fuck it all and fucking no regrets" from "Damage Inc." (1986) and ''St. Anger''[='=]s title track (2003).

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDLZix8NVjg The verb "die" and the word "death"]]. "Fire" and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA-NiS2sGO4 kill]]" also appear often.

* TakeThat: "Leper Messiah" is an attack upon televangelism.

* {{Mondegreen}}: It's inevitable the way they stretch their syllables on.
** In "No Leaf Clover" it sounds like they're saying "And I'm constipated" when really they're just repeating "And it comes to be that".
** "Don't Tread on Me": A lot of people mishear the line "So be it, threaten no more" as "[[DirtyCommunists Soviets]] threaten [[UsefulNotes/TheNewRussia no more]]," which is understandable as the album was released during the implosion of the USSR. Others mishear it as "So be it, tread no more", due to the song's title.
** "AND OF [[{{Eagleland}} BAKED APPLE PIES]]!" ("and of things that will bite" from "Enter Sandman").

* CulturedBadass: Metallica's lyrics often deal with deep concepts in a highly poetic style, complete with high literature references and honest philosophical contemplation -- [[SophisticatedAsHell interlaced with profanity]] and {{Metal Scream}}s. Additionally, even some of the most vocal members of metal and thrash's {{Hatedom}} acknowledge Metallica as [[TheOneThingIDontHateAboutYou possibly not an insult to music]]. The band's music often features rich, complex composition, and precise, skilled musicianship side by side with raw, passionate improvisation and pioneering experimentation. If some of their work may occasionally sound like something you've heard before, it's because [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny there are few artists in metal today who don't acknowledge them as a major influence]], and fewer still who aren't just unwilling to admit it.

** ''Hardwired'' has the song "Murder One", named after Lemmy's amplifier, and [[SongOfSongTitles filled with references to]] Music/{{Motorhead}} to honor the recently departed frontman.

* {{Adorkable}}: James Hetfield in the early days, far from the badass he would become live, was, true to their origins - a zitty, awkward teenager trying to rile up crowd who had literally no idea who the hell Metallica were.

* WildHair: During the '80s and early '90s, everyone. Since the ''Load'' era, only Kirk. And Robert, once he joined.

* BigGuyLittleGuy: James is tall, Lars and Kirk are short, and (in a contrast to Cliff, who was even taller than James) the bassists are average. Photos such as the one in our page image or the cover of ''[[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7b/Metallica_-_The_%245.98_E.P.-Garage_Days_Re-Revisited_cover.jpg Garage Days Revisited]]'' try to disguise it.

* 2020 - ''S & M 2'' (to be released August 28, 2020)

** The phrase “suffer unto” crops up in a few songs (notably “Harvester of Sorrow” and “My Apocalypse”), but is fundamentally meaningless. Even if it did mean something, it would likely be closer to “put up with” than “suffer from”, which kind of robs the lyrics of their impact. It’s probably [[MST3KMantra best not to think about it too hard]].

** "Blackened" foresees [[GaiasLament environmental catastrophe]], as well as an indifferent populace who’d rather live it up than do anything to stop a slow-motion disaster that will eventually kill even them.

** “Fight Fire With Fire”, written at the height of 1980s Cold War tensions, is about how nuclear warfare leads to the complete destruction of both sides (and everyone else).
** "Blackened" foresees environmental catastrophe, as well as an indifferent populace who’d rather live it up than do anything to stop a slow-motion disaster that will eventually kill even them.

** "Blackened" foresees environmental catastrophe, as well as an indifferent populace who’d rather live it up than do anything to stop something that will eventually kill even them.

* AfterTheEnd: "Blackened", about some kind of apparently fire-based catastrophe.

* ShellShockedVeteran: “Confusion” is sung from the perspective of a military veteran (which the video portrays as having served in the Middle East during UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror) afflicted with [=PTSD=].